There's no need to be a jerk.
Reddit user, u/CellSaga21, wanted to hear what we should all already know when they asked:
What's an unwritten rule everyone should know, but doesn't?
Out in public? Around other people? Give them space, let them off the bus first, and for the love of all that is holy, keep your phone to yourself.
Wait To Get On
"Let people get off the bus/train before entering"
"And elevators."
"NCIS SSA Leroy Jethro Gibbs' Rule 62: "Leave room for someone exiting the elevator.", I think quoting a rule from NCIS fits perfectly in here"
HEY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!
"Do not use speakerphone on a call in public"
"Or voicemail. Worked in an office and every morning the woman in the cubicle next to me played her voicemails full-blast. I rarely could focus on my own stuff"
"Or FaceTime???? Why do I see so many people FaceTiming in confined public spaces?!?"
...*inches closer
"Don't touch me or stand so close to me that I can feel you breathing if I don't know you!"
"Seems so simple, but so many people are disrespectful of personal space."
"To add onto this: in checkout lanes, GET OFF MY BACK. What do you hope to accomplish by standing .3 feet from me as I check out?"
Most of these behavioral practices, at their core, are there to teach you to not be a jerk. We're all out there trying to do our best, the last thing we want to have to is waiting behind someone who doesn't know how to merge properly.
Leave It On The Screen
"When I show you a picture on my phone, DONT GO SWIPING SIDEWAYS!! this is something that people do that drives me nuts. Like, privacy is a thing..."
"Tip: Before handing them your phone, zoom in ever so slightly on the picture. That way if they swipe left or right it'll just move the picture around."
Follow The Rules And Just Merge Already!
"Don't break rules of traffic in an attempt to be courteous to other drivers. It often just makes situations more confusing and stressful than necessary. Just obeying the regular rules is far more appreciated."
"In my neighborhood people try to be too nice at four way stops."
"You have waved through three people, it's your f-cking turn, JUST GO."
"Don't speed up when someone is passing you."
"Someone did this to me the other day... They were going 55 in a 65, so I decided to pass. The m***fers.. SPED UP TO 90. I didn't have time at that point to slow down and get back behind them as cars were coming so I floored it and got around. I was furious. It was incredibly stupid and dangerous, I drive that road everyday for work, and these stupid people just don't want a car to pass them."
It's The Absolute Bare Minimum
"For the love of God, just return the shopping cart when you're done with it"
"Years ago i saw a post about the shopping cart theory. The act of returning the shopping cart can determine a person's moral character. Doing the right thing without being forced and knowing that there is no punishment if you don't. It is so true and I make sure to always return the cart!"
If you so choose to follow these rules, to help keep society a civil place, then you'll find less awkward interactions with people.
Ignore them and, well, you'll have to wait to see the negative outcomes.
Just Don't. DON'T.
"Do not ask a woman if she is pregnant. Ever."
"I always kinda thought this was a joke and not really something to be offended by. Then it happened to me. Just after I had lost a shit load of weight. It sounds stupid but it genuinely devastated me"
It's Nerve-Wracking, But Just Do It
"Always tell a girl if she's bled through on her period. Edit: thanks for the awards!"
"Discretely"
"I'm a girl, and even I was kind of nervous about telling my one coworker she was bleeding. I told her anyway and she was super thankful! Thankfully we had hydrogen-peroxide in the restroom and she was able to get herself cleaned up. The stuff is a lifesaver when it comes to cleaning fresh blood off clothes (coming from me, a woman and also suffers from nosebleeds)."
Leave It Alone
"Don't touch a disabled person's mobility aids with out being specifically asked to do so by the person. Wheelchair, scooter, cane, dog, walker, whatever they are using don't touch it unless they ASK you to. View it as a stranger trying to touch your legs, do you want rando to pick up your leg? Move your leg? Pet your leg? Probably not."
