Its a zebra crossing for goodness sake!!!!!!

[MadamePlatypus]

Crossing zebra crossing with DS and DD. Suddenly become aware of arsey man in car waiting at crossing shouting at me "THANK YOU! no wonder kids are growing up ignorant!". Now I know I am not being unreasonable - I do not have to thank drivers for deigning to stop at a zebra crossing - I might if I feel like it, but if I don't I won't, particularly if I am concentrating on getting my children across the road. Anyway, he drove off too quickly for me to argue with him, so I am venting here - hmmph.

Meanwhile, was in Richmond Park yesterday (road goes through park) when an arsey woman beeped at a family for being too slow crossing the road on their bikes (a cycle path crosses the road). So I am also venting on the family's behalf. Hmph!

Thanks, I feel better now.

That's OK as long as he realises that what you're mouthing is thank you.....

It doesn't cost anything to smile or wave a thank you. And the fact that someone is meant to do something doesn't mean it's not polite to acknowledge that they have. The bus driver is meant to take me from one place to another and drop me off when I ask, so should I not thank him either? Or the crossing warden, who is meant to stop the traffic for me?

I've taught dd to thank people who stop at crossings; it's basic manners, IMO.

i usually say thank you, nod, smile or something but dont feel i have to at a zebra crossing.

the other day i was waiting at a zebra crossing with my kids for the green man, even though the traffic was at a standstill (backed up from the lights at the end of the road). "look at this bunch of t**ts" says another girl waiting, to her friend, indicating us.

so they crossed, and nearly got hit by a motorbike zooming up the middle. "now who are the "t**ts" i thought.

God, are we only polite by regulation now?

Say "thank you". It's nice.

What a bizarre very British thread.

I have never given 'thank yous' at zebra crossings much thought.

I'm not British....I nearly always give a little "thank-you" acknowledgment to drivers who do bother to stop for me (especially when I am with DS1 and/or DS2.

In most of Europe most drivers don't stop anyway (except in countries like Austria - when they did stop for us the first time after being in France and Italy I was shocked!), so I still think it is nice of drivers to stop.

Same as I like it too when pedestrians I stop for acknowledge it.

I don't think there's anything wrong with being nice to each other!

Another point I forgot to mention re: the technicalities, the zebra crossing was in a 20 mile an hour zone and it is 'speed bumped' so you can only cross it at about 10 miles an hour .

Anyway, I agree with everybody about it being nice to be polite. However, being polite ALL the time is something I aspire to but can't always manage. I do think there are two kinds of politeness. There is necessary politeness e.g. saying sorry if you bump into something, and the kind of politeness that makes the world a nicer place but sometimes I can't quite manage.

On good days I get up, apply lip gloss and wear smart clothes, make the children a nutritional yet economic breakfast and astound people in the park with the calm, rational and effective way I deal with my children. People have even been known to complement me on how charming they are if they spend limited time in our company. . I chat to people in lifts, and with people walking the dogs and smile cheerily at people who stop at zebra crossings.

On other days, (like today), when DH is working away, I have suffered a double whammy of DS having nightmares and DD waking at 5 am, I lob some banana at DD (Isn't BLW great!), hope DS doesn't smear yoghurt on the sofa and try to get us all to the park in one piece. I may or may not smile at people who stop at zebra crossings, but I think this is allowed.

On the other hand, I accept that the guy who shouted at me was probably having a tough day too, and worse things happen at sea.