You know when you're driving along and you let the car at the other end of the road go first (because there's one lane free due to parked cars...)? This is a daily event for me on the school run(s) and I've been considering my reaction when people don't raise a hand to say thanks. My knee jerk reaction is to get annoyed. Then I think about it and it doesn't make much sense, does it? I form an opinion about someone based on whether they can be bothered to wave at me? Why do I do that?
A while ago I did hear this discussed on the radio - the guy was saying that in letting someone else go first we imagine we have unilaterally entered into a form of social contract with the other party. I'll let you go first and you will thank me. But you don't thank me and therefore you have broken the contract. So that's what sort of person you are, eh? Someone who would break a contract, go back on your word, hypocrite!!
Consequently I ALWAYS say thanks very obviously (hand high in the windscreen, fingers spread and mouthing, "Thank you, thank you!") when I'm let through to leave the other person in no doubt as to the quality of my fine character.
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