The Wave

Now, I know 20 years old isn't OLD old. But there are some things that have changed in my 20 years, and I've noticed them. Places that I remember being covered in trees or being bit open paddocks with crops or animals on them are now housing estates, for example. It's really creepy that there's been such change in such a (relatively) short time.


Something that I remember happening when I was little was The Wave. In my lifetime, the Wave has nearly disappeared, much like the farmland.


There's a particular road near my house, about 1 and a half cars wide with a deep drainage ditch on one side. In the Hills, people are usually courteous and friendly, they leave gaps to let you in if you're trying to pull out into traffic, and on this particular road, the person driving UP the road (the non-ditch side) would usually pull as far off the road to let the other person past. It was just the done thing. And when I was little, when my Mum or Dad (and later my sisters) were driving along this road, they'd always wave in thanks if someone had pulled over, or wave in a 'you're welcome' way if they pulled over for someone. It was just a little thing that was always done (and not just on this road, it was always done whenever another driver did you a nicety)


However, of late - as in, my 4 years of driving - this common courtesy seems to have fallen to the wayside...something I hoped I'd never see happen in the Hills. Now on this road, other drivers come hooning along and don't even slow down when they see another car, they just expect you to pull over for them...which is really damn hard when you have a big ditch next to you. So you try and pull off as far as you can without having to call your brother-in-law to pull you out with his 4WD.
And when you don't pull over and they have to stop for you, a filthy glare is thrown your way. And when you give The Wave, you should lock the doors first, just in case that tips them over the edge. After all, you've delayed their rude and dangerous driving my a whole 5 seconds. Oo er. 


Case in point: This happened to Dad a few months ago-he had the ditch on his side and the other person pushed through, knocking the wing mirror off Dad's car on his way past, then sped of, not even stopping to exchange details. Tool.


If I pull over for someone and they don't say thank-you, I resist the temptation to follow them down the road wailing "you didn't say thank-youuuuuuuuu!" a la Sharon from Kath & Kim. Instead I content myself with arrogance-wind down the window and give a sarcastic wave they can't miss (the winter tactic) or stick your head out and yell "YEAH THAT'S OK! NO PROBLEM!" sarcastically (the summer tactic as they usually have their window down too). 


The Wave is a protected species. The people who give and return The Wave are few and far between. It should have it's own campaign, like the Orangutans and habitat distruction. 'SAVE THE WAVE!!' could be the campaign slogan.


The other day, I pulled over for someone.They waved thanks. Stunned, I reflexively waved back. 


It made my week.