Like, if you accidentally cut someone off, and they get mad and honk, how do you apologize?

  • fizzle@quokk.au
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    14 hours ago

    because most things I would say to them are two beats long

    LOL. Doesn’t that mean it’s completely ambiguous? There’s plenty of awful things you could say in 2 beats.

    I imagine that people flash twice because once could be a mistake, twice demonstrates intent. Three would make me wonder whether it’s an ongoing flashing light.

    • Elgenzay@lemmy.ml
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      12 hours ago

      I think generally one long flash is a negative acknowledgement or warning, 2 quick flashes is positive, and 3 or more is back to negative

    • Septimaeus@infosec.pub
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      10 hours ago

      LOL. Doesn’t that mean it’s completely ambiguous?

      Well granted, it’s high-context communication. But I’m willing to bet you’d know what I meant if you were trying to merge and I double-tapped lights.

      Three would make me wonder if it’s an ongoing flashing light.

      Yeah IME three is less general, usually reserved for a problem or need for caution, like if someone is driving at night with all their lights out or a visible chassis/drivetrain issue, or there’s a cop/wreck ahead.

      • fizzle@quokk.au
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        10 hours ago

        I’m willing to bet you’d know what I meant if you were trying to merge and I double-tapped lights.

        Yeah if you’re in the lane I’m merging into then two taps means “it’s ok for you to merge in because there’s enough room for you”. That’s more than 2 beats though.

        Maybe you mean “o kay” or “yes merge” or “no stop” or “look out” or “nice car”

        • Septimaeus@infosec.pub
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          3 hours ago

          Oh you mean the two-syllable thing. That was more for the joke lol

          I think it works as a rule of thumb: if message is simple enough that context makes it obvious, two blinks will suffice. But no, it wouldn’t be useful as an actual lexical cypher.