Crossing Fingers When An Ambulance Passes

[Cherrybomb]

The "doffing a hat when a funeral procession passes" thread has inspired me to think about a strange thing my Grandmother used to do. She would cross her fingers whenever an ambulance passed her. She would do it at home or out and about, and I remember her saying that she shouldn't uncross them until she saw a white horse, but with it being the mid 80's when I remember this, there were never many white horses near! So, she'd uncross her fingers once she couldn't hear/see the ambulance. I guess its like a good luck thing. Anyone else ever heard of this?? :?

 

[escargot]

We have a thread or two on such superstitions!

I can remember reading about a children's rhyme, with actions -

Cross my heart and touch my toes
I hope I don't go in one of those!

though I've never seen it done.

The collar-holding one I've personally seen involves any four-legged animal rather than a white horse. When a friend of mine first did that in front of me back in the 60s - aged about 9 - I fell about laughing and helpfully pointed out birds, woodlice and a chair, all of which could be said to have four or more limbs. She was not amused.

 

[Cherrybomb]

Thanks, I'll have a search later

It's odd because a former in-law said that white horses were bad luck, and you should spit if you see one :?

 

[DougalLongfoot]

Never seen the ambulance one, but I've known some children who if they see a white horse they cross their fingers and make a wish, if you can keep your fingers crossed until you see a dog, the wish is likely to come true.

 

[bugmum]

My mother, a native of Northampton, upon spotting an ambulance would reach up and touch her collarbone whilst muttering, "Touch your collar, never holler, never get the fever." When I queried her sanity, she defended herself by explaining that it was 'protection' against being carried off to hospital. Quite which fever she was invoking against, I'm not sure - maybe scarlet fever? I guess that was reasonably rife during the first half of the century.

 

[ampman48]

We used to touch our collars when an ambulance went by when I was at school in the 1950's and had to see a dog before you could let go. We didn't see many ambulances then and a trip to hospital meant almost certain death as far as we were concerned. During a thunderstorm we would take the hairgrips out of our hair and cover up any mirrors even though we were indoors at the time.