Driving Etiquette: Waving After Pulling Out

[DaveC426913]

When another driver makes room to let you cut through, where is the appropriate place to wave back? When you first acknowledge the offer, or at the last moment when you are done taking advantage of it?

When I pull out (A), I always feel I've got to wave as soon as I take advantage of their offer. But then, as I come abreast of them (B) (closest approach), I always feel I need to wave again, in case they didn't see the first one and think I'm ungrateful.

 

[GeorginaS]

I'm pitifully grateful when anyone shows the least bit of driving courtesy. I way, way overdo the thank-you waves.

 

[Evo]

I wave both times to let them know I appreciate them. Can't wave too much.

 

[MotoH]

I wave at A and look the opposite way to avoid any awkward stares I might receive at point B.

 

[Noxide]

I write their plate number down and send it to the Illuminati. The Illuminati punish anyone who betrays game theory.

 

[Moonbear]

I wave as I'm making the turn, but am careful not to slow down my turning by waving. I hate it when someone I'm letting go takes forever to actually GO because they're busy waving.

In converse, though, I never wave on another driver. I will leave them room and wait for them to get out, but I won't wave to tell them to go. The only reason for that is because someone actually got sued and lost for doing it several years ago when the ninny making the turn didn't bother looking the OTHER way and got into an accident. They interpreted the wave as "all clear." I personally think you and you alone are responsible for ensuring you can complete a turn and no other vehicles are coming when you pull out to make a turn, but apparently not all courts do.

 

[Proton Soup]

A. acknowledge as you're moving out, not before so as not to give confusing "body language" of "oh no, you go first". then, safe driving takes priority, and it's more important to be looking both ways and ahead instead of flirting with other drivers.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Always after. When I am waved through, I immediately start driving and so my attention is riveted. After I have straightened out and stabilized my situation I acknowledge. I never look to see if my acknowledgment was received. When I wave someone else through I keep my word and do not move until they are through. If they refuse the invitation, I go.

 

[Evo]

About the only time I need someone to make room for me is when I need to merge onto a freeway. In this case a smile and a wave as I move ahead and then once I am completely in the lane in front, I give a wave again to thank them.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I blow kisses.

 

[GeorginaS]

I blow kisses.

You're brilliant!

 

[Cyrus]

I waive to them, less four fingers. :)

 

[Evo]

You're brilliant!

Except in some places, a man blowing kisses at another man might end up in a shooting.

 

[dlgoff]

The reason for waving (acknowledging) @ A is to make dang sure he's really going to let you through. Good eye contact helps you know his true intentions.

 

[DaveC426913]

The reason for waving (acknowledging) @ A is to make dang sure he's really going to let you through. Good eye contact helps you know his true intentions.

Absolutely. But do you then ignore him at B?

That's why I end up at option 3 (both).

 

[dlgoff]

Yes, ignore. By the time you are at B, you should be paying attention of what's in front of you.

 

[MotoH]

Also, if you hold a gun out of your window while at position A, the other drivers will stop and let you through. Be sure to shake gun at driver while at position B with an angry expression.

Works for me anyways.

 

[DaveC426913]

... with an angry expression.

Why do you think they call them expressways?

 

[MotoH]

Why do you think they call them expressways?

and freeways. I am free to do what I want am I not?

 

[Pinu7]

I waive to them, less four fingers. :)

I hope that's a "thumbs up"

 

[BobG]

In the diagram you posted, it would definitely be B - after I've successfully completed the turn.

If a car coming the opposite direction T-bones me in the middle of my turn, I delete the wave completely.

 

[DaveC426913]

If a car coming the opposite direction T-bones me in the middle of my turn, I delete the wave completely.

Good call, good call.

 

[Matterwave]

I wave at A. Then I just drive off.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I get out of the car, run over, and jump on the hood of their car for a full body car hug as I weep and whisper "thank you thank you thank you."

or

I give a little nod and wave at A and proceed after I have made sure that we know what each other are doing.

 

[DaveC426913]

I get out of the car, run over, and jump on the hood of their car for a full body car hug as I weep and whisper "thank you thank you thank you."

Damn. Now I have to add another option to the poll.

 

[lisab]

I'll do just about anything to avoid getting in that situation. For example, I'll turn right and go around the block.

Mostly I do this to avoid frustration at how many people won't stop short a few feet to let a car cross in front of them. But also, to avoid being hit like BobG described.

 

[Borek]

I wave as I'm making the turn, but am careful not to slow down my turning by waving. I hate it when someone I'm letting go takes forever to actually GO because they're busy waving.

