Poll: Do you say 'thanks' to transport workers (bus drivers, taxi drivers, train drivers etc.)?

[TheRightToArmBears]

I'm from Bristol, so of course. Every bus stop in Bristol resonates to a chorus of 'cheers drive' (pronounced 'droive').

Anyway, it's common courtesy. If they've been shitty I won't thank them as a very British way of showing my displeasure.

 

[someonehairy-ish]

It's usually more of a muttered 'cheers' whilst stepping out of the vehicle but yeah, I say it. Who doesn't?

 

[Auron225]

I do, I don't understand why one wouldn't. I know some people that don't - they say "Why would I thank them for doing their job? They get paid for it", but then the same people will say thank you to shop assistants several times throughout a single transaction.

 

[conmag9]

Yes, although I don't restrict that sort of thing to just transport workers. Taking two seconds to be polite rarely hurts anything, and may just be a positive moment in a person's day. There's enough bitterness and disinterest these days as it is.

 

[beastro]

Taxi - Always.

Bus - If I pass by him again leaving the front door and not the back to help cut down on the noise of everyone leaving at once. Special case for requesting a stop, then I do, since he did something directly for me and few if any people are hopping out along with me so it's quiet enough to send him a thanks from front or back.

 

[nykirnsu]

Just taxi drivers, really. A taxi drive feels a lot more personal than a bus with you often having a conversation with your driver on the way to your destination. At that point it's just plain courtesy, really.

Same here. I don't actually see train drivers and bus drivers I only see for a moment at glance as I get on, so I don't form any sort of connection with those two unlike taxi drivers who I actually have to talk to and pay directly. For this reason I voted no in the pole, since I don't thank two out of three.

 

[shootthebandit]

I thank them by saying thank you, giving a tip and using their service regularly

I dont often take the bus but every weekend I will take a taxi into town and back. They do a great job and more often than not they will go through Mcdonalds drive through. These taxi drivers are going above and beyond and are usually rewarded for the extra service

 

[Crazy Zaul]

Yes because I got used to it in the north, where most bus drivers will sarcastically or angrily shout at you if don't thank them.

 

[Something Amyss]

I say thank you to just about everyone.

 

[Not Lord Atkin]

Now I went to high school in a country where people usually don't say anything to the driver or even interact with them in any way besides buying the ticket. No one really gives it a second thought.

Well after 5 years of catching the same bus every morning, I got to know and talk to a couple of the drivers. Turns out they hate it. People tend to treat them like glorified ticket dispensers. For them, the show of basic manners that is saying 'please' when telling them your destination and 'thank you' after getting your ticket feels humanising. It's sadly quite rare for that to happen though.

So no, it's not meaningless. It's nice. The drivers have a difficult job, they deserve to be treated like human beings.

 

[visiblenoise]

Why not? It's not like I'm going to be the one who cheapens the word by using it too much.

 

[A_Parked_Car]

I always thank them. It doesn't feel right not to.

 

[M0rp43vs]

I do. A small gesture that takes no effort for me but might brighten up someones day somewhat at best and is something that gets ignored at worst.

Of course with me, my crazy resting face, low speaking volume and tendency to mumble, I suppose sometimes they can be mistaken or misheard as threats. In retrospect, it was probably a bad idea to press my face onto the glass window of the bus to make thanks heard better. On the brightside, he sure didn't dilly dally that stop...

 

[Little Woodsman]

Boulder being, well Boulder... it's not uncommon to have full conversations with the bus drivers here. Drivers that I converse with get not only a 'thanks' but also a 'hope you have a great day!'.

Most other drivers get a 'thanks' (I've found it's better to say 'thanks' than 'thank you' which can be misheard... with *bad* results...)

There have been a couple of drivers in my time here who clearly did not wish to be thanked... after a few tries with negative responses I stopped. Thankfully neither of them drives a route I regularly take anymore.

On the *very* rare occasions when I take a cab the driver is always thanked and tipped.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

Yeah I thank bus drivers all the time. Unless theyre being massive assholes. Which actually happens all too often. Yes Im sure being a Bus Driver isnt the nicest job ever, but honestly sometimes it feels like some of them just take their aggression out on customers for no reason. Not to say that im lumping them all into the same category, sometimes I run into drivers who are actually the nicest people ever, It just sucks that theres a huge proportion of them that seem to be assholes for no reason

 

[BarkBarker]

I only thank if I really see a face to it, a taxi sure but a train or a bus? They are sorta secluded and boxed away, I don't even pass by them cos the exit doors are back here.

 

[Someone Depressing]

I do it because I'm very, very culturally English, and my mother beat me something fierce whenever I didn't. I kid. It's mostly because being a bus driver of a taxi driver is a hard job with long hours, so feeling like a ticket-dispensing monkey just qualified enough to turn a wheel and stamp on pedals only worsens the mood. A quick hello or thank you just feels humanising.

That, and I'm at least polite enough to only be a snide asshole to people I'm close to.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

Anyone who delivers you a service regardless of whether its the pizza guy or someone just holding the door open for you deserves a thank you.

 

[Mithcha]

I used to when I was younger (as in under 10), as back then the mindset was to tell the bus driver your location, even though by then you really didn't need to but I think it came from previously having to pay a conducter who had to keep track of numbers or something. Then you payed him with actual money (shocking, no flimsy plastic pieces of shit called oyster cards) and take the ticket in front of him, a bit of basic interaction was just expected.

Now its all plastic cards that you swipe on a machine (london anyway, outside of london the buses still seem to use the old pay system). Moneys not even a viable thing anymore, it's not excepted. As a result nine times of ten you and the driver barely even LOOK at each other, never-mind talk in any form. Coupled with all the plastic between us I doubt he'd even hear amidst the traffic and stream of people. It's just not the culture anymore.

Taxes, yeah as the interaction still exists, train drivers no as again no interaction, it's not viable.

 

[Nazulu]

They're people like you and me. They have some shitty moments in life and their jobs. The least you can do is make it easier for them and at least be respectful for the service they just gave you. It's not much, but it's enough.

I completely agree. I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees it like this.

I agree with this agreement. Though one time I saw a bus driver get angry because someone didn't say thanks and I couldn't agree with that. What do you think?