Revisit the universal apology

After listening to the best of car talk today, I think it would be in everyone’s best interest if we revisit the universal apology gesture. We all make mistakes in our cars from time to time, especially with today’s technology constantly distracting us. I usually personally do a kind of limp wave to somehow imply an apology. What do some others use as a gesture for apology?

i just raise my hand and look sheepishly while mouthing “sorry”…

Hold up your hand as a pistol, put the barrel (index finger) into your mouth, and drop the hammer (thumb).

A wave, and everyone can lip-read the word “sorry” from another driver…

I just say or gesture nothing from one car to another. Without a way to actually verbalized, you maybe miss construed. I mistakingly did this year’s ago and got two middle fingers back. Now, I look straight ahead and just get the heck out of the way. A free lane to some one you a wronged in a car is apology enough for me. That’s what I would appreciate most. You never know how the other person will interpret. Just look in the mirror for example and say the word “vacuum” while reading your lips.

@dagosa, LOL. Yes, sometimes silence is golden. But I think most drivers can lip-read the difference between “sorry” and “vacuum” and its four-letter analogue. :wink:

i was kind of hoping that the pinky finger gesture like they talked about on the show would become the universal symbol

@jesmed1.
I hear what you are saying. But cars are like loaded guns and it’s one time where if you make a mistake and try to look at one ot these “alpha dogs” in the eye to apologize, just like a real attack dog who looks for a weakness, it can go down hill from there. I firmly believe the universal jesters when you do things wrong, is what you actually do with your car and not with one of your fingers. That is, be completely non threatening with it. I hate to think after a confrontation we are diverting our attention off the road and into the private space of someone else car to make sure we jestured with a pinky or moved our lips the right way. Some think their car space is like a bedroom window…I respect it.