Thanking Considerate Drivers

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John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
Just wondering whether any of you do, and how you go about signalling your appreciation?

Sometimes I see them at the lights, and can do so verbally, but more often than not they're off and around me before I can say anything. I've been holding up my hand in a sort of open palmed acknowledgement (I'd do this in the car too, if someone let me into traffic etc) but I think sometimes people mistake it for a "halt" or "wait" signal.

In particular, a chap who gave me scads of room around two nasty roundabouts on the way home last night - at this location, it also stops cars behind overtaking dangerously, so his action was very welcome. I held up my hand in thanks as he was aout to pass, and he held back for a bit, hence my thinking that the "thank you" could be misinterpreted...
 
I ususally give a thumbs up signal, I've no idea how its interpeted though.
 
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John the Monkey

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
HLaB said:
I ususally give a thumbs up signal, I've no idea how its interpeted though.

I'm wary of giving a signal involving a single digit, after nearly being duffed up for saying "Thank you" to someone (the guy thought I'd sworn at him, when in fact I was being glad that he'd stopped at the give way on the side road, I thought initially that he hadn't seen me).
 

leoc

New Member
Location
London
If they let me into a queue when I'm indicating I usually turn my open handed indicating signal into a thumbs up. If they're in front of me I usually nod and raise the part of my hand off one side of the bars in a sort of wave. Hopefully this gets the message across :?:
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
nasty rash of considerate drivers of late, I've put it down to my lurid new top

I do an airy wave, people co-operating with my signal get a roll of the hand into a thumbs up and then back to the signal
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
Usually a thumbs up, or a smile and a nod. Depends. I'll always try to thank others on the road who are considerate.
 

goo_mason

Champion barbed-wire hurdler
Location
Leith, Edinburgh
A smile, nod and a hand up, with the occasional 'cheers' during the summer if their windows are down and they might be able to hear me.

On the paths, when dog walkers stop and control their dogs until I'm safely past, I say thanks and smile. I'm now on chatting terms with some of the regular dog walkers I see - the two old blokes with Border Collies are amazing. They give the dogs a signal and they lie down at the side of the path; obviously of good sheepdog stock !
 

pompey

New Member
Location
Addlestone
If somebody lets me out of a junction, for example, I usually look towards them and do an exaggerated nod of the head - I've often seen motorcyclists do this as well. It also means you can keep your hands on the handlebars and brakes, just in case...

If somebody has been waiting behind you for a safe point to overtake, and then gives you lots of room as they pass, then that should be the norm shouldn't it, so no need to thank them. And as already noted, there's plenty of potential for misinterpretation of your signal.

However, I'm not averse to hand gestures completely - the other day some muppet overtook me as I was signalling to turn right :?:, and just as he passed, my outstretched hand suddenly only had a single finger pointing - he wasn't happy about that, so there was definitely no misinterpretation there...
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
'then that should be the norm shouldn't it, so no need to thank them'

unless you think that positive re-enforcement is a good idea
 
I certainly do. I often lift my hand to say thanks. Sometimes (like this morning) where a car has kept a distance behind me and I am turning off, I will indicate and then give a thumbs up to say thanks. I'm never sure that they see it but they might.

Just this morning I saw a chap in a white van who was eating a roll and sausage. He shouldn't have been doing it I know, but I thought I would inject a bit of humour into it and I signaled that I wanted a bite. he laughed I laughed and maybe he will give a cyclist room in the future as a result (so long as he isn't eating at the time :?:smile:
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
pompey said:
If somebody has been waiting behind you for a safe point to overtake, and then gives you lots of room as they pass, then that should be the norm shouldn't it, so no need to thank them. And as already noted, there's plenty of potential for misinterpretation of your signal.

Depends really. I don't think you need to thank everyone who overtakes safely, but if someone obviously holds back where they could have overtaken dangerously then I'd wave thanks. Doesn't hurt to do so.
 
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