No “Call Waiting” Here
Perhaps it’s a sign that your cell phone is interfering with your driving when, as you pull up to a stop sign at the same time as another driver, and the other driver gives you the “go ahead” signal with his hand, you respond, not with the usual nod of the head or finger wave, but a quick dip of your phone in the direction of the generous driver before returning said phone to your ear.
Since you mention the “go ahead” signal, let me take this opportunity to call for its expungement from the roster of acceptability. It is grossly misused and overused in this community.
If used at all, it should only be used when two crossing drivers “tie” upon arriving at an intersection. However, even then it should unnecessary. We all learned in Drivers Ed that such a tie goes to the driver on the right. (Look to your right–if you’re looking at the driver you tied with, it’s his turn–if you’re looking at no one, it’s your turn.)
The way it’s commonly used in the Park Cities, however, is by someone still ten feet away from the intersection, still rolling, who wants everyone to hurry up and cross so that they never have to be bothered with coming to a complete stop and/or keeping track of who actually reached the intersection first.
I won’t say it’s invariably women who do this, but . . . actually, yes I will. It’s invariably women who do this.
@Adam, everyone knows the tie goes to the driver in the more expensive car. Exactly the reason my Civic and I sit and wait at a lot of stop signs.
@ Adam: Thank you, I share your frustration. As a cyclist, mine is double. Things work much better when folks just follow the rules. Instead, every time I pull up to a stop sign, it’s a 50-50 chance of someone waving me on, or proceeding according to the rules.
@ Rebecca: too funny.
Riddle me this: I’m turning left at a four way stop but have to wait for cross traffic to clear. During the intervening time, a car pulls up to the stop sign opposite me. Who gets to go first? Me because I was there first or the other car since it is going straight? I say the other car.
@ M: You go first. Straight or turn has nothing to do with it.
The expensive car procedure has many drawbacks, especially when there are apparent ties in sticker prices. For instance, last week I came to a stop exactly at the same time as a guy in another black 4-door Merc. Being the courteous gentlemen, we both exited our vehicles to converse on the situation. The other gentleman correctly observed the S-Class emblem on the rear of my vehicle, humbly accepting that his inferior E-Class should remain stationary as I proceeded leisurely through the intersection and nodded to him (with my cell phone of course) as I passed.
DM=Epic post. Loves it long time!
Man, DM, I’m so tired today that, when I read your comment, I thought “Merc” meant “Mercury.” So I was picturing a Mercury Cougar. Please accept my apologies, and, by all means, your car shall take precedence over mine.
One question, though: are we looking at purchase price or current market value? In other words, does a new Toyota (the nanny’s, of course) beat out an old Lexus (if, say, the old Lexus has been passed down to the youngest kid)?
DM must be new money. Old money calls it a Benz.