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AS THE INTERNET consumes large parts of our lives, humanity has been accused of becoming somewhat anti-social and lacking in those old fashioned communication skills.
Dublin commuters appear not to have lost their old fashioned manners, however, as Dublin Bus research revealed today that 90% of passengers always say thank you to their driver – just like their mammies taught them.
Though one fifth of passengers said they have pretended to be on a phonecall to avoid talking to someone on a bus, 15% have gotten off at before their stop just to chat to someone who is getting off and 23% have even said hello to someone they didn’t know by accident.
Bus routes appear to be a source of nostalgia too as almost 70% of people remember their bus number from when they were children.
Do you still thank the driver as you get off the bus? Tell us in the comments below…
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I was brought up in an era when you thanked the bus driver, the shop keeper, and said sorry if you bumped into somebody by mistake. I would consider myself middle aged and I still do it. Don’t blame the internet, blame the parents.
@ Mary Agree, most parents today think all that should be taught in school, why i don’t know
I must come from the same era as you Mary, brought up with manners, say please and thank you, always be polite. Mind you, I did bump into a parking meter once – and apologised to it.
I wouldn’t say I’m middle aged although I am getting scarily close to it. However I was brought up by my mother to respect people whether it be a shop keeper or a bus driver who are bringing me somewhere I couldn’t get without them, or buying something I wouldn’t have without them. Manners should be thought at home first, however my school was a large factor in that also.
Mary, well said. I was born in the early seventies and still call my friends parents Mr/s. I always say please and thank you because that what I was taught to do.
Ha Molly, I bumped into my own ironing board and apologised!!!
Every time I go on Holidays and come back to home… always get the feels “people are much nicer here” :)
I always say hello and thanks… and have to say that I have met very very nice and chatty bus drivers, not all of them are grumpy ;)
@ Living it’s not really “drivers” per say it people some are great and some are shoot just like the passangers. Worked for LT (London Transport) saw the best and worst of humanity, in London it is considered to be one of the most stressful jobs to do. EVERY shift at some point you could be literally doing a Conor McGregor with either a passangers or another road user. BTW the term “waiting half hour for a bus and then three (4/5)will arrive together” is (or was) true. That’s because the rear busses should be well in front of the poor sod (that is running on time) that has people nearly hanging of the roof. London drivers and conductors have come to blows over bunching of busses!
The Appaches of the old west would be proud od the ambush tactics of London bus drivers which are /were run for the employees and picking up passangers is just a necessary evil that you have to do!
The racial “slagging” that went on would have the ICI tearing their hair out and that was only between Africans and West Indians, ie the slave masters only took the best (to Jamaica ) left the stupid ones behind (in Africa) , the Africans would reply that they sold the lazy ones to the gullible slave masters! !
One could write a book on that job!
Or you could watch that old British series “On The Busses” Ah! The clippies! !!!
it’s an Irish thing really. I was in the US and thanked the bus driver, he goes to me……. For What?
U.S. People are always asking me why the hell Irish people are applauding when the plane lands…
Much more embarrassing Irish trait than thanking the bus driver
To be is very British also..
Can’t say I ever do that, defo thank ghe bus driver though.
That only happens on charter flights!
why be embarrassed by things that are very irish, they do no harm so embrace it :-)
It’s an.Australian and Indian thing as well
I always do, you’re lucky if you even get a grumble back.
There’s one driver who was on my route a few times and he always said Hello to each passenger as they got on and Thank You to each person getting off. It really makes you go the extra mile to thank the driver when they’re friendly like this.
Only shocker here is that almost a third of people can’t remember the number of their bus when they were a kid. What the actual hell?!
“It’s nice to be nice”
Most of them are friendly and helpful, they have the lives of 50+ people in their hands for not great pay so it’s the least a passenger can do. Mostly I do it so they have some friendliness coming back to them given the crap they’ve to put up with.
There was an incident one time on a school bus where there were letters sent back to parents for kids not to eat on the bus, that it was wrecking the interiors. Driver sees girl munching into crisps half of which are spilling out of the bag and getting mashed into the floor by her feet as she reaches in and does this dance thing with her feet on ipod. He asks her to put them away, she throws a tantrum. Local paper soon had this spun into “child having diabetic attack almost died due to bus drivers power trip”. Apparently salt is what you need for a diabetic attack now. Worse, there was a photo with her biting into a crisp with the caption “Susie bites into a life saving crisp”
Dont know where you get the ‘not great pay’ statistic from
Well they have worse pay than some people who don’t have people’s lives in their hands.
Tourist’s and foreigners are amazed when you thank the driver. It’s been a part of a way life as long as I can remember. Although not all driver’s acknowledge it Maybe Dublin Bus should invest in a manners course for all drivers.
In most countries passengers get off in the middle of the bus, so it isn’t an issue.
