Good topic. I too have previously been mostly at the bottom of the British
car food chain - MGA, Mini, Triumph GT-6, MGB GT and happily observed my
place of obligation, waving first or flashing the lights first when
encountering other British cars of higher order. I did make a foray into
the middle class with a Lotus Europa Twin Cam and then into the rarefied
class with two original Lotus Elites.
In all these cars I knew where I was on the social order and when I was
obligated to wave or flash first and vice versa. Personally I put the
Morgan near the top but do know it still occasionally meets a superior being
to whom homage is owed. I ran into a difficult situation a few weeks ago.
I was driving south in Oceanside on Coast Highway (old Route 101 which is
now going through a nostalgia revival as did Route 66). Going north was a
beautiful condition early XKE roadster. I thought about it and finally
waved, first. Didn't actually receive a return wave although the driver
nudged his wife/companion in the passenger seat and pointed at me - well at
the Morgan - so I guess I wasn't snubbed. Anyway, the point is I wouldn't
have waved first at a later XKE but figured the earlier ones deserve a bit
of respect. I think it must be like this for royalty - the higher you get
the more nuanced the ranking.
Chris "I'm not a snob, no, really" Ness
Bonsall, California (North San Diego County)
1961 Plus 4
-----Original Message-----
From: LSelz@aol.com <LSelz@aol.com>
To: morgans@autox.team.net <morgans@autox.team.net>
Date: Sunday, May 09, 1999 5:27 AM
Subject: Re: Wave-and-Flash-Lights-Ranking
>In a message dated 5/9/99 6:00:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>nrwarner@pop.snet.net writes:
>
><< While you are at it you can move the dip switch to the dash and be able
to
> flash the lights at Morgans and other friendly Brit. cars. >>
>
>Nelson, we must think the same way; that was the first thing that I was
>planning on changing. The present hi-beam switch is on the firewall above
>the clutch pedal and is about the most annoying, inconvenient place in the
>world for one. There's a convenient hole in the dash right under the
>steering wheel rim which should do just fine for reaching out the little
>finger and flicking. After all, with a Morgan, I am very near the top of
the
>snobby British Sports Car Who-Waves-and-Flashes-Lights-First food chain,
>which starts with TR7s, MGBs, Midgets, and Spitfires, and tops out with
>(what? XK-120s? Morgans? HRDs? Blower Bentleys?) I always owned cars at
the
>bottom. I'm lost here at the top. Somebody help me so I don't make a
social
>'faux pas' and wave first to a lower-ranking car!!
>
>
> Lannis
>
|