What’s your ‘thankyou’ signal in traffic?

[Skittlesandbeer]

Realised this morning that I’ve developed a signature hand gesture for when other cars or road workers let me pass in traffic. Kind of a flat hand static wave, that turns into a thumbs up. The young lass holding the Stop/Slow sign in the rain seemed greatly cheered by it today, I’m guessing everyone else ignored her?!

That’s in the city. In the country (I have a farm), I do a more restrained lifted finger off the steering wheel with a curt nod. But I do it to almost every passing car. I’ve learnt that it’s safer to nod to strangers, than accidentally miss nodding to a neighbour (or their mum, your dh’s barber, the guy you bought those chickens off in 1993, etc).

What’s your go-to gesture (or repertoire of gestures), and your policy on using it?

Mines just a casual pointing finger and middle finger off the steering wheel towards the driver.

Occasionally I give someone a nod.

When someone pisses me off, on the the other hand, I like to raise my entire hand, fingers spread like I'm giving a high five, while giving the biggest, closed mouth sarcastic grin I possible can. Failing that, the middle finger only, towards the driver.

Mine used to be palm up. DD & DH said it looked like a mini nazi salute. Not i really self consciously do the same

Me too I end on a thumbs up flourish

I love it when people flash their hazards, always feel that’s really friendly, sad I know. 🤗

If I don't get a thank you from another driver when I have kindly and bountifully given way I have an irrational desire to perform a police style stop and ask them SO WHAT DO YOU SAY?

Thumbs up or flat hand when roof is down.
Finger lift and curt nod.
A smile if passing my car.
Quick hazards.

I do love the alternate indicators when done to me and have had people blow kisses, which I haven’t manage to reciprocate.

Flat hand waver here. If someone lets me in I flash the hazards and do the hand up wave between the front seats as, heaven forbid, someone miss seeing my hazard thanks.

Here flashing your headlights is as signal to go ahead of you're letting someone in or out so I wouldn't use it as a thank you.

I feel very cross if I have let someone out or in and they don't thank me!

If they flash me to let me turn right I’ll flash them but only in the day otherwise it’s either a raised forefinger or a full raised hand.

Situation dependent entirely. Near home we tend to wind he window down and have a chat because it will be someone we know 9/10 times.
On slow roads the open, flat hand raised with a nod. On fast roads a quick flash of hazards - if someone has let me in.

I have huge hands, so they get the palm of my hand.

If I let someone in front of me, window is down I use my huge hand to gesture them on.

I do the raised finger from steering wheel, but as a "you're welcome" gesture when someone has thanked me. Thats quite normal round here. For actual thanking i do the normal whole hand thing.

Long story but someone crashed into the side of me when I correctly flashed my lights as a warning to another vehicle. They thought I was ‘flashing them out’ at a junction. I was in fact doing an emergency stop to prevent an accident with another vehicle while flashing my lights to give the other vehicle warning to also take action.

I don’t flash my lights as a thank you at all now.