Being English I do love a good hand gesture.
Unfortunately most of them don’t translate
over the pond. On a few occasions, I have
given other drivers the fist shaking, circled thumb and forefinger sign (known
as the ‘tosser’ or ‘wanker’ sign anywhere in Britain). This rarely gets a reaction from an American driver
– they just think you are shaking your fist at them. I tried to elaborate by sticking my tongue in
my cheek at the same time, but that just makes me look strange and feel a bit stupid,
if truth be known.
I have now taken to using the middle finger or “flipping the bird” as it’s
called. I have no idea why it’s called
the bird – I have done extensive research (i.e. I Googled it) and couldn’t find
any answers. It’s supposed to represent
a phallus, so the bird doesn’t make sense to me. But that gesture is now my go-to hand signal
while driving. Not that I’m driving and
flipping people off all the time, but there are moments when you just need to
express your opinion or distaste for others' driving habits.
People who know I’m English do still get the ‘V’ sign. It’s so much nicer than that solitary middle
finger. And it has a great history. Also known as “the two fingered salute,” “The
Longbowman Salute,” “The Agincourt Salute,” “the Rods” or a number of other names, it's believed to have originated during the Hundred Years War at the
Battle of Agincourt when the longbowmen used the gesture towards the French, showing they still had their bow fingers and could still shoot arrows. It is said the French would cut those fingers off any captured Brits. This may not actually be true, but in good
English tradition, it sounds brilliant so we’re keeping the story.
Oops Mr. Churchill - wrong way round! |
It just feels so nice to shake the good old ‘V’ sign with both
hands now and then that I just don’t want to give it up. So whether anyone understands it or not, I won’t stop!
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