I find myself saying thank you to drivers for behaving well

[KatyMac]

even when 'behaving well' means following the highway code/law

Maybe because it's 'spring' and not many cyclists have been around in the winter and drivers aren't used to them 'yet'

But I've had an awfully impolite week of drivers this week over taking and turning left or over taking when passing a centre island, or passing with inches between us or even pulling out in front of me from a side road

It's been scary

You could see it as a behaviourist strategy, like you’d use with toddlers. Praising the good (while ignoring the bad) in the hope that it’ll encourage more good behaviour. So it’s really cunning on your part .

TBF drivers do that to other drivers too. And drivers do it to cyclists.

And, just like with toddlers, ‘good’ sometimes has to be interpreted really minimally in driving behaviour. ‘Well done. You didn’t kill me.’

(Preemptive note: this is not trying to derail the thread by complaining about cyclists).

I recently went to New York and it made me realise that even the most annoying British cyclists I encounter (specifically the local mamils who insist on riding as a huge peloton along the main road near me every weekend) is absolutely wonderful in comparison to the behaviour of so many cyclists in NYC. I took DS2 cycling in a park and not once did any of the mamils speedily overtaking us stop at the pedestrian crossings, red light or not - regardless of the presence of pedestrians. DS2 stopped at a red light to let a man cross and he thanked us and commented what a polite boy DS2 was. He was just following the basic rules of the road though.

Maybe the man was employing your behaviourist approach to drivers with the unruly cyclists of prospect park.

I can’t say that the behaviour of British drivers is better than their American counterparts though. Although at least they aren’t allowed to drive at you when you’re crossing on a green man, like the turning right on red people in the US do. That is very disconcerting and often feels aggressive.

Do not waste your time or energy 'educating' or culturing drivers from the position of your saddle.

It's why folk expect you to thank them for holding a door open, isn't it? Being thanked for not behaving like an arse.