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Should you still say, "Please," "Excuse me," and "Thank you"?

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by cynthetiq, Feb 13, 2012.

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  1. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    Since the etiquette thread revolves around manners about dining mostly, I was curious how people felt about saying please when they make a request, excuse me when interrupting or having to reach around someone, and saying thank you once the request was fulfilled or you've received something. Please note these are not the limits of the usage, just for brevity I did not include all permutations.

    I say please, excuse me, and thank you often during my day.

    Times I'm mindful of these three statements.

    When I place an order with anyone making food or employees doing tasks I've asked them to do.

    I say please with just about every request I make even with my wife.

    I say thank you to the bus driver stops at my stop and I exit the bus. I say thank you when a server delivers package/my plate to the table.

    At the end of the week, I try to remember to say thank you to my team of workers letting them know I appreciate their efforts.

    I'm in a crowded city in a crowded office building with small elevators. I will say excuse me at least 3-4 times daily.

    I find it harder to do online, since it just seems odd to see written on the screen, but I do still do it from time to time.
     
    cynthetiq, Feb 13, 2012
    #1
    • Like Like x 6
  2. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    Yes, I use them constantly, it takes minimal effort.

    I'll also add that I try to return the "have a good day" (or at least respond "you too") to all the random people that say it when you go through a drive thru, get gas, or have just about any sort of retail transaction.
     
    Borla, Feb 13, 2012
    #2
    • Like Like x 5
  3. Remixer

    Remixer Middle Eastern Doofus

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Exactly the same here.
     
    Remixer, Feb 13, 2012
    #3
  4. ralphie250

    ralphie250 Fully Erect Donor

    Location:
    At work..
    i was raised with southern manners (since i live in the south). and i say, please, thank you, maam, and sir all the time. i say it out of respect for the other person that i am talking to. no matter who they are. i dont even think about it, thats just what comes out of my mouth. I am trying to raise my daughter the same way.
     
    ralphie250, Feb 13, 2012
    #4
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  5. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    I'll add that when I visit another country, those are the words I try to learn first. Many prefer to learn fuck you, yo' mamma, and other epithets. I prefer to learn how to be polite. Icelandic does not have a word for please, they use thank you instead. "Pass the bread, thank you." It works just as well.
     
    cynthetiq, Feb 13, 2012
    #5
  6. Craven Morehead

    Craven Morehead Very Tilted

    Location:
    third rock from the sun
    Yes, all the time. I even open doors for women. I was raised that way, would be a challenge not to do it.
     
    Craven Morehead, Feb 13, 2012
    #6
    • Like Like x 7
  7. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    That too. And the simple little things most people may not even notice, like walking on the side of the sidewalk towards the road.
     
    Borla, Feb 13, 2012
    #7
    • Like Like x 2
  8. LinaT14

    LinaT14 Vertical

    Location:
    Texas
    Yes, all the time. It just makes sense to be as courteous and conscientious as possible.
     
    LinaT14, Feb 13, 2012
    #8
  9. Remixer

    Remixer Middle Eastern Doofus

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Every non-German person I meet has one of two phrases for me on hand when they find out I'm German: 1) Heil Hitler! 2) Scheissen!
     
    Remixer, Feb 13, 2012
    #9
    • Like Like x 1
  10. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    Weird if not totally inconsiderate and insensitive. I only know Schweinhund! from original Castle Wolfenstein.

    Still I didn't think it was that hard to learn how to say thank you in German since it's a popular song from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
     
    cynthetiq, Feb 13, 2012
    #10
  11. mixedmedia

    mixedmedia ...

    Location:
    Florida
    I say said phrases habitually. Sometimes I even mean them.
     
    mixedmedia, Feb 13, 2012
    #11
    • Like Like x 5
  12. Zen

    Zen Very Tilted

    Location:
    London
    Hi, Ralphie ... that's it ... that's the key for me. It's that rock solid sense, which drives my asking, my thanking or my moving past folks. Sir and madam, too.
     
    Zen, Feb 13, 2012
    #12
  13. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Uh, yeah. I model these behaviors to 3-year-olds every day. Please, thank you, you're welcome, and excuse me are what I refer to as the "magic words." To be honest, I really enjoy using them. The other day, I was ordering my usual coffee before film class started. "I'd like a 20 oz, please." "Room for cream?" "No, thank you." She got my coffee, and I said, "Thank you very much." "You're welcome," the cashier said with a huge smile on her face as she rang up my order--16 oz price. I got the impression that the last few people hadn't been very polite.

    That little bit of politesse goes a long way, y'know.
     
    snowy, Feb 13, 2012
    #13
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  14. Fremen

    Fremen Allright, who stole my mustache?

    Location:
    E. Texas
    Ditto what ralphie said, except for my daughter.
    I'm raising her in a barn. When someone asks if she was raised in a barn, because of bad manners, she can say yes.
     
    Fremen, Feb 13, 2012
    #14
  15. Derwood

    Derwood Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    I probably say "thank you" or "thanks" 100 times a day at work
     
    Derwood, Feb 13, 2012
    #15
  16. Levite

    Levite Levitical Yet Funky

    Location:
    The Windy City
    Yeah, I use common polite phrases all the time. No harm in being polite. Besides, a lot of my core speech patterns got picked up from literature, and when I was young, I read quite a bit of classic English literature, and so picked up fairly good speech etiquette.
     
    Levite, Feb 13, 2012
    #16
  17. Zen

    Zen Very Tilted

    Location:
    London
    Derwood

    Juxtaposition of your avatar and the text = Teh WIN :D

    :)
     
    Zen, Feb 13, 2012
    #17
  18. grumpyolddude

    grumpyolddude Very Tilted

    Location:
    Metro Detroit, Michigan, USA
    Polite crowd... must not be the Politics forum:D

    All of the above and more. QW laughs at my frustration when I don't manage to reach a door in time to open it for her.
     
    grumpyolddude, Feb 14, 2012
    #18
    • Like Like x 2
  19. Fangirl

    Fangirl Very Tilted

    Location:
    Arizona
    Good for you, Craven Morehead. I taught my boys to do the same. I hold doors for people all the time and always for older folks. I'm in and out of doctors offices in multistory buildings and if I don't take the stairs I use the elevator. Though it may annoy people in a big fat hurry, I'll hit the 'open door' button if there's room for that straggler trying to catch the door before it closes.
    --- merged: Feb 14, 2012 5:34 AM ---
    I agree snowy. It amazes me how often when I treat a server/cashier with common courtesy that they seem surprised and they do indeed smile. They also seem to appreciate when I look at them rather than the menu when I'm ordering to go. All this stuff is just being civilized, IMO. I'm not doing anything special or out of the ordinary, just treating others as I wish to be treated.
     
    Fangirl, Feb 14, 2012
    #19
    • Like Like x 6
  20. issmmm

    issmmm Getting Tilted

    Sadly Fangirl, you aree doing something special or out of the ordinary
    As a member of the service industry (retail), common courtousey is not as common as one might think.

    thank you
     
    issmmm, Feb 14, 2012
    #20
    • Like Like x 1
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