Do you say thank you at zebra crossings?

[bottomsup12]

Is it unreasonable not to thank a driver who stopped? Even though they legally and should stop?

I know people will probably say "yes basic manners" etc. as a driver, I never expect a thank you, and I certainly would never ever get annoyed if someone didn't say thank you (its an ott reaction imo).

Long rationale ahead, to preempt expected backlash on this...

Putting forward the argument that:
A) they legally have to stop. Do you thank everyone for doing things they have to legally do anyway?
B) saying thank you to someone suggests they are doing you a favour, but are they doing you a favour?
C) do drivers thank pedestrians for waiting patiently at the zebra crossing?
D) pedestrians have right of way when crossing a side road on their straight path, so drivers ever thank pedestrians who wait?
E) the deference that a lot of motorheads think pedestrians (and cyclists for that matter) ought to show them is an irritating suggestion that they are somehow more important than other road users just because they have the more powerful mode of transport - when in fact the Highway Code suggests equal if not priority to other road users.

This thread has reminded me of something that happened to me a long long time ago, when I was in the throes of clinical depression. I was waiting as a pedestrian at a zebra crossing, and a car stopped to let me cross. I crossed and I must have been crossing very slowly. I did not mean to be crossing slowly, but because of the depression, everything I did at the time was as if I was underwater. Anyway, I was so slow that the driver got annoyed and started tooting the car horn at me. I looked at her and she was livid! Perhaps she had somewhere to go in a hurry?

Depends.

if I’m crossing and have reached halfway and the other side driver is waiting for me then I do but if I’d had to start walking across before they stop then I don’t.
they have more than enough time to slow down and stop before I start crossing, I should add!
arseholes round here speed through them.
when I learnt to drive my instructor said I should always be aware of zebra crossings, watch your speed so you can stop if someone appears.
pedestrians always have right of way.

they don’t seem to teach that now.

I absolutely DO thank vehicles for stopping for me at a pedestrian crossing. And I am always gobsmacked when people don't even give a little nod - or pop their hand up for a second as acknowledgement. It's just polite and decent. Manners cost nothing, and a few people on here seem to be rushing here to brag about how rude and ignorant they are, and a few others are celebrating it with them. How embarrassing.

The ones who CBA are (IME) the same ones who don't thank anyone for holding a door open for them, expect to be let in front in a queue if they only have one or two items, complain about anything and everything in cafes and shops, never do anything for anyone, and usually don't like people much... In short, pretty much entitled, miserable, self-absorbed individuals. 'I don't HAVE to do it, so I bloody well won't.' CRINGE! 😫

Saying 'thanking people for stopping suggests that cars are more important that humans' as a pp said (and the OP agreed with,) is ridiculous! 😆

They are not doing a good deed though. The car is not king.

Are you quite alright? You sound a bit stressed.

@OpalOrchid the person I buy food from at the supermarket isn't doing a good deed in serving me, they're doing their job but I still thank them.

There's lot of situations where people do things they have to do and I still thank them because it's polite.

What an arse she was. Exactly what you don't need when you're depressed. Hopefully she didn't have to learn that for herself the hard way.

Do the 'they're just doing what they legally have to' brigade also not bother with thank yous for service or retail or even teaching or medical staff, who are after all just doing what they're paid to do? It's not a kindness or a favour to serve or teach or heal you.

I'm glad I live somewhere where the majority of people are polite and nice to each other. We've considered moving back to the UK before our baby starts school but threads like these make me think twice.

Ps.. I also smile and acknowledge the drivers at a pelican crossing, because I can!

Yes they are doing their job. And I'm thankful for that. I'm not sure how that compares to someone just driving down the road.

The one road I use (in an Australian regional city) that has several zebra crossings and red light crossings is a very busy, narrow, 40kmh shopping zone. I appreciate it when drivers stop at the zebras, or who give parked drivers a chance to pull out, and I appreciate the pedestrians who use them instead of walking out in front of cars away from the many crossings available, or crossing against the reds when I have the green turn arrow. It's not a lord of the roads thing, it's being aware of people controlling very dangerous machines and appreciating them being careful and considerate.

