I was headed down the highway today and I saw a guy coming the opposite way pulling a trailer just like mine. I flashed my lights and waved at the gentleman, who in turn gave me the finger. I forgot that I wasn’t pulling my trailer, usually we show respect on the road. Oh well I guess it’s the old age catching up with me. haha
I can t imagine flipping someone off just for that. or for anything really, unless we were joking.
anyone know why people do that?
I used to go to Talledega every year to attend a NASCAR race and the first few times I was taken aback at the sight of people we passed that would give a friendly wave to us. I told my buddy, they wave back home too, just with fewer fingers…
Sadly, it seems the reaction you got is often the first reaction rather than one of, I wonder why that guy is flashing his lights? Maybe something is wrong that I need to know about??? NO, it’s FU buddy!
yeah, when I moved back to Delmarva after living in mass. , the first things I noticed were that everyone sounded southern and everyone was so nice…
Last week a drunk homeless guy on a bicycle pulled out in front of my car on a (non-interstate) highway. I was able to stop in time to prevent injuring him, but I wasn’t able to avoid contact. I hit and bent his rear wheel and he fell off his bicycle. A minute or two later, a woman driving in the opposite direction stopped and asked what happened. When the guy told her I hit him with my car, she called me a “f___ing animal.”
Yeah, civility on the road has largely become a joke. At least the guy was okay and wasn’t upset. Just to be sure, I called 911 and had them send an ambulance and the police to file a report. As a precaution, they fitted a collar on his neck and strapped him to a board before taking him to the hospital. I guess he was okay, because I haven’t heard anything since, except for follow-up questions from my insurance company.
I also suspected the lights flash. I assume a lights flash from behind is an aggressive driver wanting me to get out of their way. Oncoming at night would be turn on your headlights. Oncoming during daylight? The only thing I can think of is warning of an accident or speed trap ahead.
Some people just like to communicate digitally.
In NH it’s illegal. In NY, I suspect there’s a question on the driver’s exam asking about the signal’s meaning and when it’s appropriate to use it.
The bum was just bragging about is IQ.
“…she called me a “f___ing animal.””
That would technically be correct…;-]
Do you own an Airstream trailer? That blinking the lights and waving started with the Airstream club.
I have a not so funny little story. I’m guessing early 1990s. I was turning left from a parking lot onto a 2 lane city street with center turn lane. There was a vehicle doing the same thing from a parking lot directly across from me. There was no traffic on the street so we were able to make our turns at the same time. It was similar to the one time myself and three other vehicles arrived at a 4 way stop at the exact same time. We were all turning right. After about 2 seconds of is really happening? we all turned at the same time. As the afore mentioned car and I making our left turns passed I noticed it was driven by a young female who was giving me the finger. Huh! I decided she needed some Fatherly advise so I turned around and followed her a few blocks to another parking lot. She had just exited her car when I arrived with my window down and told her “Don’t be afraid. I’m OK”. “I just want to advise you that if you continue your inappropriate behavior you will find someone who is not OK. Do you understand”? She nodded her head and I went on my way. If I tried to be a good Samaritan now days I would probably be posting this from a computer in the prison library.
Perhaps it’s my imagination, but the one finger salute seems to be far more common among the younger set than it ever was in the past.
“the one finger salute seems to be far more common among the younger set than it ever was in the past.”
In my neck of the woods, it seems to be most common with younger women driving BMWs.
You know–some of the folks who are more important than everyone else.
I guess lights flashing was a bad idea, but we do wave to each other when we are pulling our Little Guy trailers. It’s the same with Harley Riders… like being in our own club. I’ll just wave next time.
Keith, I just read your comments, no, I don’t have an Airstream, here is what I have golittleguy.com/model?id=42&model=6-Wide-Platform
I didn’t know that Airstream started that! Good to know!
@Jack_T60, it’s not a Harley Davidson thing. All motorcyclists wave at one another.
Well, don’t wave at a hard core Harley rider (or any other biker for that matter), you’ll get beat up! For bikers, the correct acknowledgement is either a slight head bob or a lowered left hand out. 
That sense of “community” exists for any activity guys engage in. When I’m driving one of my vettes, you can bet other vette drivers will acknowledge you. Same for the bike, vintage muscle cars and so on.
Guys think other guys with the same or similar stuff are cool. Women tend to hate other women that have the same stuff, especially clothing. Two guys at a party with the same clothes? Best buddies…
Its hard not to stereotype. I’ve gotten saluted twice in the past five years and both by young ladies driving aggressively. One went through a stop sign and didn’t like it that I was in her way. Then there are those guys that hit me up for money in the Ohio parking lots. Never had a young lady do that. Maybe they’re driving to fast to stop.
I’ve been friends (coworker) with a few hard core biker gang members, including a Hell’s Angel, and if someone waves at them and is obviously doing so out of cordiality they simply acknowledge the wave and keep on going. They can’t be bothered with citizens just being cordial. Besides, it would take a lot more than a friendly wave to get them to be willing to draw the attention of law enforcement.