I saw a guy using a hand signal in a car last week. Except it wasn’t the textbook signal seen often in old DMV manuals for driving exams. It involved a middle finger and some swearing words I had not heard in a while. I think the guy was mildly perturbed at the teenager in front of him who had texted his way through two light changes.
But, believe or not, Boomers used to use hand signals from the driver’s window to alert following cars of their intentions.
At one time, turn signals in automobiles were an option, a luxury, like tinted windshields. Turn signals or not, in order to pass a driver’s exam, every teenage Boomer had to remember that a straight arm out the driver’s window meant an upcoming left hand turn; an arm bent and pointed up meant a right turn ahead; and an arm bent and pointed at the pavement meant your were slowing down or stopping. We had to do this in sunshine, snow or rain, or it was “ticketsville” if a State Trooper saw you.
My first car, a 49 Pontiac, didn’t have a turn signal. It had exactly two options – a heater and a radio. But it was a great car and I dutifully used hand signals on each outing. I also remember my Old Bill as having a button on the floorboard, which dimmed and brightened lights. Everything is on the steering column these days. Other things my car lacked were seatbelts, push button windows, air conditioning, air bags, an arm-rest, and a rear view window on the passenger side.
Every now and then, just for heck of it, I roll down my window and stick my arm out to signal a left turn. The folks behind me likely have no clue what that means. They are probably too bust texting to pay any mind about what lies ahead.