# Do you do a "Thank you wave" when someone lets you merge in traffic? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075 "2010-09-17T13:17:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/61 "2010-09-22T14:01:54Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > I’ll flash my headlights to let folks passing me know that there’s a cop up ahead too. I do this, too. And when I do, I always wonder if cops ever pull anyone over and hassle them for doing that. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/62 "2010-09-22T15:09:31Z")
I even do a little thank you gesture to other drivers who simply don’t inconvenience me. Like they could pull out in front of me without causing an accident but I would have to brake, but instead they let me go by. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/63 "2010-09-22T15:43:44Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > > [@Mr.Accident](#): > > > > I’ll flash my headlights to let folks passing me know that there’s a cop up ahead too. > > I do this, too. And when I do, I always wonder if cops ever pull anyone over and hassle them for doing that. The legality of this varies from location to location. [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlight_flashing#United_States) has a good summary. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/64 "2010-09-22T15:48:13Z")
I always give an acknowledgement to curious drivers. I also do the headlight flash as a warning for cops ahead. All you’re really doing is urging someone to drive safely. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/65 "2010-09-22T16:11:51Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > > [@MTCicero](#): > > > > I do this, too. And when I do, I always wonder if cops ever pull anyone over and hassle them for doing that. > > The legality of this varies from location to location. [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlight_flashing#United_States) has a good summary. Cool. As I reside in Ohio, it seems that I can continue this practice relatively safe in the assumption that doing so will not land me a citation. And thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/66 "2010-09-22T18:26:07Z")
Not all the time, but if I think they’ll see it I usually do. Not just for merges either, but any time they’re putting themselves out for me. ---
**Author:** ![panman\_1960](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@panman\_1960](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panman_1960)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/67 "2010-09-22T19:14:11Z")
I ride a motorcycle daily and have started doing a thank you wave to oncoming cars that notice me and don’t pull a left in front of me. This is the manuver that causes most motorcycle fatalities IMO. Doesn’t hurt at all to reward good drivers!😃 later, Tom. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/68 "2010-09-23T00:50:31Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > Always. And when I get a wave from someone I’ve helped it makes me ridiculously happy. It’s just a gentle reminded that we’re all in this together, just trying to get by. Yip. hh ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075/69 "2010-09-23T07:21:49Z")
I give courteous drivers a nod of the head and a well executed Queen’s Wave; discourteous drivers receive a shake of the head, an exaggerated finger wag and a mouth-mimed _“tsk,tsk, tsk”_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-do-a-thank-you-wave-when-someone-lets-you-merge-in-traffic/554075.md?page=3)