The handshake - Culture or rude new neighbour

[Gippo]

So I have a new neighbour and discovered he doesn't speak a word of English.

Hes clearly of middle eastern decent.

When I introduced myself I opened with a handshake and the usual fumbling when 2 people cant understand each other.

The odd thing was the way he presented his hand for handshaking. He showed me his fingers and knuckles with is palm facing down and not sideways as I would expect for a conventional handshake.

Upon researching this I'm feeling offended.

See links below:

The most powerful handshake in the world - The Week

Have a Persuasive Handshake - wikiHow

Is he a prick or am I a victim of misunderstanding cultural differences.

Gip.

[Stu]

Victim of misunderstanding cultural differences.

[Manyak]

Not a strictly cultural thing. But handshake facing with palm down is pretty well known as a dominating handshake..

He made you his bitch.

[Huggy]

He doesn't like you

[Huggy]

He made you his bitch.

From here the only way to recover is by being very overt with your racism.

[Old frt]

Was it a floppy demonstration of a limp wrist?

Maybe he does like you...

[AliastheJester]

Not all Arabs are in the Middle-East. A lot of the North Africans I have dealt with reach in with the palm down, I suspect Arab North Africans would have a somewhat shared culture. Did he reach in with his left hand to touch your elbow or shoulder as well? With the people I know it is more of a gesture of openness and friendliness, the handshake stops a little short of a hug.
If someone is trying to dominate you in this way, when you take their hand approach it from underneath, grab it firmly and twist it till it is where you'd prefer.

[Gippo]

Thats the thing that gets up me, as a neighbour I crossed over with nothing but goodwill and an introduction, not to build a life long friendship and he pulls that shit out in the 1st 10 seconds?

Surely it means something else or is a cultral norm.

[Rich...]

See I don't get it...

A dominate hand shake is bullshit...

How is he now more dominate?

It's just a movement...

The same way words are just sounds...

You give those sounds meaning, and what they mean to you...

Like wise you give that movement meaning and what it means to you...

If you want to now assume you are his bitch then go ahead, be his bitch...

[AliastheJester]

Thats the thing that gets up me, as a neighbour I crossed over with nothing but goodwill and an introduction, not to build a life long friendship and he pulls that shit out in the 1st 10 seconds?

Surely it means something else or is a cultral norm.

Amongst Aussies do you ever seen two guys that know each other stop in the street to hug each other and kiss each other on the cheek? Yet it is perfectly normal in Southern Europe. How we understand dominance and shaking hands isn't necessarily how he understands it.

[Mr_Mike]

I believe there is no other possible outcome to your predicament, ur gonna have to assert ur dominance and take a shit in his letter box.
Fuckin 'straya!!!!!

[Gippo]

someone is trying to dominate you in this way, when you take their hand approach it from underneath, grab it firmly and twist it till it is where you'd prefer.

Pretty much how it went, I wasn't threatened, I actually thought he was gay or soft. Turned his hand until about 45 degrees, as I didnt want to appear forceful, kinda meeting him halfway. Had I known beforehand (no pun) I would have forced it upright with just enough force to say, no submission here buddy, we're equals.u

That said, I wont know what his intentions were until he can speak English!

[mekon]

Look, at least he didn't refuse your hand, then spit at your feet and curse you. Yeah fuck him! Put a FIFO sticker on your bike, or 'Fuck Off, We're Full' (or like the one I saw the other day 'Fuck Off Were Full).

Seriously I think you may be reading far too much into it, make him a bacon sandwich as a peace offering.

[Roger Explosion]

Drive behind him with fog lights on.

[Ryven]

I don't get the whole "be a dick about it" with a hand shake. The few times I've had people try to play the "attempt to crush your hand and play it off as though you thought this was appropriate use of force for a greeting" I've reciprocated in kind, squeezing back until they pulled back in pain, then acted surprised that it hurt them. Yet to have any such issues with a hand shake from a middle easterner, though usually your hands are going to both be pointing down slightly to accommodate the other's, if both hands are moving in parallel to the ground I'm assuming you're going for a more ghetto hand squeeze.

(or like the one I saw the other day 'Fuck Off Were Full).

Maybe the owner of the car was bisexual, into dogging and named "Off Were Full"? Were the windows down?