The Simplest Gesture That Is Rarely Used on the Road

I'm not exactly sure where and when the etiquette of sharing the road went out the window (pun unintended), but I'm pretty fed up with it.

Common courtesy and respect go a long way when driving and for some people, it's more of a matter of "my way or the highway," even when they're already on the highway.

I find myself letting people go in front of me or take off first from the stop sign more than usual lately, more so since I moved back into New Bedford. I'll be the first to admit that the city drivers can be cruel and do not care if you go out of your way to pull over to let them through or squeeze pass on a tight busy street.

Here's my pet peeve, though: the lack of the "wave."

When someone does something nice for you out on the road, it's a respectful gesture to wave, as in "thank you." It's really not that hard to do, people, and when the wave isn't reciprocated back, it's a slap in my face.

I could have easily kept going instead of going out of my way to be the nice guy to let you pass or give you the green light to back up out of your driveway into a busy street. Yeah, I'll be more than happy to stop traffic for that, but when you don't return the favor with a simple "thanks," it makes me wonder why I bother.

Finally, in case you weren't taught proper driving manners, when someone says "thank you" you return the respect with "you're welcome." Meaning, if someone waves at you, give a wave back. It's probably the simplest thing you could do, but often the smallest efforts in life are what matter most.

#EndRant