MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - polite enquiry

Hi I have just a quick question, upon reading the ultimate MG site or similar such site I remember seeing a paragraph about MG drivers waving to each other, so far this has only happened to me once, is this a tradition that has fallen by the wayside?
Jenny

Seems to be happening less and less - but perhaps we should all be getting back into this tradition?

Waved at the mgtf transporter on the M40 last Thursday - great to see new MGs again - got a flash of greeting back from the driver! :o) [Not seen many Trophy Blue LEs so far?]
Rob Bell

Hi Jenny, Welcome to the world of MG's! Yes, we do still acknowledge one another, either by waving or flashing lights. But there are some owners of older MG's that for some reason don't seem to realise that an MGF is an MG! Maybe it's because they blend in more with today's cars, and don't have the nostalgic look of the midgets & B's.
Margaret Brock

Midgets and Bs? older MGs? they are modern MGs to some of us. However I am an owner of a Midget, a Metro turbo, an MGA and now an MGF. I always wave at other MGs but find very few MGF owners wave back. Therefore one tends to not waste the effort in waving to them in the first place.
Bob (Robert) Midget Turbo

I think it could be that that are plenty of folk who drive an MGF/TF because they like it as a small sports car, not because they are MG nuts like most of us. If we see one approaching we probably do assume we won't get a wave, and don't wave first. Perhaps we should wave at older MGs, then they'd know there are some co-enthusiasts!
Mike Cunningham

I waved to a TF in Toddington tonight on my way home and the guy looked at me like I was an alien - could've the wild joker-like grin i still had plastered over my face at the first time behind the wheel for ages...
Kieren Gibson

As owners of the older MG's we know about MG history and the MG wave and are out there totally aware of our environment. Safety Fast and all that...
In a MGF/TF the owner, as Mike says above, invariably isn't aware of things MG and am sure often think people waving at them are nuts. Also probably 95% of F'ers seem to have the hood and windows up, heater/aircon on, the radio/CD/iPod playing and maybe a sat/nav talking away too. Being so cossetted, how are they going to know there's an MG coming towards them!
There is also the fact that even if an F'er, under a dark hood and with a steeply raked screen reflecting a bright sky does wave back, we probably can't see it anyway!
In my MGA or the "F" (hood and windows only up if raining) I wave at all MG's. Everything up to MGB's - they wave back. F/TF's - they must always be waved at for educational purposes; two flashes can help wake them up. Z's - here perhaps I have given up and apologise to the odd one who has waved too late for my response.
Pete
Pete Tipping

Hi I have also noticed the decline of this and when I drive my wife's F I always wave, but as said by others people here, when you wave at others they think that you are mad. Well maybe if enough of us do this it may revive this friendly act. I have a Merc myself and if I see someone in the same model I wave. You can imagine how that goes down Ha! Ha!
Brian

Just imagine what it must be like if all you've got is a Ford Focus!
Mike Cunningham

I still salute the AA men, never get a response whatever I'm driving :(
Adam
A H Price

You must be nearly as old as me Adam! Mind you they don't ride motorcycle combinations any more, do they...
Mike Cunningham

Over here we ALWAYS wave at other MG's, no matter if it's a TC or a F/TF, maybe cause there are fewer of them on the roads, I don't know.
T Owen

In fact I even got a wave from the driver of an MX5 the other day whilst out in the B.
Now that's scary!
T Owen

Living in the countryside in N Ireland the tradition appears to be that you wave at pretty well every driver you meet on a C class country road just because they happen to be driving along the same road the other way. Thought it strange when I moved up from Belfast 16 years ago but now think it is quite quaint. I suppose if if met another MG I would have to step it up to waving both arms as if signalling a rescue helicopter.
Paul Robertson

i still wave when out in my B roadster. And most B drives wave back
A Charman

This thread was discussed between 30/09/2008 and 17/11/2008

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.