To think that other drivers who don't acknowledge you when you let them pass or out of junctions are just rude, ignorant twats?

[NeonMuffin]

I was always taught by my driving instructor that when out driving if someone lets you pass or let's you out of a junction when they don't have to then its common courtesy to wave, smile, nod your head or if dark flash your lights to thank them.

I've always done this and to be fair most drivers do acknowledge you when you let them pass. So it really pisses me off when they don't. Just now I was driving into my street, it's a tight corner with cars parked either side and as I turned in another car was driving towards me driven by an older looking lady. Obviously due to cars being parked there was no where for her to pull into and it was quite obvious that she had no intention of reversing to allow me to drive onto the street despite it being my right of way. So to avoid a stalemate I reversed back onto the main road, something which is obviously quite dangerous and possibly illegal. She then drove on and completely blanked me, no smile, so wave no nod, nothing.

I didn't have to reverse to allow her to come through, it was my right of way after all. I could have been really awkward and refused to budge making her reverse back down the street but I didn't. An acknowledgment would have been nice, to me it's the driving equivalent of not saying please or thank you in a shop or when someone holds a door open for you.

Why are some people such rude, ignorant cunts? It really, really pisses me off for some reason?

YANBU
I nearly wrote a very similar OP this morning!
Some right rude buggers about :)

Turn my lights off while driving at night? I think not.

Yes I can manage to change gear - I'm usually doing that when you've very kindly let me into the moving traffic, which is why I don't want to take the other hand off the wheel to wave in an acceptable fashion which will not be construed as a rude gesture, or to toot my horn, causing all the other road users to panic and look around, wondering what they did wrong, or to glance down and find my hazard warning lights, and possibly puzzle other drivers for using those for purposes other than what is intended.

I still stand by my position - it is quite right to show courtesy to other road users, let them into merging lanes, hold back while they negotiate a narrow passage etc. But do NOT get all judgy when you dont see an acceptable gesture of thanks.

I loathe this attitude. That I have to remove one hand from the wheel to acknowledge every time someone lets me pass or does something they are legally obliged to do? It's not a lame excuse, if I'm driving with children in the back I'm going to keep both hands on the wheel!

I also hate the flashing thing. It's distracting and makes me worry- are they thanking me, or telling me a light is out or something else is wrong. Pisses me off no end!

If I can safetly raise my hand when driving, I do wave an acknowledgement but I really resent the idea that I'm failing as a driver if I don't. This is particularly bad where I work now, the main road is incredibly busy and pulling across is difficult as there are always lorries and building trucks on my right as I pull across, I have to slowly without going too far, just to see oncoming traffic. In that case I have both hands on wheel as I'm on full lock already and have to adjust really quickly when I do get over, can take up to 15 mins at a busy time. So no I will not be waving at you, I'll be concentrating on getting in the right lane without being smashed into!

Genuinely confused by the responses from people who say they can't thank other drivers because it would involve moving their hands from the steering wheel or not looking at the road - it takes no effort to smile or nod a thankyou and you get to keep your hands on the wheel, eyes focused on the road at the same time...

yes pick your time, if it is dangerous don't do it but once you are in a line of traffic you could raise a hand. I do see flashing lights (makes it sound like out of body experience) but usually that is usually when you let someone in front and that is their acknowledgement. I tend not to do that myself.

I now drive automatic but still gestured politely in manual. a little goodwill goes a long way

It's true that manners cost nothing, but...

According to the Highway Code, flashing headlights means "I am here" and nothing more.

The gangs behind "flash for cash" are making millions out of the fact that flashing lights has become so routine, all at our expense. There needs to be more publicity about it.

(For those who don't know, "flash for cash" means that they flash your lights to let you out of a junction, then they deliberately crash into you, and they claim claim claim. The law and insurers are almost forced to be on their side, because as far as the law is concerned, they had every right to proceed, flashed lights or no flashed lights. These gangs know exactly what they're doing, and getting these buggers prosecuted is extremely difficult.)

So I think it's high time that people stopped flashing headlights so routinely, to beat the scammers at their own game.

