Where have peoples manners gone to ?

[Garp]

Originally Posted by AboveTheSalt

Now, you've set me to wondering, how did you manage to identify to which "racial or religious group" each of these people belonged

I simply can't imagine meeting a stranger on a bus or in a pub and asking to see their passport.

Do you ever have conversations with random people whilst out and about? It's surprising how often such things do come up, particularly when I've just got onto a bus with an acoustic guitar and a bag of pedals and stuff when on my way to church. I've lost count how many times I've had a conversation like so:
Them: That's a heavy load, off to something specific?
Me: Yeah, on my way to church, I'm involved in the worship team.
Them: You're a Christian then?
Me: Yup, card carrying, Jesus loving, Spirit filled Christian. (or whatever feels appropriate)
Them: Oh, I'm a muslim/hindu/christian/flying spaghetti monsterist myself

Jews are easy to spot, they're the main ones shopping in the Kosher aisle at Asda

Having worked closely with people from a fair number of European countries and all sorts of nationalities, I'm fairly adept at picking out nationalities based on accents, quirks of their english wording, and odd words in their own language.. e.g. Polish people have a tendancy to say "Tak.. Tak.." while in conversation with each other.

[Pheebs]

It grates on me when people don't thank you for things like opening doors and letting them out at a junction etc. I'm a bit like Kitten and end up saying "Why thank you very much, that's evvvvver so kind of you!!"

I always find I am looking at people too although I am uncertain whether they think I am staring or not. I just like people watching If I ever catch someones eye I tend to smile and say hey! Tube trains suck bum though! Saying that I did manage to stand on a poor Mums foot once and I apologised profusely and told her kids they'd have to carry Mummy home now and she was really nice But most people just don't even acknowledge you if you say "pardon" or smile or anything. Weiiiiiird town people you are!

As for cultural differences I can only comment on what I've experienced and in all my life I have probably encountered one or two times where I have thought "you rude nicompoop" to who I presume were foreigners whilst in England... which greatly outweighs the amount of times I have said the same to someone (I have presumed) is English. My Polish friend is the biggest gem ever. Incredibly polite although she explains to me that her country has a very sarcastic and dry sense of humour so she's found some people can interpret their jokiness as insulting Boo!

I find when I am out and about I end up chatting to randoms all the time and I think that way I have experienced peoples better sides! I also have an incredibly cheesey smile and am quite vocal so if I ever rush to open a door for someone I tend to say "here y'ar!" type thing which encourages a positive response



And Kitten! You saying about staring at people - you scared the pants off me when I was trying to quietly unravel my sleeping bag one morning! There's me rolling it up and focusing not on making uber loud noises and as I turn there's this lady staring right at me with eyes the size of plates!!

[Jonny69]

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky/ Reuters

I wonder whether it is humour or sexist ignorance that sponsored this post.

I don't tend to tailor my manners to anyone else, and I think expecting strangers to automatically meet some kind of social behaviour is needy, although only slightly.

No you're right, I don't actually give way to anyone any more. My question is usually would that person be courteous to me, the answer is almost always no, so I do not impart my courtesy at all. The small percentage who do are lavished with my attention.

I think this is a result of living in London though. Compared to the rest of the country people are very rude here.

[BBx]

Originally Posted by Jonny69

I think this is a result of living in London though. Compared to the rest of the country people are very rude here.

Have to agree... very little people in London thank you for giving way on the roads.

An example of bad manners (or just plain rudeness) was this morning catching the bus from London Bridge to Liverpool street.

This woman pushed in the queue and despite being told that the back of the line was 50m in the opposite direction, she just kept saying 'I have a right to stand here'... whatever!

The 149 pulls up (this is a bendy bus which you basically can get on anywhere) but there was no room left for this woman who pushed at the front so she had to get back in the queue.

The next bus was a 48 (which has a conductor), she didn't get on it... possibly because she didn't have a ticket... got her absolutely nowhere pushing in.. what a loser. lolled at her when I walked past. Silly woman.

Love it when Karma gets its own back.

BB x

[Lomster]

Originally Posted by Knipples

Grrr thats another thing that bugs me, people struggling with buggies and no one helps them, getting on and off of buses or trains or through doors, and I will always (if I safely can) stop if theres someone with children waiting to cross the road at a junction.

The buggy through doors really does bother me now that my little helper is at school
Its bad enough with a small buggy but with a double its a nightmare.

Road thing can be annoying especially when its pouring with rain and I find that its women with no children in car or 20-40ish men that actually stop while we cross. weird eh? you'd expect the parents with kids in cars to understand and let us across.

Bus thing I've never really had a problem with as there is usually an old lady willing to get girls on bus for me and if not I just hand baby over to bus driver while I get buggy and older daughter on the bus.

[mok`]

Originally Posted by Knipples

Grrr thats another thing that bugs me, people struggling with buggies and no one helps them, getting on and off of buses or trains or through doors, and I will always (if I safely can) stop if theres someone with children waiting to cross the road at a junction.

People with buggies do my head in too- they dawdle along and take up the whole flipping pavement. The current fashion for massive prams/buggies should be outlawed, particularly the ones with 3 wheels that have about the same road footprint as an average hatchback. I even saw one with disc brakes FFS.

Bring back good old-fashioned foldy McLaren pushchairs tbh.

Oh wait...you ARE people with buggies aren't you....(steps away slowly).

Actually I've just been seeing my gf's new niece so had an experience of seeing things from the other side of the fence so to speak although I still think that a 4 foot wide pram for a child that I can pretty much hold in 1 hand is slightly excessive.