The Conversation (0)
Liam O'Dell
Apr 19, 2022
Related video: British man buys bus to drive Ukrainian refugees to Poland
Independent TV
In the latest poll to divide Twitter, people have been asked if they say anything to a bus driver when they arrive at their destination – and people are a lot nicer than perhaps we first thought.
The question was posed by freelance journalist Sophie Grenham on Tuesday, when she wondered if travellers “in countries apart from Ireland thank the bus driver as they exit”.
Other reporters chipped in, with one saying they thank the driver “when I get on too”.
“I always do,” said LBC presenter Shelagh Fogarty.
Cristina Nicoletti, of Sky News, added: “Yep… Ingrained in me from school in England and I still do it. I thank café workers and people on the tills in shops, too. #KindnessMatters.”
Reassuringly, it seems kindness extends to the whole of the UK, too, and the phrase “cheers, drive” – commonly used by folks down in Bristol - soon trended on Twitter following Ms Grenham’s question:
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We do in Bristol, some with the local \u2018cheers drive\u2019!— Emma Edwards \ud83c\udf3b (@Emma Edwards \ud83c\udf3b) 1650361392
We always do in Liverpool.— Sir Julie Street of Scouseland \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc9b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Sir Julie Street of Scouseland \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc9b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650362859
Yes, of course. I've never been anywhere that people didn't thank the driver. It's not an Irish thing - it's a good manners thing.— Hazel (@Hazel) 1650365337
I do.\n\nAlways have. \n\nTaught my kids to do same.\n\nSame with teachers, cab drivers, sports coaches, restaurant staff etc\n\nAlways lived in England.\n\nAlways assumed it was a "working-class" thing\n\nHowever I have recently discovered my family origins are Irish - maybe it's genetic?— Call Me European - #YES and #Ireland32. (@Call Me European - #YES and #Ireland32.) 1650362084
I used to be a bus driver in England and I can confirm that the majority of passengers would thank me.— Comtesse Clare gardens\ud83d\udc99\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc63\udb40\udc74\udb40\udc7f\ud83c\udf0d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Comtesse Clare gardens\ud83d\udc99\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc63\udb40\udc74\udb40\udc7f\ud83c\udf0d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650366797
While the freelance journalist asked the question seriously, the concept of thanking the bus driver has become a meme in recent years, with KnowYourMeme saying it “refers to a character depicted as the best of humanity”.
The explanation is accompanied by an example meme of two coffins labelled ‘successful people’ and ‘unsuccessful people’, listed above a gold pharoah sarcophagus (coffin) with the caption: “People who say thanks to the bus driver when they get off.”
Basically, it’s just a nice thing to do, isn’t it?
The idea became even more popular in 2018, when the viral battle royale game Fortnite introduced the option to thank the bus driver transporting players to the island before they jump off it.
Even Gladiator actor Russell Crowe revealed he thanks the bus driver in a tweet from 2018, describing it as a “simple common courtesy”.
And we wouldn’t want to argue with him…
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