One of the Bristol stereotypes is saying “Cheers drive” to the driver when getting off the bus, the thick West County accents make it all the better! They’re so proud of it, reminds me so much of Ireland.
I thank the ATM every time it gives me money for some reason.
Seamus, that’s just because you’re surprised that it actually gave you some money
Well to be fair, that is part of it but I also do it to ticket machines and card readers as well. For some reason I appear to be grateful that these machines are doing what they are supposed to be doing. At least when machines become self aware and take over the world they might cut me a break for being so polite over the years!
Hmm, you may be on to something there.
@ Seamus … …I like that, a little ambarrasing bu for real embarrassment helping a blind person across the street and the walking him into a tree in London (by accident) was THE ground swallowing incident in my life!!
You Greek?
My mammy didn’t teach me to thank the driver, we never saw the driver in those days. However she did me good manners and to thank anybody who provided me with a service, whether that be a shop assistant, a postman or whatever.
I still say thank you every time but I wonder does it get get annoying to have to say you’re welcome hundreds o times a day.
What ?? You mean there are people out there who don’t thank the bus driver ??
Always do too. They do it in Liverpool also, I noticed on my first trip over. Nice touch.
I always thank the driver even if he is a bit grumpy, most of them are kind and considerate.
Always. Most of them acknowledge.
I always clap when the bus arrives at my stop. Manners cost nothing.
Always do. And Hello when I get on..
Yes even if they or you are having a bad day,manners rule.
The people of Dublin are famous for their quick wit, charm and manners, even the younger ones and those from less privileged backgrounds (the more privileged can be problematic). It’s a lovely trait we should cherish and is unique to Irish people although the brits do come a close second.
I always make a point to thank my driver as he waits outside the bicycle shop.
I have always said thank you to bus/taxi drivers for getting me safely where I need to go cost me nothing. and depending on how tired I am in the mornings I will say good morning to bus driver as I get on the bus even tho I’d have a leap card to swipe. Considering they manage to get up and into work then out to terminals for my half 6 bus least I can do, they always reply good morning back and always wish me a good day when I get off sets me off in right form for the day
I still do but its more out of habit at this stage I think. I remember about 10 years ago there was a bus driver on the 16a route, he was French I think, but he was the funniest and happiest driver ive ever seen. Would sing to all his passengers as they got on and serenade the women. He was hilarious. It was everyday too, not just a once off.
I high five the black drivers
Even if he’s driving Miss Daisy he still gets a begrudging thanks
Swords Express drivers are always first to respond thanks when you thank them! It’s like trying to get off the phone! “Thanks, no thank you, no thank YOU!”
yes I say hello, thank you and goodbye as well as have a nice day :) manners cost nothing. my daughter s the same
Like clapping when a pilot lands a plane.!!.
Bingy i hat that, only the Irish do it, its enough to thank the crew when you are getting off as i do.
Ah I’d not be for the clapping either but it is a stress reliever after the flight has landed..does no harm and generates a few laughs every time.
Noooooooooooooo.
Like thanking the crew as you disembark.
Clapping the pilot is reserved for bad weather landings, engine failures, something extraordinary. When I hear clapping at landing I yell “SHUT UP! Thank them at the end!”
Having worked on the Dubli buses the figures of 90s is bs. Especially on the 10s to UCD. Possibly 10% said thanks, maybe things have changed.
the Number 10 is gone a long time !
what about clapping when the plane lands thats very irish .
I always do, but they wouldn’t even belch in your face in return.
Convinced this was a Waterford Whisperers news piece :-)
We were brought up to say please and thank you always. Give your seat to an older person etc. I remember one day being on the bus and the driver was very rude to another passenger. I said to myself well I’m not thanking him now when I get off, as if he’d even notice!! What did I do? Said thanks out of habit!! He replied with have a lovely day, so maybe he was just having a bad moment when the other passenger got on!!
Always say thanks remember It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice
Such a pity the drivers don’t have the same manners. Give a person a Dublin Bus uniform and watch the power going to their heads. Crap company altogether!
What is wrong with good manners, some out there who are ignorant sods think good manners are funny. Good manners are essential for life.
I stopped long ago. I will not thank someone that drives like a maniac while delivering an overpriced, shoddy service. They should be thanking us!
It’s who we are.I live in Perth Western Australia and all I ever hear is the lovely Irish saying thank you,never heard an austrailian saying thank you
Saying thank you costs nothing and leaves behind a good feeling
In Spain they think it strange you should thank someone who is paid to do the job they’re doing
Yes always thank the bus driver. Fratsy
How is this news exactly?
Yep. Good manners.
Always say hello and thanks, and sometimes when dart are running late the bus even waits for me (if delays are not too long of course) :)
i dont say thanks, because if i was a bus driver, i would personally be tired of hearing the word being repeated every 10 mins
nothing wrong with manners..
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