I hold doors open for people, and it's nice to have them held for me, too. Of course you say "thanks" when someone does it for you... now, everyone knows how awkward it is when someone holds a door for you but they're too far away and you have to run to get there so you don't feel bad about having them hold it for too long. That does suck. But what I'm wondering about is when someone holds two consecutive doors for you. You know the type; there's one door, a little entryway, and another one to the inside (or outside, depending which way you're going). What do you say then? You don't thank them twice, do you? Do you thank them for the first door, and then assume that the gratefulness is implied for the second? Do you time it so that the thanking comes between doors, when no actual door is being held? I tend towards the former, but I've heard some people say it twice. That feels wrong, but what's right? Oh God, what's right?
You never walk past them in the first place. They open the door, walk through it, and hold it open by keeping their arm behind them.
I always thank the person for holding the door open for me. Even if it is the 77th consecutive door in a long row of doors at a door store. Even though everyone considers me to be an *******, my mom instilled the proper Texan social etiquette in me at a very young age that I've never been able to remove. I might need to do a "format c: /s" of my brain.
I personally thank them for the first one, and then hurry up so that by the time they go through second door, I'm right behind them, hence no need to hold the second door and no need for a second "thanks".
I usually say "thanks" the first time only. Or, I say "thanks" for the first door and then a much more soft-spoken(almost inaudible) "thanks" for the second door. The second door I'm getting kind of pissed cause this person thinks I need a door-holder everywhere I go and their the person for the job or something. I'm going to start using the Donald Trump catch-phrase, "Your Fired!" . It's all bs. What about when someone says, "How are you doing?" . You have several choices there. You can ignore. You can nod a non-verbal acknowledgement. You can ask the same thing to them(at which time either both say "good" usually or the first question is answered while the second question goes unanswered leaving an awkward feeling or both go unanswered meaning you both don't really care how the other person is doing but you were just trying to be nice). Typically, I find when people say "How are you doing?" they really mean to say "hi" so that's how I respond, "hi". It's all one big greetings game and there is no correct response. A lot of times I am the nice guy who greets people I know from previous encounters at work where I used to work with them or knew them from a previous group. Sometimes, these people appear to be on "ignore" mode. They don't say anything or even make a gesture. They just walk by with a blank face. I keep a list of these people so I know not to say anything to them again. So, if I'm in the elevator with them or something, then I do the cold silent treatment cause they f-ing owe me a greeting(and probably an apology). I call it the encounters game. It may be the next new reality show using hidden cameras to record how the gesture/greeting went. Then , you get a really obnoxious Seacrest type to follow up with a portable video/tv player to ask them what the hell is their problem or why are they so nice. Then, you bring in the person who instigated the greeting or gesture for the ultimate confronation. If that's me, then I'm ready to kick some ass. Then, I might take them off my list.
"How are you doing?" is a license to b**** about all of your problems. Everyone expects the standard "fine" or "good" reply, but if you complain about everything that has gone wrong in your day/week/life for ten minutes, they can't really say bull about it, because they asked in the first place.
A couple years ago, I was escorted some French girls around Chicago on their first foray to the US. They knew high school English (which, btw, is a lot better than high school French), but they were bewildered by this practice people seemed to have of asking how they were doing and then being uninterested in the response when they gave a sincere answer. Btw, you think waaaaay too much about your encounters with strangers. I have to wonder if I neglected to say hi to you before. I never recognize anybody.
I say thanks for each door held. Also, when I hold a door and someone walks through it without saying thanks, I say "you're welcome."
Nah...not really. Just making conversation here in this thread. I do, however, expect at least an acknowledgement if I greet someone I know at work or otherwise. If not, then that's pretty uncool and I remember. Their actions are making a statement. Maybe they just don't like me. Or, maybe their just lazy. I don't know but I don't like it. It's common courtesy to respond to a gesture/greeting. Otherwise, let's do away with the whole thing and pretend were filming "Day of the Dead" or something.
I hate when I keep a door open for a pretty lady and get no "thank you." It's like they've been getting doors opened everywhere they go for most of their adult lives, because of their hot looks, that they just expect every man to open a door for them now.
drapg, maybe she thinks you are going to get a great view once you follow after holding the door open and that is reward enough.
Well, if they would lift their skirts and flash a cheek or two, I wouldn't complain. Otherwise, I'm not buying it!
