# Poll: At what age are you too old to "fist bump"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 11, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705 "2009-07-11T20:04:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/41 "2009-07-12T21:52:19Z")
Wow. Who have thought a friendly greeting could engender such passion about its correct usage. Fist-bump (TERRORIST fist bump!), high five, hi-lo five, handshakes, hand-grip, hand-grip with finger-grip, typewriter five (sometimes with change), or the bump-hug; who really cares? I can generally read the body English of the person, whom I probably know, pretty well and can tell what’s expected of me. And why should anyone care what greeting anyone uses to greet their friends? I don’t care about the conversation that follows either, since I don’t know them. And if bumping certain people, T-Cups, gives you the willies I’d say this: A flat vertical hand, extended elbow and thumb pointed up will get you a hand-shake everytime. If you get something else please send video!🙂 All of this posted with a wink and a smile, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/42 "2009-07-12T23:20:49Z")
I think I’m too old at 47… but I work with a younger guy (30 maybe?) who fist bumps me every morning at morning coffee. ~sigh~ I just oblige and move on with my day. ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/43 "2009-07-13T00:05:02Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I am the kind of older woman… That’s the first time I’ve heard someone younger than I refer to herself as an “older woman.” Since when is 35 “older”?! ---
**Author:** ![Mariemarie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Mariemarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mariemarie)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/44 "2009-07-13T00:13:33Z")
> [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](#): > > Never too old. > > I hope it replaces the handshake. I agree with this. I am also 40s female in the US. ---
**Author:** ![kirk1168](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@kirk1168](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk1168)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/45 "2009-07-13T03:02:17Z")
I’m 40. Some of the guys at work (most around my age) like to fist bump. I’ll do it, if offered, but it feels… _wrong_.:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/46 "2009-07-13T04:13:02Z")
There’s an age limit??!!?? I guess if you think you are too old or too cool to fist bump, then don’t do it. Or you can quit wasting time wondering what other people are thinking about you, because chances are no one is thinking about what you do. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/47 "2009-07-13T04:15:00Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > There’s an age limit??!!?? I guess if you think you are too old or too cool to fist bump, then don’t do it. Or you can quit wasting time wondering what other people are thinking about you, because chances are no one is thinking about what you do. For the last time…this thread is NOT what others think about you. It’s what you think about others ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/48 "2009-07-13T04:40:48Z")
> [@vix](#): > > That’s the first time I’ve heard someone younger than I refer to herself as an “older woman.” Since when is 35 “older”?! Yeah, that may have been a bit much. What I mean is, I am kind of immersed in a hiphop culture which includes hip hop and dancehall music and clubs and general atmosphere. The culture tends to skew toward 20s and sometimes early 30s (clubs for early 30s are what we like to call for the ‘grown and sexy’!) Being 35, I am definitely in the ‘older woman’ camp, compared to the people that I socialize with. Even at work, I attract the younger folks to my cube more than people my own age. I get the feeling that people my own age feel like I need to just grow the hell up already. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/49 "2009-07-13T06:19:17Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > If you want to fine, but it doesn’t look cool anymore, If I’m fist-bumping, it sure isn’t about looking cool. > [@Markxxx](#): > > It’s like when you’re over 40 and dye your hair. It’s fine if you want to do that, but then don’t dye it a solid color. People over 40 don’t have perfectly solid color hair. > > Coolness depends on doing what you want, 'cause you want to. For instance if you shave your head because YOU like how it looks that’s cool. But if you shave your head 'cause you’re going bald or are mostly bald anyway, that’s NOT cool. How about if I dye my hair a solid color because I want to? Some people are way too preoccupied with “cool”. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/50 "2009-07-13T13:25:41Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > For the last time…this thread is NOT what others think about you. > It’s what you think about others Ultimately people want to know what other people think about other people so they can extrapolate that into what other people think of them. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/51 "2009-07-13T13:37:20Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > How about if I dye my hair a solid color because I want to? Well, obvs, it depends on the color! Brown? Not cool. Green? Cool. ETA: Is ‘obvs’ still cool? ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/52 "2009-07-13T14:47:42Z")
> [@Oy](#): > > I rather prefer the Japanese bow (hands on thighs, bow body slightly) to the handshake. When I spent six weeks for work in Japan back in 1990, I discovered this bow and came to love it as a respectful way of greeting others, particularly in more formal situations. > > I would quite happily never see a high-five again. But the roughly equivalent, mutually-congratualatory fist-bump doesn’t bother me as much. Yet. I haven’t been as aware of it as of the high-five. Wonder if thigh bumping could catch on. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/53 "2009-07-13T14:54:02Z")
> [@LunarPlexus](#): > > Wonder if thigh bumping could catch on. Sex shouldn’t be had by anyone over 23 years of age. Oh, you weren’t talking about that… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/54 "2009-07-13T17:46:28Z")
I don’t see why it has anything to do with age whatsoever. I don’t care who else fist-bumps, and I don’t care what you think of this 51-year-old fist-bumping with his kids or friends. ---
**Author:** ![scarbrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@scarbrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scarbrow)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/55 "2009-07-13T18:02:08Z")
Is the fist bump really still considered something for young people? My Dad’s tennis group (largely 40-60’s) adopted the fist bump a few years during flu season to reduce hand contact spreading the germs. I guess it’s a California thing, but I can’t imagine anyone in their 20’s still thinking it’s cool. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/56 "2009-07-13T18:08:50Z")
My (52 in a week) mother does it, but makes a point of saying, “Terrorist fist jab!” as she holds her fist out. Which makes it hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/57 "2009-07-13T19:35:43Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > Sex shouldn’t be had by anyone over 23 years of age. > Oh, you weren’t talking about that… Dear **Unintentionally Blank** , Or wasn’t I? Regards, Not Unintentionally Ambiguous ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/58 "2009-07-13T23:09:40Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > Well, obvs, it depends on the color! Brown? Not cool. Green? Cool. > > ETA: Is ‘obvs’ still cool? I think anyone who shortens anything is very very uncool. Take that what you will since I’m apparently getting a lot of flak for my opinions on the fist bump, but ‘obvs’ and ‘cas’ are _not_ to be spoken by anyone. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![schnuckiputzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@schnuckiputzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schnuckiputzi)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/59 "2009-07-13T23:30:05Z")
My high school students will randomly fist bump me in the halls at times, although I have had to focus on not using my left hand. Pointy diamond ring meeting knuckle was not good. I apologized and gave the poor kid an animal cracker. ---
**Author:** ![Never\_Say\_Dice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee59a6/32.png) [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705/60 "2009-07-14T20:47:49Z")
Fist bumps beat fanny pats by a long shot. That was accepted back in the 50’s by the blue collar kind of guys who talked sports. And their white collar bosses would give you the shoulder hug as they tried to talk you into of a deal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-at-what-age-are-you-too-old-to-fist-bump/502705.md?page=2)