Saturday, May 24, 2008

Differences between the US and the UK # 2

I guess I never paid attention before, but people here are a lot more polite than I would have thought. They actually say Thank You to the bus drivers, and conductors on trains, and taxi drivers. Don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking it. Politeness and good manners are always in order.

But I would have never thought of that particular group of people as someone you would thank, as a rule. Its the same thing with flight attendants and the pilots after a plane trip. I know they come and say thank you to all the passengers, but it seems more a forced issue (from the company) than something really genuine. A part of the job. So I never really notice them. I'm usually ready to get off the plane and get to where I'm headed.

I feel that I'm a polite person, myself. I say Please, and Thank You, and all the right stuff. Not because I have to, but because I feel we should. But there are groups of people you just don't seem to think fit in the category of saying Thank You to. Such as drivers, conductors, etc. The Brits, however, make it a point to make sure they say Thank You to these people.

So I'll have to work on it, and get with the program. If I can remember.

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