Manners? What Manners?

Our society has lost its manners.  I don't post the following examples of bad manners in order to be negative, because who likes negativity, right? I'm only posting it because I figured that if enough people can relate to being frustrated at some of these examples, then maybe together, we can try to make a difference, so that we can bring some semblance of manners back to our society:

• Driver stops for pedestrian who is crossing illegally in front of him. Driver behind honks rudely at first driver, all because he was in a hurry. He could care less about the pedestrian.

• Customer unloads full shopping cart & angrily disputes the price of several items. Customer hands cashier multiple items that she no longer wants, leaving it for store employees to put back. Customer takes her time to pay for her purchase, being completely oblivious to the fact that she has inconvenienced cashier, as well as the line full of people she kept waiting behind her. 

• Person enters or calls an establishment where they've conducted personal or professional business. The person expects special treatment, & demands that their every wish be catered to. "After all, my contributions/donations/gifts/taxes paid for this building", they may say. 

• Someone feels justified in being rude or disrespectful toward a teacher, public servant, member of the military, member of law enforcement, or whomever, because they feel their taxes entitle them to. 

• Customer speaks in a demeaning manner toward store, restaurant or hospitality service employees, because they mistakenly think that they are superior to said employee, based upon the employee's job description. They forget that they were the ones who needed the employee's service or assistance in the first place, not the other way around. 

• Honking one's horn when you are meeting someone, to announce you are there, instead of getting out of the vehicle, ringing the bell, or even calling that person on the phone!

• Taking cuts, no matter what type of line you are in.

• Failing to say "please", "thank you", "I appreciate that", or "I'm sorry", when it is due.

• Not responding to an RSVP, and/or changing your RSVP without telling your host. That is inconsiderate to the host/hostess, whose plans depended on an accurate head count. 

• Failing to clean up after yourself when you make a mess, especially in someone else's home or business.

• Failing to send out thank you cards or make a phone call to acknowledge receipt & appreciation of gifts. I have been guilty of this one, a time or two. 

• Being in a country that does not speak your native language, yet insisting that they do.

• Broadcasting with a loud voice, details of one's personal or romantic life, in confined areas such as on buses or in elevators, where strangers hearing such conversations, can't escape.

• Not respecting the personal space of others - particularly if one has bad hygiene. 

• Not stepping out of the way when someone is walking from the opposite direction, & there is only room for one person to pass. Both people should step aside, rather than someone having to move quickly in order to prevent being plowed over. 

• Playing one's music so loudly that others can hear it from two blocks away. Just as an FYI, if someone plays whatever style of music they like, at ear-piercing decibels, said person WILL hear my country music like they've never heard country music before. Just saying...

• Pushing in front of someone in order to get ahead of them. Unless you're doing so to render aid to someone who's hurt, or tending to some other emergency, wait your turn!!

• Talking above a soft whisper during a performance, speech, lecture or sermon. 

• Fighting in front of others in public. It makes those doing it seem trashy. Life is not the Jerry Springer Show!

• Haggling with someone who is selling something, for petty reasons. Minor flaws in an items does not entitle you to a discount, nor is being cheap or greedy becoming on a person. 

• Allowing one's child to scream or throw a tantrum in public, when they do not have a physical or mental disability which lends that child to unpredictable or unpleasant behavior that they cannot help. Not controlling a child who exhibits bad behavior when one is able to do so. 

• Not taking no for an answer, or following visual or verbal cues, when others are trying to politely excuse themselves from further conversation. 

• Only contacting someone when you want something from them.

• Not reading the fine print on a coupon, store ad, product packaging or contract, & then throwing a fit to store employees because of your failure to read.

• Buying something you have no intention of keeping, for the sole purpose of using it, & then returning it for a refund. That equates to a store paying you to use their product, & then having to resell it at a loss. It also equates to theft!

• Going on & on when trying to make a point that people are ill-mannered, & forcing others to continue reading, when you've made your point already. So on that note, let's all try to treat others the way we would appreciate being treated. That's basic manners folks, & it's not that difficult!