Same here. Never let others regret their good will. I am waving when there is the highest chance they can see me.

someone actually got sued and lost for doing it several years ago when the ninny making the turn didn't bother looking the OTHER way and got into an accident. They interpreted the wave as "all clear."

God bless America before it is too late.

 

[leroyjenkens]

You should wave right when you confirm he's letting you out. The rest of the time you should be watching the road. Even when you pull out and you're in front of him, you should be looking right and checking if any cars are coming before you pull into the lane.
Just one courtesy wave is good enough. You don't need to get out and give them a hug.

But, sometimes those people need something besides a wave; they need a punch in the face.
I'll use your picture as an example.

The person let's the other person out and the person coming in the other lane hits them.
I've seen that happen twice and I've almost hit countless people who were coming out like that. The person letting them out is blocking the view of cars coming in the other lane.

 

[Evo]

You should wave right when you confirm he's letting you out. The rest of the time you should be watching the road. Even when you pull out and you're in front of him, you should be looking right and checking if any cars are coming before you pull into the lane.
Just one courtesy wave is good enough. You don't need to get out and give them a hug.

But, sometimes those people need something besides a wave; they need a punch in the face.
I'll use your picture as an example.

The person let's the other person out and the person coming in the other lane hits them.
I've seen that happen twice and I've almost hit countless people who were coming out like that. The person letting them out is blocking the view of cars coming in the other lane.

I've had people stop to let me go, but any time there are 2 or more lanes going the same direction and from observation, I either know there are other cars coming, or if I'm not in a position to see clearly, I smile and shake my head no and motion them to proceed. Anyone that pulls out if they don't know all lanes are clear and crash have no one to blame but themselves. If that was a real judgement, I would have it appealed. The guy could have been waving to someone or swatting at a fly. You don't take traffic directions from anyone other than a traffic cop, even then, I look in all directions to make sure the other cars are following his directions.

 

[leroyjenkens]

I've had people stop to let me go, but any time there are 2 or more lanes going the same direction and from observation, I either know there are other cars coming, or if I'm not in a position to see clearly, I smile and shake my head no and motion them to proceed. Anyone that pulls out if they don't know all lanes are clear and crash have no one to blame but themselves.

You're exactly right. Sometimes they'll slowly stick their nose out checking for traffic. I have no idea what they're going to do, so I'm forced to slow down if I'm the one coming towards them in the other lane. Since they're having to look both directions, since they're pulling out to the left into the lane going the other way, they may not see me the first time they look because I'm obscured by a car, then when they finally pull out after looking the other way, I smash into them. So it may not be complete negligence, but it's still their fault, and regardless of who they blame, my car is still destroyed.

If that was a real judgement, I would have it appealed. The guy could have been waving to someone or swatting at a fly.

It's hard to believe that's a real judgement. You hear all the time about ridiculous cases that go to court and win. I think they may have gone to court, but the "they won" part, was added later for effect. It's hard to even fathom winning a case like that. Judges aren't perfect, but they're not that illogical.

 

[DaveC426913]

The person let's the other person out and the person coming in the other lane hits them.
I've seen that happen twice and I've almost hit countless people who were coming out like that. The person letting them out is blocking the view of cars coming in the other lane.

Yep. Very common. Happened to my sister last year. She got clipped when someone made a left turn in front of her.

While other driver was charged, I feel my sister was partially responsible. It was a completely avoidable accident if she had been driving intelligently.

Anytime traffic adjacent to you is moving substantially slower than your lane there is cause for hyper-vigilance. If I'm on a 4-lane road, and the lane next to me is stopped, I get extremely paranoid and dramatically reduce my speed. I would never have been in that accident.

 

[Lateralus.]

For me, it would depend on the situation. They definitely receive a wave (and a friendly smile) at A, then again at B - traffic permitting.

 

[turbo]

There is a rather nasty spot near a busy intersection in the town just south of here, where there are two lanes of westbound (1/2 will turn north at the intersection) and one lane of eastbound and people often wish to come out the strip-mall parking lot at that location. They nose up to the road looking at the oncoming drivers hoping for cooperation. What I do in this case (if I won't be holding up much traffic in back of me) is to stop well back from the lot's exit so I won't be blocking the exiting driver's view), and then I point to them. I do NOT wave them out. Checking for clear space to exit and merge is their responsibility, not mine.

