Road politeness

When Your driving and you give way expect thanks, or give thanks when someone gives way to you? I always give thanks and expect it. I live in North York's and politeness is as rare as rocking horse pooh, how is it for you?

Alison

I often find myself giving beaming acknowledgements to cars who have 'waited' for me, only to realise they were actually at a traffic light or stop sign. Better than going too far the other way I suppose?

My favourite has to be many years ago going up a steep hill in my grandads Nissan Micra with a horse/rider coming the other way , when approaching the rider acknowledged grandad for driving slow for the horse. Poor old grandad was outraged shouting out his window "I cant go any bloody faster!!" Think even the horse had a chuckle

Most of my day to day driving is on single track roads, and it is normal to flash or beep to say thanks.

Don't look kindly on those who don't.

One guy last summer raged on towards me on some rough single track with no proper passing places, so I pulled to one side. He passed on the verge and then tried to blame me for 'inviting him on', because he tore off some of his undercarriage on a rock. I pointed out he was going to hit me head on if I had not pulled in, and where he ended up was nothing to do with me.

If I wait for someone, I expect a wave of thanks, or flash of lights. If nothing comes my way, they get the bird

In 7 years of living in France been thanked or let out maybe 5 or 6 times. It was infiriating at first, now I just let my english gentleman politeness infuriate them. French drivers have a habit of tailgating too, you could be in the Millenium fukcing Falcon and hitting lightspeed and I guarantee you'll still have some guy in a 106 texting and puffing away on a fag about a foot away from your rear bumper.
People don't stop at zebra crossings either, you actually get looks of shock if stop to let a pedestrian across, a lot of the time they'll wave you on.

I moved south almost a decade ago, but still use the "rural North Yorkshire wave" of a slight raising of the index finger to indicate thanks.

Are you looking hard enough/in the right place for the acknowledgement, Alison?

I drive around 30k miles per year and always flash my lights or put my hand up to say thank you if I've been let out or allowed through a gap. Really gets my goat when I've stopped to let someone out and they drive off with no acknowledgement.

When im not driving my works van I drive a VW T4 so often get waved or flashed by fellow dub's so evens itself out

I used to get nodded, flashed and waived at all the time on a motorcycle (once I had one without lepper (L) plates). When I had a Triumph Herald, other Herald drivers would acknowledge me, same with the Mini, Austin, not BMW. Not so with the Skoda.

you mention Skoda..i have a Fabia 1.4tdi..superb...brand snobbery by other road users...they are just jealous that you have a better car than they do for less money...brand snobbery keep it going..saves me money

Ernie