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Did you know that flashing your car's hazard lights momentarily while driving is a way to say "thank you" on the road?

A Mothership reader, Ryan Kwak, shared a wholesome video of him overtaking a car along the Central Expressway and flashing his hazard lights to say thank you to the driver for giving way -- only to be thanked moments later by another car using the same method after he gave way.

Flashing hazard lights

On Apr. 26, Kwak was driving along the expressway when a white car signalled left and switched lanes to allow Kwak to overtake on the right-most lane.

Kwak then thanked the driver by flashing his hazard lights twice.

"And then literally 15 seconds later, a blue car behind me did the exact same double signal 'thank you' to me for giving him way for him to overtake," Kwak told Mothership.

Kwak added that it was his first time trying the "double signal 'thank you' gesture" and was surprised to see it was reciprocated by a different driver so quickly.

Common practice in Japan

This practice of blinking hazard lights as a thank you gesture for inconveniencing the car behind is popularised by the Japanese.

Japanese drivers usually blink their hazard lights when they give way or allow others to overtake on the road.

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Top images via Ryan Kwak.