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Collecting Data on How Drivers Communicate with Each Other: Hand Gestures |
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Table of Contents
Interaction and Method Evaluations What is its Function for the Doer? What Would Be Their Usefulness? How Would You Research Their Effectiveness Generational Curriculum Search
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A simple hand wave to make a turn; a simple hand wave as a gesture of thanks The signal light is red. I am the first car in a left turn lane waiting for the light to change. The lane I am in requires me to yield to the oncoming traffic. Looking ahead I see a long line of cars waiting to go straight, and I wonder how long I will have to wait. After two minutes, the light is green. I creep my car forward, and look at the pickup truck and it's driver opposite me. The truck does not move. Instead the driver waves his left hand that rests atop his steering wheel, and motions me to make my turn. I wave back to thank him. My engine dies (manual transmission). Trying to put on my best "oops" face I quickly restart, get the car moving, and wave once more hoping he will see it as my apology for the slight delay, and my thanks for allowing me to go before him. As I made this observation I tried to judge the pickup driver's mood. Sitting back behind our lines at the red light he had a pleasant looking face; not something all scrunched up and creased in a frown. He did not appear to be upset. When he waved me on I could see a smile (without the teeth glowing though), and that made me a bit happier because I felt like he was not in a road rage mood. Then, when I killed my car's engine, I thought he would get irritated and just go through the intersection without having me make my left turn. His expression did change a bit, and he did move forward some, but as soon as I got my car rolling he stopped and let me through. When I waved back my thanks his "happy" face erased the frown that was slowly growing. Two hands outstretched with palms up I'm driving through afternoon rush hour traffic in the far left hand lane. Slightly ahead and off to the right I see a car cutting from the right lane to the middle lane. The car that's entering from the right cuts swiftly and nearly kisses the front of the car that is already occupying the lane. I hear a loud blast from a horn and the driver that was nearly banged raises her two hands, palms up from the steering wheel. Although I could not hear what she was saying, she appeared to be upset at what nearly was a collision. Her hand gestures and horn blast was directed to the driver ahead of her. see. Interaction and Method Evaluations The use of hand gestures as a form of communication amongst drivers is common everywhere. I have seen it as a pedestrian, as a driver, and on television. Gestures are either used in a negative or a positive way. For example a positive gesture would be waving your hand to let another car make a turn. A negative gesture would be flipping the bird at someone.
Drivers, both young and old use hand gestures. Cyclists also use hand gestures to signal their intent (making a turn, slowing, and stopping). Most people learn these hand gestures from their parents and by observing what is happening around them. Some gestures are good, but the negative hand gestures could be kept to a minimum because it may provoke feelings of enragement to other drivers that it is used against. This can possibly cause a chain reaction of negative, hostile events.
The simple gesture of waving ones hand is useful in situations in which drivers need to make a choice. It can help people avoid accidents. If no interaction occurs at all then drivers may collide into each other thinking that it is their right to go first. The use positive hand gestures enforces the "Spirit of Aloha."
What is its Function for the Doer? Using a hand gesture in a positive way may alleviate stress, and increase confidence while driving. It may eliminate the hassle of playing a guessing game, and may certainly lead to a better overall feeling that you may have made someone else happier. By thanking someone else with a hand wave may continue a positive chain of events. A negative hand gesture may help the doer blow off steam quickly because of some stressful event. It communicates to other drivers how the person feels. It is not necessarily good to communicate in negative ways because it may be interpreted as an act of hostility, and may be followed by acts of violence.
It is always nice to to be waved on your merry way. Having someone gesturing to you may cause you to reciprocate that same type gesture. It could be redirected at another driver or to the driver you had received it from. Receiving a negative hand gesture may make the receiver realize that they could be more alert while driving, and may cause feelings of anxiety. They may feel threatened, and may not know why the other person is upset at them.
My Recommendations for developing official methods of interaction & communication among drivers I think that the gestures I have seen are good so far. I have not seen too many negative hand gestures as a driver. I do recommend that the use of positive hand gestures could be used more, especially at stop signs. Using flip cards with messages, the CB radio, and the telephone may take too long to communicate what needs to be done. Having too many flip cards may take too long, as you would have to sift through them and find the right card to use. Then, what if other drivers do not know that flip cards with messages are being used, or what if they cannot see what is written, or do not understand English? Many may not have a CB radio or a telephone in their car either.
These types of communication should all be taught by the driver's education system, and by parents. Parents could begin with their infants, then educate their child as they get older. Tell them the reasons behind the use of hand gestures.
What would be their usefulness? Informing others about the handy use of hand gestures may help to fuel the sense of "community"; that people are not out there to get them on the road, but are all going the same way. It will help people feel like they belong, and may lessen the chances of accidents.
How would you research their effectiveness We could do a simple research on the effectiveness of hand gestures by observing drivers at four way stop signs. The researcher could observe drivers and pedestrians at crosswalks, and make a note of how drivers communicate to the pedestrians. Do they wave the pedestrians across? Do drivers slow down for a pedestrian crossing the road or do they shout obscenities?
Generational Curriculum and Driving Topics Search From Generation 8, Irene Barrineau informs readers what other generational students have written as far as driver communication goes. She has no personal observations of her own, and as I have continued throughout the more current generations the reports have been getting more in-depth and have been building up on each other. Nou Saopeng of Generation 10 has her own personal observations included in her report. She states that the use of blinkers with hand gestures and a vocal message are more effective than the use of blinkers alone. The hand gestures draws more attention to yourself, and therefore other drivers will tend to be more responsive. Nou Saopeng also states that this works better in situations in which there is heavy traffic.
Recommendations for the continuation of this activity by future students? I think that this activity could be elaborated more upon. Perhaps executing my research ideas and generating a longer list of positive and negative gestures would enable us to see more clearly how drivers communicate, and perhaps come up with interventions. We need to make the road a safer place.
This report takes a lot more time to write than the other reports I have had to do. I began early, made my observations, and asked my friends and family what kind of gestures they use most often and when. I feel that when I motion for someone to pass by waving my hand at them I help to eliminate some confusion. When someone waves at me I am thankful. If more people use hand gestures I believe that the flow on the road would be better.
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