In this part of the world – around the whole of south Manchester – it is normal to greet the bus driver when you get on, & to say thank you when you get off. I sometimes wonder if the bus driver entirely welcomes this, especially at a stop where a whole stream of passengers dismounts saying much the same thing, but then passengers do not normally expect a response in such circumstances.
Not long after I had first moved back up north & was still rather revelling in the warmth of the bus driver’s Hello love at 7am I had to go back down to London for work. Arrived at Euston around 10.30am, got on to the Number 68, & without thinking said a cheery Hello.
I still treasure the memory of the driver’s look of alarm.
