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Keeping old etiquette rules alive

Sazerac

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Modern etiquette rules have evolved, and some have gone right out the window. Are there any old rules you keep alive?

One of my favorites is standing for a woman at the table. It's archaic, but it's usually appreciated. (I once did this for a woman in Russia, where the custom has never been widely practiced, when she got up to go to the bathroom. She said, "are you coming with me?")

Another one is opening a car door for a woman. My wife, even after eight years, still likes this.
 

foodguy

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i was raised in the south and i still call women ma'am. i open doors for them; i stand at the table; etc. mostly unappreciated, but i like it.
 

CouttsClient

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Originally Posted by foodguy
i was raised in the south and i still call women ma'am. i open doors for them; i stand at the table; etc. mostly unappreciated, but i like it.
+1
 

mordecai

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i open doors, walk on the street side, say ma'am, challenge people to duels, kiss, and try not to rest my elbows on the table. i also stare straight ahead, not down at ******** when using a urinal. i consider the latter to be the height of rudeness.
 

itsstillmatt

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Originally Posted by mharwitt
i open doors, walk on the street side, say ma'am, challenge people to duels, kiss, and try not to rest my elbows on the table. i also stare straight ahead, not down at ******** when using a urinal. i consider the latter to be the height of rudeness.
I am the same, though I can't help looking at the big dog when I pee. Actually, I used to walk street side, but my wife finally told me that she would rather switch -- splashes being less harmful than homeless folk. It was hard to do, but I did.
 

Krish the Fish

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Whenever I'm back at the parents' place, I always open the car door for my mom, and I usually open the door into a building for whoever's after me, regardless of gender. It just seems like the right thing to do.
 

mordecai

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Originally Posted by iammatt
I am the same, though I can't help looking at the big dog when I pee. Actually, I used to walk street side, but my wife finally told me that she would rather switch -- splashes being less harmful than homeless folk. It was hard to do, but I did.
my gf is aware of this, but doesn't understand it. she'll mess with me by trying to switch sides, which, if i'm not paying attention, causes my feet to sort of carry me out into the street without my noticing.
 

hendrix

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remarkably, women appear capable of opening doors for themselves. I don't know how they figured out how to do this, but perhaps it's evolution in action.
 

foodguy

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Originally Posted by hendrix
remarkably, women appear capable of opening doors for themselves. I don't know how they figured out how to do this, but perhaps it's evolution in action.

sigh. that's so "rhoda". of course they CAN. the question is whether they should HAVE to.
 

itsstillmatt

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Originally Posted by foodguy
sigh. that's so "rhoda". of course they CAN. the question is whether they should HAVE to.
Sorry, Russ. You are just not progressive enough for this crowd.
smile.gif
 

foodguy

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Originally Posted by iammatt
Sorry, Russ. You are just not progressive enough for this crowd.
smile.gif


i'm so old-fashioned i'm LIBERAL.
 

fwiffo

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Walking street side? I now always walk on the side where there are metal grates because most if not all my female companions wear heels.

Of course there are also times when the entire sidewalk is a metal grate and it presents a real conundrum.

However all this chivalry about throwing your jacket so someone can cross a puddle will have to be ignored by me as I can't imagine throwing my SF approved suit jacket on the ground.
 

kwilkinson

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Originally Posted by foodguy
i was raised in the south and i still call women ma'am. i open doors for them; i stand at the table; etc. mostly unappreciated, but i like it.
I do all this stuff and some other general etiquette things too. What's funny is that it gets noticed more often by 60+ yr old men than by the person that I'm doing the things for.
 

Piobaire

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I will be honest. I have a hard time treating the standard young chippie with the same respect I would people 35 and older. Door holding, for instance. I've had too many young chippies let doors slam in my face for me to hold one for them. Totally self-absorbed people on their cell phones, sipping Starbucks, and coo'ing to their purse doggies get squat from me. /old man rant

As far as old etiquette in good company? Yes, all of that.
 

Harold falcon

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I still stand at the table, open doors, etc. I took some **** from a girl once for doing this. I think she was just upset that nobody had ever done it for her before so it was a new experience, but she was also addicted to pain killers and was Jewish so it's probably for the best that things didn't work out.
 

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