Saying "thank you" to the bus driver?

I do too. Admittedly, I am a bit northern-like.

EDIT: This time-slippage thing is really confusing me.

Posted about 1 year ago by katling

Absolutely – but only on the buses that have one exit cos I am not old-ladyish enough to shout ‘thank you driver’ and shake my walking stick like the old lady I saw this morning. And only if their cabin doesn’t stink of weed. And only if they acknowledge me when I got on (I always say thanks when I get on). And only if they haven’t driven at 40 miles an hour round a corner.

So actually, no. I don’t say thanks at all. Cos I’ve basically eliminated every bus journey I’ve ever made…

bastards.

Yeah – what is going on with the posts today? It’s like being in a David Lynch film.

Posted about 1 year ago by freedapeople

Yep yep yep. I do, always have done, even as a wee lass.

I’m not Scottish by the way, dont know where that came from!

Posted about 1 year ago by ZaraElise

i always say thanks when i get off the front door, but until now felt a bit silly as it is a habit i have maintained since before moving to london. I hardly hear anyone else do it. It is nice to know other people maintain the same high standards of politeness I used to have in my countrified youth.

Posted about 1 year ago by Athar

Always… You never know when you might get (deliberately) run over by a bus.

Posted about 1 year ago by mokuska

I tip him a fiver and give the back a little tap to let him know he has my permission to move off.

Posted about 1 year ago by Mockernee

No. I give a wave of acknowledgement instead. Sometimes a nod too. And a smile if they’ve got me there early.

Posted about 1 year ago by Carla

Oh, unless I’m on a single level bus and I get off by the driver, Then I’ll say thank you. Well, mumble it. Don’t want all those strangers hearing my voice!

Posted about 1 year ago by Carla

“Presuming that they haven’t driven like a spaz….”? And you live in which city exactly?

You have to be a spaz to be a London bus driver. It’s part of the interview process.

Mostly yes, though, despite that. Mainly do it in the vain hope that they’ll smile. Commuting is miserable enough.

Posted about 1 year ago by Pokster

Thats actually true Pokster.

In question 15 on the application form it clearly states, and I quote: ‘Are you, or have you ever been deemed, a spaz?’

Fact. Pure fact.

Posted about 1 year ago by ZaraElise

I do. Automatically. And despite being born near-enough-London; having lived “in the regions” I do find the whole lack-of-courtesy in London really off-putting.

Especially in supermarkets (or their Local/Metro spin-offs). I can’t believe the number of people who manage to do a whole transaction without acknowledging the person serving them. I always make a habit of saying hello to them, and whilst not trying to start up an entire conversation (I’m not mad) I do always say thanks.

Posted about 1 year ago by olib

Funnily enough I dont say thanks to the bus drivers in London, but when I went to reading I said thanks on the bus back to the station. I guess its because I had to pay in cash and actually have some form of verbal communication.

Posted about 1 year ago by LittleEmily

I always shout ‘thank you…you’re welcome’ at people’s retreating backs if I’ve done something nice for them and they haven’t acknowledged it (e.g. holding a door open for someone). I haven’t been punched (yet…touches formica desk) and occasionally people do apologise and say thanks but generally they’re all a bunch of ungrateful shit-eating retards (this is official central government jargon BTW)

Posted about 1 year ago by freedapeople

Mostly yes, though, despite that. Mainly do it in the vain hope that they’ll smile. Commuting is miserable enough.

Yeah, I’m convinced the reason that bus drivers in London are so grumpy is because they never get shown any gratitude. Once when I was living out there in the middle of nowhere * waves vaguely at the East Midlands *, a woman missed her stop and didn’t realise for ages and the driver turned around and took her back. And then drove insanely quickly to make up for lost time. I can’t imagine that ever being the case here – and not just because it would be entirely impractical.

Posted about 1 year ago by katling

I do too, well sometimes at least… if I’m in a particularly good mood they may even get a smile when I get on.

They are generally mental cases though and I’m sure they couldn’t care less either way – far too intent on plotting how to piss off their passengers, like by breaking so hard someone falls over and drops all their shopping.

Posted about 1 year ago by Rach

In London most buses have exit doors miles from the driver. When I am on provincial buses outside of London where the entrance/exit door is one and the same, I always say thank you to the driver.

Are single-door buses unhygenic? I mean, if you think about it, the front door of the bus is like a mouth that eats passengers, who are then shitted out of the rear doors, which are like a bum. Single-door buses are like some hellish creature that has one combined mouthbum. Disgusting.

Posted about 1 year ago by themanwhofellasleep

Talking of catching the bus, I find it amazing that the only place where people seem to queue at the bus stop is on the route from Finsbury Park to Crouch End… an American friend of mine found this so novel he had to take a photo of it!

Posted about 1 year ago by Rach

I also do automatically or at least nod and mouth ‘thanks’ if out of earshot of the driver or in a noisy area. Often I get a nod of thanks back from the driver. Do the same for train/tube drivers if I walk past the front of the train on my way off the platform.

I’ve always done this, although, like others have noted, not many other people do the same.

As Olib mentions these aren’t many of us who do this.

Wonder Why – anyone got a suggestion??

Posted about 1 year ago by cobo04

TMWFA – This may be of help, mush:

http://www.therapyinlondon.org/

Posted about 1 year ago by Pokster

if i get off using the front door then always – its polite innit

Posted about 1 year ago by wickedlywitchy