was I justified in giving a driver the finger?

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I was waiting for the light to change so I can cross the road, and when it did a car stopped on the crosswalk, blocking it completely, so I had to risk my life and walk around it where other cars from the intersection could've run me over. as I crossed in front of the car, the driver smiled at me and nodded as if saying 'go ahead. you can cross in front of the car.' that's when I gave him the finger, something I never did before.

I'm tired of this happening. last job I had, I had to cross a road where all the cars did it and there was no way to cross. As a result, it was safer to cross the road when you're not suppossed to and that's what I did.

So, my question is, was I justified?

In my opinion, no. Your frustration, annoyance and/or other negative feelings towards that incompetent and/or stupid driver and other such drivers are definitely justified but the finger is not.

you have got to be better than they are, do NOT stoop to their level, what does that prove other than you can be just as evil as they are. strive for better.

Oooh, drivers who ignore the "limit line" whether painted or not! I would guess about 70 percent of drivers ignore it by a long shot. I have seen drivers stop from 3 to 20 feet [!] beyond the limit line. It is almost as if they expect to blow through the stop (light or sign) without stopping, but decided against it at the last moment. None of them understand stopping first at the limit line, then slooowly creeping forward for a better view of oncoming traffic. If it bugs me as the other driver, I can only imagine how intimidating it is for pedestrians.

Still, I have found that any gestures do nothing but satisfy the person gesturing. So, why not do it out of sight?

I'm pretty sure that any driver who wouldn't care about running you over, won't care if you flip them the bird as they speed away. The entire effect of it was probably to give you a tiny bit of satisfaction, and nothing else.

all non-4-wheeled vehicle types gotta move about as though they are invisible, that is the safest strategy.

Whenever I've encountered a careless driver (which is usually as soon as I try to cross a street), my usual reaction, after screaming in fright, is to shake my fist and call them an idiot. I would have to be in an incredibly awful mood before flipping them, though.

I don't know what it is about cars that turn people into moronic, raving lunatics who think they're in control of all that's around them. I wish I lived in a bigger city where there's more to do and I don't have to walk as far to get around but I heard the traffic is even worse. Everyone in this age is selfish, self-centered, and doesn't value human life. It's me me ME, all the time. Something very drastic must be done to end it. Something WILL be done, but by the time people realize what idiots they've been, it will TOO LATE.

You cannot change anybody.
If a motorist does something wrong, they might feel a bit guilty and embarrassed, as soon as you start being rude back to them you will change their emotion to one hostile towards you so that then they will be glad they have done something to upset you.
I feel much worst if I accidentally do something bad towards a nice person than an aggressive and rude person.