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

[demonbazza]

Always. I was brought up to be curteous to others and to say thank you for everything by my mother, who did the same. Shows respect, and treats others how you would like to be treated. As others have said in previous posts, they are doing their jobs getting you to and from yours. Guess it could get lonely with no-one to communicate with all day every day, so a little appreciation could go a long way....

 

[Treeberry]

Yep. I always say please and thank you to bus and taxi drivers, it's common courtesy, they're providing a service and sometimes something small like a smile or a 'thank you' can really change a person's day. (I do the same with couriers and shopkeepers and so on.)

 

[Colour Scientist]

I tend to say thanks to everyone who's warranted it, retail workers, waiters, public transport operators, cleaners. Even tiny appreciation like that can make a difference to someone's day, and costs me nothing, so why not?

Basically this, it's just good manners and there's no need to be rude.

 

[chadachada123]

I've never used a taxi or train, but on buses I generally do. If I'm leaving through the rear door, I'll usually give a nod (respectfully) to the driver, or just say thanks if the bus is mostly empty.

 

[razer17]

Yes. Because I'm not an animal.

But in all seriousness, it takes a second to say thank you. It might be there job, but I like to think that a little bit of politeness will brighten their day, even if it is just minutely.

 

[giles]

I wish there was an other option. I don't really say thanks persay. I greet them with the typical good morning/afternoon when I get on and wish them to have a good day/night when I get off. I've done thins for a good portion of my life so im not sure if it counts toward the question but I'd like to think im still showing my gratitude towards them.

This.
I give people who work to service me my honest smiles, deal with them politely and sincerely wish them a good day. I'd like to think I don't need to explicitly say "thanks" to express my gratitude.

 

[Knight Captain Kerr]

I do. I don't do it all the time but I tend to thank people in general when I buy things or a service.

 

[Parasondox]

If you have lived in London long enough, you really do get to appreciate how hard things get during the day to day hassle for tube and bus workers. When there is a tube strike, the buses get the full brunt of it. The amount of times I have seen business men and women, during rush hours in the morning, get angry at the drivers for being late, by 30 seconds or not letting them on because the bus IS ALREADY FULL AND THE DRIVER NEEDS TO SEE HIS LEFT MIRROR, is uncountable at this point. When a football match is on, they have to handle thousands of loud, and often out of control, fans and cause stadiums are getting bigger in London, they have to handle more and more fans each year. Just cause I pay the fare, doesn't mean a nice "thank you" wouldn't be needed. They aren't just responsible for you on the bus but many others on that same route.

Long story short, yeah I do say thank you. Especially to bus drivers who wait a bit cause they see me or anyone else running towards it. Yes, some aren't great but the rest are great at there jobs and do deserve appreciation.

 

[Lilani]

I try to thank everybody who's done me a service, at least as long as they don't seem overly grumpy or hostile. Even if I'm paying them for it, I still appreciate them being there, and still appreciate the service. And I remember how much I appreciated hearing thanks, especially in fast food, so I try to go out of my way to be courteous to them. Even if the situation isn't ideal, it's usually not the fault of the person taking your money, even though most often they're the ones blamed for it.

 

[Varrdy]

Always! A little bit of common courtesy and politeness costs nothing and yet can mean everything.

 

[seris]

i thank anyone who provides me something. if i order food i always thank the cashier or waiter/waitress

 

[Gizmo1990]

Yes more out of habit more than anything else. Just a quick 'Thanks' or 'Cheers' is so much of a habit that I do it even when service is bad. But then I am English and things have to be really bad for us to bring it up.

 

[Lieju]

Yes for taxi and long-distance bus.
That's just common courtesy.

I don't ever see the staff around when I'm about to leave the train, so no.

 

[ExtraDebit]

I say thanks to everybody, even hookers.

 

[lowtech redneck]

No....I say 'thank you, sir' or 'thank you, ma'am'. Its not about thanking them as part of payment in an economic exchange, its about acknowledging our common humanity during what is technically an act of servitude from one person to another.

 

[DarkRawen]

I can't really choose, since I don't do it in Norway (it's not much of a custom here, at least that I've seen), but do it in Wales, where I'm studying. So I suppose... I do? Sometimes?

Sure, I'll go with that.

 

[DementedSheep]

Taxi, yes.
Buss, yes when I pay for the ticket
Train, rarely. We have swipe cards and machine dispensed tickets here. The conductors only come around occasionally to check you paid. A lot of times I don't even see them or I just hold my ticket/card up.

 

[Risingblade]

No since I don't use any of those.

 

[Qitz]

Not in those exact words no, but I do say "Have a good day" when I'm leaving for buses. I've not taken a Taxi enough to mention. Train all of twice as a kid.

 

[FPLOON]

I do if they're human... because most of my transportation, in this sense, has been on electronic trolleys most of the time...

Other than that, I do say thanks to anyone who gives me a ride anywhere...