While you’re driving, you can quite literally improve the world in which we all live, raising not just your mood, but the mood of complete strangers sitting in their own vehicles.

“HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY DO THAT?”

Well, I’m glad you asked so passionately.

I was driving to work, singing along loud and proud to “My Sharona”, despite getting a number of the words wrong and those that I got right, not being able to sing them in tune. But I was having a good time.

I paused my singing because I only adequately know the main lyrics, saving my vocals to absolutely belt out the chorus. I let in the sporty-Audi-driving Merchant Banker in a suit, who was waiting to come in from a side street. I didn’t really need to let him in as he had just pulled up at the intersection, but I was in a My Sharona-fueled good mood.

Letting another driver in when I didn’t have to, is a beautiful thing.

The part I knew word-for-word started up, so I commenced singing – NEVER GONNA STOP, GIVE IT UP, SUCH A DIRTY MIND…

The Merchant Banker, didn’t bother to wave! What?? Damn him. DAMN HIM ALL TO HELL.

So here’s the thing, if the drivers who have been let-in do not wave a little thank you (“Underwavers”), then this has a negative impact upon the drivers who let them in (“Saint-Drivers”). Instead of feeling… nice, Saint-Drivers feel annoyed, may stop singing, their moods having been tainted.

ME, WITH MY MOOD TAINTED.

Nothing bothers Saint-Drivers more, than Underwavers not acknowledging our attempts to share-the-nice. It’s not asking much. It’s a wave! I’m not suggesting you get out and buy the Saint Driver KFC (the dirty bird is now dead to me).

If un-thanked, even Saint-Drivers may be hesitant about letting the next driver in and that driver will in turn be annoyed, having no way of knowing about the dreadful Underwaver incident, that just took place. And not being my Audi-driving Merchant Banker, they may have been a guaranteed wave-thanker, but they never got the opportunity.

Then, like an episode of Breaking Bad it becomes an ugly snowball-of-angry. Saint-Drivers, if wave-thanked go to work just a little less inclined to yell at that new guy who cannot seem to remember that you no longer take sugar in your cappuccino. Or because the drive is the last thing you do before you get home, you may be more empathetic about your spouse’s terrible day, or more understanding of your teenage daughter telling you she’s fallen in love with the fullback from the local Rugby League team.

In my situation, if the Audi-Underwaver had wave-thanked:

My wife – “Gee you’re in a good mood this evening. Have you forgotten I want to watch Master Chef and not one of your crappy Arctic Survival Men reality shows.”

Me – “Yes my love. If anything makes you happy, then you can be damn sure it does the same to me.”

This can happen, all the time, to all of us.

There’s three essential steps :

STEP 1.

Always thank a Saint-Driver. Even you have had a shit day at work, you notice your fly has been undone for who-knows how long, your team is getting flogged in the footy and you think you may have been pinged by that speed camera.

And by the way, wait a few seconds until your car is fully straight, to ensure the Saint-Driver doesn’t miss your wave-thank.

Even better, when you do wave, let out a loud, theatrical “thank you”. You will allow more of your senses to become entwined with the nice and you share it with any passengers you may have. Sharing-the-nice with your kids for instance, will incline them to do it when they are driving, thereby giving them a source of nice, that is healthy, drug-free, free and world-improving.

If you are ever in doubt as to whether you are in a wave-worthy situation, wave.

STEP 2.

When the opportunity arises, let other drivers in. The more you do, the more you improve the world. Wouldn’t that be good?

THANKS FOR LETTING ME IN SAINT DRIVER.

STEP 3.

If an Underwaver does not wave… don’t care. This step is the toughest, but if you don’t, there’s little point in following the previous two.

An Underwaver, either – doesn’t understand that they should, couldn’t be bothered or is just a dick (my Merchant Banker). Whichever reason it is, don’t allow it to diminish the niceness you are thriving upon. Underwavers are not part of our club! They don’t even know our club exists. Just smile to yourself and feel sympathy for them missing out.

POOR UNDERWAVERS.

Forgive Underwavers, they know not what they do.

I am so hopeful you all will take this on board. We all have the power, but it’s a numbers game. If a few people follow this plan, that would be wonderful. But if many of us do… whoa Mumma!

Thanks for reading. I write blogs oftentimes just to claim at parties much to my wife’s chagrin, that I am in fact… a writer. If you could Share far and wide via the buttons below, that would be amazing. I need to one day be a famous contributor to the noble art, of blogging. And check out my new craft beer business I set up with a few North Shore dads (gettincrafty.com.au) Cheers