# Do NOT wave me through! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 11, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899 "2002-09-11T01:53:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/21 "2002-09-13T20:51:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manda JO \* > \*\* > > I had tendencies like this when I was learning to drive, and my mother told me “In driving it’s more important to be predictable than to be nice.” \*\* In less than a year, I’ll have to start teaching my daughter how to drive. I am writing that quote down so I can relay it to her when the time comes. Thanks very much for that. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/22 "2002-09-13T20:58:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by matt\_mcl \* > \*\*YOU should not be RIDING your FUCKING BIKE on the SIDEWALK where people are WALKING. FUCK OFF! \*\* Better not be a pedestrian around here then, **matt**. Some of the official bike paths designated by Arlington County are sidewalks. There are also unofficial bike paths recognized by the County and only marked as such on the bicycle path map. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/23 "2002-09-13T21:07:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skogcat \* > **Sometimes you have to run a red on a bicycle, the other day I was waiting at a red light and when it’s turn came to go green, it didn’t. I realised that I hadn’t been heavy enough or something to trip the sensor in the road and the light was never going to go green for me.** That’s when you need to pretend you’re a pedestiran and hit the button for the walk light. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/24 "2002-09-13T21:20:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Wrong Girl \* > **This thread is _begging_ for a mention of the “Pittsburgh Left.” Where I live–perhaps it’s other places, as well, but it seems to mystify most people not from here–cars who are turning left in at a redlight will often turn left AS SOON AS it turns green, even when there are other cars coming straight through. I’m sure tons of accidents have resulted from it, since some people clearly are expecting to excercise their right of way, and aren’t expecting the car on the other side of the street to turn left in front of them.** This is pretty common for the intersection at the end of our street. That intersection is set up like ```auto | |- -| | ``` and with the added distance, there’s plenty of time to turn left before the oncoming traffic gets there. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/25 "2002-09-14T18:12:43Z")
Ahhh _nice_ people. There’s nothing worse than a well meaning idiot, esp. on the highway when I’m trying to merge into traffic. Instead of maintaining his current speed, NicePerson will _slow down_ to let me in. Um, thanks, but see _I’m_ supposed to slow down and now we are BOTH slowing down. Seeing that I have slowed down, NicePerson slows down even more, and the chain continues until we are both going about 20 mph on the freaking highway. Please, I appeal to you all. Quit being nice. Maintain your speed and I will either speed up or slow down to accomodate YOU. It all works much smoothly that way. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/26 "2002-09-15T07:51:23Z")
(In regards to bicyclists who breeze through intersections without stopping) In the town where I grew up–the worst ones were the -joggers-! I can’t count the number of times I almost barrelled right over a jogger because I was making a turn, and the guy on foot didn’t even so much as lose pace, or even look left and right before clip-clopping right out into the middle of the street! You’d think there’d be some sort of survival instinct kicking in, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/27 "2002-09-15T15:16:38Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. YOU should not be RIDING your FUCKING BIKE on the SIDEWALK where people are WALKING. FUCK OFF! You might do well to check your local bike laws. They vary from place to place, but at least around here bicyclists have the right to ride on the sidewalk if the shoulder of the road is non-existent or too dangerous to ride on. They must still be exceedingly careful about pedestrians, but are allowed on it. As a cyclist who is occaisionally forced to ride the sidewalk (some of the streets around here are murder otherwise), it is annoying how people react. Rather than staying on the side they’re on and letting me ride past, they move erratically all over the damn thing. It’s like trying to avoid a squirrel: “he fakes left, jukes a defender to the right, now he’s backpedalling”. I just slow to a crawl and wait for them to make up their mind, but the temptation to run one of these guys over can be pretty strong. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/28 "2002-09-15T20:15:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Forever. Usually, I just take the turn, but my boyfriend will always sit there, even if the guy honks at him. It’s like a big grudge match. We’ve held up entire lines of cars like this–I’m saying “just turn! it’s not a big deal!” and he’ll be ranting on about how the guy should just go straight through the intersection and obey traffic laws, since he has the right of way. You gotta be kidding- tell your man I’m with him. All it takes is 1 scammer- they sit and wait, you make the turn, they accelerate and hit you broadside and sue YOU for going without the right away. Don’t think those people aren’t out there- they most certainly are. I would sit there all day, too. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/29 "2002-09-15T20:31:39Z")
Whoa–I never thought of it that way, **Zette**. It’s so common here that it just seems like an established traffic law, but I’m sure there are people out there that would exploit that. ---
