[Aravind_M92]

Majority of us are in India and well, we all aren’t new to road rage. Even the most sane of us must’ve had the rage at some point of time. We do have a ‘lot’ of ways of expressing our rage, may it be verbal shouting or a sarcastic comeback. But most of us tend to use hand signs to express out our anguish. We do have a lot of them! Most commonly, the finger!
But at instances we would have come across times where we do realise we’re the ones at fault and feel guilty about it without being able to express it out in a moving car. I for sure have had such incidents and felt guilty about not being able to apologise for my ignorance.
Same goes with saying thanks. Imagine a truck driver allows you to pass on a narrow road. He too has to make an effort on that narrow road to skilfully manoeuver his large vehicle to make way for you to pass. Well there are some incessantly annoying honkers to whom he has to respond as well! I kind of give two short beeps of horn or a thumbs up in response.
Please share your practices and hand signs you tend to follow on roads for apology and gratitude.

P.S. we do spot teambhpians while driving. Some of us have t-bhp stickers while some don’t! Dear GTO can we decide on a common hand sign to greet each other while driving?

[saikarthik]

For xBhp, there used to be a signal - making X with the hands. This was used to easily identify the genuine and interested members on the road. But what benefit it will bring here now? There hasn't been a hand signal in Team-BHP for all this time and there was no need till now.



Source: xBhp.com

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Aravind_M92

...felt guilty about not being able to apologise for my ignorance.
Same goes with saying thanks. Imagine a truck driver...

Please share your practices and hand signs you tend to follow on roads for apology and gratitude.

Interesting thread idea, though I'd suggest changing the title to
"Unconventional Indian Driving Signals that Express Driver Emotions"

Apology: Don't drive like a miserable idiot, and you would not need to apologise. I've seen such idiots actually take both their hands off the steering wheel to do a namaste sign as an apology. Also seen a few folks let go of the steering and show both palms as an apology sign. If the mistake was intentional, no point apologising. For unintentional mistakes the other driver would understand and forgive, or at least forget anyway.

Thanks: Indian truck-driver-style thanks include a double flash of the hazard lights at night, or an arm stuck upwards out of the window with a splayed palm during the day. It's part of the unconventional signals that Indian drivers have developed and use, but I think the newer generation of truck drivers are gradually becoming less and less polite.

Aggression: Unlike the rest of the world, flashing your headlights in India is a mark of sheer aggression. Whether at oncoming traffic, or while overtaking, the extra-quick repeated headlight flash says "To hell with you, here I come. Get out of the way or suffer the consequences." I'm terrified every time someone is moving at speed (especially large SUVs), and does that. I imagine the guy has brake failure and is about to crash.

Let's hear of more such unconventional signals.

Originally Posted by Aravind_M92

...can we decide on a common hand sign to greet each other while driving?

Why not just park ahead (where permitted), and have a quick chat if you know the other chap? Why do we need hand signals? Incidentally, I've not been happy with the way people targeted me just to greet when my car had stickers, so my present car doesn't carry any stickers at all.

[locusjag]

I anticipate when city-bus drivers need to shift lanes and I fall back, letting them do their thing. 80% of the time, these drivers in Chennai city at least extend their hand out of the window and splay their palm facing down towards the road. I take it that they've thanked me for giving them breathing space; I'd be 2 car lengths behind the bus by the time when they display this gesture, so I don't think they're signaling to be allowed to change lanes as that wouldn't make sense. At least, I'd like to think that they thank me for my generosity with that gesture.

[tharian]

A single honk is what I have been following through the years as a gesture for thank you.
But I use it only for heavy vehicles, when I am overtaking them and nearing the drivers side.

As for showing my dissatisfaction or annoyance, it's the twisted palm with all the fingers turned as in 'what are you doing'.

[IP_Man]

Conventional and unconventional singling during driving is very confusing. For e.g. in Bahrain, single flash of headlamp means 'you are allowed to cross, I will wait'. 'Same headlamp flash in India is I want to go first, you wait'.

Regarding apology, for e.g. if I lightly nudge somebody's car or make inconvenience to other driver, I just stick out hand from the window is sufficient to calm other driver.

[blackwasp]

From my experience so far, the universal sign of apology "raising your right hand and shaking your head while forcing up a smile" is what people do when they drive like an idiot. Eg - merging without seeing mirrors, wrong side driving etc.

No one acknowledges you except for truckers or the incoming vehicle when you stop for them to give way on a narrow street.

People express displeasure very easily, but thanking or appreciating others is rarely done.

