SINGAPORE: In the land of ERP gantries, crazy tailgating Teslas and sudden rude vehicle lane-changers, one rare and noble species, believe it or not, has finally emerged — a thankful Singaporean car driver.
The local, who has been behind the wheel for nearly a decade, took to Reddit’s r/askSingapore forum to ask a question that shifted gears on an unspoken road rule with fellow motorists: “SG car drivers, how do you thank another driver when they give way?”
He also shared: “I’ve been driving for 9 years, and I always lift my left arm to say thank you when drivers give way to me. But I realise most of the time they probably can’t even see me due to the sunlight/reflection.” And his observation was that, in all that time, he’s “probably only seen three people say thank you back, lol.”
The forum crowd then responded — and while none suggested singing the national anthem on the road to show gratitude to each other, the replies were nevertheless just as entertaining.
“I always raise my left hand as a gesture of thanks…”
Several drivers admitted to the humble left-hand wave, a gesture that apparently still has its quiet loyalists.
“I always raise my left hand as a gesture of thanks,” one seasoned driver shared. “Drivers do still see the hand sign because we look out for it, even if it seems like it’s hard to see.”
Another added with confidence, “I wave my left hand. Usually the driver behind can see the shadow of the wave in the middle… but I have never seen any other driver do this, haha.”
“Just one flash” with blinkers to signal appreciation
Commenters said that some drivers use hazard lights — blinking once — as their code for ‘thank you’. However, in Singapore, this might cause some confusion, so perhaps it’s better not to use this method, at least for now.
“It’s been done before, but less used,” explained one commenter. “Even long-time drivers may take it as there’s something wrong with your car.”
Still, a brave few said they have done it with “just one flash” to signal appreciation, hoping it wouldn’t be mistaken for a mechanical failure.
Headlight flashing as a “thank you” sign
Some drivers are also known to flash their headlights once or twice as a gesture of appreciation to another motorist, such as when being let into a lane or given right of way. This practice is commonly seen on the road, where a quick flash of the high beams serves as a non-verbal “thank you” sign.
Be cautious how you use it, though, because flashing headlights is also used as a warning or to signal intent to proceed, especially when fired rapidly or flashed continuously many times to mean “I’m coming through!” or “Watch out!” especially at junctions or when overtaking. So again, be careful how you use it to avoid being misunderstood.
“Wind the car window down and stick the hand out…”
Some drivers took gratitude to creative new levels. One said they “wind the car window down and stick the hand out.”
Another joked about coming “to a complete stop, get out, take a deep bow.” And one, in true K-drama style, confessed: “Wind down and give them a finger heart 🫰🏻.”
“Thank you all for being polite and considerate on the road!”
One driver then summed it up poignantly: “When they do a good deed, I will actually look for them to say thank you either with hand waves or blinkers, but 99% of the time they just keep driving. But anyway, thank you all for being polite and considerate on the road!”
So sometimes, a simple raised hand, a flicker of hazard lights, a flash of headlights or even a finger heart can go a long way — even if just one in a hundred sees it. Because in a city where every second counts and every inch of road space is contested, that rare moment of “thanks” is as precious as an empty PIE on a Monday morning.
Whatever you do, just don’t make your signature thank-you move with a brake, get out and bow, ya. We do appreciate the gratitude, but not so much with the gridlocks, please.
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