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| Sunday, 7 November 2004 |
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It goes without saying that rowdy or drunken or disorderly conduct is threatening, and causes trouble all round. When people want to let off steam, the lid shouldn't fly off in the face of the public. The habit of eating and drinking in the street where there are no amenities offends a few on principle and many more on grounds of the trail of litter, broken bottles and leftovers that the activity generates. Pleas to remove unsightly rubbish should be heard and acted upon. Owners of canines might help their cause if they exercised more control over their household pet. One instance is the importance of training an animal to do his business in the gutter and not where the mess causes a nuisance. Public-spirited owners use a pooper-scooper when circumstances demand it. Umbrellas sound harmless enough, but when held open and low can mean that the carrier is walking blind, with concomitant risks to passers-by. Take care. Banging into someone accidentally or buffeting them with shopping happens by the hour, but the blow is softened by a quick apology such as saying 'Sorry' or 'Excuse me'. Country and urban customs differ. Whereas strangers might be wary of acknowledging each other in a city, in the countryside, people are more likely to exchange a word of greeting, such as 'Good morning' or 'Good night'. Men may raise their hat. Opening a door at the entrance of a shop or public building sorts out the courteous from the pushy. It is considerate to give way to members of the public encumbered with babies or toddlers or pushchairs, to anyone who is frail or aged or very young and unable to push with the best of them. Equally, the gesture requires a nod of thanks. On crowded trains women may wonder how to manage diplomatically the male passenger who tries on the old ploy of touching up their female anatomy. They may glare at the offender and try to move away, but this may not be feasible in a packed carriage. A flip with a newspaper or a jab with a handbag to indicate disapproval may be more to the point. Women who are accosted by kerb-crawling male drivers should refrain from indicating any form of encouragement and keep walking ahead, eyes front. Whereas few men feel obliged to give up their seat to a woman on grounds of her gender, certain courtesies do apply to passengers irrespective of their sex. This is the point. The able-bodied and mobile should surely give precedence to those who are ill-equipped to fend for themselves. An able-voided female should think to give up her seat to a frail male and likewise a stalwart male should be prepared to move over and give his seat to another of his sex, perhaps laden with babies and baggage. In general, those with disabilities, or anyone who appears to be in extremis should be offered a seat. Lastly, if a member of the public is in extremis and calls for help, any human being worth their salt will offer succour and not pass by on the other side. In general, however, if assistance is refused, it is usually unwise to press the point. |
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| Politics | Produced by Lake House |
Street manners have become a byword for bad manners, which is a pity.
Good behaviour in public, as elsewhere, calls for a compromise between
personal freedom and consideration for others.
