“Thank you! Goodbye!” These are courtesy habits that are becoming increasingly rare … However, there are some irreducible for whom this politeness is far from being forgotten. In this city, it is even “a well -established” tradition “.
Taking public transport is now part of the daily life of millions of French people, especially in major cities starting with Paris. In the bus or tram, contact with the driver is obviously easier than in the RER or the metro but, however, most of the passengers do not address a hello or a thank you to the man who drives …
In many cities, greeting the bus driver going up when validating his transport title or buying a ticket on board has therefore become optional, even downright forgotten. But there are, fortunately, still places where this little attention is a real local custom and even a sign of pride. A video unveiled by the local daily life The dispatch Thus became viral a few days ago on social networks because we see a slew of particularly courteous travelers. The capital can take seed!
This little attention that makes all the difference, is a habit well written in the customs of Toulouse, the famous pink city. It is a tradition of politeness that lasts over time, according to Philippe Remery, Toulouse driver interviewed by The dispatch : “It is a Toulouse tradition, I would say, which has already existed for a very long time. It’s very pleasant and it allows us to work in good conditions.“And to add:”Having very pleasant people on the bus is really very warm“If it is difficult to say precisely where this rigor comes from in good manners, it is indisputable that it is part of the local identity of Toulouse.
This basic politeness is unfortunately not acquired everywhere in France. Moreover, bus drivers are even increasingly taken to task by unhappy travelers or who are not in good standing and do not want to pay. For example, as reported The Parisian Last February, in Grand Paris “In recent years, tension has risen on buses and attacks against drivers are exploding. They increased from 690 in 2021 to 1,400 in 2024. An increase of 102 % in three years. “
