In Sheff it seems to be the custom that passengers say thanks to the bus driver when they get off at their stop.

But in other cities (bigger cities? - eg London, Manchester) this seldom if ever happens. After all, 'The driver is only doing their job, and we're all very busy people in a huge impersonal metropolis' seems to be the implication.

I never used to say it. But I do now, but more in a mafia-style reciprocity thing so that he definitely picks me up next time!

So should I say 'thanks' next time? Do the drivers care either way?

I always thank the bus driver, and always used to when I lived down south too.

It costs nothing to be polite, and who knows it may cheer the driver up, helping them to be in a good mood for all their passengers.

Is this really such a Sheffield thing? I've observed it all over the place, and it's certainly commonplace here in Liverpool.

It's just common courtesy as far as I can see - there doesn't have to be more 'point' to it than that. And long may it continue (even when they're grumpy gits in return!!) ;)

Maybe it's just London and Manc then.

I used to say 'thank you' to the bus driver all the time but have since given up and no longer bother.
Selfish I agree, but the service has gone so far downhill and I'm left in the freezing cold for more than 30 mins more often than not, that I can no longer find the goodwill to say it! I also find that there are several bus drivers that are unfriendly and indeed almost abusive the minute I don't have the exact change... :rolleyes:

Of course there is a point. Common civility.

You must live a pretty sad life if the best thing you can come up with to rail against is people thanking bus drivers.

I definitely noticed this when I moved to Sheffield from Oldham - you very rarely heard it there. I do say thanks now, except when the driver has been particularly bad (i.e. if he's one of those who doesn't realise that the brake has settings inbetween on and off).

The other big change is that back in Manchester nobody rings the bell when they want to get off - you just go and stand by the doors and the driver has to keep his eye out for when people want to get off. Not a clue why this is the case though! :loopy:

I'm not 'railing against' people who say thanks. I'm a polite, civil person myself, thank you very much. Sometimes the driver is too busy with the next person getting on anyway. I just wondered why the 'custom' is different in other cities that's all. Is it just the size of city that dictates this? You end up not saying it in London beause no-one does (also the exit door is often not near the driver).

Having been brought up in Sheffield I always thanked drivers when getting off the bus. I then moved to London and was treated as a mad for doing so. Now I live in Brighton and it's pretty commonplace again, so I'm inclined to feel that it is the 'large impersonal metropolis' aspect of the cities.

Mind you, I found that no one ever thanked anyone else at allwhen I was living in Switzerland. The only nation ruder, apparently, is the Austrians.

In Manc if you use the bell you're seen as a bit of an old duffer who is not streetwise. I always used it of course.

Getting on a bus:
Customer: "85 to town please"
Customer (exiting bus): "Thanks"

In the cafeteria:
Customer: "Cup of coffee please"
Customer (on recieving cup of coffee): "Thanks"

Personally, I don't see the difference, it's just good manners.

Originally posted by Bilge
In Sheff it seems to be the custom that passengers say thanks to the bus driver when they get off at their stop.


So should I say 'thanks' next time? Do the drivers care either way?
you should say ur ps and qs young man! im sure you say it to doctors/nurses, waiters, PO people etc.. why not drivers? even taxis!;)

So should I have a consistent 'Thank You' policy in place whatever city I am in, regardless of local custom?

NO! Most certainly not... if you ever get arrested I should imagine it would only make it worse by thanking them. :hihi:

si, muchisimos gracias will go down a treat:thumbsup: everyone so miserable nowadays i always say em, and give a smile or say good morning or whatever as i walk to work. :D

Originally posted by NatalieSheff
you should say ur ps and qs young man! im sure you say it to doctors/nurses, waiters, PO people etc.. why not drivers? even taxis!;)

traffic wardens?
they would appreciate you thanking them for doing their job.

Originally posted by Whelk
traffic wardens?
they would appreciate you thanking them for doing their job.
and we shall thank satan at the same time....kidding, they all drink horlicks its all good;)

I usualy thank the driver but don't if he has a grumpy attitude about accepting my pass as I get on. Politness works both ways.;)

Originally posted by slimsid2000
I usualy thank the driver but don't if he has a grumpy attitude about accepting my pass as I get on. Politness works both ways.;) give him a wink!

Just had an incredibly good idea! (By my standards...) :idea:

You may have noticed in some motorway services, they have smilies outside the loo's. You just press it depending on how you feel the state of the place is and I assume it totals the number of pushes... :) :| :mad:

We should have them on all the buses!

i thought it was just something you did, everyone does in newcastle... or only i do and everyone else has noticed and now they're all laughing at me....
now i'm all paranoid...

I always say thank you to the bus driver for getting me to my destination safely etc.
I also remember going on a school trip and having a collection for the coach driver at the end, does this still happen??

i always say thankyou on buses and quite often get a thankyou back from the driver. i'm the same on the tram, say thankyou to the conductor if theres one nearby when i get off.
it costs nothing for a smile and a thankyou.:)

I'm, seemingly, with the majority on this one - I always thank the driver for safely getting me to my destination. Simple manners really isn't it?
On the subject of buses, I tell you what really does annoy me though - young people (ie/ below the age of 50) sitting in the seats at the front, when there are signs saying they are priority seats for the elderly.
And people who get on, and are having to stand, but rather than move all the way down the bus to the back, they congregate right near the doors! Arrgh! They really are my pet hates!!

