Do Truck Drivers Still Honk Back At Kids On The Road?

Growing up in a family that would hop in the car and drive 90 minutes to go and see family, you had to learn to deal with being in the car for an extended period of time. We could only play 'I Spy' for so long, so now and then we'd pass by a semi, and give them the 'signal'. If the 'signal' was caught, it brought us kids instant joy when the driver would lay on that horn, but are truck drivers still honking when they are given the 'signal'?

A Silent Signal Given By Kids To Truck Drivers

I'm not entirely sure where the signal came from or who taught it to my siblings and me, but it's magical. All you had to do was take your left or right arm, make a fist, and lift your hand like you were grabbing the monkey bars, and then pull your arm down. If done properly, you could make just about any trucker lay on the horn.

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Are kids still doing this? What do truckers think about it? Luckily, I saw a post on social media this weekend that seemed to answer both questions.

Are Truck Drivers Still Honking When They See This?

A post to a community page this weekend asked the question as to whether truckers still honk when they see kids giving them the signal, and from what I read, it seems like truck drivers enjoy it more than the kids do.

Answers varied from "As a trucker, it makes our day more than it makes your kid's day! Keep it up!" to "They love it, its a dying tradition that's that America is about".

Keeping Road Trip Memories Alive In 2026

While not all truckers will sound the horn on command, everyone has their limits, especially if they are stuck in traffic. When you are out on the open road, teach your son or daughter how it's done, and see how many semis you can get to honk at you as you're driving.