32: Midwest Hand Signals

We live out in farm country, so it's no big deal to see a tractor or other large piece of farm equipment on the road. When other drivers want to pass, they just wait until it's safe and then move around them. This is why it doesn't bother me to drive Abbey at her maximum speed which tops at around 35mph.

Personally, I like 25-30 best as things start to shake-rattle-and-roll when you hit 35. TD and I laughed at the "80" number on the speedometer because the only way the truck would hit that mark is if it were being dropped from a plane. 

Not having turn signals (yet) makes communicating with other vehicles interesting. They want to pass me because I'm driving slower than normal, but they don't understand my hand signals for turns. Remember, out on the farm roads there are no traffic lights, and few stop signs, so when you want to turn down a lane, you slow down and put your signal on. Being that I'm already slow, and have no turn signals (yet), I use the universal hand gestures. 

(I know some of you just thought of the one universal hand gesture EVERYONE knows but we don't use that out here in the Midwest)

Out here, hand signals mean something completely different.

Let me enlighten:

 "Hidey-ho neighbor"             "Look at that corn!"             "Skunk roadkill here!"

The good news is that because it's the Midwest, people are very patient, especially if they see farm equipment or say, a 1949 Chevy truck. Once they understand what you want to do and where you want to go, they just sit back and wait for you to finish and usually follow up with a friendly wave and a nod.

I still want turn signals though, so I gently asked TD about the wiring harness that's still in the "to-do" box.

I definitely heard a sigh.