Ignorant or just plain stupid?

[Bike Chick]

I was going around the circle and it was hard for me to take my hand off of the bar to shake my finger at him, so I started shaking my head, vigorously, like "no, no, no.!"

Which finger did you shake at him???

[Crankin]

Ha...
I usually use the index finger, which one of my riding friends says looks like I am a teacher scolding a kid (which of course, I never did, but it feels natural). The head shaking did work, as soon as I made eye contact, he got my drift.
I don't give drivers the finger anymore. Though sometimes I do say the words!

[Bike Chick]

I don't give them the finger anymore either. The last time I did was a couple years ago. I flipped off the driver of a van that squeezed between us and an oncoming vehicle almost killing all of us in the process. After they passed (waving in the process) I realized it was a lady from our church and her teenager daughter. They had recognized us and were passing to say "hello." I felt terrible and promptly put the finger away.

Sorry for the drift. Drivers do not realize how fast we are going and I always try to anticipate what they might do. A lot of drivers get nervous when they see a cyclist and panic. I keep thinking the more they see us on the road, the more accustomed they will become to cyclists.