If Drivers Could Say Thank You in Traffic, Would It Make Other Road Users Less Ragey and More Open to Being Friendly?

pegaxs on 10/10/2017 - 19:08

Ok, a change from the usual "I crashed my car with no insurance" threads…

I recently had a friend return from Japan and tell me about the near lack of road rage he experienced there. And it took him some investigation to find out why people were flashing their hazard lights every now and again in traffic. Turns out it's a widely accepted way of one road user saying thank you to someone letting them merge without having to push in or for general other road user things that here in Australia tend to end up with video footage on A Current Affair of two bogans banging on at the traffic lights.

Now, I do drive trucks and have noticed something similar that truck drivers do for each other on a regular basis. If I let a truck in in front of me, I will often get an opposite blinker flash. EG: They're merging right, I let the truck in, blinker flashes once or twice left, then right again once after they move lanes and it's off. (Can another truck driver can confirm if this is actually a thing or if its just a lot of "opps, over cancelled my indicator" moments. I do it as well and didn’t want to be alone…)

But all of this got me to thinking. If there was a universal way to say "thanks" from your car to a driver that just helped you out, would you be more willing to help people in traffic? Would it go any way towards calming some people down? We all know the the horn is the universal signal for "F#%K YOU, YOU STUPID F#@KING W@%KER" But what if there was something that was the opposite of that. I always try and give a wave to people who let me in, but in a car with black interior and tinted windows they cant always see me. Or in the truck, they cant see me at all.

Do you think it would work? Why or Why not? Would it change the way you perceive other drivers if they could say thanks and would you be more willing to help if they could show their appreciation of your charitable act? Would something like this even work in Australia, or have we crossed to far into the "self entitlement" threshold??

Or maybe if you didnt want to move off and park for your coffee at Maccas, you could pay it forward and buy the car behind a round?

Japanese car drivers saying thanks with hazard lights

Truck drivers saying thanks by flashing indicators

2a. Trucks signal “thank you” to this by indicating left to pull back in, then blinker right, then left again.

Automotive

Comments

  • Clear on 10/10/2017 - 19:14
    +1

    I see the flashing of hazard lights occasionally. I think the trend is on the rise slowly.

    • John Kimble on 10/10/2017 - 21:07

      Buses do this heaps…at least in Sydney.

      • BrewerHaHa on 11/10/2017 - 15:19

        Busses use their hazards when they're stopped and also must signal when they're leaving the curb, even if they don't intend on changing lanes. Are you sure they're saying thanks? I haven't seen this, but I guess I haven't paid attention to it either.

        • John Kimble on 11/10/2017 - 15:21

          Yep 99% sure because this is when cars or buses let them merge into their in lane…so I can't think of any other reason why they would flash hazards a couple of times…I see this mostly during peak hour on the Harbour Bridge.

        • BrewerHaHa on 11/10/2017 - 15:22

          @John Kimble: I'll be on the lookout in the future, that's interesting ;)

  • lost in transit on 10/10/2017 - 19:20
    +1

    I can't believe the arrogant drivers out there, how hard is it to wave to say thanks, I drive a 4wd, so I stick my hand out and use indicators to say thanks… It's not hard…

    • callum9999 on 10/10/2017 - 19:27

      I try to wave, but I'd never use my indicators to say thanks to anyone. It seems unnecessarily confusing for everyone else on the road given that's meant to mean you're about to change direction/lane.

      • nocure on 10/10/2017 - 20:40
        +1

        It's a simple one blink left/right/left , I don't think anyone else will be bothered

  • hell0 on 10/10/2017 - 19:22

    I think thats why CB radios should be more commonplace or as technology improves we would automatically be part of a group chat with everyone within 20m….

    So for example, if I want to turn left but there is no spot I could say 'Excuse me red car, I forgot to take this exit, can I megre in frotn of you when the light turns gree so i dnt miss the exit' and then either 'Thanks red car, 5 stars' ot 'boo red car, f you - 0 stars!*

    • Diji1 on 10/10/2017 - 19:31
      +7

      automatically be part of a group chat with everyone within 20m

      Great idea! No way that could backfire!

      • pegaxs on 10/10/2017 - 20:21
        +1

        It would only be used by polite people to say nice things to other drivers…

        I turn my CB off in the car and truck while my kids are in there… for “obvious” reasons. (Apart from me being a crap driver…)

  • trustnoone on 10/10/2017 - 19:35

    I remember when I was younger this guy made a set of lights, it was essentially an emoticon with writing underneath (on the back of your car), so if you stuffed up you'd say sorry sorry with a sad face, or if someone let you in, it would be a smiley face and thanks or something.

    I was super young when I saw this on tv, but I heard it reduced the stress of people on the road, and reduced road rage because they saw some sort of apology right away.

    • hell0 on 10/10/2017 - 19:57

      Was this on shark tank or that ABC inventing show where 3 people got to showcase their inventions.

  • spackbace on 10/10/2017 - 19:39
    +5

    TL;DR

    But got the gist from the title.

    Simple wave is easy enough, no (reasonable) reason why people don't do it, except that they're just dicks.

    • mskeggs on 10/10/2017 - 20:58

      Agree a wave is enough. I can see if you give it up by your rearview if it is raining or your window is up.

  • tsunamisurfer on 10/10/2017 - 19:47

    I give a simple wave when someone lets me change lanes or is courteous.

