h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The first door is a 'thanks'

The rest are a quiet 'right'.

If I'm leading and the person behind doesn't acknowledge the first door opening the rest are left to slam in their face.

There's a similar situation in restaurants - do you say thanks for each visit of waitor/ress to deliver cutlery, serviettes, starter then meal? I was told you only thank them when they deliver food, but that to me never feels right so I end up thanking them every visit.

Since to say "thanks" costs nothing and is minimum effort, why not every time? I'd rather look a bit odd for repeating myself than look (and feel) rude for not showing common courtesy.

Deb

>> do you say thanks for each visit of waitor/ress to deliver cutlery, serviettes <<

I kinda expect those things to be on the table when I sit down.

RF

How about going multi-lingual and throwing in a bit of variety?

Thanks! Danke! Merci! Go raibh maith agat! Gracias!

Or else you could get all snottery and give them a lecture about being perfectly capable of opening the door yourself, just to be an asshole.

1: Thank you.
2: Thanks.
3: Cheers.
4:
5:
6: *hhhhh*
7:
8:
9: I can smell your chips.
10: Yes, Officer, I understand.

hmm, that's an idea, throw in random phrases to see if they are even listening.

thanks
cheers
ta
my hats on fire
cheers
ta

Be like a ninja.

*NEVER* let them know you are following them.

of course, you might get stuck if a door closes too fast.

A further question about door protocol:

When it's an electronic door that senses someone standing in front of it, is the polite thing to stop in front of the door, thus holding it open til the other person goes through?

If someone did that for me I'd think it was a bit so I wouldn't do it myself.

Deb

Don't use doors, go all MI5 style and drop (nearly typed droop then) through the roof

Or make like Dracula and work your way under or around the doors in mist-form...

you could also yell 'open, sesame'

and 'thank bob' when it does

Ah, yes! Lord of the World acting is always fun, with doors, random cries of 'oh my god' often get a 'yeees?' response, especially if I dont know the person...