# Help me give bad drivers a hand **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003 "2011-04-11T20:46:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/1 "2011-04-11T20:46:52Z")
I need a universal hand signal to tell drivers to get the hell off the phone while they are driving. My sister-in-law and I were almost hit twice last Friday afternoon, and as a pedestrian I am in constant danger from those who are visualizing the person they are talking to instead of the road they are driving on. This hand signal needs to be easy to use and understand, and uncomplicated. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/2 "2011-04-11T20:52:06Z")
If they don’t see you, how are they going to see your signal, unless you jump up and down in front of them waving frantically? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/3 "2011-04-11T20:53:00Z")
What I use is: 1. Put hand out in “phone” sign (thumb and pinky outstretched, middle three fingers curled in), with the pinky parallel to or pointing at the ground. 2. Pull your arm back at the elbow so your “phone” is pointing towards its “cradle” (the three curled fingers are now pointing at the ground). 3. A short, sharp downward movement. It doesn’t _work_, because people cannot feel shame and will not be told what to do by random strangers, but it’s at least a clear sign of the direction of your frustration. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/4 "2011-04-11T20:53:53Z")
If they don’t see a pedestrian, they won’t see a hand gesture. I always believed that we should have paint ball guns and be able to mark bad drivers with a shot. If you’ve got 10 shots on your car, you don’t get to drive for a week. As for a hand gesture, maybe that big kahuna sign with the thumb and pinky out with the hand held up to the ear then extend gesture in front with the fist down as if to hang up the phone. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/5 "2011-04-11T20:56:27Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > If they don’t see a pedestrian, they won’t see a hand gesture. I always believed that we should have paint ball guns and be able to mark bad drivers with a shot. If you’ve got 10 shots on your car, you don’t get to drive for a week. I like this idea. Like it a lot. As for a hand signal, the old fashioned one-finger wave is what I use. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/6 "2011-04-11T21:00:48Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I like this idea. Like it a lot. > > As for a hand signal, the old fashioned one-finger wave is what I use. Automatically rejected as being too vague-sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/7 "2011-04-11T21:22:27Z")
Carry a large umbrella emblazoned with a cell phone and the “universal no” symbol around it. Pop open the umbrella with the top facing the offending vehicle. Hard to miss! I checked google images and it doesn’t appear that this has yet been designed. Invent it, I say! Or rather, since I just invented it, create and market it I say! ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/8 "2011-04-11T21:37:33Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I need a universal hand signal to tell drivers to get the hell off the phone while they are driving. My sister-in-law and I were almost hit twice last Friday afternoon, and as a pedestrian I am in constant danger from those who are visualizing the person they are talking to instead of the road they are driving on. This hand signal needs to be easy to use and understand, and uncomplicated. Unfortunately, these common sense-lacking idiots wouldn’t likely heed the signal. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/9 "2011-04-11T22:01:34Z")
I don’t see where a visible signal is going to achieve anything. I think you need noise. Jolt them out of their seat noise. BIG LOUD NOISE. For your car, an [air horn](http://www.superiorhorns.com/dual-trumpet-chrome-air-horn.html) or some 70’s era [Cadillac horns](http://www.dragtimes.com/parts/CADILLAC-HORNS_320670617801.html). When walking, a [portable air horn](http://www.baitnhook.net/seasensemini15ouncemarinesportsairhorn.aspx). Follow up with a sign that says “Hang up and drive, fool.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/10 "2011-04-12T04:40:09Z")
Air horns and umbrellas. Great. Look, I’d rather not startle the other driver into going off the road or hitting someone else, thankyouverymuch. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/11 "2011-04-12T05:06:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Look, I’d rather not startle the other driver into going off the road or hitting someone else, thankyouverymuch. So you’d prefer they hit you instead? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/12 "2011-04-12T11:46:32Z")
As a cyclist who deals with the same issue, I’m liking the idea of an air horn. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/13 "2011-04-12T12:12:09Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Follow up with a sign that says “Hang up and drive, fool.” I’ve yelled that at a few people and done the miming the hanging up thing to a couple. I’ve had one person “respond” to it. She had the look of “Yup, you’re right” on her face as she put her phone down and made a very very very hard right turn from a dead stop when she realize she was feet away from going the wrong way down a one way street, because I was honking at her. The funny thing was, it was the type of situation where I think she knew something was wrong, but not what was wrong. She was on a two way road, facing me, but it was going to turn into a one way road after she cleared the intersection (my side). The light turned green, I watched her coming towards my side (she wasn’t going to hit me), so I honked. She slowed down, started to turn right, paused, started going straight, I honked, she stopped, turned left, paused and straightened out again, I laid on the horn, she finally stopped, I made the hanging up motion and that’s finally when she took a look around and realized what she was about to do, hung up and made a very hard right right turn onto the cross street. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/14 "2011-04-12T13:32:45Z")
What the world needs is my invention on the market. Put a alphanumeric lit display in your rear window with a keyboard next to the driver. Then you’d just type in “Hang up phone and drive” in the keyboard, hit the display button, and it appears in your rear window when you pass him. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/15 "2011-04-12T15:11:35Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > What the world needs is my invention on the market. Put a alphanumeric lit display in your rear window with a keyboard next to the driver. Then you’d just type in “Hang up phone and drive” in the keyboard, hit the display button, and it appears in your rear window when you pass him. Because typing on a keyboard couldn’t possibly be any more distracting than talking on the cellphone, right? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/16 "2011-04-12T15:41:18Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > I always believed that we should have paint ball guns and be able to mark bad drivers with a shot. If you’ve got 10 shots on your car, you don’t get to drive for a week. 10? :eek: I say 2! ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/17 "2011-04-12T15:50:55Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > What the world needs is my invention on the market. Put a alphanumeric lit display in your rear window with a keyboard next to the driver. Then you’d just type in “Hang up phone and drive” in the keyboard, hit the display button, and it appears in your rear window when you pass him. That’s not your invention, that’s MY invention; I’ve been saying for years I want a scrolling marquee style sign affixed to the rear of my car so I can say things like “Hey, stop tailgating me!” and “I hope you die today!” and such. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/18 "2011-04-12T16:34:00Z")
Point index finger at offender with other three fingers curled in and thumb extended vertically. Move thumb forward and down in the manner of a falling hammer while at the same time jerking hand back in a recoil movement. Wink at offender and smile maniacally. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/19 "2011-04-12T16:46:32Z")
The other day I was riding with someone who is not only a very aggressive driver, but was texting the entire time. I feel lucky to be alive. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003/20 "2011-04-12T17:12:01Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Point index finger at offender with other three fingers curled in and thumb extended vertically. Move thumb forward and down in the manner of a falling hammer while at the same time jerking hand back in a recoil movement. Wink at offender and smile maniacally. Pretend to masturbate at them? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-give-bad-drivers-a-hand/578003.md?page=2)