[Arun_S]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Aggression: Unlike the rest of the world, flashing your headlights in India is a mark of sheer aggression. Whether at oncoming traffic, or while overtaking, the extra-quick repeated headlight flash says "To hell with you, here I come. Get out of the way or suffer the consequences." I'm terrified every time someone is moving at speed (especially large SUVs), and does that. I imagine the guy has brake failure and is about to crash.

Well said SS-Traveller . The Volvo\Benz buses here have about 8-10 lights when they do that, scares me like hell.

[lonetraveller89]

P.S. we do spot teambhpians while driving. Some of us have t-bhp stickers while some don’t! Dear GTO can we decide on a common hand sign to greet each other while driving?

To quote the late and legendary BHPian, Sam Kapasi -

Stick your tongue out as far as it will go, flick it back in and out 3 times, roll your eyes round and round, stick both your thumbs into your armpits and sing loudly "I am a disco dancer" as you swing your crotch back and forth like Mithun.

If it is a Team-BHpian, you'll recognise each other from this secret movement. If not try the next man. If it's a Team-BHPian's parents, don't worry, they won't even believe you know their son or daughter. They'll think koi pagal tha.

Just say hello there!! for God's sake. Always works. If driving, smile and wave. If the guy can stop he will. If it's his Dad, he will wonder who the hell you are.
Then come and write in the "I spotted a BHPian" thread. End of story.

Thanking? On our roads? This is all I feel like doing while driving-




A word of caution for anybody using hand gestures while driving - I remember reading about this incident from a couple of years ago about this driver who was chased and beaten to death because he had tried to warn the people in the other car about either an incompletely shut door or a puncture or something. But they totally misunderstood his gesture, took it as an offence and carried out the devil's work. Be careful out there - Driving first, gestures later!

[aravind.anand]

Not seen anybody else do it, but whenever a truck or bus driver goes out of the way like slowing down or sticking to the edge of the road to help me pass, I show a thumbs up after I overtake the vehicle.

Politeness from truck & bus drivers, despite the harsh working conditions that most of them are in, definitely deserves a

I also think that with AC use becoming the norm for cars, hand gestures have gone down a lot. It becomes a chore to lower the windows and gesture something. Reminds me of the "AC. No hand signal" on yesteryears Ambassadors !

[ninjatalli]

Don't know if this is common across the country, but one very prevalent signaling on Mumbai roads is the jaywalking-while-showing-palm-out-to-traffic move.



Irrespective of whether s/he is paying heed to the traffic or is busy on a call or is even texting while crossing, Mumbai junta will cross the road expecting the traffic to stop or slow down.

A very normal scenario for Mumbai folks but a very unexplainable scenario for others. As explained by this hilarious video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4fiBQxDLqI

[clementw]

Interesting thread, 2 signals come to mind:

1. This is used by many two wheeler riders who are on the other side at a crossing, this is the famous nod the head down and up (with or without helmet), this simple act can mean one or more or the below:
- you wait I am coming
- you come I am waiting
- you come, I am also coming
- I dare you to come
- my dad's road, only I will come
As soon as you understand this universal sign you need to plan your response else it will be a collision and the irate head nodder will argue that he made the sign, cant you see?


2. The open hand raised as a sign of apology for a driving error, usually works and the other side usually acknowledges and moves on.

[norhog]

Speaking of unconventional driver signs, this one is not for emotions.

Showing the right side indicator to indicate that you can overtake.

As you can imagine there is a huge possibility of mistake occurring here. What if the driver in the front wants to make a right turn and the driver behind thinks it is ok to overtake.

For thank you, in far eastern countries, Korea and Japan, if a driver let's you in his lane, the person who was let in the lane expresses "Thank you" with two flashes of hazard warning light, for the driver at the back.

[kamilharis]

Haven't seen many signals that express driver emotions in India.

But here in ME, there are few thanks-giving signals which can be seen regularly. One is just waving your right hand at the other driver when you are at the mistake, or as a token of appreciation for giving you the way, etc.

3 sets of hazard light to show that there is a camera ahead is another one. I guess this is done in India too?

Even during any minor or major accidents I haven't seen anyone arguing with each other post the incident, they usually step out and shake the hands with a smile and calls for the traffic police. They arrive in a couple of minutes and the accident report is made by them on the spot.

[condor]

I now use 3 flashes on my hazard lights to acknowledge the other vehicle after I over take. Could be a thanks or a sorry. Either way, the driver behind can see my lights.

Originally Posted by tharian

A single honk is what I have been following through the years as a gesture for thank you.

After overtaking, I dont think the horn will be of use, since the horn faces forward, and the other vehicle is behind.