Thanking Drivers

[theclaud]

Thank you for taking the correct route, and not deciding to give the 62 route down the Bristol Road a try instead.
Thank you for not crashing the bus on the way.
Thank you for stopping at the bus stop as I requested, rather than sailing through and going all the way to the terminus.
Thank you for not slamming the brakes on when I got off the seat and laughing as I tumble down the aisle.

Are any of these routine bus driver behaviours?

 

[BoldonLad]

In the same way I still say "Thank you" to the bus driver when I get off.

Thank you for taking the correct route, and not deciding to give the 62 route down the Bristol Road a try instead.
Thank you for not crashing the bus on the way.
Thank you for stopping at the bus stop as I requested, rather than sailing through and going all the way to the terminus.
Thank you for not slamming the brakes on when I got off the seat and laughing as I tumble down the aisle.

Or just "Thank you" because I am polite.

+1

 

[Dogtrousers]

Re the OP, it's a question I often ask myself. Often just after I have given a little wave to someone who has stopped, as is my habit. Of course only people who looked like they were stopping anyway get a wave. If I've had to force the issue by stepping out meaningfully - they get treated to a slow walk and get ignored. These rules are so complicated, who invented them? Oh, I did.

Re other drivers giving way to other drivers at junctions etc in heavy traffic. In my neck of the woods (Sarf East London) people will nearly always let you in, but you do have to be clear about your intentions. If it didn't work like that, everything would grind to a halt. The South Circular is a tremendously effective traffic-calming device.

 

[theclaud]

These rules are so complicated, who invented them? Oh, I did.

As it should be. There are some circumstances in which I give approving gestures to drivers - mainly ones who are clearly considering a stupid/dangerous manoeuvre, but think better of it after meeting my eye. Think of it as sort of training, like with a puppy.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I work on the basis that being nice to people makes me feel better about life - and maybe it could improve someone else's day

Also - we have all seen posts on 'some newspapers' websites where someone states - as an absolute fact - that all cyclists are entitled morons who all ignore red lights and obstruct the road for no reason - etc etc etc

So if I am on my bike and am nice to a car driver then I may make someone think that some cyclists are not the sort that ride through red lights etc etc

it may make a difference at some point in the future to some cyclist - who may be me

or you

who knows but I feel it is worth a go

 

[JtB]

Regardless of what I’m doing I see any opportunity to direct a cheery little wave at a stranger as an opportunity to inject a little happiness into the world and if nothing else it makes me feel a little happier. So if you’re telling me there’s a downside to my cheery little wave then seriously guys you’re overthinking things.

So here’s a cheery little wave from me to you

 

[theclaud]

So if you’re telling me there’s a downside to my cheery little wave then seriously guys you’re overthinking things.

The point of the OP is very much that the cheery wave is part of the tendency to underthink things, and that decades of jolly pedestrian deference to motor vehicles underpins a profoundly unequal power relationship in our public spaces.

 

[Mugshot]

In the same way I still say "Thank you" to the bus driver when I get off.

Thank you for taking the correct route, and not deciding to give the 62 route down the Bristol Road a try instead.
Thank you for not crashing the bus on the way.
Thank you for stopping at the bus stop as I requested, rather than sailing through and going all the way to the terminus.
Thank you for not slamming the brakes on when I got off the seat and laughing as I tumble down the aisle.

Or just "Thank you" because I am polite.

The correct response would be

"Cheers drive"

 

[Electric_Andy]

I usually give a nod or a small wave. I have on a few occasions nearly had my feet run over by idiots who don't stop, and I've shouted obscenaties at them. So if they stop, it's more of a "thanks for not making me angry"!

 

[Archie_tect]

Having interacted safely with traffic for 57 of my 62 years, I happily acknowledge drivers who clearly make an effort and display consideration and fore-thought, whether I'm on foot, on my bike or driving something heavy.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

On the same basis when I am riding on canal paths - and other shared paths - then I try to give every walker, jogger, dog etc a cheery "Thank you" if they have moved over in any way

A lot of people thank me back - presumably for ringing my bell and/or slowing down - clearly I am not allowed to barrel into them at 15.5 mph (ebike motor cutoff) so they don;t NEED to thank me for not ramming them into the canal but keeping everything cheerful makes the Word a very slightly nicer place
not by much - but a few million very small nice things add up

 

[KnittyNorah]

Are any of these routine bus driver behaviours?

Well, there's no number 62 route down Bristol Road here, but I've experienced all the others, more or less, since I had to give up driving some 10 years ago due to eyesight issues. It was only a couple of weeks ago that a driver crashed the bus into some bollards, and we all had to troop off the bus and line up to get on another one ... Then a few days after that the same driver stopped 'at the bus stop' with a screeching of brakes in response to a bloke shouting 'THREE of us have rung the bell for this stop! What's going on?' When I asked him to lower the bus (as he wasn't anywhere near the kerb) he claimed 'it was broken' - until a lady with a buggy shouted 'no it isn't, you lowered it to let me on!' but by then I'd been helped off by the other two passengers ...
Yes, I complained. I haven't seen that driver on my regular route since.
Most bus drivers are competent and courteous, some are great and really helpful. So yes, I do thank bus drivers who are. And complain to the company about those who aren't.

 

[cyberknight]

Re the OP, it's a question I often ask myself. Often just after I have given a little wave to someone who has stopped, as is my habit. Of course only people who looked like they were stopping anyway get a wave. If I've had to force the issue by stepping out meaningfully - they get treated to a slow walk and get ignored. These rules are so complicated, who invented them? Oh, I did.

Re other drivers giving way to other drivers at junctions etc in heavy traffic. In my neck of the woods (Sarf East London) people will nearly always let you in, but you do have to be clear about your intentions. If it didn't work like that, everything would grind to a halt. The South Circular is a tremendously effective traffic-calming device.

At junctions and filters where people need to join the flow of busy traffic my rule is if they wait nicely i will let you in, try to barge in and your sitting there mate .

 

[mjr]

At junctions and filters where people need to join the flow of busy traffic my rule is if they wait nicely i will let you in, try to barge in and your sitting there mate .

Do you do that even at "merge in turn" junctions?

 

[Deleted User]

Do you do that even at "merge in turn" junctions?

The p****s that come right down the outside to the very front then try to 'merge' right the front get that treatment from me.