... to thank drivers who stop at pedestrian crossings?

[Deadwood58]

I always do the hand gesture to thank drivers who stop for me to cross at zebra crossings and traffic lights.

Dh says this is ridiculous as they have to stop - I say it doesn't hurt to be polite.

Who is being unreasonable

I sometimes thank and sometimes don't. I figure you don't thank a driver who gives way to their right at an island so it's not necessary thanking someone for stopping at a crossing.

I always acknowledge drivers who let me cross.

Seems really arrogant to just stride across ignoring the driver who’s stopped for you.

You're both neither right or wrong. It's nice to thank, OTOH they aren't doing you a favour.

What did annoy me was a thread on here ages ago with some drivers saying they get angry if they aren't thanked. Which is ridiculous. "Thank you for following your legal duty and stopping rather than running me over and killing me dead"

As a driver I don't expect thanks from pedestrians but I do if I pull over or wait etc for a car and they don't give me a wave!

I like to acknowledge them, yes.

Your dh is, waving at people who stop for you is just like the one fingered salute driving on country roads or the hazard flash to say thanks to people who pull in for to pass, you don't HAVE to to do any of them really but why would you not, it's nice to be nice

I always thank. Why wouldn't you. It's a nice thing to do and manners cost nothing.

I wave. At both sets of drivers.

I feel a sense of smugness when a bus stops. 😳

For some reason I feel that thanking the car driver has become more common place in recent years - certainly I never used to do it but feel a bit rude now if I don't.

I always do it, i can't help myself, it's a reflex action

I live near a particularly nasty crossing where drivers hardly ever stop. I had a driver that almost didn't stop even though I was half way across. For that reason I don't thank drivers as I always feel like they don't actually want to stop anyway.

I wave because at the zebra crossing nearest my house, I truly am thankful they haven’t just run me over. I was even mid crossing when a police car (no sirens/lights) just whizzed past.

He is.
To acknowledge someone is to see their humanity. Ignoring them is treating them As an object.

I usually do, yes. Either raise a hand or make eye contact swiftly and nod in acknowledgement. Basic courtesy, and it costs me nothing, doesn't slow anyone down, so why not?

I don't understand his objection. What is ridiculous about courtesy?

I’m torn. From one POV it’s always nice to incentivise correct behaviour and to say thanks even if the person has no choice - like thanking assistants in a shop. From another, drivers who stop at a pedestrian crossing aren’t “doing you a favour” and it’s maybe not good to behave as if they are.

In practice I tend to nod acknowledgement at zebras but not at light-controlled pelicans because they’re so busy it would be pointless.

At a Zebra crossing yes, but not at traffic lights. I don't know why, I think it's becasue Zebra crossings feel more optional (certainly in foreign countries anyway!) and that they are stopping specifically for you.

I actually think this kind of thing is a big sign of whether a person has ingrained manners or not.
Showing manners to a complete stranger when no one you know is watching = manners.
Saying 'thank you for my delicious dinner grandad' when forced to, and you didn't like it, does not.

I always thank people, it's just nice :)
As a cyclist, I always used to nod and smile at drivers for seeing me and not pulling out of give ways at the last minute. Really, it's a thank you for not being a dick :)

As a driver, I couldn't care less if a pedestrian thanks me or not.

Having your warm car journey delayed by a few secs is far less inconvenient than stopping a bike, say, or waiting at a crossing. It's literally no effort whatsoever. It's also the law, and not doing so means running someone over. I don't need period to thank me for taking literally zero effort to do something instead of running them over!

Always, it's rude not to, and a little courtesy goes a long way. I hate it when I'm driving and stop at a crossing and get not so much as a nod or a smile.

I always thank, it’s called having good manners.

People not period!

I've seen on here as well on one of these threads, a couple of people saying that if people don't say thanks & make a bit of a show of "hurrying" they like to start moving forward to make a point!

I think a lot of drivers are rather nasty tbh, getting behind the wheel does something funny to a lot of people (I have my moments but I get angry with other drivers rather than pedestrians, cyclists, )

Indeed I do. Every day. I mentioned to a chap at work that every morning I see the same woman walk through the park and we smile and say Hi.

Everyday you say Hi? He said incredulously.

Nothing as strange as folk.

Unless I’m in an absolute world of my own, or have my hands full, I always give a nod or a thank you wave. I also always say thank you to the lollipop man, and feel so rude not doing so. People are not robots and respond well to thanks in my experience. It might seem silly, but when I’m driving and stop for someone, it makes me feel happy if they thank me.

I generally give a wave of thanks as it seems polite. On the other hand when driving through a crossroads, I don't normally (ever) give a wave of thanks to the cars perpendicular to me who by stopping at the red lights allow me to drive through. And it's essentially the exact same.