Meanwhile Back at the Ranch

I’m off-topic today because this issue has been bothering me for a long time.

As the parent of a 2-1/2-year-old, I’m doing my best to reinforce the please-and-thank-you routine, and I’m pleased to report that Elie is showing progress in the basics of etiquette.

But this morning, I found myself caught in traffic and learned that many grown-ups have forgotten the things that they learned in kindergarten, and it bothers me.

It’s real simple:

When you’re in a lane of traffic that is being merged into another lane of traffic and you want to get in line ahead of another car, make eye contact with the operator of said vehicle, point to the spot where you want to go and await their acknowledgement.

It’s then appropriate to mouth the word “thank you” before you move your vehicle into position. A “thank you” wave in the review mirrior is also a nice gesture after you’ve completed the maneuver.

On the flip side, if you see that another car is trying to merge into your line of traffic, my personal rule of thumb is to allow one car to merge, allowing for a smoother flow of traffic and also because it’s the nice thing to do. Once you’ve allowed one car into your lane, you have fulfilled your karmic duty for the day.

This is pretty simple stuff, people. And this used to be such a friendly country.

Why does no one even wave anymore?

WTF happened?

And while I’m at it, when did “Uh-huh” become the proper response to “Thank you”?