    However, if people get ragey because they don't get a thanks, they have a problem.

  • [Deactivated] on 10/10/2017 - 19:59
    -5

    Look. I think if everyone just respected right of way we would all be right.

    And if everyone was in a car. Cars spend too much time sharing the world and waiting on pedestrians and cyclists. Put them all in cars, like everyone else, and we would be ok.

  • dogboy on 10/10/2017 - 20:30
    +2

    You would think so but unfortunately Australia has a very high percentage of dickeads compared to the rest of the civilised world. While flashing your hazards would be regarded as a thank you from the civilised part of society, there is also a high chance that some bogan would take offence as their 2 brain cells couldn't compute this and then road rage at you.

  • MITM on 10/10/2017 - 21:00
    -2

    I usually raise my left hand and wave (near the rear vision mirror) after I've merged or when ever appropriate.
    That way I'm still in control looking forward etc.
    I've seen dumbass drivers slip their hand out of the top 2 inches of the window to do some pathetic wave motion.
    They must be all twisted and tied up to do that awkward "thank you.

    Flashing indicators seems overkill.

  • Ughhh on 10/10/2017 - 21:22

    When you wave/raise your hand, make sure to clearly display 5 fingers. If you only have 1 finger, hopefully it's the index finger, or a thumb. Better if others think you want to ask a question, rather than to think of something else.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 10/10/2017 - 22:22

    I don't understand road rage, but the scientifically-backed summer rage is coming.

  • garffi on 10/10/2017 - 22:52
    +1

    I think the 'wave' is the universal 'thank you' on the road. Doing it with indicators seems a little confusing and may confuse other drivers. I try to give a wave but people behind me can't see it because of the tinted rear window. Even if I tried to put the window down and then stick my hand out, I feel like I have missed the 'right' timing to say thanks.

    Someone mentioned hazard lights, I thought that was more of a "Look out! There's an undercover mobile speed camera ahead!". Some people also use it to notify drivers that they're giving way to them. I have never seen someone use it to say thanks…

  • Euphemistic on 11/10/2017 - 10:28

    If you need to go to the trouble of winding the window down, sticking your arm out, waving, return your arm inside and put the window up I'd rather you just get on with the job of driving. More than a few times I've let someone in and they've gone to so much trouble to wave it has caused them to drive poorly.

    I usually let people in and appreciate a wave, but first things first, I want you to drive properly. I will also give a wave of thanks after being let in etc, but not at the expense of driving so your wave might be delayed a bit while I sort out the traffic issue.

    I think using indicators, or hazard lights is going to far, those orange lights on the corners of the car are for other things.

  • narcoleptic-haze on 11/10/2017 - 14:49

    I don't think it would change the average road user's attitude. Besides if it did become a trend, I'm sure the police would step in to make a few extra bucks and fine you for miss-using something that is meant for warnings and safety.

  • [Deactivated] on 11/10/2017 - 17:28

    lost in transit, I also drive a 4WD and let people in mostly. Drivers are sometimes amazed that I do it being in a 4WD they think I am the scum of the road. We get a bad wrap by the 4WD idiots out there and sad to say there are many out there.

    I also wave a thank you to other drivers.

  • GaryG on 11/10/2017 - 19:23

    I find generally as others have said people do wave thanks as I do as well, often just holding upyour hand briefly where the other driver can see, or put your arm out of the window with a raised hand and all or some fingers (not just one!).

    Mind you today I had some idiot who wouldn't even leave the space for me to pass for the first few times even though I had a 4WD behind me and he had nothing stopping him from reversing in this narrow road. And coming back on the same road I saw a van driver pull to the side to let approaching traffic pass only to have the idiots behind him pass him at speed!! We shared a few choice words when we came passed me about the stupidity of them as it was obvious what he was doing at the time and it wasn't parking!

  • pegaxs on 12/10/2017 - 17:12

    I live near Singleton, NSW, where the guy used a truck to remodel several cars and a historic building.

    Because the highway runs through town, it's already a bottle neck for traffic. This truck accident had only made the situation worse traffic wise. Banked up for miles and people trying to merge. I have been letting lots of people merge just to see if any wave, and was surprised that a lot of people do. :)

    Thinking I had banked a lot of karma over the last 2 days, I thought I would give this merging a try. The guy just didn't want to let me in as soon as he found out I needed to merge. Traffic was crawling so I just moved in and he saw that I had no option as the road ended and finally gave up. I thought, give this out the window wave and a thumbs up a try.

    He got on the horn and honked it until I had to turn off. Swerved lanes to followed me to the next intersection and was hanging out the window shaking a fist and yelling. I turned right and he turned left in a flurry of the screeching tyres and much engine revving, fist and finger still going.

    Did I do it wrong? Did I need more road karma?? I get he is frustrated with the traffic, but hey, everyone is. Me, him and the other hundreds on the road at home time.

    TL;DR (for Spackbace): Big truck wrecks town, traffic is hell, be nice to others, bank some sweet karma. Went to cash it in, Karma bank said "insufficient funds"…

    • Euphemistic on 13/10/2017 - 08:58

      Some people have no idea. they are the ones that get cranky when you use up the empty left lane to pass a bunch of cars and want to merge 'like a zipper'. ie one from each lane. They think that because they have been waiting patiently in the queue that you shouldn't get in, when if everyone used both lanes equally and always merged one for one the traffic would move at exactly the same rate.

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