Do you wave back when someone let's you change lanes in traffic? (St. Paul: live in, move)

[JERiv]

It's common courtesy to do so, regardless of where you live.

It's not really about "where" you live. It's "how crowded" it is. The bigger a city gets, or the more traffic there is, the worse the drivers behave. And bad driving manners/habits are very contagious. It takes a conscious effort to keep your good manners when others are being ***** on the road.

That's when the wave devolves into a one-finger salute.

[atxcio]

I think it is (or should be) a universal gesture when anyone "lets you" do anything while driving. So I don't do it every lane change, but if someone lets me in when things are tight or they really wouldn't have to... yes, I wave. I don't expect one back, though.

I do the same thing when someone moves out of the left lane, or off to the shoulder on a 2-lane highway, to let me pass.

[txtoal]

I wave at everybody. I do the 2 finger wave from the steering wheel when people pass me and I wave and sometimes even do a "honk honk" and wave when someone lets me pass. I can't help it. My dad always did it so I guess I just picked it up. In the DFW area, some people would wave back, but as the years have gone on, fewer and fewer people do it. But once you get out of the metro areas, almost everyone does, at least where I live.

[love roses]

I'm a waver as is my husband. My daughter asked why we do that and I told her that it was a polite gesture to do when someone does something nice in traffic, because you can't speak to them face to face. Hopefully she will also be a waver when she starts driving.

[zhugeliang1]

I was taught to do this in Illinois so it's not an Austin thing. You should acknowledge someone's favor by waving back.

When I signal a request to change lanes, I do the "peace"sign, but I admit that I learned this in Austin.

[10scoachrick]

ON THE OTHER HAND, just after lunch today, while waiting to pull out onto 1431 from IHOP in Cedar Park, the traffic was backed up like crazy headed eastbound into the construction zone. Three lanes of traffic, far right lane is right turn only...I'm trying to get into the 2nd lane to continue eastbound and happily waiting my turn when a motorist held his position and waved me out. Generally, I don't take advantage of such offers, but it looked pretty straightforward UNTIL 'Skippy' leaves the center traveling lane a couple of positions back and zips down the turn-only lane...headed right for us as we pulled out. Fortunately, our vehicle is pretty peppy and I was able to clear the lane in short order. AND, you guessed it, 'Skippy' wasn't going to turn right...'Skippy' was simply going to pass some patient motorists who were properly waiting their turns and then barge his way back into the traveling lane.

Yes, I waved .

[jread]

I always wave no matter what. I've noticed that over the years that fewer and fewer other people do, though.

[atlanta hope]

Even people in Atlanta do it -- I don't think it's limited to Austin.

What I DO find amazing is that in the morning rush hour when I'm going south on S Lamar, and want to get on to 360 West, people are very politely pulling in the far left lane and lining up. This leave the right hand merge lane wide open for quite a distance. In Atlanta, that sucker would have cars flying up and nosing up in the front, cutting the line so to speak. I was really impressed that drivers were so civilized here at that particular junction.

Also 290 dumping off into the Y area, drivers are pretty polite with letting access road people merge in.

Now driving East (or is it South?) on 360 near 2222, it's a bit of a different story. People are polite about trying to merge on to 360 from the ramp, but the people that want to turn right at the light before the bridge, are really rude and drive way too fast. Every now and again there will be a driver that acts like he's going to turn at the light but then just cuts into the traffic and goes straight.

[Hegotsoul831]

People are not obligated to, even though not doing so is considered aggressive driving.
But much of the risk of encountering aggressive driving can be avoided by being patient,
courteous and tolerant of other drivers. After all, a negative reaction to other motorist’s
poor driving skills is not worth risking your life or the lives of your passengers.
So, I am grateful if someone lets me in, and hope to be treated kindly further down
the road. So I wave thank you and pay it forward, as long as I dont have a long line
of traffic behind me.

[tazbigdog]

I always wave to people when they let me in traffic, and I'd say most wave back to me when I let them in to traffic. That was in PA. Same thing in Austin!