Elbow bumping - good or bad?

….someone (the son of a friend of ours) tried to fist pump DH last year and there was no way he was going to allow someone to get that close to him. This was before the vaccination programme and we weren’t going near anyone.

Baggs

Perhaps we should go back to bowing and curtseying.

Hysterical.. Well done on that thought, I'm going to start doing that to see what happens?

Never done an elbow bumper any other kind of bump
Smile and hello for most, a hug for close close friends

Baggs

Perhaps we should go back to bowing and curtseying.

Yes indeed. We've just watched "Sense and Sensibility" again, and I loved the way they all bowed and curtseyed to each other - just small ones, not exaggerated, and I could live with that happily.

Elbow bumping looks really stupid IMO (and as usual Mr Johnson looks embarrassing when he does it with his hair messed up and his shirt hanging out) and I agree with those who say that an appropriate greeting and a smile are all we need. Although the bowing and curtseying could catch on...

I know Frankie Boyle isn't to everyone's taste, but he welcomes the guests on his show with a little incline of the head an a hand on his heart, or a namaste

I saw that the other night and rather liked it too.

I think our PM is a fool and he shows it time and time again. Is it really essential to 'bump'? Why can't he just say a friendly 'hello'? I think hospitals and other public spaces that risk being visited by him should adopt a policy of no bumping/touching at all and make that policy clear to everybody, including our PM.

No, it looks ridiculous and is ridiculous. Johnson was elbow bumping people on TV at a vaccination centre I'd been to the week before, just as well I wasn't there.
Besides which, I think I have tennis elbow (painful), a friend unexpectedly elbow bumped me and I nearly shot through the roof.

Nice one MissA.
Dh and i loved the daft song by Kenny and it still makes me smile,off to buy bum masks and maaybeeee elbow ones.

I think it looks utterly ridiculous and awkward to do too. I simply raise my hand and forearm in greeting. Hugging is not on though I will probably risk it with close family shortly.
I’m glad of the excuse not to handshake and won’t be resuming it. I realise I never liked doing it….too formal for me and getting a sweaty hand in return, yuck!

Being Asian , I just find the ‘namaste’ gesture far easier. It can be done from a greater distance , no touching involved at all. ?

youtu.be/VEkwNic4Ux0

Niobe I do think that gesture looks elegant and respectful to someone you are greeting.
Elbow bumping clumsy and ridiculous.

Sorry, posted too soon. "Now I'm going to name-drop in a big way and hope I don't blow my cover............I once, many years ago, did "Oops Upside your Head" with Ken Livingstone (others were involved as well, it wasn't just me and him!) At least we weren't facing each other Perhaps we could use this dance as a "mass greeting" to avoid everyone having to bump arses or elbows!"

I thought elbow bumping started as an alternative to a high five way back when people were still mixing but lockdown was imminent.

I'm pretty sure Johnson would be shaking hands all over the place, if he wasn't elbow bumping.
Remember "You'll be pleased to know I shook hands with everybody" very early on?

www.theguardian.com/world/video/2020/mar/27/i-shook-hands-with-everybody-says-boris-johnson-weeks-before-coronavirus-diagnosis-video

I had a boss who tried to insist I high fived one of the residents where I worked.
Short shrift from me.
I think it's all a load of old tosh.

One of the best things that's come from the pandemic, imo, is people staying the heck out of my space. A simple hello and nod is more than enough.

FarNorth

I thought elbow bumping started as an alternative to a high five way back when people were still mixing but lockdown was imminent.

I'm pretty sure Johnson would be shaking hands all over the place, if he wasn't elbow bumping.
Remember "You'll be pleased to know I shook hands with everybody" very early on?

www.theguardian.com/world/video/2020/mar/27/i-shook-hands-with-everybody-says-boris-johnson-weeks-before-coronavirus-diagnosis-video

I could easily be wrong, but I thought the elbow bumping was in place of hand shaking as covid ran out of control?

But yes, Boris made a big point of carrying on shaking hands until he caught covid himself. Mr Irresponsible as ever, and his erratic wearing of masks suggests that he has not learnt much since then.

Niobe

Being Asian , I just find the ‘namaste’ gesture far easier. It can be done from a greater distance , no touching involved at all. ?

I agree. I fist noticed it in one of those travel programmes and thought what a lovely form of greeting it was.

It was Levison Wood….

What's wrong with sanitising hands, shaking hands then sanitising again? Surely just as safe as elbow bumping and no more daft to see.

I think it’s a cultural thing and hand shaking needs to no longer be part of our culture. Especially as covid is becoming endemic and there is always the possibility of another pandemic.

I cannot recommend the arse bump, as suggested by MissAdventure, it didn't go down terribly well with my pals. First one I tried it with is less than half my size. I nearly knocked her into the middle of next week. A simple smile and "How do?" from now on I think.

That's what my mum used to threaten to do to us. Knock us into next week.

I like the elbow……..I picked up this in Kenya when on holiday as an alternative to the the fist.

Chewbacca

I cannot recommend the arse bump, as suggested by MissAdventure, it didn't go down terribly well with my pals. First one I tried it with is less than half my size. I nearly knocked her into the middle of next week. A simple smile and "How do?" from now on I think.