|
harrysmith2
Original Poster
10 posts
11 months
|
Hello fellow powerfully built dictators and CEOs of the round table of PH, I must admit to having developed a slightly irritating habbit (for the car drivers that is) of "thanking" cars that have stopped at traffic lights. This is done by raising my hand to the drivers, who are sitting ducks as I walk past them so they cannot help but see this irritating gesture of mine. It does occasionally garner an approving nod or palm up from the steering wheel, but mostly elicits a bemused look on the victims face. What does the rest of the fellowship make of this?
|
|
|
TheHeretic
67,941 posts
124 months
|
I normally do a little wave when cars stop so I can cross the road. Never when the lights are red, and they have no choice. You are clearly an odd fellow, and should be locked up.
|
|
|
Willy Nilly
2,885 posts
36 months
|
If you are talking about crossing pedestrian crossings then a wave and a smile always goes down well with me and I normally make eye contact with drivers when I cross the road on foot.
|
|
|
fozzymandeus
679 posts
15 months
|
If you really want to thank them and make them feel valued, sit down in the road in front of their cars and start taking photographs of them with your phone.
|
|
|
Ray Luxury-Yacht
6,374 posts
85 months
|
If the lights are a junction where they go red anyway, no.
At a pelican crossing - if there's more than just me waiting to cross - again no.
If I'm waiting at a pelican crossing by myself, and as a car comes driving up, the lights go red because I've pressed the button - then yeah, I usually pop a little wave and a smile.
Always wave and smile nicely if someone stops and lets me cross at a zebra.
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
cuprabob
2,490 posts
83 months
|
I do this at Zebra Crossings as I know the driver has a choice
|
|
|
harrysmith2
Original Poster
10 posts
11 months
|
Just to clarify, we are talking about Pelican crossings, the ones where you press the button and the lights change for you.
|
|
|
Eighteeteewhy
6,356 posts
37 months
|
Zebras - yes
Pelicans - no
Hippos - sometimes
|
|
|
Timberwolf
4,683 posts
87 months
|
It's not irritating (as a car driver), it's sort of nice for someone to acknowledge there's a human being behind the wheel who had to make a little effort - even if they technically had to. I do the same at zebra crossings and the like, and also when in the car if someone stops where I had the priority anyway. Given the number of selfish drivers and impatient idiots about, I like to think of it as a "thanks for not being a dick" signal.
Doing it for cars already stopped at a red light unrelated to a pedestrian crossing is a little weird, though.
|
|
|
TheHeretic
67,941 posts
124 months
|
harrysmith2 said: Just to clarify, we are talking about Pelican crossings, the ones where you press the button and the lights change for you. Normal run of the mill traffic lights - No Zebra crossing - Yes Pelican crossing - Yes Basically, if I have inconvenienced them, I give them a wave, be it waiting on a zebra, or pressing a button on a pelican.
|
|
|
ShampooEfficient
3,081 posts
80 months
|
From the other point of view - we should be entitled to mow people down if they don't thank you, when you've stopped to allow them to cross the road, say in slow moving traffic.
|
|
|
John D.
9,553 posts
78 months
|
I don't get thanking cars stopping at zebra crossings in most normal circumstances. They are only obeying the rules of the road after all.
|
|
|
TheHeretic
67,941 posts
124 months
|
John D. said: I don't get thanking cars stopping at zebra crossings in most normal circumstances. They are only obeying the rules of the road after all. It is the rules of the road, yes, but they are stopping for you. I have no issue.
|
|
|
John D.
9,553 posts
78 months
|
TheHeretic said: It is the rules of the road, yes, but they are stopping for you. I have no issue. Do you wave and smile at other drivers giving way on a roundabout for instance? They are stopping for you just the same.
|
|
|
TheHeretic
67,941 posts
124 months
|
John D. said: Do you wave and smile at other drivers giving way on a roundabout for instance? They are stopping for you just the same. No, but I will wave if someone stops to allow me through a narrow road, even if the laws of the land say I have right of way.
|
|
|
John D.
9,553 posts
78 months
|
TheHeretic said: No, but I will wave if someone stops to allow me through a narrow road, even if the laws of the land say I have right of way. Sure. That makes sense. Bit of different scenario that to me, less clear cut.
|
|
|
DonkeyApple
12,017 posts
38 months
|
harrysmith2 said: Hello fellow powerfully built dictators and CEOs of the round table of PH, I must admit to having developed a slightly irritating habbit (for the car drivers that is) of "thanking" cars that have stopped at traffic lights. This is done by raising my hand to the drivers, who are sitting ducks as I walk past them so they cannot help but see this irritating gesture of mine. It does occasionally garner an approving nod or palm up from the steering wheel, but mostly elicits a bemused look on the victims face. What does the rest of the fellowship make of this? Have you contemplated adding to your repertoire? I can highly recommend also pointing to the front of their car and making a strange hand signal that makes no sense. This results in them driving away trying to work out what is wrong with the front of their car from your abstract gesture.
|
|
|
wolfy1988
891 posts
32 months
|
|
|
Pig Skill
1,368 posts
72 months
|
A bit silly OP but there's nothing wrong with being polite and friendly.
|
|
|
Hoofy
47,893 posts
151 months
|
Eighteeteewhy said: Zebras - yes
Pelicans - no
Hippos - sometimes 
|
|
