Thread: Do you open doors?

When I was married I did. As Ray said, maybe it's an age thing. OTOH, it doesn't have to be my wife. I automatically open doors for ladies always. BTW, not being married and without an option for it I did not vote in the poll.

Originally Posted by welshwizard

Is it an age thing? In the UK good manners are definitely on the decline. Growing up I was taught to open doors for females of all ages, but not only that, stand up when a lady entered the room, only sit down at the dinner table after the ladies etc.
Same with lots of things, like respecting one's elders and so on.

I disagree with that.

I hold doors open for people all the time, it's an easy way to be polite, I do it for men and women - just common courtesy. It frustrates the hell out of me when it's not recognised, like when I'm driving and I let someone pull out or surrender my right of way on a narrow road - a simple thanks goes equally as far as the initial gesture.

It's the little things in life.
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Originally Posted by JMS

McWolf, maybe you should start opening doors for ladies again. There was a time when I got some of the dirtiest looks from women for daring to treat them like a lady but I find more and more women are again appreciating the gesture! My wife hated it the first few times I opened the car door for her, so one day I decided to see what would happen if I stopped just once. She told me she missed the treatment.

JMS...advice well given and recieved. Possibly it is just a state or regional thing, but the women in Seattle are quite independent and willing to assert that independence quite vocally. lol
Of course there are exceptions, but it only take one scowl or tongue lashing, for my courtesy, to sour any desires to be chivalrous.

I was going to say... Yes I open the door because she has her hands full with the bags. j/k.

Originally Posted by joesixpack

I assume SWMBO means women.

SWMBO = She Who Must Be Obeyed. General reference to a female significant other.

I'm not really worried about people picking an answer that is 100% accurate. This is more about the general sentiment of whether we, as a group, are more likely to be gentlemanly, and judging from the poll results so far, we certainly seem to be.

I open doors of all types for my SWMBO and other ladies.
I walk down stairs ahead of SWMBO.
I stand when she leaves from/returns to the table.
I always walk to the outside of women when passing them on the street.
Generally, I have old-school manners.

For her part, she is always willing to **** my **** day or night, never fails to **** or **** or even **** or anything else I can think of when we are ****.

It's a pretty decent trade.



-Rob

I try to always open doors or keep them open. I do it for the ladies and I would also do it for gentlemen. However, I will not go out of my way in a forced or serving manner to hold a door open. One must never look too eager, if you know what I mean... And I don't care what those bloody feminists think or say: 1) a gentleman is NEVER out of style; 2) equality of rights and opportunities has nothing to do with doors and general polite behaviour and respect; 3) if you hold a door open for anyone, no matter how small the gesture may be, you will be noticed and brighten a perhaps gloomy day in the land of the uncourteous. If not... the other person is but a turd and shouldn't be alive.

I haven't read the rest of this thread, so this may have been covered, but I also open/hold doors for others. In fact, I make a point to check behind me to see if someone is there - so I can hold the door for them (within a few steps, I don't expect anyone to stand there holding it for 30 seconds). Not enough people pay attention to this type of thing. It's a shame - especially when they're on the phone and let the door close on others....

Jordan

Edit: I also make a point to say "thank you" when other hold the door for me. Not enough folks do this either.

It is the proper thing to do. Things like this make everyday life so much nicer: opening doors, giving right of way, helping into coats - and kindly pointing out you're wearing two diffent colours of socks, patiently explaining the tie really doesn't go with the shirt, patting dust from your shoulders, putting exactly that sumptuous piece of food you were ogling on your plate for you. Some would say it's sexist, I say it's just being nice to each other.

One instance of holding a door I can clearly remember. It was in highschool for the big, bossy, very leftist, very feminist, senior city council member mother of an equally feminist but gorgeous classmate. She told me in a loud voice I needn't do that just because she was a lady, and I replied something I had read: 'O, but I'm not doing this because you are a lady, I do it because I try to be a gentleman'. Embarrassing Mum to red cheeks in front of everyone and making the same laugh her buldering laugh, actually won me quite a lot of brownie points with the daughter gorgeous one (and her dad...).

Originally Posted by Oldengaerde

'O, but I'm not doing this because you are a lady, I do it because I try to be a gentleman'.

That is absolutely priceless! I'll have to use that one.