So over the last several weeks due to the holidays, hospital visits and such I have driven a little ways south from me a few times...It is a little more country-ish there than where I live...But some of my family has lived there my whole life, so I'm fairly used to some of their country customs...Let me share one with you:
You ALWAYS acknowledge the driver of an oncoming vehicle
with a wave when you are on a two lane road.
Yes, this includes ANY vehicle...car...truck(from s-10s to monster)...bus...van...18-wheeler...tractor or backhoe...with a wave when you are on a two lane road.
Now there are a couple of options to the wave...I'm not talking the beauty queen wave...the politician wave...not even the frantic I'm over here wave when you're trying to get someone's attention...
Nosireebob, your options are variations of the steering wheel wave. I do realize I am not on a two lane road...these pictures are for training use only...same method applies...
The starting position:
Wave #1-easy to remember because it uses only 1 finger to acknowledge the 1977 Ford Explorer that is approaching you...
Wave #2: You guessed it, you use 2 fingers...safety is important...you don't want to run off of a country road...especially when you're waving at the guy haulin 54 heads of cattle...
Wave #3 is the final option, but don't let it fool you, you wave with all 4 fingers and keep the thumb to guide the steering wheel...unless you've lost a finger then it could officially be Wave #3 for you...
These waves can be accompanied with nods and smiles...especially if the cowboy passing you is cute...another tricky situation could be who initiates the wave...in my experience...the locals generally wave first...because it is like a reflex...but just wave when you feel like it...This past weekend I was reminded how wave etiquette is not only done in the country...it is also utilized by bikers...you know, when they only wave to other bikers that they are passing...with the left hand...they just lift the arm a little at their side...
Hope this helps you on your next adventure on any two lane country roads...
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brainella said...
LOL. That's just like where I grew up. I love it!
January 6, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Kristin said...
I am a city girl and if someone waved at me while I was driving I would think they were telling me I had flat tire or something.
January 6, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Kati said...
Haha! How I miss the country.. the only reason we haven't moved back.. is I love the education/recreational opportunities for the kids....
January 6, 2009 at 8:25 PM
Jean said...
Aw yes. I'm more of a two finger girl myself.
January 6, 2009 at 9:05 PM
He & Me + 3 said...
Love the illustrations/pictures that went along with it. Very easy to follow since I am a visual learner. Will be useful when we go visit the south this summer. Thanks!
January 6, 2009 at 9:33 PM
Kimberly said...
Thank you so much for enlightening my world. I am such a better person for knowing this. :D
January 6, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Elaine at Matters of the Heart) said...
This was too funny, loved the photos of said waves..
January 6, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Everyday Mom Designs said...
I'm a four finger waver.. But we don't live in the country.. We're in the south, but not country.. Dallas, Texas.. But when you're driving in a residential area, and someone is out in their front yard, we wave.. :)
January 7, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Tracy P. said...
That's so funny! Who took the pictures? Can you do this while at the same time assembling a cardboard praying mantis?
We have known people who have moved to our area from the south and found northerners to be SO unfriendly and rude because they don't do this. However, I must say that in our neighborhood, everybody does this whether we know each other or not.
January 7, 2009 at 1:59 PM