Friday afternoon gestures

[BinnZ]

Today I was struck by something someone did when I was driving home. I had taken a pause along the road and when I wanted to continue my way back home I was faced with a long line of cars coming by without a spot to blend in; it seemed I was going to have to wait until the rush hour was over until I was allowed to continue my trip. However, suddenly I got a sign from one of the cars approaching, a little head-light blink while the car was slowing down making space for me to go ahead. How great!
After a long and exhausting day at w0#k that was just what I needed to get a happy weekend feeling! 

I decided to make sure I will give that super Friday Afternoon Gesture every week from now on!

[mandru]

In the age of rage that was a nice gesture on the part of that other driver.  They deserve a karma point for that one. 

[PZ]

In the age of rage that was a nice gesture on the part of that other driver.  They deserve a karma point for that one. 

So true.  Road rage has replaced uncommon courtesy on the road. People just do not seem to care any longer how rude they are to their fellow travelers.

[Art Blade]

That gesture sure beats what I once saw in Spain: A bicyclist was rammed by a car and instead of the stronger one backing down, the driver got out and started to yell at the bicyclist and moments later they had a solid argument going that mounted in the bicyclist taking off one shoe and using it to give the driver a proper walloping until the police arrived moments later. What a crazy show.

So yes, indeed.. it is nice when someone is courteous and offers help rather than being a selfish muppet.

[fragger]

Same here - in the cities, anyway. I don't know about other countries, but here, drivers in rural areas such as mine tend to be a lot more civil. I often have people wave me in, or I wave them in.

Road rage isn't necessarily a recent phenomenon though:

[Art Blade]

 

crazy, 1950 already.. it probably doesn't even matter which year, it's likely ever since we've got a means of transportation. Except perhaps on rail roads.

[fragger]

I sometimes wonder if there was ever such a thing as "wagon rage" Wouldn't surprise me if there was.

[mandru]

Goofy was always my hero. 

I've got a Goofy wristwatch where the face numbers and movement runs backwards.

I sometimes wonder if there was ever such a thing as "wagon rage" Wouldn't surprise me if there was.

Funny how this works out here on OWG.

Earlier this evening while scanning the Dish programming guide Mrs. mandru found an old personal favorite 1956 movie of hers called Friendly Persuasion with Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire and a young Anthony Perkins.

It was about a Quaker family in Indiana in 1862 as the American Civil War was getting into full swing but a lot of the early part of the film was centered on Gary Cooper trying to come to terms with an obnoxious neighbor with a fast buggy horse who would always meet them on the road Sunday mornings and egg on Cooper into racing as his family was making their way to church in their own buggy.  Though a peaceful Quaker Cooper couldn't resist the urge to race but always lot to the superior horse.

That was until Cooper traded his horse for another (a Narragansett Pacer, first light horse developed in the British American colonies) with an owner wanting a milder buggy horse for her daughters.

It was said by the owner of the more spirited mare "She won't be passed." a statement proven profoundly true as the owner and Cooper rode into town on a business errand and another buggy tried to race by them.  The Pacer caught fire and easily left the other wagon in the dust.

Wagon Rage?  Even if it wasn't the drivers raging the horses (it seemed) also had some say in the matter. 

[Art Blade]

 

[PZ]

 

I guess times are really not that different after all

[fragger]

mandru

[Dweller_Benthos]

I always (well, as much as possible) try to give the other person driving some leeway instead of just ignoring them or outright trying to get ahead of them / cut them off. Maybe, once in a while, that person is having a really bad day and being cut off on the highway would be just another thing for them to deal with, maybe it even ending in road rage or them going home and taking it out on the spouse/kids/dog etc. So, by making their life just a little bit easier, maybe something like that could be avoided.

Plus, if they are the road rage type, they are ahead of you where you can keep and eye on them easier and avoid a situation if it does develop.

[fragger]

I see things exactly that way too, D_B. In the same vein, if I get cut off or somebody does something stupid near me, I don't lean on the horn, scream abuse or make rude gestures. That will only add to the irritation of all concerned, and these days you never know what ugliness it may lead to. It could also alarm other nearby drivers who are not part of the debate and distract them or make them jittery. I'll just shake my head, mutter under my breath and immediately put it behind me. The only time I'll sound the horn if it's to warn somebody of danger, or just to let them know I'm there if I suspect they haven't seen me and they start making a move that could cause a collision. Even then, it'll be just a couple of short but assertive toots, not a five-second blare followed by curses and fingers.

When it comes to my pet hate - being tailgated - if I can, I'll move over and let them get past. I'd rather they be up front where I can keep a lookout for their bonehead moves, rather than having them breathing down my neck and risking a rear-ending.

What's that old saying about keeping your enemies close? I like to keep my idiots ahead

[Art Blade]

.. and a good distance between them and oneself 

[mandru]

FC2 Datsun dummies taught me it is better to keep them ahead of you.

That way if they slam on the breaks, scramble out of their vehicle, and try to come after you just wait for a good line up and then stomp on the accelerator and drive over them.