Giles Coren is fed up with ungrateful pedestrians at zebra crossings – these 6 exchanges are worth crossing the road for
Giles Coren is fed up with people who don’t thank him when he stops his car to let people over a pedestrian crossing.
So fed up that he went on Twitter and said this.
Who are these people who make eye contact with you as you stop to let them cross on a zebra and then cross, eyes forward, without raising a hand or nodding a ‘thank you’? Do they go home and beat their spouses? Abuse their children? Harm themselves with knives?
— Giles Coren (@gilescoren) September 14, 2018
And it prompted quite the debate, the highlights of which we are very happy to bring you here, 17 exchanges that are definitely worth crossing the road for.
1.
Where I live drivers frequently don’t stop at zebra crossings. Waving a thanks reinforces the delusion that stopping is optional when it isn’t. Although it feels impolite I don’t wave acknowledgement any more.
— Paul Jackson🇪🇺🇬🇧 (@PJack75) September 14, 2018
If I knew you weren’t going to thank me I wouldn’t stop.
— Giles Coren (@gilescoren) September 14, 2018
Screenshotted. If you’re ever in the dock involved in an RTA could be useful.
— Anfänger (@amfangle) September 15, 2018
😂
— Giles Coren (@gilescoren) September 15, 2018
2.
One should definitely say thank you on a zebra crossing. Saying thank you on a pelican crossing however looks a bit mad.
— Lizzie Coulter (@lizziecoulter) September 14, 2018
I do it. Because I’ve hit the button and disrupted their journey so I can cross. So I say thank you.
— Giles Coren (@gilescoren) September 14, 2018
Have you ever considered that by driving a car that requires them to wait in order to cross a road, you are in fact disrupting THEIR journey? 😏
— Cult Of Cyclists (@CultOfCyclists) September 14, 2018
3.
do you thank pedestrians for waiting at traffic lights when you drive past? (i do thank drivers for stopping btw)
— Alex Farber (@alexfarber) September 14, 2018
I thank pedestrians who don’t cross on a zebra because they can see there’s nothing behind me.
— Giles Coren (@gilescoren) September 14, 2018
You’re not supposed to thank peds waiting to cross at a zebra; you’re supposed to give way to them. Even if they haven’t started to cross. Even if there’s nothing behind you.
— (((foxache (@foxacheUK) September 14, 2018
4.
I remember standing up once to let you reach your seat at the theatre (you were fashionably late taking your seat) and not receiving even the slightest acknowledgement or thank you. So I’m not sure you’re best placed to comment on the common courtesy of others.
— Richard Garvin (@RichardJGarvin) September 14, 2018
Ha, that’s so funny! So columnists can be two faced?
— Wayne Jaffe (@Clinicalred) September 14, 2018
I don’t go to the theatre. I am FAMOUS for never going to the theatre. Google my name and theatre and you’ll see I never go. Must have been a lookie likey. Probably that @hugorifkind
— Giles Coren (@gilescoren) September 14, 2018
Nah mate, it was you. David Baddiel’s My Family show in the West End – you’re FAMOUS for attending.
— Richard Garvin (@RichardJGarvin) September 14, 2018
Nope. Never saw it.
— Giles Coren (@gilescoren) September 14, 2018
I think this one really was me, actually.
— Hugo Rifkind (@hugorifkind) September 14, 2018
Actually, no, I wasn’t late. And I’m really nice. Can’t have been.
— Hugo Rifkind (@hugorifkind) September 14, 2018
