If you don't say "thank you" when let out in traffic, why is that?

[ChinBristles]

Following on from my last hot topic "if you don't return your trolley at the supermarket, why is that?", this is today's pondering.

I always raise my hand or bip/bop my indicators to say "thank you" but I'd say 50% of the time I let someone out, they don't acknowledge this in anyway.

What are the reasons?

• distracted by a child?


• never taught to do so?


• just an arrogant twat?


• something else?

@Rosieposy89
I do it without removing my hand from the wheel, I just leave the palm on the wheel and raise a few fingers,
People smile/acknowlege that so its enough

Sometimes I just forget while concentrating on other things. Also resent saying thank you when I have already stopped or slowed down for the other driver only for them to do the same after I have and urge me through rather than drive through themselves. I often find this is bossy older men who do this. I feel like they think I can't make my own decision but they think they are courteous I expect.
I detest it when people say thank you by flashing their hazard lights when I let them pull across on the motorway. More often than not they faff around trying to flash the lights and I just think just drive off, accelerate away from me,I ve let you out now you are faffing around. Thanks for the opportunity to get this off my chest!

I was taught not to do it. I'm bad at communication but good at following rules. I'm focused on the job in hand.

My children are having driving lessons the moment and they have been told they should not do thank you gestures.

What annoys me far more than people not thanking me , is when they force you to give way. When it's your right of way. Then thank you.

I don't take my hand off the steering wheel to say thanks! Just a raised finger is plenty!

You don't need to remove your hand, just keep your hand/palm on the wheel and raise your fingers.

I sometimes literally can’t because I’m in a tizz about the manoeuvre, or the tight spot or the kids are shouting about something in the back. I’ve only been driving a few years though so I’m not very chilled. Most of the time I can manage a quick fingers off the wheel in acknowledgement though, but not always - I’d hate to think folk thought I was being an arse when I can’t get my act together enough to drive and gesture at the same time

Normally I would raise a hand in thanks but on those occasions where someone stops me to let me turn right out of a side road but fails to notice that the traffic travelling the other way hasn't stopped so I can't pull out, then makes huffy gestures when I don't move...on those occasions I don't.

I was going to say the same thing! My Grampy was from the Forest, and his Finger was even less perceptible than was traditional, as he’d lost the top third of it starting a motor mower!

I do the Lorry Drivers Thank You flash of the hazard lights.

Exactly this

May I just warn people not to do this abroad until you’ve checked the local etiquette.
In Greece, a Brit style raised palm is a very rude gesture, meaning “in your face” or “up yours”! They instead do a sort of salute as a thank you - put your index and middle fingers together, straight out, and touch them to your head.
I occasionally forgot and raised a palm to drivers who stopped for me on pedestrian crossings - I hope they realised I was a Brit tourist and weren’t offended!

I've sadly found that if I only ever let women out at junctions etc, that I almost always get a thank-you.
Works for me.

I am ridiculous with this. I wave and do an exaggerated thank you to the other driver. I hate it when someone doesn’t acknowledge you, it’s such bad manners!

My dd has one hand. She won't be raising that from the steering ball.

I usually do but on occasion when Ive been turning the wheel so need both hands on it turning it (particularly on a local windy road where you have to wait for others and they in turn wait for you all the way down it), if I havent been able to, you always get one arsehole who cant read situations and realise that MY HANDS ARE ENGAGED,THERE IS A SHEER DROP ON MY SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AN ADVERSE CAMBER who makes a 'funny' comment

Wankers.

In my case I drive with my hands at 5 and 7oclock, you cant see them from outside the car. And if one is turning the wheel at the same time in a tight maneuver, then perhaps they have no time

I think the problem is the perpetually offended never seem to be able to consider anything outside of their own little minds.

In my case I drive with my hands at 5 and 7oclock, you cant see them from outside the car.

That's pretty unsafe

Mostly I would give a little wave but sometimes I feel I need to concentrate more on my driving than waving.

It's not an excuse, it's a fact.

I don't want to be thanked by being blinded by over bright LED headlights flashing at me.

I don't want people to let me out when there is another lane to consider and they get the huff because I don't go when they decided I should.

I don't want people to push their way out forcing me to braKe sharply and give me an arrogant thank you. Its not a thank you it's an excuse for poor driving.

I don't want the person in front of me to be at such pains to be the nice person letting everyone out from every fecking side road at my bluddy inconvenience.

Not sure you should be driving if your eyesight is so delicate!

It isnt at all. Ive always positioned myself this way including all through my lessons and test.

If I'm passing head on, then I wave, but I don't do flashing lights if a car let's me in on a slip road. No ones ever explained how it's done, at a guess I'd say hazard lights on then off quickly, but I wouldn't feel confident experimenting while I'm ment to be concentrating on driving, pluse the button for that would mean reaching over, which I wouldn't want to do while merging.

If it's hot enough for me to have open windows, and it's slow traffic I will give a wave or thumbs up out the window, but most of the time I just feel a bit rude but safer.

I'm cautious about raising my hand, in case it is mis-interpreted as me waving them on. I'm also usually keeping both hands on the wheel and moving quickly so want maximum control over the car. Just assume they are grateful but haven't signalled it, it might make your driving time happier!