Thread: Chivalry Is Not Dead!

Originally Posted by IsaacRN

Now I have always wanted to get into the habit of standing when a woman enters the room. I have tried, but just cant seem to get into a serious routine about it. I do need to practice with this a bit more.

It's not always possible, i.e. when sitting at a booth at a local restaurant. I think that even a gesture of getting up is far and beyond what most expect.

I agree on the opening the car door/unlocking the car door thing.

I still open the car door for my wife and also open other doors for her. My son's have picked up on the little things and they are carrying on the tradition. I enjoy it when young teenagers see me open the car door for my wife and give her a kiss before she gets in. Most of the teenage boys snicker and most of the teenage girls love it.

I would hope that most of us who enjoy the history and tradition of using a straight razor tend to enjoy the little things in life when people show courtesy to each other.

I cannot agree with you gents enough. I wasn't exactly raised to behave with such chivalry, but I took it upon myself to withhold the once common tradition. To few decent behaving people left in this society. As I always say, even though I've been called a pretentious cynic for it: "Just trying to raise the standards a little, they have been lowered enough already."

a couple weeks ago I actually googled ettiquite. since good ettiquite shows respect and courtesy to all around you I consider refineing ones ettiquite to be one of the finer points of chivalry.

This is a great thread guys, and I am so glad to know that there are many among us that know something about common courtesy and manners.

My sweet mother would roll over in her grave if I didn't:

Hold a door for a lady / and let the man catch it behind her
and always let a lady enter before me.

Open the car door for a lady (still do for my wife of 30 yrs) and offer a hand to a lady getting out or stepping up onto something.

If possible I stand when a lady leaves or arrives at the dinner table moreso at formal occasions and not in a business setting.

Offer my seat to a lady on a bus.

Remove my hat inside (yes even ball caps) and certainly never sit at the table with a hat on.

Always help an older lady with anything from walking to carrying something.

I always say Sir or Ma'am to anyone that I think might be 10 minutes older than me. Yes, I am a Southerner and I was tought to do that out of respect and never with the intention of being "smart". I don't take offense if you don't want it (but don't hit me in the nose!!!).

In days gone buy I always lit a lady's cigarrette, but that doesn't happen much anymore.

I still do all of these and my son does too at 26 and always has. People do notice manners in casual and in professional settings.

I am sure that this isn't all, but I try not to forget in real life.

Will N.

A few years back, a friend and I stopped to help an elderly lady whom we saw struggling by the roadside carry her luggage and her pet cat nearly 1/4 mile to the train station. When we finally got her to her seat, she waved a some money at us in a most disdainful manner. An actress couldn't have done it better. It was one of the most humiliating experiences I have had. It wouldn't stop me helping someone else out in a similar situation, but I now understand why a lot of people don't bother.

To make things clear, we were two adults in their early thirties dressed quite smartly. We did not look like we needed the money.

I've always treated ladies with respect. Even when I was dating,I haven't been on a date in 20 years, and no, I'm not married. Instead of driving up and honking for my date, I would go to the door, usually with flower. I would open doors, car doors included, and pull chairs for my date. You should have seen the looks I got when I pulled a chair for my date at McDonalds (her choice) lol. I never went dutch, when I asked a lady out, I paid. Mom's theory is that the young ladies of today didn't know what to make of this treatment and I scared them off lol.

I also treated my Mom with respect. I would call to let her know if I was going to be late so she wouldn't worry, when I was working I would bring her flowers weekly. I figured that I would give her flowers while she could enjoy them, and now I'm glad I did, she has alzheimers now and is in the nursing home.

I would rather be called sir than hey buddy.I absolutely hate it when some frat boy I don't even know gets all familiar with me "Hey there Buddy " I got yer buddy ...BUDDY !

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

If some young wippersnapper says sir to me I'm gonna punch him in the nose.

I will say this though to be the devils advocate.I am all for manners and such ,but there is nothing worse than that self important manners cop who thinks it's their job to to wear superman tights and police everyone's manners just as well...that's just obnoxious and overbearing which is bad manners in itself. Except in the obvious case of someone telling a little old lady to leave off for asking to sit down.There is a time to know when to mind your own business as well.Eyes and ears open and mouth shut. But just be polite is all . This I do believe is why dueling is no more as there were a lot of ahem....opinions, of who was more polite than thou. But then again as was once said,an armed society is a polite society heh heh ! Have a nice evening sirs and madam's .