Small Town Car Wave

Here in small town USA a simple movement of a person's hand can make a person feel good inside. This simple movement is a wave of a hand. As you drive along in your family car or farm pickup you wave to passing cars or to people out working in their yard. It is something that doesn't take much thought or effort, but is a common occurrence. It is a friendly gesture to another human being. Whether you like the person or not you wave to be nice. Most of the time you don't even know who is in the other car but you put your hand up to acknowledge their presence. I am surprised they don't include it on the driving test when you turn 16 years old. "That will be a point deduction for failing to wave at oncoming vehicle."

Most of us in small towns have driven a car before we were 10 years old anyway and know all about the hand wave. However, it is a habit that is broken when these patrons leave the friendly confines of the 800-person metropolis. I am just now getting back to it after being away for so long.

As you progress through the years you tend to develop your own type of wave. There are many kinds out there and here is what I refer to them as.

The most common is the simple straight hand wave I call "High Five" or "Indian How".

Another popular choice is to have your hand at the 12 o'clock position and raise your index finger. This one I refer to as "Lazy Bird" or "Solo Point"

"Giant bling not included for most people"

Similar to the last one is the two finger wave from atop the steering wheel known as the "Deuce Hello" or "Boy Scout Salute"

A second two-finger option is the peace sign that I refer to as "Hippie Wave" or "Left-Handed Scissors"

For the exuberant personality you get the fast side to side wave with a big smile known as the "Happy Happy Happy" or "Fool's Gesture"

Of course their is always the rude middle finger gesture but that is a more popular wave in New York City and not used to say hello in small towns.

Those are the most common types of car waves. Some people develop their own wave such as myself. I wanted to put my own stamp on my car wave. What I do is start at the 10 o'clock position and with my index and middle finger on my right hand I do a sweep motion across the top of the steering wheel to the 2 o'clock position.

Now I know people in the city can't even fathom why someone would want to wave to a complete stranger but maybe that is one reason why our world is being flushed down the toilet. People being friendly to one another through a wave of a hand or shout of good morning is how people should treat each other. I once did my car wave in North Carolina and got a stare from the passerby like I was an alien who just rode a meteor from Mars and landed in the street. I believe people should act this way just as they should wave to someone who lets them in front of them during heavy traffic or someone who stops and lets them walk across the street.