# How often have you seen others accidentally flipping the bird? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056 "2019-10-20T22:51:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/21 "2019-10-21T20:54:46Z")
I do this pushing up my glasses, and other times. But it is not “accidentally flipping the bird” it’s just a hand gesture. I didn’t mean to flick my thumb at you either. But sometimes it’s no accident. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2019, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/22 "2019-10-21T21:03:22Z")
I can’t recall having ever once seen a bird flipped inadvertently. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/23 "2019-10-21T22:28:01Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Well, did you see the video? What do you think? > > Not only do I think it was deliberate, it’s just the kind of thing an immature asshole like him would do. Fits right with his ‘character’ First, no one hates that fucker more than I do. Second, I think he was flipping off whoever handed him those notes to read. See how he glances to his right when she starts correcting him and makes a little annoyed face? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/24 "2019-10-21T22:35:20Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Back when teachers used chalk boards it was seen more, I think. Holding the chalk with thumb and pointer finger. Teacher would then point at something with the middle finger. I quit giggling about it in middle school. I’ve always heard that this is no accident either. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/25 "2019-10-21T23:16:26Z")
I don’t know if it was intentional, but, man, he looks like sh\*t. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/26 "2019-10-22T00:39:57Z")
I profoundly wish Trump were locked away behind bars, but in all honesty, I have to give him the benefit of the doubt here. Sometimes, especially with someone who deserves so much emnity, it’s too easy to be unjust. So, I’ll let him slide on this one. Even Hitler’s Paris Jig turned out to be a bum rap. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/27 "2019-10-22T05:02:10Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Back when teachers used chalk boards it was seen more, I think. Holding the chalk with thumb and pointer finger. Teacher would then point at something with the middle finger. I quit giggling about it in middle school. This. Or the soon-to-retire-teachers-when-I-was-a-kid would point with the bird finger instead of the index. It was mighty amusing to middle school boys in the 70’s ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/28 "2019-10-22T13:54:07Z")
I use my middle finger all the time to push up my glasses or scratch my nose. I see other people do the same thing. I haven’t intentionally flipped anyone the bird since college. There’s too many hot headed people out there that may retaliate violently. Road ragers scare me enough without provoking them. ---
**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:** [October 22, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/29 "2019-10-22T15:06:25Z")
I looked to me that the toddler-in-chief had grown a bit and become the adolescent-in-chief. Fucker couldn’t stand to be politely corrected by a woman and he had to show that his wittle feelings were butt hurt. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/30 "2019-10-22T16:28:47Z")
Obligatory _[Seinfeld](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahLEaVzBMuQ)_ reference. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/31 "2019-10-22T17:07:44Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I use my middle finger all the time to push up my glasses or scratch my nose. I see other people do the same thing. > > I haven’t intentionally flipped anyone the bird since college. There’s too many hot headed people out there that may retaliate violently. Road ragers scare me enough without provoking them. I’ve seen a million people do things with a middle finger. It’s not a sacred digit. But when you do this, do you curl the other fingers down unnecessarily? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/32 "2019-10-22T18:44:09Z")
My fingers curl a little when I use my middle finger. But nothing like they would flipping someone off. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/33 "2019-10-22T18:55:36Z")
It could also be a subconscious action, so have to agree with Post 26 on this one. I am certainly going to start looking for this from people I encounter. I have never noticed anyone doing it before, except when they were doing it intentionally and wanting the recipient to notice. I don’t recall seeing it used in a possibly passive-aggressive manner, consciously or subconsciously. ---
**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:** [October 22, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/34 "2019-10-22T18:56:34Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > But when you do this, do you curl the other fingers down unnecessarily? Right, that’s how you can tell. Nobody notices using your middle finger otherwise. The gesture is intended to be noticeable, not something people routinely display unintentionally. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/35 "2019-10-23T00:14:42Z")
The thing that makes his gesture look forced is him touching his hair in the first place. Whatever precarious situtation is passing as a hairstyle on top of his head has been carefully constructed to be what it is. Effort has clearly been taken to get each layer to bend and fan out just so. When that much effort goes into a look like that, you avoid any habits that could threaten it. Letting your fingers touch it absent mindedly is a no no. Trump is sliding into senility, but he’s got enough wits to maintain 24/7 awareness of his hair. Too much of his ego is tied up into that thing for him not to be. He did that shit on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/36 "2019-10-29T18:20:37Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > Oh, the way he folded the other fingers down in a way that looks very much deliberate to me. That man says and does plenty of dumb shit. I think it’s laughable for someone to focus so much on how he adjusted his hair. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056/37 "2019-10-29T18:26:22Z")
He barely adjusted his hair. The important part was the finger thing. That’s the focus. Also, the context in which it occurred. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-have-you-seen-others-accidentally-flipping-the-bird/842056.md?page=1)