I have also always thanked bus drivers, and last time I was on a coach trip we all tipped the driver, even though I paid through the nose for the trip.
I suppose it depends on how your bought up my mum would of clipped me round the ear if I didnt say please and thanks.

I have also found its amazing how infectious a smile can be, you dont need to say thanks if you can just smile at them it says it for you.
Is everyone so misserable that when someone does smile at them or be polite they go into shock?

I hail from Manchester and have to say thanking the bus driver seems common practice. I think it is more about how you are brought up than a geographical thing.
Having said that, on a trip to London I was appalled by the rudeness of some of the passengers on the Tube. I always allow people alighting to do so before I get on. Several times I stepped back to allow this to happen only for people behind me to just push their way on. Inside was no better. I gave up my seat to an elderly woman who was standing only for a strapping lad to jump in it. Upon protesting, he just looked at me as if I was from another planet.
He did give up his seat after some persuasion.

Originally posted by Briano
Just had an incredibly good idea! (By my standards...) :idea:

You may have noticed in some motorway services, they have smilies outside the loo's. You just press it depending on how you feel the state of the place is and I assume it totals the number of pushes... :) :| :mad:

We should have them on all the buses!

yup, thats a good one. dole offices, workplaces, shops etc.

Could become quite ubiquitous if people use them

The only point I can see is that it's courteous. Much better than telling them to **** off, in my book.

I think it's only polite to thank the driver, and find that most people do in most of the cities I've visited - generally in Sheffield my thanks are acknowledged in some way ("thanks mate", "cheers", etc.) by Yorkshire Terrier drivers, and generally ignored by First drivers (but there's a separate discussion about which company is the best elsewhere on this forum...)

...although if it's one of those drivers who has spent the whole trip chatting to his mate who's been standing by him all the way, it's pretty justified to leave in silence I think.

This thread is pointless. It 's like saying "what's the point in saying good morning to work colleagues?" and "just why do we say 'Happy New Year' and 'Happy Birthday' to people?"

It's culture, it's tradition.

People go round saying these things because they were brought up to do so, and do so without even thinking about it.

There.

Sheffield is about the only place I have spent any time in where people generally thank the driver when getting off the bus.

I was brought up to be polite and display good manners, but in Edinburgh (where I was brought up) for some reason thanking the bus driver is something people just wouldn't think of doing - I don't know why. On visits back, I've occasionally found myself thanking the driver cos that's what I do here in Sheffield, and the other passengers have looked at me like I'm simple or something!

Maybe it's because the exit doors on Edinburgh buses are halfway down the bus, nowhere near the driver?

But it is bizarre how the two cities are so different in that way. Maybe it's with Edinburgh and London being capital cities, everyone seems much more impersonal? (Although I don't remember passengers thanking the drivers in Manchester?)

:confused: StarSparkle

i've found that out of where i've been recently, its done in:

- Sheffield
- Portsmouth
- Birmingham
- Skegness

and its not generally done in

- London
- Staffordshire (no particular city)
- Manchester
- Plymouth
- Hatfield

I think its just a local 'thing'

i think it's nice n pleasant, doesn't take any time to show a little politeness

Although very rare these days I have always thanked the bus driver when leaving the bus.

I always thank the bus-driver - even though some of them are complete *****, I dont know why.

Maybe its my upbringing- blame the parents!

Unless the driver is really nasty or incompetent, I pretty much always say thank you.

It just seems polite I guess. And I *am* glad they are there driving me around! So yeah, I thank them. Unless they've like shouted at the passengers and caused a major road accident... or something.

I always say thankyou unless the bus driver has been horrible, or the service has been rubbish...they usually say thanks back aswell.

I haven't read all this thread but i thought you thanked them for actually getting you there in one piece. :D

I do it. Found it weird that people did when i came here, but it is only common courtesy really. If i do it when i go home they look at you like you've gone mad,:loopy: , but i do it where ever i am now.

You always say thanks to a taxi driver, same really.

I think a 'ta duck' goes along way. If you've got a grumpy sod of a driver it'll get their hackles up, or if you've a nice one it's just a nice and quirky thankyou to em.

I'd never say 'duck' in my life...it would look wrong on a 19 year old lol.

Heh, I don't think many people can carry it off which is what makes it so amusing. Try alternating with petal and flower for comedy effect.

I always say hello when I get on and thanks when I get off.

I always say please and thank you when buying things in shops or speaking to people over the phone.

It is basic manners

Originally posted by robbie
I always say hello when I get on and thanks when I get off.

I always say please and thank you when buying things in shops or speaking to people over the phone.

It is basic manners

Do you also apologise when someone bumps into you?
I do and it annoys my other arf immensely, I cant help it.
I think my parents must of gone slightly overboard on the manners tuition or something.

yep, It really gets me when someone walks into you, you apologise and they say nothing or "don't worry about it"