Friendly wave

Not sure if it is the nor or expected but it does happen and your response should be whatever you are comfortable with and is safe to do.

I say safe to do as, when this question has been asked before, there are invariably comments regarding the safety of taking hands off the wheel for any unnecessary task but I always presume that people will be aware of this and act accordingly.

My Dads first car was a 1955 VW Beetle and it was the norm then for any other Beetle drivers to put up their hand to which my Dad always responded, had he not put his up first.

It may be fleeting, and of differing significance for those who do so, but it can give a warm feeling of belonging to that 'group'!

Welcome, Idris.

It’s a long established tradition that MH-ers acknowledge each other on the road but, in my opinion, our eyes should be on the road and not looking to see if an approaching driver is waving at us. It’s not easy to tell at times if it’s a MH or Tesco delivery van coming towards you. Should you really be looking that closely while driving? Similarly, hands should be on the wheel, not waving. Flashing lights could be misinterpreted by other traffic and could cause an accident - that really is a crazy thing to do.

It’s up to you what you do but, if you wave to me, I’ll not be responding.

Enjoy your travels 👋

Does seem to happen quite a bit. When we picked up the MH last March I was too busy getting used to driving it for waving at anyone, so OH did. A much better solution in my opinion.😀

Just imagine your sat there filling in your insurance claim form " I flashed my lights at a motorhomer coming the other way and for some reason a car pulled out of a side street in front of me causing the accident" 

Then the car would be at fault.

As a motor homer since the 1980s it has always been absolutely normal and customary for occupants to wave at one another when passing. To many I think it is expected - I recall there was a recent thread from someone disappointed that it is not as common as it once was. 

I would not recommend flashing headlights, however, and I do not recall ever experiencing that - merely as a greeting from a fellow motor homer anyway.  

I always wave to oncoming vans on single carriageway roads. I always assumed that the custom of waving at fellow motor caravanners dates back to, and originates from, the time when we were a relatively rare breed and touring caravans were the predominant option. We motor homers needed to stick together!!

In my experience waving remains widespread among those in motor homes despite them being much more common; however, there's no doubt that, unlike when I first started in the hobby, perhaps only one in two will wave now, instead of almost all of them. 

I do not see it as unsafe. Good observation is a vital part of driving technique and oncoming traffic should take as much attention as other aspects of the road. A quick wave - in the same way one might acknowledge a driver who has given way to you (an important courtesy in my view) - is hardly unsafe. 

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"…usual jobsworth brigade who thought it was unsafe to wave which is, of course, absurd."

How rude! 😖

In my book, studying an oncoming vehicle to, firstly, check if it's a MH and, secondly, to exchange waves is not very far removed from using a hand held phone in terms of having your attention diverted from the task in hand - driving.

However, you carry on doing what you want and, whatever I think, I’ll not call you names on here for doing it.

 

Edit- I see the rude comment has now been edited out of your post, Gray.

With the proliferation? recently, of motor caravans there are enough problems for the NHS  without an increase in RSI after waving at other motor caravans

Correct BUT

FLASHING HEADLIGHTS HIGHWAY CODE
The Highway Code states: ‘Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.’