What Does The Truckie's Indicator Salute Mean?

Question

Hi All!

As I'm driving around the main Hwys and Fwys in Australia I often notice that one a truck overtakes another truck they will flash their Left indicator once (to signal they are moving to the left lane again) flash their right hand indicator once (and this is my interest) then put their left hand indicator on as normal and change lanes...

I have noticed a few variations, but its obvious it not just an accident as they move across, so I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what it means (is it a thankyou, a "salute to fellow road traveller or something else) and/or the etymology of this gesture...

Cheers,

Bock

Answer 1

I can't quite make out exactly what you mean but...

If you are sitting behind a truck whether you be a car or truck , a truck driver will flash his right indicator once to let you know that it is safe to pass him and there was nothing coming the other way.

Edit : Then once the truck passes yes it will give another flash to say thank you.

It is all about asking whether you can safely pass or not.

Try it in your car :) They will give you a flash if you can safely pass.  They made a movie about a rouge truck driver once that would flash you to say it was safe to pass when it was not. Resulting in a head on smash between two cars.

Answer 2

Yep....Its a cheers,,,or thanks mate.

Answer 3

From my memory when driving commercial, it was a thank you.

Often the truck being overtaken would flash its lights to let the overtaking one know that they had passed him, and it was safe to come in again, (being long vehicles) and the overtaker would use indicators to acknowledge his thanks.