farmdoc's blog post number 70

It’s 1.2 kilometres along the main road from the corner of Camerons Road [A] to Mole Creek’s Post Office [B]. I walk this stretch of road often, on its right side facing the oncoming traffic, and in all weather. When it’s wet and a vehicle approaches, I move off the bitumen onto the verge. Even so, most drivers pull to their right over the centre line to keep their vehicles’ spray away from me. To every driver who does that, I respond with a wave of thanks – if they acknowledge my presence and vulnerability, then it’s mere common courtesy for me to gesture my gratitude. I do this even for log truck drivers of whom I am not otherwise enamoured. I have certainly mellowed as I’ve gotten older. But only up to a point. So when I’m walking in the wet and a vehicle doesn’t pull right and therefore I get sprayed, the vehicle doesn’t cross the line – but I do: I give the driver the finger (aka the bird). This gesture has been called obscene, and one of the basest violations in modern culture. But so far none of its recipients has stopped to remonstrate with me. Indeed I don’t even know if they realise why they received it let alone if it changes their behaviour. But it sure makes me feel better.