At the risk of sounding like a total curmudgeon, not enough people have manners these days!
The simple acts of "please" and "thank you"? Lost! People press buttons on adjacent floors of elevators of 36 story buildings!
It just doesn't make any sense. In the words of Full House, whatever happened to dependability?
u/icecoldcokezero asked:
What is a basic etiquette everyone should know but not everyone follows?
Here were some of the answers.
Subway Etiquette
GiphyLet others off before you get on
Holy sh*t some people don't get this one. I've seen people just itching to get on the bus, so I've intentionally started moving before the bus stops so that I can be at the doors when they open, and they STILL try to get on before I've managed to get off.
Conversation Etiquette
Listen to the content of what other people are saying before replying.
To expand on this, listen to understand what someone is saying, not just to respond to it.
Listen so you hear when they make a short break so you can jump in and completely change the subject. This is my favorite thing to see people do, a real trait.
Music Etiquette
Headphones aren't optional in a public space. No one wants to hear your music or your video clips playing.
Also, kids can use headphones too. Don't make us listen to your kid's videos full blast when out in public mkay?
Egress Etiquette
When walking with several friends on a sidewalk, pair up two by two instead of everyone walking in a row so others can pass you on the sidewalk.
I work on a university campus and college kids seem particularly oblivious to this.
"I Do Need To Leave My House At Some Point" Etiquette
Don't park your f*cking vehicle in front of driveways or garages. In my current job this is a daily problem, I assumed most people would know that its not cool, but I clearly overestimated the intellect of humanity on that one. Dicks.
This has only happened to me once and I decided to let it slide. They were trimming a tree that my neighbor and I shared. So the truck was kinda blocking my driveway. Decided just to hang out in my house for a little bit longer instead of leaving then. But if this happened more often I would be salty
"The Line Is Not Optional" Etiquette
I'll never forget this one time this happened. It has happened to me many times but this one instance, the instant karma was so gratifying.
I was waiting in line at the Publix deli. So most people know you have to take a number and they call out your number to serve you. But when there is a lot of people we all kinda bunch together and it looks like a line.
Well this mother and her 12 year old daughter come in and you see the mother look around, I'm standing in this "line" of people looking at my phone waiting for my number to be called. I see this mother sneak in front of me. And I knew she was attempting to cut in front of me just based on her body language and facial expressions. I don't know how else to explain it. So she takes her place in the "line" and after the next person finishes (it would have been my turn) she walks right up to the deli and the woman asks is she is number such and such. Highly embarrassed and feigning complete ignorance, she looks at me and motions for where the numbers are. I point to it and with the biggest smile walk up to the deli and give them the number. Best day ever. Best part is, she was now at the end of the line because several other people had grabbed numbers while she was trying to blend in after "cutting" in front of me.
Moving Etiquette
let people get off the f*cking elevator first.
stand to the right on the escalator.
don't block doors on the metro/subway, no matter how crowded it is.
don't stand in the middle of a sidewalk staring at your phone.
don't stand on opposite sides of a hallway having a long conversation.
so many rules about standing/walking that people just don't seem to understand.
Human Etiquette
There is no person that everyone likes.
It's ok to admit when you were wrong.
You don't always have to have an opinion on everything. Saying "I don't know" is fine.
Forgiving people goes a long way.
Relations Etiquette
If you're mad at a company for some transgression, don't take your rage out on the customer service rep. Chances are, this person has people freaking out at them all day for things they have no control over. Be kind to customer service people - they are likely having a crappy day.
Public Conversation Etiquette
GiphyA huge pet peeve of mine is people who can't keep their mouth shut- that just have to constantly hear the sound of their voice.
The other day in the sauna at my gym, there was this guy doing that- he randomly asks another guy what he thought of Bernie Sanders running for president. They went back and forth for like 30 seconds but the other guy clearly wasn't interested and it tapered off. Not even a minute later. "Bro". "Bro", he nudges me. "You ever watch Shameless?"
"No." Doing the least possible to engage him here.
Asks another guy the same question 2 minutes later.
Shut the f*ck up, people. Small talk is fine, I'm not some anti social *sshole but you can learn to enjoy silence and not needing to have a conversation with every stranger you see. Especially in a situation like this- you're essentially holding people captive and forcing them to listen to your bullsh*t.
No Touchy
Don't touch people unless they say it's ok.
Don't touch people's pets unless they say it's ok (and don't complain if you do it anyway and get bit by a nervous animal).
Hallway Rulez
You walk in the halls the same way you drive in your car.
- Stay on your side of the hallway, dipping only to go around people.
- If someone is stopped in the way (and you can't go around), speak (like honking) don't push (bumping their vehicle).
- Wave in passing, don't stop in the middle of the route to have extended discussions.
Why Me Worry?
GiphyIf you can't explain your opponent's side in a way that they'd agree with (due to either lack of knowledge or due to your emotional connection to your own side), then you don't know enough to be arguing them, or you're too emotionally biased to see the argument clearly.
The Golden Rule: No Track Suits
-if you are well dressed on a plane and there is a flight delay or cancellation, the ticket agent will help you in a way that she wouldn't if you were in a tracksuit. The preceding principle also applies to the following situatons: At restaurants, in certain nightclubs, taxi-hailing and when being pulled over by a policeman.
- never blame anger or a state of inebriation for a bad decision you've taken
- call it quits in time, whatever it is, rather than let it go on far too long in a wrong direction
- always explain and say goodbye to a person with whom you were romantically involved with, rather than becoming a ghost all of the sudden
- always treat people in the service industry how you'd want to be treated if your roles were switched
Maybe Trump Could Use This Advice
You don't need to understand someone to respect their wishes or believe they mean what they say they feel.
In other words: you don't have to be transgender to use someone's preferred pronoun; you don't have to understand why something you consider trivial someone else finds bullying or harassment before you stop doing it; you don't need to get why someone's relationship works to respect it; you don't need to understand why someone believes or doesn't believe in a certain religion to support their rights.
Your understanding is not a prerequisite to seeing others as people as opposed to symbols of otherness.
You're Literally In A Place Where You Can And Should Park
If you're going to park in a parking lot to wait for someone, park in a designated parking space.
It's unbelievable how many times I see someone parked by the curb or in one of the lanes of the parking lot, disrupting traffic without a care in the world.
You're in a parking lot. Take the extra 20 seconds to find a space while you wait for you passengers to return.