This week my blog is on a subject suggested by Christine and I quite like it so here goes.
One of the many things I enjoy about this business is the fun and camaraderie between other coach drivers but lately we have noticed that even that is being slowly eroded, the custom has always been for fellow drivers to exchange a wave when we meet on the road but I have noticed these greetings fall into x distinct categories:
1) The flash of lights and cheery wave – This is normally exchanged between those that know each other or work on the same job (like day tour drivers).
2) The simple wave – Normally used between drivers who act in the spirit of common courtesy – always nice to be acknowledged!
3) The nonchalantly raised hand or fingers from the steering wheel – The lowest form of acknowledgement normally reserved for rival companies and larger bus operators who may or may not be owned by the state! But is it still recognition!
4) The didn’t see you – no reaction at all – maybe they didn’t see us! We might give these the benefit of the doubt!
5) The total ignore – This is the one that is becoming the most popular and this is mainly the preserve of drivers on big name tours or our semi state tour company who as we all know are are far too important to acknowledge mere mortals like ourselves!
The total ignore is also often spectacularly demonstrated when we stop at major attractions like The Cliffs and Blarney as you can meet these characters in the coach park and even speak to them but still receive a blank! I often wonder why, if they are so great are they driving for someone else rather than driving their own bus like us. The funny thing is (and Chris made this observation!) they all tend to look the same, they are short bald grey men with a massive stomach gained from endless years of three free meals a day and they are easy to spot when dealing with passengers as they have a healthy disdain for them too as that is their guides job to talk and “anyhow what would I want to have anything do with that shower anyway! “
Those of you that have traveled with me lately might have notice that I’am currently on a diet as I looked in the mirror and thought I might be developing a tour driver stomach to go with my fashionably reseeding hair line! And perish the thought I might be turning into one of them.
So if your thing is traveling with grumpy old men and neurotic tour guides book with one of the big groups but if you want a blogger as your guide – book with us or better still take one of new nicetours and you will get both of us!
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