Basic Modern Etiquette

I saw a thread like this on another forum, and since it's never inappropriate to be polite, thought I would do something similar here. Through increased use of cellphones, the internet, etc., our society seems to have lost the idea of basic etiquette. So here's where we throw out our ideas on how to make our modern world a little better place. Give a reason, an experience with said rule being broken, or why we should follow it in the first place.

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1. If someone says "Good morning" to you, respond. There are few things ruder/more awkward than greeting someone who completely ignores you.

2. Don't text when you can call. This is high on the list right now; I have a friend who exclusively texts me with three or four messages to say what she could have verbally said in about 10 seconds. I have to pay extra for text messages, and it's a waste of time and money.

3. If you have friends/family over, don't walk away to answer the phone and then have a 20 minute conversation with whoever's on the other end. My mother does this...I realize I'm not exactly a special guest since I'm over at least once a week, but it's still rude to ignore someone when they're in your home.

4. (At work) Do not stand in the middle of a small hallway with 2 or 3 other people chit-chatting and blocking everyone trying to get by. If you want to have a meeting, find a conference room or do it at your desk. Further, when someone does try to get by, don't give them dirty looks like they've just ruined your life...you're the one in the way.

5. (In the store) Do not spend 10 minutes standing in the aisle, your cart placed in an awkward position that prevents anyone from getting around you, staring at soup. Pull your cart to the side, and if someone wants to get at the section that you're blocking, move your cart to give them access. I can't tell you how many times I've had to stand and wait to grab one can of something while someone decides on the condensed soup or the chunky soup.

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Of course, some of these are just general common sense, but maybe you guys could come up with a few good ones....I think a few ideas on netiquette would be extremely appropriate...

Ah netiquette is something i try to express a lot. Here is one very recent example:

If some one disagrees with you on a forum, or corrects you about something, politely thank them, or apologize if you offended them. Peach_Follows and Phisycal recently asked about my post in the former's "government and politics" section, and upon reading their criticism i realized my post needed revising. I can;t tell you how many times, on other sites as well as this one, where constructive criticism were taken as confrontational.

Another:
Refrain from spamming some one's profile page or their inbox with messages saying things like "why haven't you responded to my message?" or "why didn;t you accept my friend request?" This is very annoying and can end up preventing a friendship. There are two reasons we don;t respond: We are too busy to or we don;t want to.

Good ol common courtesy. seriously being nice does pay off, it also may brighten someones day.

For example: I found this very contagious, but saying "thank-you" to a driver of a transit bus when getting off (specially in small cities) does wonders for both parties. For one, you feel great getting a "your welcome" and it makes furture(since you're going to be going on these quite often when your a college student) comfortable between you and drivers. And two, i'd assume it gives the bus driver a little boost as the day goes on since they're driving for long periods of time...and sharing the bus with not so polite or even nice smelling people :P.

i find its hard for people to say "excuse me" or some such when they bump into you. It bothers me that parents arent teaching their children good etiquette for their future. I have no idea how many times i say excuse me to someone and i get cussed out because their not paying attention.

table manners...i know alot of families dont eat around the table for family time any more. Is it to much to chew with your mouth closed, or use the right silverware? I grew up with this drilled into my head, so business meeting with young employess, our new ones, and sometimes the other companies as well, i feel like my mom when i had to show them which untinsels to use.

then at schools, im not sure if they do this in all schools, but ours has an issue with freshman stoppong right in the middle of class changes and talk with their friends. It blocks alot of people trying to be on time to class and just makes us all have another reason to "hate freshman" i dont really they just make me mad when they should go to the sides of the hall and talk, not the middle where people rush for class.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gren

4. (At work) Do not stand in the middle of a small hallway with 2 or 3 other people chit-chatting and blocking everyone trying to get by. If you want to have a meeting, find a conference room or do it at your desk. Further, when someone does try to get by, don't give them dirty looks like they've just ruined your life...you're the one in the way.

5. (In the store) Do not spend 10 minutes standing in the aisle, your cart placed in an awkward position that prevents anyone from getting around you, staring at soup. Pull your cart to the side, and if someone wants to get at the section that you're blocking, move your cart to give them access. I can't tell you how many times I've had to stand and wait to grab one can of something while someone decides on the condensed soup or the chunky soup.

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Combine these 2 for own of my top ten hates/frustration. (Not looking at soup in you place of work, but chatting in the middle of an isle in a shop).

A lot of ettiquite comes down to good'ol commonsense. "Treat others as you wish to be treated".
Cliched I know, but it's the best way to look at it in my mind.
Also, a lot of ettiquitte has nothing to do with being posh or brought up in a Public School environment, but comes down to Banter and Respect.

Holding a door behind you rather than let it slam in someone else's face. Commonsense? Apparently not in Aberdeen City Centre.

I've said Good Morning (well, Fitlike, but anyway?) to the same guy every Sunday morning when getting the paper for 7 years. I know hardly anything about him except that he has 2 Cocker Spaniels and a Cat that follows, but I still make that brief verbal connection.

I'm not quite sussed on the Aires and Graces of ettiquette, but talking with your mouth full while projecting half of your dinner across the table is less than appealing.

Please and Thankyou. Not terribly hard to say, yet not used a lot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gren

1. If someone says "Good morning" to you, respond. There are few things ruder/more awkward than greeting someone who completely ignores you.

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That one's definitely worth noting. On my daily walk to the bus stop or train station in the mornings, I usually say "good morning" to anyone walking past (which isn't all that often, when I think about it), and it's irritating when I don't get a reply. I know that it's early, and I know some people are crabby in the mornings, but honestly, two words wouldn't hurt. I'd even settle for just a smile in return.

Etiquette on public transport is of utmost importance! I catch the bus and train almost everyday, and it irritates me to no end when passengers are unnecessarily rude. For example, when boarding the bus, greet the driver, and when getting off the bus, thank the driver. Furthermore, when there's an elderly person without a seat, or someone with a disability, or even someone with a lot to carry, give up your seat. If they need the seat more than you, then offer your seat to them. Being considerate of the general public seems to be lacking from my generation in particular.

At my part-time job, I serve food & drinks. I'm always polite to customers, but customers aren't always polite to me! A simple "thank you" would be nice, and while most of the customers do say "thank you", some of them don't. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but the rude ones are usually old men with pot bellies from beer and bad breath from smoking. They'll order their food without saying "please", and then leave without saying "thank you". You'd think that by their age, they'd know how to be polite. So always say please when asking for something, and always say thank you afterward. It's simple, really.

I like this thread. I have seen how rude people has become.
I agree that most of the courtesy rules are more common sense than anything else... but I have find out that not everyone has common sense...
even in the table... at the university's cafeteria I hate to sit around most of my friends when they are eating... because it is like they were never told that talking with your moth full is gross and rude... some of them don'tknow how to eat... they make a lot of discusting noises with their mouths... for crying out loud!!!!
Even knocking on the door before entering to a room... how hard is that?
I have no more privacy in the piano practice rooms because there is this new freshman kid who will open the door to see hwat you are doing... and if you say something you get cussed... what the heck?

I'm liking this one, and how about children who talk back to their parents? Do something nice for them for a change instead of mouthing off. Like do some chores, tell them I love you, or pick up after everyone at the table would be a nice sign of gratitude. I mean they have done so much for us all of our lives, let us repay them back with these acts.