Says thanks to bus driver

[hesnearly3]

Why do ppl do this? Why thank for a journey that u have paid for? And the driver hopefully drove safely but that's their jobs. So why say thanks? I don't get it

@SchadenfreudePersonified

You're a southerner, aren't you . . . ?

Up here in t' North we always say "thank you." It's just courteous.

Why do you object? It's not like anyone is asking you to tip them a fiver.

As a frequent bus rider in both the North and the South I can tell you there's no difference in the number of people that thank the driver on exit. The only exception is the buses where you get off at the side/back door, where people don't tend to for obvious reasons.

Yeah, I always say thank you to the bus drivers. To the taxi drivers, checkout staff, nurses, doctors, dentist, the person let's me pass on the street. It's just politeness.

I don't remember saying thanks to the bus driver when I was a kid, but have had to use the bus on a few occasions over last few years and noticed people thanking the driver. Don't know if its a new thing, or I was just a ill mannered child ?

Out of interest, What do you do for a job OP??

Probably a Traffic Warden 😂😂

@BadLad

Over 110 replies in under 45 minutes. An excellent goading effort.

I thought this too.

A new user too. Only joined a few days ago.

Again, colour me shocked.

Pretty obvious it was only put here to goad and bait, as the OP hasn't been back since she posted it. Probably sitting there with a coffee, reading all the responses, laughing, and polishing her nails with pride, at her 'excellent work.'

Many a time I've had to stop myself from thanking the train when I get off.

@littlepattilou A goady troll does that.

Cheers Drive is fairly common in Bristol.

There is a street that has been named, 'Cheers Drive...'

I didn't thank the driver growing up (in the South). I suppose because nobody else did, I didnt realise it was a thing.

Then I moved to Bristol.

Now I don't live in Bristol any more but all bus drivers still get a "cheers drive" from me.

I say thank you to anyone who provides a service... I thank the cashier at a checkout once I've packed my bags, I thank my hair dresser... I thank barista's in coffee shops when they pass me my coffee... sure it's just common courtesy? How rude would it be to do any of these things and not say thanks??

Because I have manners.

Do you not say thank you to taxi drivers when they drop you off, supermarket workers when they hand you your shopping, waiting staff when they bring you your food, hairdressers when they cut your hair, health care professionals when they treat you, delivery drivers when they hand you your parcel, takeaway drivers when they bring you food etc etc.

All of those people are 'just doing their job' that you've paid for but you'd have to be a special type of arsehole not to thank them.

@Skinnytailedsquirrel

In London it's become a virtue signal. People exit from the middle of the bus and say it so that the passengers hear. The bus driver sitting behind their plastic shield certainly doesn't. Many of the drivers are maniac drivers anyway and that just emphasises the virtue signalling bit of this.

Eh?

I always shout thank you to the driver on the assumption that they can hear me, not to signal what a lovely person I am. Admittedly, it is more difficult since lockdown - they're more encased, but I hope something gets through.

Incidentally, being courteous to drivers pays dividends. If you're a regular, they'll wait for you and, on one occasion, I had a bus pull over to let me on because I would never have got to the stop in time. And that's in London, the desert of empathy.

@ilovemydogandmrobama2

Cheers Drive is fairly common in Bristol.

There is a street that has been named, 'Cheers Drive...'

That's great I will track it down one day! Everyone in Bristol says Churs Drive and then when you use a bus somewhere else they don't it seems odd so I say it anyway.

[quote Rosehip10]@littlepattilou A goady troll does that.[/quote]
Exactly.

@Nocar

I don't remember saying thanks to the bus driver when I was a kid, but have had to use the bus on a few occasions over last few years and noticed people thanking the driver. Don't know if its a new thing, or I was just a ill mannered child ?

I’m 53 and we have always thanked the driver even on our school bus. We aren’t in Bristol ( about an hour north) but ‘cheers drive’ or thanks was normal growing up, it’s handed down from our parents and grandparents 😁

@EndoplasmicReticulum

I didn't thank the driver growing up (in the South). I suppose because nobody else did, I didnt realise it was a thing.

Then I moved to Bristol.

Now I don't live in Bristol any more but all bus drivers still get a "cheers drive" from me.

I love this! I'm from Bristol, DP moved to Bristol from South London and learned "cheers drive" then we moved up North and he said it every we got the bus.

Someone is actually saying that thanking and acknowledging someone is virtue signalling. PMSL what a load of absolute shit!

This is one of the big contributing reasons why London has its ‘unfriendly’ reputation and why people who move there feel so lonely.

It’s a small courtesy that makes a massive difference (to both giver and receiver imho).

Does depend on the bus design though. If exiting from the back doors I’m not shouting down the length of the bus. I would only do it if exiting from the front where the driver is.

@Submariner

Many a time I've had to stop myself from thanking the train when I get off.

I often find myself looking for the button to ring the bell

[quote Rosehip10]@SchadenfreudePersonified Oh stop it with your tired clichés - there are rude gits (and kind, polite people!) everywhere, north and south. Can't abide this idea that somehow "the north" is all friendliness while London and Southern areas aren't. I've lived in both (and in Scotland) and there is a mix of people everywhere.

Also why do you feel you have to describe northern England as "t' North"?[/quote]
@WorraLiberty
You should probably read the full thread before having a pop at Southerners.
We're quite polite to drivers down here too.

I read further down and acknowledged my error. I also explained why I assumed OP was southern.

@Rosehip10

And I said "t' North" because I was being tongue-in-cheek.

You're a southerner, aren't you . . .

@hesnearly3
Is not going to come back and thank all of us for our replies are they

@tigerstripe20.
I'm not being goady an my parents generally brought us up to be respectful, so would say thanks to shop staff etc, but was surprised when I had to get a bus a few years ago and everyone was thanking the driver. I can't remember seeing people do that as a kid.
Late 40's and I was brought up in north west.

@hesnearly3

Why do ppl do this? Why thank for a journey that u have paid for? And the driver hopefully drove safely but that's their jobs. So why say thanks? I don't get it

We always do this in Ireland. But then some of us still applaud when the plane lands safely. And wave at passing trains.

I always say thank you! I do notice in London that it is quite mixed whether people do or don't but if one does, more join in.

I have to say I find this series of questions quite sad: Why do ppl do this? Why thank for a journey that u have paid for? And the driver hopefully drove safely but that's their jobs. So why say thanks?

Do you never say thank you as you leave a cab. the GP, the dentist?
Do you not thank the waiter when they bring the menu or bring your food?
Do you not say thanks after you have been checked in on a plane or given your passport back by security?
Do you not thank the postman / delivery person if they bring something to your door?
Do you never utter any words of thanks at the supermarket, baker, chemist, butcher?

It is just a common courtesy that smooths the path of life and costs nothing. It makes people feel good and, maybe on a bus, reminds us that we are a community.

What possible reason could there be to object?

@Tigerstripe20 - same here. Almost 60 years old, London born and bred and I don't know any friends my age who didn't thank the driver when we were kids (in fact my mum was a stickler for it).

Now I work in a school I'm really pleased to hear the constant stream of 'thanks driver' as the kids get off school buses in the morning and, being a bus user, the numbers from other schools who do the same.

I've taught DS to be the same and to look at a waitress/person on the til and thank them with eye contact rather than a 'thanks' muttered into mid air. Recognise the person.