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Ground rules for the sea-krit wave

3K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  Yoda_One 
#1 ·
If plans come together, next week I'll be picking up my ordered '16 3.6 in Carbide but I'm a little hesitant until I figure out the proper Subie wave.

Do I wave frantially like there's a starfish at the end of my arm or do I just keep my eyes glued to the road because any glances otherwise might be interpreted that I bought a 2.5?

Do we just do the bro nod or pretend we don't know each other like I didn't see you at all? Is Carbide so regal that don't wave to anyone driving the primary colors? They should have pointed this stuff out before I was allowed to buy the car.
 
#22 ·
RESPONSE TO OUTBACK SECRET HANDSHAKE
Many Drive readers responded to the suggestion that Outback drivers have a “secret handshake.” Here are some of the e-mails.
Kyle Dickey
Ever since I was 12 (I’m currently 19), I’ve been giving EVERY Subaru I see a simple two thumbs up and a smile and a head nod. Everyone that owns a Subaru in my neck of the woods returns the favor.
E-mail
It’s obvious. With the Pleiades as the Subaru symbol, indicating space travel to the “Outback,” the sign should be the Vulcan split-finger “live long and prosper” salute.
David Harry
May I suggest since Subaru has five stars on the outside and one big star in the center, we use the open palm with fingers spread with palm facing out. In that way the palm will represent the big star surrounded by the five fingers.
Diane Gackenbach
The everlasting, classic “peace” sign is very appropriate.
Jerry, Fort Benning
Arm and hand straight out with thumb and pinkie extended apart on a horizontal plane, representing the horizontally opposed engine! As an added feature for Outback owners only, go from that stance to raising your thumb over your shoulder (you know, like “Outback”?).
Jon Hall, Roman Forest, TX
Starting in the 1950s, Porsche owners have “saluted” each other on the road by the “Flick Flick” of headlights, a quick double pull of the turn signal to activate the bright lights. Maybe it should include everyone that appreciates a horizontally opposed engine. The Flick-Flick doesn’t require one to down a window on a hot or rainy day and can be seen whether one has tinted windows or not.
Shannon and Mark Long, Vancouver, WA
Being that a typical Subaru owner is a dog owner and dogs love to ride around in Subarus, we think we have the perfect solution. In honor of our chocolate labrador retriever, Mocha P. Long, we have adopted “the paw wave.” The paw is a four-finger salute with the thumb tucked in the palm as to emulate a dog paw.
David Paxton
How about the classic “Peace Sign” with the fingers in a V.
Pete Damiano
I think all Subaru drivers should beep the horn twice quickly as they see another Subaru driver – once for RWD and once for FWD.
Bruce M. Brown
Wiggle your left index finger in the shape of an S.
Michael Drelich
Four fingers for AWD, middle finger down. Easiest when driving. Or a claw for symmetrical.
Rhoda Hershman, Cheltenham, PA
Form an O with thumb and forefinger. This could mean “Outbacks are OK” or “Only an Outback for me” or “How obvious is my choice of an Outback.” How about, “Overjoyed with an Outback”?
Marc Stober
I propose we start using a Secret Subaru Signal to acknowledge the true Sube Fans – wave (or just hold up your hand) with thumb tucked in to your palm and four fingers extended, signifying the Beauty of AWD.
Matt Dykstra
Where I am from Subie owners “throw up deuces” – that is to say, two fingers in the air making a V, also known as a peace sign. Anyway, this is pretty standard among Impreza owners, and I think it would be the same for owners of other models. Peace out.
Tony Giannone, Chelmsford, MA
Rather than a secret hand wave, I’d like to suggest a simple nod of the head. The reason for this is to promote safety by keeping both hands on the steering wheel.
Barb Toy, Templeton, PA
For approximately two years now, my boyfriend and I have been doing our own secret Subaru Outback handshake. We also knew about the motorcyclist secret handshake and decided to make our own up. We call it the “Sign of the Subaru,” therefore including all our cool Subaru owners. Our wave is like a big S with a few extra curves. We told all our Subaru friends, and we always do it every time we see each other.
William Phypers
How about both hands on the wheel, eyes forward on the road ahead, checking the mirrors often?
Cassie Leconte
It’s no secret that the Outback secret handshake is simply a peace sign. Every Outback I’ve seen has responded to my peace sign or given me one before I could give it first. Or just pointing your finger at them with a smile works, too. I also shout out “woooo” and pump my fist out the window, and that works, too. The secret is just to notice a fellow Outbacker and show that you noticed them. I love my Outback and others who have them. Subarus for life.
E-mail
I think the thumbs-up hand sign would be an appropriate secret handshake between Subaru owners.
Glenn and Lisa Knight, Seattle, WA
I suggest that Subaru owners could stroke their chins/beards and then hold up two fingers in a Vee to signify mountain goat horns because this car goes where other cars can’t and climbs like a mountain goat!
Karen Greenstein
I believe the secret handshake should extend to all Subaru drivers. Why discriminate to just Outback drivers? That said, pointing two fingers with a double pump forward could be “the one,” much like a shortened version used by the “Trick My Truck” guys when they send the made-over version out the door.
Elayne Best
The newest trend in giving knucks. Instead of knuckle thumping, you go under. Underknucks and then explode.
Sadye Davenport, CA
I do not believe it should be limited only to Outback owners. I believe we are all special because we all own and love Subarus! I live in California and have found that no matter what kind of Subaru you drive, any time you come upon another Subaru owner, they are always willing to show you the Subaru love. Everyone I encounter with another Subaru always throws a sideways peace sign to show the Subaru love. Some people go out of their way to honk just to make sure you see them so they can show you the love!
Denise Landi, NY
No reason to limit it to only the Outback. Why not a “thumbs up” when we pass any Subaru. It is no kept secret that Subarus are excellent vehicles.
