Is a thumbs up better than showing a palm?

my bfg

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I'm off work this week so have made the most of having daylight and hacked out each day. I've found that if I pull over for a car to pass and put my palm up and say thank you it often results in the car driver doing almost an emergency stop whilst scowling at me, but if i give a thumbs up every driver I've met so far understands it and often does it back as they drive slowly past, could this be the future of saying thank you?
 

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Not round my way, the courtesy hand up "thank you" is understood.

Out of curiosity, are you just lifting your hand up slightly from the rein so that your hand is still in front of your body, or lifting it up in front or to the side of you? If the latter, it could be taken for a stop signal.
 

my bfg

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I take one hand off the reins and put my palm up, say thank you and smile but often wondered how to differentiate from the hand saying thank you and stop
 

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I wonder if it is down to so many drivers not acknowledging courtesy shown by others these days; you know the sort of thing e.g acknowledging that the driver coming down hill has allowed the driver going up hill to keep going even though the parked car was on the uphill side.
 

Overread

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The problem is that hand signals, whilst forming a part of the highway code and theory - don't actually get used that often in the real world. So the average driver quickly forgets what they mean; furthermore when hand signals are used they are very basic.

I would say do a thumbs up; yeah its maybe not as serious, but its readily understood because its a commonly seen hand signal that most people can easily identify with. A palm up I can see causing confusion esp if you say/mouth thank you - remembering that most drives won't hear what you say and can't lip read.

A thumbs up and a smile or a nod of the head should be fine.
 

smellsofhorse

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I can't understand how a driver would misinterprete a hand up thank you to a stop signal!
Either the drivers around your way a clueless of you are doing a stop signal but arnt aware!
 

rowan666

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we often out out palms up to warn some drivers to slow down but now and again they confuse it and wave back at us still speeding!? to thank those that do slow down we nod and smile/say thank you or if walking inhand then do raise a hand and sometimes it makes the curtious drivers go even slower 😂 you can't win sometimes lol
 

kathantoinette

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When I hack out if a lorry or large vehicle makes extra effort for slowing down I do a 'thank you wave' and then a thumbs up. I hack on the same A road generally most hacks. I have never had to ask anyone to slow down for us :)
 

laura_nash

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A quick hand raise is well understood around here, but it is done all the time to say thanks for slowing down or pulling over when navigating single-lane roads. I probably say thanks with a raised hand about 20 times a day when driving, so do the same when riding. I think a thumbs up would probably be too friendly, they'd probably stop for a chat (this does happen anyway sometimes :) )
 

Orca

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I never hold my palm up to drivers - it does mean stop. I always flick my hand up to say thank you but my hand stays tilted forward in a split second gesture. I've always had a nod in return and no-one's ever slammed their brakes on.
 
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