The Bush ‘Finger Wave’ lesson
Go on, admit it!
Really, you should know me better than that…
…
Now all the years I lived in the city, the only ‘finger wave’ I observed was employed by most drivers as an offensive move. You know… there you are happily minding your own business, trying to get into the correct lane before a major road exit at peak hour, and the person in the hotted up yellow Monaro behind you gives you the centre digit for daring to slow them down by 4 entire seconds. Not that I was overly pushy as a city driver. Well, not much. I was just fast and accurate. In my humble opinion. The joy of having been a journo is that all your senses get pretty numbed to abuse. I would always smile and blow the finger-waver a kiss. Works a treat. You can honestly see the steam coming out of their ears! *cackles evilly*
For a start there’s not so much of it.
(Duh, Bush Babe! I hear you say… I can hear you, so keep it clean, OK?)
And the scenery is much better – more peaceful and soothing.
It’s not just the grass and trees and contented cows that lend country roads these qualities, it’s the lack of billboards. The lack of people trying frantically to sell you stuff. The absence of billboards is really good for the brain and the soul. (Aside: I’m not much on hard-sell of anything really. Unless it involves someone dying if I don’t listen. I’d just like to share that disclaimer!)
…
Anyway, it must be the lack of traffic and billboards, because out here, there is none of that middle-digit business going on behind the steering wheel.
It’s more of an INDEX FINGER manoeuvre.
And it’s like TOTALLY FRIENDLY.
Mr Incredible will demonstrate.
(He just loves being a hand model!)
Here is the scenario:
Say you see a car coming along the road towards you…but you don’t really recognise the driver. However it could be someone you know. Or someone related to someone you know. Or a potential bull buyer/client. So you do this…
This signal says: “G’day!“
It says: “I acknowledge you, and your right to be sharing this road with me.“
It says: “Hope you have a safe trip and a good day.”
All that without lifting your palm from the wheel.
…
The second option is the number 2 Finger Wave…
Now this has a tad more energy to it.
Even if your roads don’t look like this!
Tell me how you fare…
Go in peace.
Bush Babe
25 Comments
Dorothy
Hi, Bush Babe. I live in West Texas, USA and I know the wave! We are a more laid back, rural area, and that is standard greeting in these parts. We have friends who moved to our small town from Cardiff, Wales. When her parents came to the states to visit, she went to the local market for my friend. When she got back to the house she told my friend that everyone in town must know she was here to visit because all the cars she met raised their fingers. Her granddaughter had explained that was our way of waving. My friend laughed at her mother and told her that everyone greets everyone the same way. I really enjoy your blog and photos. It is nice to see that people are the same even on the other side of the world.
Paint Girl
We have a small island nearby that has their own special kind of wave! The first time I went there I was like “what is this? why does everyone wave?” well my friend told me that is how they have always been and if you don’t wave you are obviously not a local!
I think it’s great!
Lydia
How funny, same here in South Dakota, although I think the winters froze the 2nd wave out of our brains.
We only get 1 finger (standard) or raising 4 fingers (must be having a good day).
Glad to know how much we all have in common after all.
Leenie
Yup, the farmers and ranchers wave like that in Idaho too! Who taught us all?
Pony Girl
We only wave when someone lets you merge or change lanes in front of you. Then it’s just a whole hand raise as a thank you, an acknowledgement. I think if you are driving a really cool classic car, you get a lot of thumbs-ups! 🙂
Bush Babe
Welcome Dorothy!!! It reassures me no end that people in the country across the other side of the world are as friendly as here.
Paint Girl – a small island? Where on earth do you live?? Is their wave the same??
Lydia – ha!!! Cold winters will do that to you… nice to see the ‘same-same’ across the pond! I do the four-finger lift personally – it’s a girl thing!
Leenie – I know… it seems to be an abbreviated hand-wave that has just developed naturally in all corners of the world!!
Pony Girl – yes, that’s true here too. I always acknowledge when someone lets me in, but that is not the norm in our cities. Do you drive a cool classic car??
*sigh*
Mom L
“Finger wave” – I like it! I’m afraid that here in big ol’ metropolitan Atlanta you are most likely to be given “the finger” or “the bird” – same middle digit, but definitely unfriendly.
But Southern hospitality still reigns when you do a good highway deed – letting someone in – then you get (and give) the whole hand wave as Pony Girl said.
