# Do people still high-five? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947 "2017-09-09T21:33:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/1 "2017-09-09T21:33:41Z")
Same question as on the tin. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/2 "2017-09-09T22:20:46Z")
Only ironically. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/3 "2017-09-09T22:47:32Z")
Yes, but if they’re white, inebriated and at an NFL game, they will miss each other’s hands. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/4 "2017-09-09T22:53:36Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Only ironically. To irony! ヘ( ^o^)ノ＼(🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/5 "2017-09-09T23:43:00Z")
Do an experiment: As you walk toward someone hold your hand up and see if that person knows what to do. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/6 "2017-09-09T23:45:05Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Yes, but if they’re white, inebriated and at an NFL game, they will miss each other’s hands. If someone goes for the high five I do the hand miss thing whether I’m inebriated or not. As I write this I realize it’s been a long time since anyone who wasn’t inebriated started a high five. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/7 "2017-09-09T23:51:35Z")
I do, with my three year old grandson. Otherwise, no. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/8 "2017-09-09T23:59:43Z")
Someone needs to bring it back. I think it’ll have a resurgence. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/9 "2017-09-10T00:17:10Z")
I see a fair number around work (warehouse) but more fist bumps and low passing slaps. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/10 "2017-09-10T00:59:48Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Yes, but if they’re white, inebriated and at an NFL game, they will miss each other’s hands. I remember watching a game with a friend of mine wherein we were both fairly intoxicated. We tried to high five each other twice and missed. To which my friend said: “We’re too white for this! Lets just hug!” [Hugs] ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/11 "2017-09-10T15:40:13Z")
I prefer the fist bump–it’s a modern twist, and a very sanitary alternative to a handshake or hi-five, especially when your hands are grotty. A few months back I was running on the canal towpath, about 7 miles into my run, when I saw a fellow runner coming at me in the distance. The usual protocol around these parts is a quick nod, but this guy raised up his hand, gave a broad smile, and we did a combined-14mph hi-five as we passed. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Murderface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Murderface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murderface)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/12 "2017-09-10T16:15:19Z")
Yes, people still high five. Fist bumps are typically more common nowadays, however. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/13 "2017-09-10T16:22:04Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I prefer the fist bump–it’s a modern twist, and a very sanitary alternative to a handshake or hi-five, especially when your hands are grotty. > > A few months back I was running on the canal towpath, about 7 miles into my run, when I saw a fellow runner coming at me in the distance. The usual protocol around these parts is a quick nod, but this guy raised up his hand, gave a broad smile, and we did a combined-14mph hi-five as we passed. 🆒 Much better choice than a combined 14 mph fist-bump. ---
**Author:** ![oscarhopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eada6e/32.png) [@oscarhopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oscarhopper)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/14 "2017-09-10T16:32:12Z")
Fist-bumps and the “combined bro hand-grab and shoulder bump” are pretty much the two replacements for hi fives. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/15 "2017-09-10T23:56:56Z")
My 2 year old high-fives her swim teacher at the end of her lesson. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/16 "2017-09-11T01:43:51Z")
I was eating a sub sandwich and the shop’s beagle was… very interested. So I said “High 5” and to all of our astonishment he went into “beg” mode and than slapped my hand with one paw. Yes, he got many, many bits of the sandwich over time. The next day I tried again with only bits of veggies vs meat and cheese and he barely even did a “beg”. Smart dog. ---
**Author:** ![MareIt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@MareIt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MareIt)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/17 "2017-09-11T21:23:39Z")
I had some co-workers who were big fans of high fives. There were so many high fives being given, I had to put in place a minimum criteria for a high five. For one the criteria might be a 10k sales deal, for another one it might be 100K sales deal and for another one it would be the difficulty of the customer. When the two biggest high-fivers left, I removed the minimum requirement as I was no longer being offered a high five every time I looked up from my desk. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/18 "2017-09-11T21:54:01Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Same question as on the tin. There’s a kid at work whose default greeting is the high five with all the addendums mixed in at random: The double high five. The low five. The missed five with the admonishment that you were too slow. The plaintive request to not be left hanging, with “bro” optional. There’s no part of high five culture he doesn’t embrace. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/19 "2017-09-11T22:11:40Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > I remember watching a game with a friend of mine wherein we were both fairly intoxicated. We tried to high five each other twice and missed. To which my friend said: “We’re too white for this! Lets just hug!” [Hugs] My friend once taught me to focus on the elbow. If you watch the other guy’s elbow, you won’t miss his hand. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947/20 "2017-09-13T16:53:13Z")
In my experience, mostly kids do. Although my experience may be skewed by having two elementary-school kids, and a 1-year-old. For what it’s worth, if you offer my 1-year-old a high five, she will give you one, but then immediately demand a fist bump. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-high-five/795947.md?page=2)