Zebra crossings

[TheZebraCrosser]

I was under the impression that when driving, stopping to let a pedestrian cross on a zebra crossing (white stripes on road, big flashing Belisha beacons) was in fact mandatory, not discretionary.

So why did some twat in a van holler 'could have put your hand up to say thank you you ignorant sod' as I (a pedestrian) sauntered across the other day.

I have noticed (as a motorist) that more and more pedestrians are now scuttling across zebra crossings almost apologetically while mouthing thank you s and waving.

This is all very well and sweet of them but it leaves me a bit bemused as they have a right to cross anyway.

I'm wondering now, if, when I get to the end of temporary traffic lights, would I be advised to 'thank' the person waiting at the other end for not jumping the red light? To thank someone for giving way at a roundabout if you gave right if way anyway?

And then there are people who step out into the road with no crossing at all without so much as batting an eyelid and scream abuse if you don't dodge them by a wide enough margin.

Help needed.

If someone is waiting to cross, or approaching obviously wanting to cross, I give way.

That's normal.

People who sail through while people are waiting, presumably in the basis they haven't actually stepped on it, are the arse holes in this picture, to my mind.

People waving I mean I really don't care I don't need thanking for standard normal behaviour.

I do go the subservient wave and scuttle while I'm crossing though.

Verbally abusing people for not crossing a road how the driver wants is awful but common.

One of these threads few years back a poster said if a person was not crossing quick enough in their opinion, they started to drive at them!

The OP has been aggressive and insulting.

Really soup? Do tell me how and where?

Thunder punt - what makes you assume I am (or identify as) a woman?

The man shouldn't have shouted at you. Simple.

But dear me, your attitude suggesting saying thanks to people is somehow snivelling and grovelling does very much come across as rude.

OP you say you only have to thank if it's something people don't have to do. I disagree. I smile or acknowledge drivers when I'm crossing, I thank my students for their contributions to class, I thank shop assistants when they hand me items, I thank other drivers when they slow to let me through traffic calming road furniture even if I have right of way. It's not new. I was brought up to thank the teacher for handing out books, thank the bus driver as I got off.
Basic politeness is like the oil that keeps social cogs turning and makes life a bit nicer for everyone.

And called PP's who disagreed with you twats

Yes Lizzie I agree. It says something when the majority of posters on here don't understand that simple logic!

Thunder punt - you might want to consider which label to apply to the behaviour of posters towards me. Although that will probably get deleted as well.

Oh and you were aggressive and insulting 54 minutes ago when you told Soup to fuck off

Again, you're assuming a lot aren't you? That post wasn't addressed at soup or anyone else in particular. I was expressing myself as an autistic person with (apparently) little control.

Driving a van, using MN. Plus ca change.

She’s hardly been rude by MN standards, and not nearly as rude as other posters have been to her. Her posts are not the ones that have been deleted, are they?

The OP did mention that she (ok I’m assuming that you’re a woman?) was autistic. That might explain why she sees things in black and white terms, like she doesn’t need to say than you to someone just doing what they’re supposed to do.

And called PP's who disagreed with you twats
Really? You're misunderstanding me. It is the people who berate me and others for not waving that are calling twats.

I don't thank drivers who stop at zebra crossings or at red lights.

That's what they're supposed to do. It's the minimum they need to do. They don't need thanks.

Whereas we say thank you because it’s good manners to do so, for example it’s polite to say thank you to a shop assistant, who it could be argued was only doing their job.

I wave a thank you to a driver who gives way to me, because again, it’s called manners. It’s something we British care a lot about.

Abby - I agree. But apparently that makes you (and I) very RUDE people.

I think you will find most people said it was 'polite' to thank someone for stopping - rather than it was RUDE not to

The OP has been aggressive and insulting.

Really soup? Do tell me how and where?

Fri 24-May-19 14:46:06 For starters.

Polite but not obligatory - good manners if you will.

RTFT

abby
So I'm guessing you don't thank bus drivers or taxi drivers or shop assistants or waiting staff or cleaners or nurses or anyone you meet in a work based capacity, after all they're doing their job and that's the minimum one should expect.

But apparently that makes you (and I) very RUDE people.
There's no apparently about it. People who don't use manners are rude.

Again, you're assuming a lot aren't you? That post wasn't addressed at soup or anyone else in particular. I was expressing myself as an autistic person with (apparently) little control.

Yeah, yeah.

*Really soup? Do tell me how and where?

Fri 24-May-19 14:46:06 For starters*

Soup - keep up. This has been answered. Total assumptions all round.

Lola - do you thank other drivers who kindly allow you to go at roundabouts?

Yeah yeah

From someone who's lecturing me on how to be polite!

do you thank other drivers who kindly allow you to go at roundabouts?
I'll smile if it's safe to (what with typically facing the direction I'm driving in), but funnily enough I'm busy using my hands to drive around the roundabout.

Ahem

Can we have a bit of peace and love, please?