I think I have a lot of new things to learn when I move to gentle Iowa!!
Nancy in Atlanta
Mom L
Oops – I know you said your finger wave is the index finger! I’m just used to the middle finger for the “up yours” attitude.
jrosey
Out in my neck of the woods we’re all about the head nod with one or two fingers off the wheel. But this is only good on our secluded “primitive road”…these rules disappear as soon as our tires hit the asphalt! 😉
Mary Paddock
Heh. My husband calls this the “Missouri salute” which is doled out to everyone, but there are degrees depending on familiarity and/or act of generosity.
sues2u2
We actually live on a paved road, however most of the roads around us are not. And we do the head nod to those we don't know & the hand life to those we do. Just little differences but they mean similar things.
I so love your photos. They are just beautiful.
Jenni
I wonder if it’s the same for country people the world over. The middle finger belongs to the city. Here in rural America, it’s usually two fingers and the thumb lifted off the steering wheel with the palm still resting on it.
Heather
In rural Ontario, the Waves are the same! And everybody does it. On the back roads anyway. As soon as you hit the highway, all bets are off.
Interesting note: If you ride a Motorcycle there is the Motorcycle wave, and you MUST do it to everybody else on a Motorcycle, whether on the highway or not. Or you are completely rude. You kind of hold your hand in the shape of a gun, like you did when you were little. Then hold it down by your thigh, and out.
HR
The hand-on-the-wheel wave came about through the need to retain control of the pickup and not spill the beverage held in the other hand. HR
Anonymous
That first hand finger wave is a lot like what Canadian folk who live in the country do when they pass a vehicle out on a lonely road. If the driver does not do the wave, then you know they are a lost traveler.
signed
Theresa In Alberta who lives in a city, who used to visit friends out in the country for bush parties many years ago and learned all of this 🙂
Pencil Writer
In rural settings, I suppose it’s all very much the same thing. We wave to those on the road–because it is friendly–and you ARE likely to know most of the passersby.
I salute you, and Mr. I, as friends today as I pass by! Love being friends! G’day!
Debby
I do a four finger wave as well. Your hand is still on the wheel but you just wave your four fingers.
Sounds like the country is the same no matter wher you live in the world. I kind of like that…
jeanie
ha ha – when I was little, Dad used to do the wave with the finger firmly against the windscreen.
When I asked why, he explained it would take the shock if a rock flew up and thus save the shatter.
I am still not sure whether to believe him – I mean, such multitasking was invented by the man!
Oh – and my word verification is “pagisho”! Sho is!!
d/iowa
OMG that is SO funny! since we left the city and moved to the country i’ve noticed that everyone here has a wave too. a finger wave or a head nod. and there is a special jeep wave when we are in the jeep, and a special truck wave when we are in the ram.
when we were in atlanta people only flipped birds in road rage.
but not here.
man i love the country 🙂
Jayne
I miss the finger wave here in Melbourne!
Wrensong Farm
On our “hill” where we live we all used to wave to each other…now we have had some city folk move in and they don’t seem friendly at all….I’ve even stopped waving unless I know them. When I’m in the Jeep Wrangler I always wave to other Jeeps. Usually a two finger/peace wave. 🙂
Brown's Creek Kennels
I live in Arkansas, USA. When i was little i asked my grandad why he did this sort of 1/2 wave from the steering wheel. He explained all the good intention behind it, but added to it. He said that the gesture heralded back to earlier times (i think he implied medieval, but i was very small). The gesture was to show that you were peaceful and intended no harm – with the wave proving you had no weapeon.
Who knows, but it sounds good, and it’s interesting that so many different parts of the world do the same wave.
I love reading your post, btw.
Take Care, Karen
Emily
Ah, yes. The finger wave. One of the universal things that bind us all together. That and toilet paper, I suppose.
Carol/Red Dirt In My Soul
Oh, yes, we have all sorts of these in Wyoming. Sometimes I might be a tad distracted and miss someone’s wave… And I feel so bad! It’s so rude!
Carol/Red Dirt In My Soul´s last blog post ..Comment on Gettin’ Sidetracked
KAddy
This blog cracked me up! My when we travel through western Queensland my husband ALWAYS gives everyone a “G’Day” steering wheel salute….then he gets so dissappointed because it seems to be a dying gesture these days. I think there needs to be a national reminder of the good old bush wave….thanks BB!