No hand gesture for I screwed up

[Alidar Jarok]

Driving home today, traffic was pretty bad. I ended up crossing an intersection and getting stuck there when the light changed. I immediately realized I was really fucking stupid and kept trying to inch up to give the cars on the other side the ability to go through (they had about a lane and a half, but it still caused some problems). As each car passed me, I could hear them yelling "hey dumbass" and "get out of the road." And I'm pretty much thinking "yeah, I'm a dumbass. Sorry about that."

The problem is, there's no way to convey that to other drivers. Obviously, there are plenty of rude gestures to convey anger at the other driver. And I usually raise a hand in a sort of waive as a thank you. But there's no way to say "you're correct in being angry at me, I realize what I did, I screwed up." I've tried looking really sorry before but angry drivers usually miss subtlety like that and I'm not a dog so I'm not very good at it to begin with.

 

[Jadzia]

I think a nodding gesture would convey what you want to convey in that situation.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Just shrug and look sad.

 

[MacLeod]

Just hold your hand up

 

[RJDiogenes]

I agree that a sheepish shrug would do.

Or striking your forehead with the heel of your hand very hard.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Or yell out "SORRY!!!!!"

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Ugh, i hate it when that happens. I totally feel your pain, dude. I just try to look as sheepish as possible, and pray no cops happen to be patrolling right then and there.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Just hold your hand up

This, combined with an appropriate eye expression conveying culpability. It works.

 

[Trekker4747]

Someone is forgetting their Seinfeld.

It's called an "I'm sorry wave." You throw your hands up, shrug your shoulders and sheepishly dip your head while maybe waving your hands a bit. This shows the other driver that you fucked up and are sorry.

The single hand up also can convey a, "yeah I fucked up" impression too.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

"Double dumb ass on me"?

 

[Yoda]

On the rare occasion that I mess up like that driving the gesture ends up being about the same thing you would do if you were trying to surrender to an advancing army.

 

[think]

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Shrugging doesn't work. It makes them think you're saying "I'm clueless and don't know why you're mad at me." It could even be a "what did I do" fake innocence to them. Hand waives might work.

 

[auntiehill]

I think the "Yes, I'm a dumbass" wave of shame does it fine.

 

[Amaris]

I carry a sign.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^

 

[iguana_tonante]

And I'm pretty much thinking "yeah, I'm a dumbass. Sorry about that."

The problem is, there's no way to convey that to other drivers.(...) But there's no way to say "you're correct in being angry at me, I realize what I did, I screwed up."

What do you mean? There is a hand gesture for everything! (or, in my best Italian accent: "Therre is onne hand-a ggesturre forr evverytingg!")

I agree with people here: raise you hands, hang you head and look sowwy.

 

[cultcross]

Here a wave is accepted, dependent on context, as 'thank you' and 'sorry', in the sense of 'thank you for not killing me for that bit of crappy driving'.