The various meanings of the emergency button in a vehicle
An American man has learned the various ways South Africans use their trusty car hazards, aka the ubuntu button, to communicate on the roads.
It is always interesting for us to see how foreigners interpret our South African culture. However, apart from the cultural practices rooted in tradition and religion, some emerged over time without much information about their roots.
One of those cultural practices is deeply ingrained in the way we drive. In this case, it isn't so much how we drive but how we communicate on the roads. Now, we are not referring to vulgar ways of communication but rather the unwritten rules of the road that most South African motorists abide by.
An American living in South Africa, Austin Scheiwe, noticed the secret road lingo local motorists have for the emergency button (or your hazards). He found them to be interesting and insightful of our unique culture. One person said it best, "It’s definitely the Ubuntu button."
Watch the video below - courtesy of TikTok.
@wordswithaus Happy 2025 South Africa #culture #2025 #happynewyear #drivinglessons #mzansi #saffa #livinginsouthafrica #visitsouthafrica #hazards ♬ Chill and gentle lo-fi/10 minutes(1455687) - nightbird_bgm
It was nice to hear appreciation for how we do things differently, a trait that is not often embraced. What was even more exciting was how South Africans contributed to this topic.
One of the main things that Austin forgot to mention was that the emergency button is used not only to say 'thank you' but also to say 'sorry'.
Not to mention how people say 'you're welcome'. One person wrote: "I get offended when I say 'thank you' and the person doesn’t say 'pleasure.' When someone says 'thank you', then it is only right for you to say, 'You're welcome' by flickering your headlights.
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Image Courtesy of iStock