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Comment by Xevi | Hacker News Reader

> Here in Lithuania, flashing your warning lights (the four orange ones on the corners of the car) means thanks, for example if you let someone merge from one of the very short onramps. I've never seen this in Germany, where onramps are however much longer.

In Sweden it's common to do this by using your blinkers. You blink once in each direction. So first left, then right. Or the other way around.

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In the USA, I at some point picked up flashing headlights as "thanks", I don't know how common it is, I don't see it that often (anymore?), but USA drivers may be unlikely to give thanks on the road. :|

(Flashing headlights is also "i see you trying to merge in front of me and i'll give you space." Which I also occasionally do but don't see that often).

>Flashing headlights is also "i see you trying to merge in front of me and i'll give you space."

I do this for the same reason - or more generalized - 'I see you are about to do _x_, and I acknowledge - go ahead'.

The only way I've seen flashing high-beams used is on the highway to signal from behind "you're going too slow for my liking" or from a distance away "watch out I'm serpentining through traffic 15-20mph faster than the next fastest car"

I think GP is talking about flashing the headlights by turning them off and back on quickly, rather than flashing the high-beams. This is what I've usually seen in the US when drivers want to say "thank you" or "you can merge in front of me" on the highway.

Ah, ok. Yeah, that's an important distinction. I've actually not come across that as of yet.

I usually see the flashing headlights for "go ahead in front of me" around entrance ramps in busy traffic.

Not common, but maybe I see it 3 or 4 times a year.

> You blink once in each direction. So first left, then right. Or the other way around.

I've had this a few times from truckers driving through Germany, too, when I let them merge. Truckers in Germany are from all over Europe so it's hard to tell how European this gesture is

> In Sweden it's common to do this by using your blinkers.

I wouldn’t say it’s common here in Sweden, at all. I’ve driven all over Europe and the US, and nowhere is as uncommunicative as Sweden on the roads. People barely use their blinkers even when turning or changing lanes on the motorway, let alone ‘thanking’ each other - which in the 25 years I’ve lived here, I’ve seen maybe two or three times.

I’ve seen it all over the place, starting with my parents.

I guess using the warning lights as a “thanks” would be uncommon though, since it’s actually illegal. ;-)

I think this is originally a trucker thing, and I've seen it many times from truckers in the US. I've used it myself when someone is courteous and lets me in.

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