Your wave is a promise. And it's one you can't always keep.
A driver waved a car through two stopped lanes at an intersection. Looked clear. Felt courteous. Made sense in the moment.
But there was a third lane. A blue Nissan mini truck, lowered to the ground, moving fast in the turning lane — low-profile, easy to lose in the visual clutter, invisible to the waving driver and invisible to the driver crossing.
The wave said go. The mini truck said no.
T-bone collision. No villain in this story. Just a courtesy gesture that didn't account for what it couldn't see.
A wave is not a clear lane. It's a guess dressed up as permission.
Here's the lesson most parents never hear: before you ever wave someone through — check ALL lanes. Including the turning lane. Including the low, fast-moving one you almost didn't see.
When in doubt, don't wave. Let the intersection speak for itself.
That's the Courtesy Wave Trap. Teach your teen to be predictable, not polite.