# Is it impolite to refuse to share your umbrella with a stranger when it's raining? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 13, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930 "2013-06-13T21:29:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/1 "2013-06-13T21:29:57Z")
I was waiting at the bus stop this morning and it started raining. I asked a person if I could stand under her umbrella. NO! WTF? So I decided to take a poll on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/2 "2013-06-13T21:41:21Z")
I voted no. If my umbrella is large enough for two, sure, but the average umbrella will cause you to get wet if you try and squeeze two people under one. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/3 "2013-06-13T21:45:43Z")
I also voted no, and think it’s odd that you would have asked her. ---
**Author:** ![Mathematics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@Mathematics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathematics)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/4 "2013-06-13T21:47:31Z")
I think it’s kind of weird to ask. I mean, most people don’t want to share that close of a space with a random stranger. Even if they had said yes, I doubt they would have been happy about it. You’re pretty much forcing them into an awkward position. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/5 "2013-06-13T21:49:50Z")
I would say it’s not impolite to refuse, but it is impolite to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/6 "2013-06-13T22:06:22Z")
The answer depends entirely on whether the two of you are the main characters in a romantic comedy or not. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/7 "2013-06-13T23:20:53Z")
It’s only polite if your name is Hollie or his is Herman or if either one of you is a Hermit. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/8 "2013-06-13T23:23:56Z")
> [@Mathematics](#): > > You’re pretty much forcing them into an awkward position. This. You’ve forced them to say yes or else appear rude, even though there’s nothing rude about not wanting to squeeze next to a stranger to share the tiny space under an umbrella. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/9 "2013-06-13T23:26:49Z")
Good grief, yes, you should share. It’s the good old Golden Rule. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/10 "2013-06-13T23:29:49Z")
Not impolite to refuse. It would never even cross my mind to ask a friend, let alone a stranger. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/11 "2013-06-13T23:54:14Z")
Of course it’s not rude. Honestly, I thought the OP was going to be the other way around – Annie refused to share her umbrella and was called rude. Seriously, bring your own umbrella. Why should I get cold and wet because you didn’t plan in advance? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/12 "2013-06-13T23:57:20Z")
I’d certainly share. I’ve offered to share an umbrella with strangers before. Not a big deal. A lot of people are selfish or have weird personal space issues. I wouldn’t ask to share their umbrella. Why give them a chance to be a dick? ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/13 "2013-06-13T23:59:28Z")
Hell, I’ll pull to the side of a busy highway and rescue dirty stray dogs and hateful, ugly cats. Of course I’d help a stranger avoid getting wet and cold. I wouldn’t _ask_ to share an umbrella as I like my personal space but I wouldn’t turn anyone down unless I feared I was going to be robbed. I carry spare umbrellas in my car and bag and give away one or two each month, and I wouldn’t think twice about offering to help someone even if he/she smells, acts weird, has crazy eyes, or sports Crocs. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/14 "2013-06-14T00:01:51Z")
I’ve never asked someone if I could share their umbrella, but I did have someone ask me once. So I shared it. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/15 "2013-06-14T00:22:49Z")
I probably wouldn’t have been assertive enough to ask. But I wouldn’t have declined a request to share. I don’t think it is rude to say no, though. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/16 "2013-06-14T00:24:02Z")
Very strange to ask. If someone did ask me I’d probably say yes just because I’m scared of conflict, but I would wish I had said no, and I don’t think it would be at all rude to. If they had a giant umbrella then it wouldn’t be quite as weird, but a regular size umbrella is not built for two, especially not two strangers who probably don’t want to be all cuddled up together. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/17 "2013-06-14T00:24:13Z")
obligatory “I don’t even own an umbrella” post. seriously, I don’t. why are people so afraid of water? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/18 "2013-06-14T00:47:02Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > obligatory “I don’t even own an umbrella” post. > > seriously, I don’t. why are people so afraid of water? Afraid of water? Of course not. What a silly thing to say. Don’t want to get sopping wet on my way to work, where I’ll have to air dry and maybe not dry out for half a day wearing wet clothes around, yes. Don’t want to deal with my hair-sprayed and carefully coiffed hair getting sopping wet and then trying to re-arrange it with we hair spray in it and try not to look like a deranged homeless person while talking to clients at work, yes. Don’t want to have to re-do all my makeup after looking like I took a swim, well, yes. Clearly, you’re a dude who doesn’t give a crap what he looks like or it doesn’t matter where you work. Well aren’t you just a lucky guy! Some us have to look like we give a shit. And no, as to the OP, I wouldn’t share my umbrella on first impulse. Though if I saw a bus was coming and knew it wouldn’t me long, maybe. It’s a collapsible one that’s just not that large. If you tried to share it, all you would get under it is your head and you would get the runoff from the neck down your backside anyway, and I would tell you so. If I happened to have a giant golf umbrella, I’d probably offer it first anyway, but not the little fold-up. There are no bus shelters or buildings nearby? I carry my umbrella in my bag at all times. It’s easier to do that than to try to plan around the weather for the day around here. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/19 "2013-06-14T01:36:50Z")
There’s a DHMO joke in this thread somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930/20 "2013-06-14T02:59:04Z")
Sorry, but please move away. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-impolite-to-refuse-to-share-your-umbrella-with-a-stranger-when-its-raining/660930.md?page=2)