There is a chance that they have been waving two fingers at me and I have misread Kato.

I have also turned into my grandmother, and have developed a habit of muttering pointedly 'you're welcome!' when I hold a door open for someone/move aside and they don't bother acknowledging it.

Gah, this one annoys me. I've had people do it to me when I have in fact thanked them. It's not my fault if they're deaf.

I'm genuinely confused as well isthisactuallyfair.It's a completely lame excuse, after all do you not remove your hands from the steering wheel to change gear, indicate and switch on the whispers? ;-)

Some of the excuses being trotted out on here to try and explain away what is essentially blatant rudeness are just laughable.

I don't think you are being unreasonable. But people aren't always being rude. I have recently started driving again after a 4 year break, and often don't say thank you as I am concentrating on gears, road positioning etc and simple forget. As my confidence in driving is coming back I am getting better though at saying thank you.

Also I detest when someone lets me out when they have right of way. Generally they are just being nice but often make it harder for me whilst trying to make life easier for themselves

Yanbu. I always wave and smile at people who don't acknowledge that I've been courteous to them. No need for us both to be rude .

There are so many reasons why someone won't acknowledge you, I'd just give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm thinking drivers with a disability and their hands (or feet) literally full, a new driver or one anxious about a maneuvre at that exact time, someone concentrating on getting to an ill child etc. I was recently driving to the side of a dying relative and realised too late that I had failed to acknowledge someone's courtesy (I usually do). I wouldn't have deserved a finger or snotty response surely?

Personally as long as no one hits my car I couldn't give a fuck whether or not they say thank you. I think it's better if they concentrate on the road and their driving instead of making sure they haven't offended someone by not saying thank you.
Plus I let people out because I'm kind, generous and selfless not to get a thanks back

I think it says more about you, OP, that your immediate response is "rude buggers" rather than "oh never mind, there might have been a reason why they weren't able to acknowledge". You're the one who is stressing yourself into the premature heart attack, not them - or the avoidable crash because you're so het up at not having your largesse acknowledged.

I have a mantra to help me keep calm behind the wheel, on the basis that a calm driver is a safe driver with more time to react appropriately to hazards: "in six months time, will it matter?" It's amazing how many things won't matter a jot in six months time, and not being acknowledged is very definitely on the list.

I told my mum off for not acknowledging someone once and she said it was her right of way so didn't need to. I suppose I understand her logic but it's just courtesy.

I think they're rude buggers too - hardly stressing yourself into the premature heart attack, not them - or the avoidable crash because you're so het up at not having your largesse acknowledged. Over-reaction there, much?

Yanbu at all. This is my absolute worst pet hate. It takes nothing to give a quick thank you, it is just so rude not to.

Apart from disabled drivers obviously, I personally feel if you cannot simply lift your hand to say thank you without completely losing control of the car, then you probably shouldn't be driving. If you are that out of practice then you should get some refresher lessons.

Completely agree Kooth

Well said Kooth

Please don't flash your lights at me, no matter how courteous I've been, there's no need to fucking blind me.

How does it blind you?

you can definitely thank drivers coming towards you with both hands on wheel ad I did just minutes ago. in car park btw now.

yes it won't matter 5 mins later but let's all try to be polite where possible. makes everyone feel happier win win as long as you can drive safely

I always put my hand up and say thanks if anyone lets me in, but I have tinted windows in the back of my car so I often wonder if they haven't seen me and are sitting there moaning about what a twat I am!

We have a really narrow road through town with a blind bend that's ever narrower. If you're unfortunate to meet a car at the same point time then (depending on the size of cars) someone may have to reverse. I came up in my teeny car and met a woman in a Range Rover. I reversed to let her pass, expected her to perhaps wave in thanks. Instead I got met with a tirade of shouting at me "didn't I bloody well see her"?! Etc. She clearly didn't see me either so I'm not sure why she thought I was "at fault" especially since I'd move to let her through in her fecking tank.

I cried and reinforced even further my stereotypical opinion of all Range Rover drivers being utter twats.