**Author:** ![Costermonger\_means\_barrow\_boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Costermonger\_means\_barrow\_boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Costermonger_means_barrow_boy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/30 "2002-09-15T20:58:46Z")
**Raygun99** **I have made the definitive study.** I counted every time a person waved me or some other auto, bike or pedestrian (many school kids!) into oncoming traffic or illegal turns, etc - vs. the number of times it would have been OK to proceed. 100 % of the time the waver was wrong. 0 % of the time the waver was right. 0 % of the time the waver looked into a mirror or considered lights or cross traffic. Conclusion - Wavers are not being “courteous drivers” but rather “oblivious drivers”, only seeing themselves and the one person they are waving to. ---
**Author:** ![Visual\_Purple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@Visual\_Purple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visual_Purple)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/31 "2002-09-15T21:24:40Z")
As a sixteen-year-old, I was nearly killed by a waiver-through. One of those nice people stopped in the near lane of a four lane road, totally blocking my view of the next lane, and waived me across. Idiot that I was, I started crossing and rode directly into the path of another car, moving about 35 m.p.h. The driver had no time to stop. Result: a flip over the hood and into oncoming traffic. Rather remarkable that I was only badly bruised. These days I frequently encounter dedicated waivers-through when in-line skating. Usually a mother with children along. They waive me across. I waive them on. They waive me on again. I sit down. They go on. Actually, to be honest, one or two times instead of sitting down, I’ve given the waiver-through the finger. No one is going to force me to cross a road unless I can really see that it’s clear. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/32 "2002-09-20T20:40:40Z")
Yeah, it’s ridiculous, some of these people. I’ve had people wave me on when there’re six cars coming up their tailpipe and whizzing around them, as well as when there’s freakin’ traffic coming the other way, fer chrissake. I just smile slightly, shake my head, take two or three big steps backward and break eye contact. They’re always bewildered at the rejection of their kind gesture. Some of them have actually screeched off in a huff. 'Course at the clearly marked, yellow-lighted pedestrian crossing, where they’re supposed to stop, do you think anyone will? Ah, nope, but that’s another thread. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2002, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/33 "2002-09-20T22:01:29Z")
A nasty part of me thinks that the wavers are actually thinking “Well, as long as I had to make a _full_ stop since I thought that Bicylist was going to blow the stop sign, I might as well wave him through.” One mistake begats another and another. Or at least a false assumption starts the cycle. _Sigh_ A woman yesterday was trying to be quasi-nice when the bus stopped in front of me down the hill. Lady, just pas me and I’ll move in behind you, I am not about to cross right in front of your hood at 30 mph. Either speed up and pass, or back off completely, don’t hover ‘slightly-behind’ and make me slam into the bus! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/34 "2002-09-20T23:29:41Z")
I think the “wavers” while driving are the same people who, as pedestrians, wave for drivers to go ahead. When there is a pedestrian in the crosswalk, as a driver I AM NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO PROCEED!!! Please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t wave me on when I’ve stopped for you in the crosswalk; just wait until all traffic is stopped like they’re supposed to (and in Calgary, traffic _will_ stop, eventually) - don’t try to make me break the law and endanger pedestrian life and my driver’s license. And as a corollary, as a pedestrian, please don’t hang around the crosswalks unless you are actually crossing. I am legally obligated to stop for any pedestrian who looks like he is intending to cross; please think about where you are standing, and how it looks to traffic. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/35 "2002-09-21T15:41:53Z")
Yeah, pedestrians can be dangerous. First, don’t jaywalk, especially when you could go another 100 feet and cross at the light. I can’t tell you how many close calls I’ve had because some jerk decides to jaywalk in front of me across 6 lanes of traffic. Second, don’t cross agasint the light. The worst thing I’ve ever seen was this old woman who did just that across an 8 or 10 lane intersection. She held up traffic for the entire light. Third, don’t amble across intersections, parking lots, etc. or if you must go slow, don’t go straight down the middle of the lane and hold up traffic. Drivers: If I can’t see to my left as many lanes as I’m planning on turning, I’m NOT going to make a right on red. It’s not my fault you’re an impatient bastard, and I can’t see through a raised Suburban. You can honk your horn, flash your lights, and flip me off all you want, I’m not moving until I feel safe. Second, I’m willing to be a nice guy and let one person into traffic if the difference of stopping for the red light without letting you in and letting you in is only a car length or two. DON"T cut in front of me or flip me off for not disrupting traffic for you. Third, what the FUCK are you thinking making a left turn across six lanes of traffic? I have almost been in so many crashes because of jerks like you who just can’t go down to the nearest light or take two minutes to turn right and then make a U-turn. Fourth, what I said before about letting people in also applies to a wreck or construction. If you need to merge into my lane and I can do it without impacting traffic flow, I will. I will NOT let you in if you’re one of those jerks who drives on the side of the interstate to bypass the jam and then expect to be let in. You can sit there and fume for all I care, and I hope nobody else lets your ass in either. And about the waving through, I agree, bad idea. There’s a dfifference between being safe and courteous–letting someone into traffic at a red light where it won’t make a difference to the traffic flow–and being oblivious and trying to be courteous. Oblivious is a good way to crash. ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899/36 "2002-09-21T20:52:43Z")
Try riding a motorcycle - the cages (cars) don’t see you and turn in front of you. The bicyclists think you’re just as agile and able to stop as they are, so they ignore your presence. The pedestrians - well, I’m not sure WHAT the pedestrians are thinking, to be honest. Folks, let’s look a the facts here - I’m driving a 600 pound two wheeled vehicle that depends on balance, good tires and a reasonably predictable traction surface to stay upright. If you jump, ride or drive out in front of me at a distance shorter than I can jam on the brakes, then there’s a real good chance that I’m going to slam into you, dump the bike, injure you AND myself and generally have a bad day. - and more to the OP, I’ve had drivers wave me through an intersection while they’re preparing to turn left, only to have them hit the gas just as I enter the intersection. You wonder why some bikers keep ball bearings in the tank bag to “drop” on the road in front of some damned cager?? ::RANT ENDS:: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-wave-me-through/127899.md?page=1)