Manners.

I live in a very rural area where we mostly have one track lanes. I actually enjoy giving way to other drivers or riders who nearly always acknowledge the courtesy with a wave or a nod.

If this happens to my DH, he sometimes says 'pardon?' They sometimes reply 'I didn't say anything' and he says 'oh sorry. I could have sworn you said thank you.

Yes, it’s always the old folk too. Try giving way in a crowded Tesco aisle. Half the oldies don’t say thanks ??

When out walking, DH and I who always hold hands when walking, always separate and go single file to accommodate other people coming towards us. We have noticed that many others walking together do not do the same to us. Some say thank you, others do not.

I find it a bit of a mixture. If you look them in the eye with a smile you sometimes get a thank you.
When walking along a cycle path/pavement it can be difficult - we regularly had a club of cyclists passing by they always said thank you and the tail-ender always said, "thanks, I'm the last" with a smile.
I always look round when entering/leaving a shop to hold the door open, I hope it's appreciated.

We live near land managed by the National Trust where people often walk along narrow paths by the waterside. Often we will give way to younger and fitter walkers, usually saying something along the lines of'you go first - you'll be quicker!' with a smile. I don't think we've ever had a negative response - perhaps people out for the day are expecting to enjoy themselves more and are more responsive? and young ones in particular have on occasion noticed that I suffer from arthritis and have helped me down steps or steeper gradients.
There will always be some, of course, that avoid eye contact - and others who visit in groups, and talk/shriek loudly - frightening away all the wildlife others have come to see.....

I notice this particularly with the 'door swinging in my face' arena. Happens so regularly that I am now alert to it. I wonder why this has happened. Are manners not taught at all? Were we brainwashed at an early age? I'm really curious as to this deterioration. Seems such a shame.

My Mother's mantra was 'manners cost nothing'; what a difference they make though. Ill mannered people annoy other people, well mannered people impress, and what a lot that must do for goodwill, success in careers and just generally getting along in a happier way in society. I read that Nigella Lawson has beautiful manners and treats everyone with the utmost gentle courtesy; as a result when she is filming cookery programmes the crew will do anything to help her, and not just because she looks good or hands out cakes! I once stepped into the road with my little dog to let our local vicar pass on a very narrow pavement; he was carrying a couple of shopping bags. He swept past without a word or a glance. I did mutter a few less than holy words.

It's true. Manners are sadly lacking, and this can happen with any age. But I must say that horse riders, to which I often give way as I live near a horse farm/stables, are invariably grateful and always give a friendly wave.

+KatyK* I must remember your dh response.
Having said that I find most folk have manners.

I live in a town, and it is surprising how many people stop and wave me across when I am waiting to cross the road. Obviously, I always nod a thank you to them.

I don't think manners belong to any particular age group or sex; some people have them and use them, some people don't.
There was a time when some younger female colleagues would get extremely uptight when men, usually older, held doors open for them, offered to carry things, gave up their seats,and horror of horrors, tried to light their cigarettes for them, (that long ago). They regarded themselves as feminists , were quite able to look after themselves, thank you, and didn't need to be patronised by men.
I wonder how they brought up their children?

On the train home the other day a young man got on with a group of people and sat next to me. He was having a conversation which included lots of c** and f* words and was about someone he had been working with. I wondered if I should say something, but it was late and I was tired. When we reached my station I needed to pass him. When I asked him to let me by he stood up, apologising profusely and very eloquently. Asked if I was OK and made sure I had plenty of room to pass. It was an absolute transformation. I still don't understand how the awful yob who was swearing became the polite young man.

Where do I start? Holding a shop door open for someone who then sweeps past without touching the door or saying thank you. I have managed on occasion to let go of the door when this happens and get a look of surprise and anger.
Pavement manners? The person facing the traffic should walk on the outside. Parents should keep children on the inside. How many times do I see (mostly) dads with small children on the traffic side. Joggers and country walkers should face oncoming traffic. If a couple or group walk towards me on the pavement, meaning I have to step into the road, I just stand stock still in front of them.

Road manners? Don’t they teach indicating in the Highway Code or general road manners?

And as for mobile phone manners! Luckily I must stop here as I have a friend coming for coffee.

On a bus recently there were some school children sitting a few rows back behind me - about 11 and 12 years old. The language from one of the boys was disgusting and said at the top of his voice. There were a number of much younger children on the bus and their mothers were looking a bit anxious. I actually turned around and asked the boy to 'mind his language'. His reply was 'why should I? I replied it was unpleasant and the rest of the bus didn't want to hear it. At that, a couple of the mums agreed with me and said they had their young children with them. The boy sniggered to the others, but did keep his voice down. This is not the first time I have asked young people to control their language on public transport. I wonder what their parents would say if they heard them!!

This really annoys me as well , also when you are driving and you let someone out and they don’t acknowledge you . Some people are so rude .

Ooh, now you've started me off! How about when you hold a shop door open for the person behind you and suddenly 72 others appear from nowhere and rush through (like it's your job to go around holding doors open for the likes of them) without a murmur? And you know that they know you're there because of the clumsy way they avoid eye contact.

Ha! A pox on them and their lack of basic etiquette - bet they do that 'Manspread' thing on public transport too.

My husband will say in a loud voice "Don't mention it - oh you didn't!"

The other day I was waiting at the check-out in the supermarket, the woman in front of me was on her phone the whole time, not looking at the check-out operator at all, handing over her money whilst still staring into the distance and never once acknowledging the assistant. When it was my turn I mentioned to the assistant that I thought it was very rude - the assistant said it happened all the time, mostly with young people but occasionally with older people too. I suppose you either have manners or you don't - age doesn't come into it.

When I am on my scooter in the town centre there are often families walking slowly three or even four abreast and they get very rude if I ask then politely if I can get pass. Last week in the checkout queue I just touched a woman’s foot with my front wheel. I apologised but got a load of abuse about old people. Everyone these days seems to be so miserable and rarely do you see a smile

When my daughter was a teenager she used to get the bus home from school every day. She said the old people would elbow the young ones out of the way to get on the bus first. She would never have pushed in from of them as she had been taught good manners. Just shows, being old doesn't make you polite.

I put it down to ignorance. Parents have either failed or not tried.

We used to have a really rude lady at our local post office (now closed down) who never said please or thank you, or even acknowledged customers. One day after being served in her normal rude manner, I said ‘pardon’, her response was ‘I didn’t say anything’ so I replied ‘I’m Sorry, I thought you said Thank you. She then replied ‘No, I didn’t’. I wouldn’t like to tell you what I said!

Polskasue - I agree with everything you say! We live in a small market town and almost every time we walk in to town we come across example of bad manners such as people walking side by side so that we have to walk single file off the pavement, groups of four chatting and blocking the whole pavement and I haven't time to list my pet hates in the supermarket. Sadly, it is most often older people usually the ones who would be the first to complain about the same behaviour from the younger ones.
They seem to have a sense of entitlement just like my late mother and my mother in law. I have asked my DS to tell me if I show any signs of behaving like that - and he will!