Here I am, stuck in my car, waiting for a chance to merge onto the main road. Car after car flies by with no sign of letting up, until finally a kind driver leaves enough space for me to merge. I am free! If only there was a way I could show them my gratitude. Oh wait, I can! It’s called the courteous wave. It is a kind gesture that can be used when someone makes an effort to let you get to where you need to go and you have no way to say thank you.
Lately, I feel like I am the only one who even knows or understands how to use this gesture. I will not lie; I am an aggressive driver, so when I make an effort to let someone change lanes, or merge, or let them go ahead of me when we both reach the stop sign at the same time, I expect a courteous wave to acknowledge my act of kindness. It’s not because I need validation, but it is nice to be appreciated. Plus, the courteous wave is beneficial for all drivers. When we are collectively in a stressful driving situation, and someone does something kind, and the other person then offers a wave of appreciation, the tension of both parties involved tends to calm down. So if we all took a little effort to acknowledge others and not only showed acts of kindness, but also acknowledged acts of kindness, then the entire stressful situation would dissipate.
And so, I will continue to strive to be kind to my fellow drivers, and I will continue to offer the courteous wave to those who choose to show kindness to me. And I will ask that when someone shows you kindness on the road, give them a courteous wave. It takes very little effort and it acknowledges that you recognize the other person’s act of kindness. And who knows what chain reaction it could start. Join me in bringing back the courteous wave to our roadways.