For my own part, if someone gives me space to cross in front of them, I will wave conspicuously and briefly once, and spend the rest of my time and attention safely negotiating the turn and/or entering the flow of traffic.

 

[leroyjenkens]

What I do in this case (if I won't be holding up much traffic in back of me) is to stop well back from the lot's exit so I won't be blocking the exiting driver's view), and then I point to them. I do NOT wave them out. Checking for clear space to exit and merge is their responsibility, not mine.

A wave means "I'm letting you go", not "I've checked all possible directions and I know for a fact that it's clear for you to proceed". The idea that a difference in hand gestures makes the difference between you being partly responsible for an accident and not responsible at all is completely ridiculous to me.
You could stick your head out of the window and shout at the person to go right now and it's not your fault at all if that person hits another car. You may be a jerk, but it's completely their responsibility to watch where they're going.

 

[turbo]

A wave means "I'm letting you go", not "I've checked all possible directions and I know for a fact that it's clear for you to proceed". The idea that a difference in hand gestures makes the difference between you being partly responsible for an accident and not responsible at all is completely ridiculous to me.
You could stick your head out of the window and shout at the person to go right now and it's not your fault at all if that person hits another car. You may be a jerk, but it's completely their responsibility to watch where they're going.

Read this.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/truck_driver_must_pay_for_waiv.html

 

[physics girl phd]

Except in some places, a man blowing kisses at another man might end up in a shooting.

This is where it is a good advantage to be female. A female blowing kisses at another female is certainly less likely to result in a shooting.

 

[DaveC426913]

This is where it is a good advantage to be female. A female blowing kisses at another female is certainly less likely to result in a shooting.

But still enough to cause half the men in eyeshot to crash into a lamppost.

 

[turbo]

But still enough to cause half the men in eyeshot to crash into a lamppost.

When Bullock planted a wet one on Streep, that might have caused some serious whiplash even if nobody in the audience was driving.

 

[DaveC426913]

When Bullock planted a wet one on Streep...

Wait. Wait...

...

...

...

Wait...

...

Aaaaaand go ahead.

, that might have caused some serious whiplash even if nobody in the audience was driving.

 

[GeorginaS]

When Bullock planted a wet one on Streep, that might have caused some serious whiplash even if nobody in the audience was driving.

When?

Edit: Never mind. These are the Internets. Found it. How did I ever live without Google?

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

A wave means "I'm letting you go", not "I've checked all possible directions and I know for a fact that it's clear for you to proceed". The idea that a difference in hand gestures makes the difference between you being partly responsible for an accident and not responsible at all is completely ridiculous to me.
You could stick your head out of the window and shout at the person to go right now and it's not your fault at all if that person hits another car. You may be a jerk, but it's completely their responsibility to watch where they're going.

I guess it makes some sense. You really are not supposed to do anything like that. Technically you are supposed to just drive your own vehicle as prescribed by law so everyone is on the same page and no one gets confused as to what is going on. You are not supposed to stop in the middle of the road to let a pedestrian cross the street where there is no cross walk. If you have the right of way you go so you are not holding up traffic or upsetting the normal pattern and flow of traffic which any other driver should reasonably be able to expect. Obviously when people break from the routine that everyone else on the road is used to accidents happen.

 

[BobG]

You should wave right when you confirm he's letting you out. The rest of the time you should be watching the road. Even when you pull out and you're in front of him, you should be looking right and checking if any cars are coming before you pull into the lane.
Just one courtesy wave is good enough. You don't need to get out and give them a hug.

But, sometimes those people need something besides a wave; they need a punch in the face.
I'll use your picture as an example.

The person let's the other person out and the person coming in the other lane hits them.
I've seen that happen twice and I've almost hit countless people who were coming out like that. The person letting them out is blocking the view of cars coming in the other lane.

On one of our streets, the right most lane is a turn only lane (which I was coming down) and the second lane is for people going straight (there's 4 lanes each direction at the intersection). A person in the second lane waved a person out so the person exiting the parking lot could get into the second lane. Even with no obstructions, it didn't dawn on him to check the rightmost lane until he was out in the lane.

In my case, I could see what was happening and "just knew" he'd pull out as soon as saw the car in the second most lane leave a gap. I still had to put on the brakes hard, but I was able to stop. The look on the driver's face was priceless, though. And naturally, he slams on his brakes so if I did T-bone him, I'd smash right into his door. He was very flustered afterward and actually backed up back into the parking lot - I'm not sure what good that did, but, whatever ... I thought it was kind of humorous, but only because I managed to stop in time.