I have a question that sort of relates to this. I am trying to teach my boys all the proper manners and all, but what astounds me sometimes is the elevator etiquitte (sp?).
If you hear someone half a step behind, why won’t some people just hold the door of the elevator for them? What really chaps me is when they look you in the eye as the doors are closing and do nothing. One time, when I stopped the doors for myself and got on, a coworker was on the elevator and goes “Oh, I didn’t realize you were one of THOSE!” Yeah, I didn’t realize you were one of those either…
I open all doors for all persons. If a woman complains about it, then my prepared response, though not classy like the one previously quoted (‘I open them because I’m a gentleman’) is simply this:
I open it for anyone, except snakes (snakes are surfers who take your waves).
One lady I take out a lot just waits by the door for me to open it! So, I said to her once, “do you open doors for handicapped people?” She said ‘yes’. I said, ‘so open it for me’… & she replied ‘nope’…