Steppenpig Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 What is the socially acceptable way of acknowledging people who one encounters daily or (more awkwardly) more regularly, but with whom one has only a passing geographical connection? The doorman, colleague at the photocopier, builders working in the courtyard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 You should "nut" them and urinate on their trousers, before they do it to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crashmonitor Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 What is the socially acceptable way of acknowledging people who one encounters daily or (more awkwardly) more regularly, but with whom one has only a passing geographical connection? The doorman, colleague at the photocopier, builders working in the courtyard. In the north of England have a ten minute conversation, invite them for tea, offer to assist them for an hour with their building project, in the south pretend you have not seen them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendy Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Erm, say hello/morning etc. It's the distance thing that is always more awkward (spin to around 10 mins): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveinHope Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Always say "hello" cheerily to whoever it is, and then when out of earshot, sometimes mutter "Prat" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riedquat Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Following someone through a building is more awkward if they're in front of you and holding the doors open. By the third door the "thanks" starts to feel a bit silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Following someone through a building is more awkward if they're in front of you and holding the doors open. By the third door the "thanks" starts to feel a bit silly. trip them up and take the lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fully Detached Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I don't really worry about what's socially acceptable. If we make eye contact, I give them a big smile and a cheerful hello. If they think that's weird, it's their problem, not mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeDavola Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 A general hello, or if it's morning then good morning. Simple greetings like that are something that I'm trying consciously do more often to come out of my shell a bit and be less socially awkward, if you can call it that. I've also started extending my farewell's to include an American-style (have a good one/have a good day). Now if I can just progress to a friendly 'fancy a shag?' when appropriate, my social skills will be complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendy Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 A general hello, or if it's morning then good morning. Simple greetings like that are something that I'm trying consciously do more often to come out of my shell a bit and be less socially awkward, if you can call it that. I've also started extending my farewell's to include an American-style (have a good one/have a good day). Now if I can just progress to a friendly 'fancy a shag?' when appropriate, my social skills will be complete. Cut out the middleman! Seems as I get older saying 'take care' doesn't sound as pansy as when you're younger. Also seem to be regularly greeting people with 'easy x' a lot again, I think that's a phrase that gets bandied around at the gym a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveinHope Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Following someone through a building is more awkward if they're in front of you and holding the doors open. By the third door the "thanks" starts to feel a bit silly. At work, us 'blokes' have noticed a difference between the young women and the younger men. More of the former will breeze through a door and let the door swing closed in your face than the latter, who will more often hold it open. Is this some form of flirting, or summat else ? I'll never forget the time I committed the ultimate faux pas of opening a door for a woman at work. Now, I just open the door for other men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scunnered Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 You should "nut" them and urinate on their trousers, before they do it to you. You've been to Glasgow then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I thought this thread was going to be about Scottish Funeral etiquette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I'll never forget the time I committed the ultimate faux pas of opening a door for a woman at work. Now, I just open the door for other men. You obviously forgot to give her a friendly pat on the bottom as she walked through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeDavola Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I'll never forget the time I committed the ultimate faux pas of opening a door for a woman at work. Now, I just open the door for other men. I remember going on a third date with a feminist, and holding the door open for her as we left my apartment building - she froze, shot me the most withering look ever, and after an awkward second or so I got the message and just walked through the door ahead of her. I must have been oppressing her or something. What an arsehole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I remember going on a third date with a feminist, and holding the door open for her as we left my apartment building - she froze, shot me the most withering look ever, and after an awkward second or so I got the message and just walked through the door ahead of her. I must have been oppressing her or something. What an arsehole. You should have gone through after she did, and then goosed her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errol Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Presumably you ditched her pretty quicky after that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeDavola Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Presumably you ditched her pretty quicky after that? Nope, unfortunately not. That third date involved a meal together, where she had asked me out and showed up all tarted up, we shared a desert at the end of the meal blah blah - and then she was disgusted when I finally made my move (although it was a clumsy move) and friendzoned me. I was besotted with her so spent 6 months trying to 'win her over' while she treated me with increasing contempt (highlights included her sitting opposite me lamenting that she "couldn't find anyone GOOD enough" on the dating sites). All very bad indeed for my mojo. I was inexperienced in these matters at the time and a mix of hard-earned cynicism and better self esteem means I'd never do anything so foolish again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justthisbloke Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 What about cycling? Do you greet those commuting the other way as fellow warriors of the road/crappy cyclepath (and be regarded as nodding loon)? Or coolly ignore everyone (and be regarded as a grumpy antisocial git)? And what about when you overtake someone? A breezy "morning!" (before you collapse breathless round the next corner)? Or studied indifference as you eat yet another lesser mortal for breakfast (before you collapse breathless round the next corner)? Cycling's worse than chess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fully Detached Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Cycling's worse than chess. Damn right it is. I've never commuted by bike, so all my cycling has been done for pleasure. But you could write a thesis on the different reactions of people you cross paths with out cycling. I tend to give everyone a cheerful "hello", unless they are going down a very steep hill while I am going up it, in which case they get a nod and a brief wave of the hand. But I'm always disappointed how many people completely ignore you. They are normally clad in one piece lycra with a £5k bike and are presumably so busy being the next Chris Froome that they can't even spare the energy to acknowledge lesser mortals. I'll admit that my greetings in these cases normally start politely with "Hello!" and end loudly with "You ******ing *****". I've no idea why it annoys me so much, but it does. Regarding overtaking, I normally just say hello. I learned not to get too cocky about it early in my cycling days when I had just splashed out on the bike and all the gear, only to get overtaken on a very steep hill by a bloke in his 70s, riding a fixie, wearing a panama hat, beige slacks, and bloody flip-flops. He was extremely chatty as he went past as well, bless him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I've thought about getting a bicycle, just for short trips, but I think I will need Tourette's Syndrome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justthisbloke Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 The first time I cycled to work in my twenties, the effort nearly killed me. I was particularly demoralised to be overtaken by an old codger riding an ancient rusty bike (with, maybe, three hub gears) and smoking a rollie. He sailed past with a cheerful "Good Morning!" and a wave of his fag. He did, however, inspire/incentivise me to stick with it and I've pretty much cycle commuted ever since. And I've mostly greeted fellow riders. Never saw him again. He must have been an ethereal presence on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 The first time I cycled to work in my twenties, the effort nearly killed me. I was particularly demoralised to be overtaken by an old codger riding an ancient rusty bike (with, maybe, three hub gears) and smoking a rollie. He sailed past with a cheerful "Good Morning!" and a wave of his fag. He did, however, inspire/incentivise me to stick with it and I've pretty much cycle commuted ever since. And I've mostly greeted fellow riders. Never saw him again. He must have been an ethereal presence on the road. Sounds like my dad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Bear Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Sounds like my dad! Except for the rollie, sounds like my FiL. Mr B still has his ancient rusty bike in the garage over 15 years after he died - can't bring himself to get rid of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC1 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I was particularly demoralised to be overtaken by an old codger riding an ancient rusty bike (with, maybe, three hub gears) and smoking a rollie. He sailed past with a cheerful "Good Morning!" and a wave of his fag. Brilliant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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