There’s a new way to take a shot at love. Or at least that’s what one Texas-based “not-influencer” is in the process of discovering.
Under the in-video headline, “The Austin TX double tap is starting to spread,” Adrian Delaney (@adriandelaneyiv) explains a new, IRL dating communication method. It might actually take a cue from mimes.
Tap Tap Tap
In a TikTok with 2,268 views, Delaney says that there’s a non-verbal way to let someone know you’re interested. Similar to a casual salute, he says if you catch that cutie’s eye, you can simply signal interest.
To do it right, you hold your hand (left or right, doesn’t seem to matter) palm out, then close the ring, pinky, and thumb. Basically, make a peace sign. Next, you just gently tap at your temple, twice. They can respond by mirroring it (indicating interest). But if there’s no love connection to make, they just reverse the gesture (close it) by doing the same thing, but with the back of the hand visible. No harm, no foul.
Recently, (at the cocktail lounge Daydreamer), he was recognized by a couple who said they watch all his stuff, which shows up on their TikTok For You Pages. “‘We thought it was you,'” he says they said before they started tapping their foreheads.
But this is a huge social gaffe, because the double tap is “not supposed to be forced,” he says.
Sometimes, he says, he just kind of holds up his fingers and “flicks them away.” He says it’s “becoming kind of a social cue, if you will.”
No More Mixed Signals
It’s understandable that people might want to decrease dating (or pre-dating) confusion by introducing a little clarity to the situation. Sure, it does smack of passing a “Do you like me? I like you” note in class. But clarity and ease of communication are key factors in most successful relationships…no matter how long they last.
However, according to a Modern Love article, clarity isn’t the method everyone adopts. “When someone gives us mixed signals, it can drive us to levels of obsessive-compulsive analysis that leave all our friends cringing,” says writer Manj Bahra.
Bahra indicates that this is due to cognitive dissonance, that physical feeling of discomfort when two modes of thought clash. Perhaps the person you were flirting with seemed to indicate they were interested, but then, no text or call.
Then you stew and try to find resolution. Sometimes in the most embarrassing of ways (obsessively driving by their mother’s house in an attempt to force a “chance” interaction—for a random example).
How’s It Going?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that though Delaney himself is getting recognized as “the double-tap guy” in Austin, the technique is not. “Dude I’ve been doing this for a week now and I’m waiting on someone to get what it is [crying-laughing emoji, crying-laughing emoji],” admitted @lovelife31812.
But perhaps what’s effective is the gesture paired with eye contact. It’s less of a clear communication and more like a curious mating dance. It might get the opposite party curious enough to come and investigate what’s going on. And then, the seduction (however that looks) can begin.
“I don’t really consider myself an influencer,” he comments.
“I just like making fun, cool, creative, exciting, raw, real content,” he says.
He records this from the front seat of his car, in a beige quarter-zip and pink collared shirt. Like he’s a casual creator on the way to his bank job.
As for the question Delaney posted in the caption to the video, “Do you know the double tap?” Evidence suggests the answer is “no.”
BroBible reached out to Delaney via email and TikTok direct message. We will update this if he gets back to us.
@adriandelaneyiv Do you know the double tap🫰#austin#austintx#atx#relationships#dating