U.S. pilot's gesture brings Brazilian fine

In article t,
"Dudley Henriques" writes:
What's wrong with this?

You can't even drive a car more or less fly an airplane in the United States
if your middle finger is broken!!!! It's used as a meaningful method of
friendly visual communication over here.
Why just this morning, my lovely bride of many years made her usual left
turn from the right lane as we were driving to the store.I distinctly saw in
the mirror the guy in the left lane screaming something about her being #1
in his book, and displayed the finger to prove it as he bounced back into
his seat after careening off the steering wheel as she passed by in front of
him!!!

And, in fact, the upraised mid-finger isn't considered as much of an
obscene guesture in Brazil.

Interestingly enough, IIRC, the "O.K." sign, ('You know, the little
finger circle with the other fingers kinda splayed around, is
considered highly offensive. (It's apparently the Brazilian
Equivalent of "Let's You, me, John Tarver, and the California Senate
Deleegation fet together an have us a Goold Ole Time".)

Caveat: I haven't been to Brazil in decades, and my Copy of
_Jane's_All_the_World's_Insults_and_Guestures_ is rather out of date.

--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster