Submitted 2 days ago by sheridan@lemmy.world to nostupidquestions@lemmy.world
Like, if you accidentally cut someone off, and they get mad and honk, how do you apologize?
I don’t, because being polite while driving is being unpredictable and that makes things more dangerous.
Instead I do what I want others to do which is just do a better job of paying attention and driving consistently. Making mistakes happen, just refocus and avoid making more.
This was me when I got off work today. I was trying to pass someone in front of me on the highway and signaled to move into the left lane. Did my usual couple seconds, saw nobody in my mirrors, and proceeded to move. Ended up cutting someone off that was in my blind spot. They honked and tried to run me off the road in response. I just kept driving like normal cause what happened happened. Dude followed me all the way back to my exit, so I decided instead of going home I’d drive through town. He eventually gave up and turned around to get back on the highway.
Lean into it and just flick them off. Unless you’re in America, because there, that shit will let you killed.
The middle finger. It has to be that.
If they honk and get mad? Usually with the middle finger.
Mom?
I find that rolling over and showing my belly, while impractical, is reliably effective at diffusing these situations.
One hand vertically in from of sternum, wry expression.
🤙
Slam on the brakes to assert you are a power bottom
Wave like an idiot, and pray they don’t have a gun.
SPOILER ALERT:
THEY DO
I remember not feeling in a good mood and I was sitting in the passenger seat and I pressed the steeing wheel to do the BEEP thing, cuz the car in the front wasn’t moving when they’re supposed to (like I think maybe red light just turned green or something and I was tired and wanna go home), and my parents was like “don’t fucking do that, Americans are crazy, they get easily pissed off and they’ll fucking shoot us dead”
Bow down slightly, lift your hand slightly like a weak wave, show a little humility in your eyes if they meet.
Usually I point at them aggressively to get their attention and then start miming Gluck glucking to show them how much of a dumb whore I am.
I don’t think it’s working though, usually they just flip me off and look real angry.
I’ve seen people put both hands up a little above the steering wheel and that was probably the clearest way I’ve seen.
🫢
Usually just a wave, but I’ll give a full blown “I have no idea what I’m doing!” shrug if I REALLY messed up.
I’ve had this thought before. Like we’ve got dozens of ways to show insult or anger with a hand gesture, but no universal way to apologize with one
It’s a big cliche and doesn’t work anywhere else…
But in Hawaii you can literally do anything you want on the road, as long as you throw up a shaka after.
Tokyo drift around in circles while fliffing out Benjamins.
arms crossed in front of chest with “my bad” face
So take both hands off the steering wheel?
That’s why I only drive automatics, one hand adjusting the radio, one hand flipping people off, one knee driving.
Like the Black Panther?
fizzle@quokk.au 1 day ago
I usually wave at them as though I think they’re a friend of mine just saying hello.