Common Courtesy & Good Manners...

[Hilary B]

In the supermarket just before Easter we had a trolley full, as you do, and had only managed to put a couple of little things onto the conveyor thingy when this woman came along, put the divider behind them and proceeded to unload all her stuff, so we didn't have room to unpack our trolley. She then looked daggers at US and kept mumbling to her child because we took so long. We had to hand things to the checkout operator because she couldn't let the belt move forwards. It was unbelievable!

I'd have pushed the divider back and kept unloading in front of it. If her goods fell of the back of the conveyor, that would be her problem!

[Jamesy_uk]

I have to say this is all too common, Personally I was brought up to pull out chairs, open doors, help old ladies with their shopping etc etc now I am not 'young' per se I am 32 but I can see it is a dying art thats for sure.
Last time I offered to help an old lady who was struggling with several shopping bags she threatened to call the police and called me thieving scum, I have lost count at the amount of times I have held open a door and been ignored. Last week was a good example I got back to my car in sainsbury's and it was packed in the car park, a woman pulled up and said 'are you going' so I said yes and as I was getting my son into his child car seat I heard her shout 'Take your bloody time then why don't you'' and drove off.

Nice to know it isn't just me morphing into a Victor Meldrew caracature.

James.

[Ouya Mellsa]

I tell you what grinds my gears......not getting replies to texts or emails you send! I expect to be ignored by large businesses, but normal folk?

Argggghhhh!

[Hilary B]

'common' courtesy (like 'common' sense) is anything BUT common these days.
The old lady who got abusive when offered help may have heard stories of 'helpful' people who were simply helping themselves (sadly, it does occasionally happen), she might even have encountered one herself. The incident in the car park is simply impatience, and quite unnecessary! I have to admit to considerable frustration when in the car that can't get past one waiting for a space to become available (especially if I am trying to leave the car park at the time), but to complain because someone needs to finish loading their car before moving is just plain SILLY (as well as rude).

[bronwen]

Oh, I agree with all the comments so far! And yes, common sense and common courtesy are anything but common these days...

I work in nurseries and infant schools and the lack of manners from the parents is unbelievable. I think it is partly just a general lack of respect for anyone but themselves. The children are pretty bad too (no surprise when you look at their parents behaviour!)... but, like Miffy mentioned earlier, at least I am able to put time in to model and teach good manners to them.

What really gets on my nerves and makes me feel sick: the amount of people who think that spitting or, even worse, huffing snot out of their noses wherevever they may be is an appropriate or acceptable thing to do. Even in the doctor's surgery there are large 'NO SPITTING on the floor' signs.

[Suky]

I must say I count myself very fortunate here. I was both taught the importance of please and thank you very early on, and have the sort of easygoing personality that allows for people to be having a bad day and not behaving as they should; so I don't take offence at others rudeness even when 99% of normal people would.
I suppose I am the opposite of the famous "Mr Angry" - I put a lot of it down to what Rabidbun says about "overflow" stress where a mood or attitude carries over from a different subject - but even so, I do love sometimes to see someone reminded publicly that they are not above the rest of us....

I decided about a year ago to make a conscious decision not to get angry when driving and now I am much calmer and happier when in the car. At work, I just say to myself 'at least I don't have to live with you' when customers are rude and mostly, don't retaliate. Sometimes being really, really nice and polite has more effect

[Hilary B]

When it cmes to driving, I tend to make patronising comments that the annoying person will not hear (I hope!!!). It relieves the tension remarkably.
"Yes dear, you CAN drive at more than 10mph along here" somehow calms me down so much faster than "why can't you get a move on you idiot?" and since the slow driver in front doesn't know I've said it, he/she isn't going to get upset about it.