Londoners on the tube are not...

[blaeberry]

Living up to their stereotype. We are visiting London with our three primary aged kids travelling round by tube. Every tube train we have been on so far (over a dozen) we have had people offering us their seats, saying 'hello', helping us with directions, standing back to let my kids sit down. It might be obvious we are visitors but other than that there is nothing special about us. I thought Londoners on the tube were meant to be a grumpy lot but turns out they are nearly all very friendly.

And I live in Camden, not the suburbs, for clarity.

" ignoring sour little shites "
I am not a 'sour little shite' but you know, I was raised in London, and people just don't do that.
In Brighton or Wales or wherever then yes of course. In London, yes the driver would just think you were another nutter and wish you would get off the bus, quickly.

I secretly love travelling on the Tube. As said earlier, I make sure, as a visitor, to keep out of the way, always have my Oyster card at the ready, and not travel at peak times.

Like I say, I don't give a toss if people make such narrow judgments as you do. You seem very emotionally immature on this point, like a young teen who is embarrassed by everything. If you grew up in London and have now left, well then perhaps you interact with London as a self-conscious teenager.

Pretty sure not everyone thinks like you do, however. There is a great sense of community in London.

Or perhaps Camden is just an eccentric place where I fit in very well and nobody feels threatened by a shouted thanks Though I have to say I had the same experience living in Kensington and Brixton as well!

So who knows.

no I do not 'interact with London as self conscious teenager' thank you. .
OK you just keep shouting 'thanks' to the London bus drivers, if it makes you feel all superior. People probably do think you are a nutter though.

I no longer get frustrated when tourists stand on the wrong side of the escalator having been in Singapore where I was that person.

I don't care if I am thought to be a 'nutter' (nice sensitivity towards real mental health issues btw ) because I thank somebody. I really think you are in the minority at thinking this, though.

My experience of my beloved London is that people don't bat an eyelid at all kinds of different behaviour/ dress/ quirkiness etc. What other people do or don't do barely registers unless it's something aggressive or particularly loud or shocking. Your attitude just isn't one I associate with London at all...

I know what you mean but honestly....
You are right I shouldn't have said 'nutter'..

well this thread has taken a turn for the weird hasn't it? Sorry Lisbeth but I'm with Absentminded on this one. I live in zone 3 and work in zone 1. Not only do I always shout a quick thanks or wave at the bus driver, I see loads of other people doing this all the time.

All this talk of tourists on the tube has made me think of this David Sedaris Paris Metro

Makes me chuckle.

really cream? Must be just you two then

I always say thanks to the bus driver-and I've lived in London all my life. My husband thinks I'm barmy, but to me it's no different to thanking a shop assistant, waitress, barman etc.

I've just had cream of tomato soup Honestly!

Spooky eh?

Anyway, can we all agree that London is awesome? Expensive and annoying at times, yes, but overall pretty wonderful?

absent what a good person you are!
Yes totally awesome!

I'm a Londoner born and bred, and I thank bus drivers.

But yes, I've been surprised recently too. I'm pregnant and most mornings on my overground train I have multiple offers of seats, or a lovely team of (always other women) people who will club together and do a whole 'stand back, pregnant women coming through' manoeuvre for me. It's lovely.

Buses however are totally different story. I generally get nothing but people looking directly at my bump, and my badge, and then making direct eye contact and then doing absolutely bugger all but sit there while I try not to fall over.

I have to say though, I don't understand the whole giving up seats for children thing though. I was brought up to do the total opposite.

Lisbeth, I have to correct you on the logistical issues of thanking bus drivers. A) if not too busy it's perfectly feasible to call out 'thanks' while you get off the middle doors and be heard at the front of the bus b) often the driver will open front doors as well for people to get off at the end of route or a massive exit point like a big railway station, in which case, you just thank him as you go past c) often london buses are so crowded that you get on and stand the whole journey squashed up by the drivers cab anyway.

3rd generation Londoner here, and I thank drivers when I get ON the bus! Especially if I'm the only person at the stop, so they've stopped specifically for me. A quick 'thanks' as I blip my oyster and then on my merry way.

And I say thanks as I get off because it is the end of the route.

My bus route goes residential area -> tourist heartland -> office area, and most who get off in the office bits and residential bits say thanks. Tourists don't.

Yes, I agree ifyoulikepinacolada! I find this incredibly rude, I don't go to norfolk or wherever and remark loudly how crap everyone's life must be and how I am so pleased I don't have to live here!

Sat on my bus typing this. A lovely little girl about 6 shouted, Cheers Drive, All the way down the bus. Made me think of this thread.

I always say thank you to bus drivers where I live - I'll be in a quandary next time I'm on a London bus now, though!

Another born and bred Londoner who always thanks the driver (and has never noticed other passengers nudging each other/rolling eyes when I do this). I also always say a friendly "Alright!" to the ticket hall staff at my local tube station as they take the trouble to write inspirational messages on the white board each day.

Grumpy people are grumpy people wherever they're from.

I always thank the driver and shall continue to do so wherever I am.
I was on a bus last week and a little girl about 4 yrs old was in front of her mother getting off. She said a cheery 'thank you' to the driver - she obviously thought it the correct thing to do. Her mother then did the same.

staff at my local tube station as they take the trouble to write inspirational messages on the white board each day.

I love the messages.

I have three stations near me and sadly no one does it. But the staff are still incredibly nice, including at one which is so busy I wouldn't blame anyone for being grumpy. At that one the entrances to the platforms are at the ends and you usually get someone at crowded times joking over the mic to try to persuade people to come to the other end instead of cluttering up one end.