I've no idea how you equate someone doing a job and serving me that I'm thankful for and some random just driving down the road.

Shouldn't be any retribution but it takes approximately 1 second to acknowledge someone stopping. It makes the world a little bit friendlier. why wouldn't you?

It may be legally necessary for drivers to stop, but some drivers will still carry on and ignore you, because delaying them for 30 seconds will ruin their entire day apparently. For that reason I always nod and smile at those drivers who are mindful of the Highway Code. It's polite, and as a driver myself it makes me feel nice when someone acknowledges me stopping for them. It's little niceties like this that make the world a better place to live in.

@OpalOrchid because they're driving down the road and they're stopping because you're crossing the road.

It's the law, or their "job" as a law abiding citizen, to stop. So I thank them. Because I appreciate them following the law which allows me to cross the road

Yes I do, so do family and friends

its called courtesy, in the same way you thank cars waiting behind parked cars even though it’s your right of way, or you thank someone for holding a door for you

courtesy

Not unless I have an issue that means I am walking super slow.

@OpalOrchid Well really I just equate acknowledging other humans with whom I have small insignificant interactions with being a decent person.

In exactly the same way I might smile at someone I've made eye contact with in the supermarket queue, or wave back at a random child who waves from the train, or give a thumbs up to the man I see walking his very tiny and cute dog everyday on my way to work.

Acknowledging someone with a nod or a wave takes nothing at all from my day, but might add an iota of something to theirs. Or it might not, judging by this thread, but it's still cost me absolutely nothing.

I wonder why the law hasn't changed because you have to giveway to pedestrians now if they are waiting to cross a road you have just turned into. I'm surprised they haven't extended this to those waiting to cross at a crossing. I don't thank anyone who stops at a crossing and I don't expect to be thanked. Yes, I do thank waiters, shop assistants etc. I think, as someone confirmed upthread that it is a relatively new thing and was not done when I was growing up. It's strange because generally I think we have become much less courteous as a society over the years. I agree that it implies that cars are more important and the example of drivers thanking pedestrians for waiting highlights how ridiculous it is.

Yes. I also curse under my breath cyclists who don't stop even when the cars have done.

Yes, I always give a little thank you wave and some people in cars raise their hand in a thank you gesture back. When I am driving and a pedestrian gives me a thank you wave or nod I always respond with a thank you wave or nod.

It creates a friendly atmosphere. And that’s why I do it.

The attitude of ‘I don’t owe you a thank you so I’m not going to,’ comes across as unfriendly, hostile and petty.

The suggestion that thanking a driver for stopping is encouraging drivers to think that they are more important than a pedestrian is ridiculous. Every single person driving a car, at some point, gets out of the car and becomes a pedestrian.

Also, I am very surprised to learn from pp that giving a thank you gesture at a pedestrian crossing is a new thing in the Uk. Is it really?

I do mostly. If my hands are full or they were driving like a dickhead and had to slam their brakes on then I don’t. Occasionally I just can’t be arsed. I don’t expect to be thanked when I stop at Zebra crossings. I do thank pedestrians if they wait when they have priority (such as turning into a side street).

I do, because around here it’s fairly common for arsehole drivers to fail to stop.

Sometimes, but I do feel silly if there's cars waiting on both sides and I have to wave and smile at one, then turn and wave and smile at the other. I'm not a natural smiler-and-waver. It feels like a mini performance I could do without. 😄👋

I thank them if they haven’t come to a screeching halt because they were speeding or not intending to stop at all. Then I give them a very good side eye.

When you think about it there's loads of times every day we say thank you to people for things they should be doing anyway:

• When a parent serves up food round the dinner table the children should say thank you even though it is a parent's role to provide meals for them
• when a cashier gives you your change you say thank you
• when a waiter lays down your food you say thank you
• when a nurse treats you you say thank you

I think it's common courtesy and even if drivers are meant to stop it feels cold if someone doesn't say thank you.
It's just about acknowledging someone's not invisible and showing gratitude for them for endeavouring to do what's right.
In not saying thank you it seems the other way round to me - like that pedestrian thinks they are more entitled on the road than drivers when they are equals.