Courtesy gestures on the road

marco79

marco79

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In all my years of driving locally and long distance I have always shown my hazards for a few seconds when thanking someone when giving way when I pass, being to the shoulder or to the slow lane.

I noticed a few weeks ago on a trip from Cape Town to the Free State that a few taxis which passed me when I moved left flickered their indicators, left right left right left right. The same happened this morning driving through Kuilsriver, someone in a sedan flickered his indicators as a thanks for giving him space.

Is this a new method of showing appreciation for giving way? Is it a legal way of saying thanks? Is the old hazard method legal?

How do you show a courtesy gesture when driving?
 
marco79 said:
In all my years of driving locally and long distance I have always shown my hazards for a few seconds when thanking someone when giving way when I pass, being to the shoulder or to the slow lane.

I noticed a few weeks ago on a trip from Cape Town to the Free State that a few taxis which passed me when I moved left flickered their indicators, left right left right left right. The same happened this morning driving through Kuilsriver, someone in a sedan flickered his indicators as a thanks for giving him space.

Is this a new method of showing appreciation for giving way? Is it a legal way of saying thanks? Is the old hazard method legal?

How do you show a courtesy gesture when driving?
Click to expand...

Either way is an acknowledgement, neither is really legal.
 
I've always used a quick flick of the hazards to show thanks. Even remember being in charge of doing this for my dad when we were on the long road from CT to JHB back in the day. Haven't seen anybody use the indicators to do so though... although I haven't seen anybody express thanks at all on these Gauteng roads of late (especially taxi drivers)
 
Drivers of large trucks tend to use the Right flicker to indicate when it is safe (or is it not safe?) to pass.

But using flickers as a courtesy gesture I have not personally seen yet.
 
marco79 said:
In all my years of driving locally and long distance I have always shown my hazards for a few seconds when thanking someone when giving way when I pass, being to the shoulder or to the slow lane.

I noticed a few weeks ago on a trip from Cape Town to the Free State that a few taxis which passed me when I moved left flickered their indicators, left right left right left right. The same happened this morning driving through Kuilsriver, someone in a sedan flickered his indicators as a thanks for giving him space.

Is this a new method of showing appreciation for giving way? Is it a legal way of saying thanks? Is the old hazard method legal?

How do you show a courtesy gesture when driving?
Click to expand...

I would assume its more a case of their circuitry controling the hazards is faulty...
 
The correct usage of the hazards signal is for when there is a hazard. It's to warn other road users of potential hazards.
Using this signal to say thanks is both confusing and incorrect.


The same with the idiots who use hi beams to say thanks
 
Oh no man guys, you need some common decency.

When you want to pass someone and they go on the yellow or to the left, you give them a quick jab of the hazards, they will then courteously respond with a quick flash of the Hibeams, "Idiots" seems a bit much. Its a nice gesture for people spending long hours on the road, you can either be an ass, get mad and drive like a hooligan or show some form of nicety when driving. To each his own.
 
samrai.jck said:
Oh no man guys, you need some common decency.

When you want to pass someone and they go on the yellow or to the left, you give them a quick jab of the hazards, they will then courteously respond with a quick flash of the Hibeams, "Idiots" seems a bit much. Its a nice gesture for people spending long hours on the road, you can either be an ass, get mad and drive like a hooligan or show some form of nicety when driving. To each his own.
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I'm with you on this.
I will always thank someone who makes way for me, as they have no obligation to do so. And I will always flick the headlights to acknowledge others who thank me.
 
I just raise my hand with a sort of waving gesture. Hazard lights serve a purpose and it's not to say thanks.
 
bwana said:
I just raise my hand with a sort of waving gesture. Hazard lights serve a purpose and it's not to say thanks.
Click to expand...

Can't see my hand from outside my car unless the roof's down - if it is I will wave
 
Sinbad said:
Can't see my hand from outside my car unless the roof's down - if it is I will wave
Click to expand...

Most cars don't have a ghetto tint on the front and rear windows :p
 
If you overtake someone who has given way, or helped you with overtaking signals , you flick your hazards as a thank you. He will acknowledge your thank you with a "no worries" flick of his headlights

If you give way or help someone behind you with getting ahead (left indicator for "it's clear", right indicator for "don't overtake, traffic ahead"), then they should thank you using hazards, and you acknowledge with a flick of headlights.

If the road is particularly dark and small, you indicate right when you approach a vehicle heading the other way. It helps to show where the edge of your vehicle is, as headlights can be deceiving where indicators are typically mounted on the side.

Common courtesy and logic for long distance driving where speeds are high, and drivers typically tired.
 
imranpanji said:
If you overtake someone who has given way, or helped you with overtaking signals , you flick your hazards as a thank you. He will acknowledge your thank you with a "no worries" flick of his headlights

If you give way or help someone behind you with getting ahead (left indicator for "it's clear", right indicator for "don't overtake, traffic ahead"), then they should thank you using hazards, and you acknowledge with a flick of headlights.

If the road is particularly dark and small, you indicate right when you approach a vehicle heading the other way. It helps to show where the edge of your vehicle is, as headlights can be deceiving where indicators are typically mounted on the side.

Common courtesy and logic for long distance driving where speeds are high, and drivers typically tired.
Click to expand...

Are you from America ?
 
imranpanji said:
If you overtake someone who has given way, or helped you with overtaking signals , you flick your hazards as a thank you. He will acknowledge your thank you with a "no worries" flick of his headlights

If you give way or help someone behind you with getting ahead (left indicator for "it's clear", right indicator for "don't overtake, traffic ahead"), then they should thank you using hazards, and you acknowledge with a flick of headlights.

If the road is particularly dark and small, you indicate right when you approach a vehicle heading the other way. It helps to show where the edge of your vehicle is, as headlights can be deceiving where indicators are typically mounted on the side.

Common courtesy and logic for long distance driving where speeds are high, and drivers typically tired.
Click to expand...
Too complicated for a nation that can't figure out how a traffic circle operates.
 
bwana said:
Too complicated for a nation that can't figure out how a traffic circle operates.
Click to expand...

Traffic circle?

People in my suburb can't even figure out a fkn stop sign, dude.

[video=youtube;KQVDZYfkc9I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQVDZYfkc9I[/video]
 
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