I bought my Miata from the wonderful folks at University Mazda in Seattle. One of the things that struck me in the two years I drove around the North West is that Miata owners always waved to each other. It was sort of like belonging to a club made up of all your friends.
In addition to waving as they went by, Miata owners would always stop and say hello when they saw me pull up in my own midnight blue. Invariably the discussion would drift into remembrances of trips taken, recommendations of excellent winding roads, and comparison among models.
However, when I moved back East, I noticed this sense of camaraderie had disappeared. It’s rare, indeed, when a fellow Miata owner will respond with a wave as we pass. And I don’t think anyone’s ever stopped me to talk about our Miatas. This makes me a little sad.
What is it about Easterners that makes them so unfriendly? New Englanders are some of the most friendly people I’ve met, but they don’t wave any more than New Yorkers do. And I actually got the finger from one guy down in Florida.
I still wave, but I fear I’m regarded as something of a freak.