... 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

YANBU. I was brought up to always thank drivers for stopping at crossings, because they might not stop the next time. We're in London, so that's entirely possible.

Drivers don't HAVE to stop for pedestrians unless the pedestrian has put a foot on to the crossing, so it is polite to thank them.

Why wouldn't you? It's just ignorant not to. Bus drivers HAVE to stop to let you on or off the bus, that is their job, but it's always polite to thank the driver as you get on/off.

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-pedestrians-crossings.html

Rules for pedestrians (1 to 35)
General guidance (1 to 6)
Crossing the road (7 to 17)
Crossings (18 to 30)
Situations needing extra care (31 to 35)

1. Crossings (18 to 30)

18 At all crossings. When using any type of crossing you should

always check that the traffic has stopped before you start to cross or push a pram onto a crossing
always cross between the studs or over the zebra markings. Do not cross at the side of the crossing or on the zig-zag lines, as it can be dangerous.
You MUST NOT loiter on any type of crossing.
Laws ZPPPCRGD reg 19 & RTRA sect 25(5)

19
Zebra crossings. Give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross. Vehicles will need more time when the road is slippery. Wait until traffic has stopped from both directions or the road is clear before crossing. Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing. Keep looking both ways, and listening, in case a driver or rider has not seen you and attempts to overtake a vehicle that has stopped.

When my oldest was 1 she used to thank the cars for stopping, it was too cute 😂 (she still does)

I always thank drivers

Manners cost nothing.

Thanking people for something (even if they are obligated to do it) is nice and makes the person feel their actions towards you are valued.

Saying thank you is never a waste of time.

I always acknowledge drivers who stop at crossings - how hard is it to smile/nod/raise hand?

"Good manners cost nothing, but they mean a lot"

I do, usually.

Once when I was crossing with my then 2 yr old I gestured during a struggle to get him across quickly, the woman then pulled up behind me and gave me a gobful about how a thank you wouldn't hurt and I had no manners! I wanted to boot her face car, not only had I thanked her, it was my legal right to cross regardless!

To sum up my rant.
The majority of drivers could care less about the pedestrian. The driver is irritated because the pedestrian slows them down. This reason the drivers are very rude to the pedestrian.
No I won't nod or thank them for yielding or stopping to let me cross. The driver is suppose to due this.

I thank at zebra crossings, don't tend to bother at traffic lights.

I mostly say thanks. Being nice encourages nice behaviour.

In my opinion something nerds to be addressed about drivers being rude to pedestrians. At certain times of the day or in certain areas it is intimidating. A person able bodied that is normal with extreme caution is fine. Anyone handicapped mentally or physically trying to cross intersections they are at huge risk. This is why you don't see people walking on the sidewalks. Its dangerous your better off not.

i always do , its the small things that make the world a little bit nicer

I always thank drivers too OP

This is why you don't see people walking on the sidewalks. Its dangerous your better off not.

It's dangerous to walk on pavements in the US?

I smile & nod to drivers at zebra crossings, in the same way I smile & say Good morning / Good evening to bus drivers when getting on buses. Doesn't cost me anything so why not?

It never really occurred to me to wave at traffic lights. I don't think I've ever seen anyone doing it, and I've certainly never seen a driver waving to thank me as I wait for the light to turn green so that I can can cross the road.

If a drive stood when there aren't traffic lights, then I acknowledge then, but stopping at a red light isn't really something that they do for me, it's just following instructions.

Do drivers thank pedestrians who don't walk across the road in front of them?

The law is that if a pedestrian has started to cross before the car is within the bounds of the crossing then the driver must stop. This means that if you see someone near a crossing you should assume that they might cross and reduce your speed accordingly. Yet so many drivers just blast through anyway, knowing full well that a pedestrian isn't going to risk getting hurt. So rather than worrying about whether people are being 'polite or not how about we concentrate on drivers doing what they ought to, whether they get thanked for it or not.

I always thank drivers who stop so i can cross. It's just good manners.

It reinforces that you are being 'allowed' to cross when it is their duty to stop if you are on the crossing. Drivers are already in a position of power over pedestrians by virtue of the relative harm they can do, but pedestrians ought not to feel subservient to vehicles.

To whatsthecomingoverthehill
This is my point exactly and I agree 100% with you.
Far too many rude drivers that just don't care about the pedestrians walking and crossing intersections.
Far too many times I walk at a intersection with a walk signal and the car turning right is rude. 9 out of 10 time the car turning right inches on me walking.
Here is what I don't understand. When the driver of a car is being rude to the pedestrian. Inching on them and intimidating the pedestrian to walk faster. The second you say anything that driver gets mad at you. Either they scream something nasty to you or give you the finger.
Where I live drivers are so rude to pedestrians I don't care to thank them. Rarely can I even say thank you or acknowledge a driver for stopping to let me cross. If the driver does stop and let me cross the other drivers honk the horn and get upset.

Cars are not obligated to stop unless you're actually on the zebra crossing rather than waiting on the pavement.

I always always thank, and find when driving that most thank back. However there is one place that I drive past nearly every day into a housing estate where nobody ever thanks and the people look really miserable or angry!

**When my oldest was 1 she used to thank the cars for stopping, it was too cute 😂 (she still does)

Mine too! That was back before she really understood that there were people in all the cars we saw, so she used to chirp "thank you, car!" , as though the car had decided to stop by itself.

I do but when I'm driving I wouldn't feel angry if someone didn't wave - that's ridiculous

If the Highway Code says that a) drivers are not obliged to stop unless you’re actually on the crossing and b) you shouldn’t step onto the crossing until you can see they’ve stopped then yes the drivers are doing you a favour - otherwise you could wait all day.

I thank people, but really I'm just catching their eye so I know they've seen me.

I've seen cars try to push through people crossing at a zebra, and once a motorcycle drive straight through as people were crossing (the driver of the motor cycle actually swore at a person he had to serve round, as if he wasn't being enough of a dick).