Cynthia, OH
We Outback owners truly do need our own secret handshake to acknowledge each other in passing. Since Subaru evokes love in us all, there is no question to me that the secret handshake should be the sign language symbol for “I love you” with the thumb, index, and pinky fingers extended while the middle two fingers remain bent toward the palm.
M.F. Huntington, Prairie Village, KS
There can be no other choice. It’s got to be a fist – held out the window (as if to bump together in greeting) or straight up through the moon roof for the “Outback Power Salute!”
Susan and Allan Viner, Windsor, CT
How about the two-finger peace sign? Anything else may be misinterpreted.
Jennifer and Dave Case, Medina, OH
How about the serpentine arm wave? You can go three times for Su-bar-u – kind of like, “Keep rolling fellow Subaru owner! Enjoy your next adventure!”
Ruth Wendell, Binghamton, NY
I suspect that by now you have heard that the hand symbol shown in the Drive magazine is the International Sign Language (for deaf people) that means “I love you.” This is certainly not an exclusive message, but I can’t think of anything that could beat it.
Russell Duren
How about Fonzie’s “Ayyyyy!”?
Kenny Halla
We proud owners of WRXs usually give the peace sign, a simple nod, or a full-blown wave. I don’t believe we have a “secret handshake.” It’s more for members of a community acknowledging each other and the love for our cars. Maybe there should be a Subaru secret handshake? We can make an S with our hands, although some might consider it a gang sign! Ha, the Subaru gang.
Anna Black, Fort Wayne, IN
Why only Outback drivers? Shouldn’t all of us who drive any kind of Subaru be included in this fraternal-like secret society identification ritual? Or should we Forester owners have our own club? Just asking ...
Nathan Murphy
Ultimately, this shouldn’t be limited to just the Outback. All Subaru owners should be happy to salute their fellow Subaru drivers with a simple, friendly acknowledgement. I say keep it simple and just use a closed fist. A closed fist represents the letter S in American sign language. There are many aspects of a Subaru that could be represented by the letter S, depending on what it means to you. Here are some.
Subaru
Share the love
Smart
Solid
Simple
Safe
Symmetrical AWD
STI
Lydia Rieger, Audubon, PA
I thought we should combine the two signs for star and car into one sign. The trouble is both signs use two hands, and we don’t want people to take their hands off the wheels while giving the secret handshake. So we could do a variation with one hand. The sign for stars is taking your two index fingers and shooting them alternately in the air in front of you with your palms facing away from you. The sign for car is just miming the motion of driving a car – your two fists moving up and down alternately. So, I thought we could take one hand, make a fist, bring it up around an imaginary steering wheel, and, as the fist nears the top of the wheel, point the index finger out and bend the whole hand and arm down the other side of the wheel, kind of like a disco move but your whole hand and arm move in an arc. I would check first to see if there are any ASL signs like this since we don’t want to confuse or offend any hearing-impaired people!
Sharon Heidlebaugh, Lancaster, PA
Carrying on the theme of the stars: Show your hand up with all five fingers then all but the pointer finger down to show that Subarus are #1.
Ashley Greene, Chicago, IL
Since owning/driving a Subaru is all about “love,” the obvious answer would of course be the hand signal for love!
Emily Caveney
Make an O out of your left hand by curling all your fingers and bringing your thumb up to touch the fingernails. Then make the letter S for Subaru, of course, in the air above the steering wheel. It would be a fun to make an O in the air, too, but I prefer the flair of the S.
Chrisy
My vote goes to using the peace sign when two Subie Outbacks pass!
Robert Tesoriero, Middletown, CT
We Impreza guys/gals just wave or honk when passing each other. No need to get silly with it. It’s a cool feeling passing someone with the same car and having them wave.
Michael Marshall
My suggestion for the Outback owners’ secret handshake/hand signal is for the thumb and forefingers curled around in the shape of an O, similar to the O in sign language, and moved up and down several times to indicate the Outback's excellence.
John and Jennie Flanery
Like the hand sign you give when you see a Franz bread truck (for all us Oregonians): We remember as kids going to the factory for the tour, and then at the end they would give you the baby-size loaf of hot, fresh bread and tell you that every time you see a Franz truck, you make a circle in your hand like a donut hole and wave it at the truck. So the shake is an O with your thumb and first finger and then the rest of your three fingers wave or move up and down and a hello, kind of like rabbit ears moving.
Jim Caswell, Moline, IL
As a universal greeting between all Subaru drivers, I suggest the “Thumbs Up” symbol; i.e., a closed fist with the thumb extending upward. This symbol was widely used by our military, especially pilots, in World War II. Hundreds and hundreds of photographs of our troops picture this. It portrays several different messages, including “all’s well,” “well done,” “good luck,” “way to go,” “have a safe trip,” and even as a greeting of hello and goodbye. It is universally known and understood.
Erik Stroehlein, New Hope, PA
I love the idea of an Outback wave, but should include all Subaru owners. I’m thinking a mix of the love/peace wave and queen wave, thumb, index and pinkie fingers up and then twist at the wrist.
Carol Vanderbuerg, Kalamazoo
When I owned another “rugged” vehicle, we did a casual wave by placing the heel of the hand at the 11:00 position on the steering wheel and making a slight move to the left as we passed one another. Certainly we Subaru-ers can do as well.
Cathy Price, Costa Mesa, CA
Point all the fingers forward like you are holding an invisible ball, and then move your fingers as if you were playing something fast on the piano. I guess the thumb becomes the big star.
E-mail
Jeep owners also have a wave they do. With their hands on the wheel they raise two fingers. My suggestion is to replicate that only with other Subaru owners.
 
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