According to the internet, etiquette is, “the customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group.” I’m certainly no expert on what most people think of when they think of etiquette. I don’t know what the differences are between forks. I have no idea who to invite to a wedding or why. I do know, however, that public spaces have an etiquette of their own.
What do I mean by public spaces? I mean anywhere that is open to just about anyone. Think of malls, stores, restaurants, parks, and things like that.
There is basically one rule of public spaces etiquette that everyone should follow. It is to give everyone enough personal space. How do you know how much space is appropriate? Sometimes it’s simple, but it can get quite complicated.
A simple case is public bathrooms. If at all possible, leave an empty urinal or stall between yourself and anyone else concurrently using the facilities. The same is true for handwashing. Leave an empty sink if at all possible. I understand that sometimes it isn’t possible, there’s only two urinals or one stall. There might only be one or two sinks. If that happens, at least appear apologetic for being too close. Do not make eye contact. And certainly, don’t try to strike up a conversation. Pretty simple, right?
Elevators are a space that I’ve given a lot of thought to. This space is a bit more complicated than bathrooms. First, always let people off before you get on. And while you’re letting them off, do not stand right next to the open doors. Let the egressors get out comfortably. When you get in, you can stand anywhere you want, if you’re alone. If there are two of you, one stands on the left while the other stands on the right, preferably one in the front corner and the other in the back corner. If there are three people, each should stand in a corner, and the same with four. If there are five, one goes in each corner and one stands dead center. It should look like the dots on a die. If there are already five people on the elevator, you should wait for the next one. Never squeeze in.
Whoever is closest to the buttons should always ask, “What floor?” and push the buttons that people request. Reaching in and pushing your own button is definitely a breach. Once the elevator is moving, everyone should face the doors and remain quiet. If two or more people are getting off on the same floor, whoever is closest to the doors gets out first and they go in order from front to back.
Parking lots are one of the areas where people make the most mistakes. First of all, never ever park in a handicap spot unless you have a state issued handicapped sticker or license plate. That should go without saying, but a lot of people don’t understand. Next, like urinals, try to leave a space between your car and the other cars in the lot. Always park within the lines. That’s true even if you have to get back in your car to straighten out. If the lot has one way traffic and angled spots, never back in or pull through. It will put you facing the wrong direction on the one-way lane. Finally, only back into a spot if you know how. Otherwise, you’re just holding up traffic.
Standing in line is surprisingly difficult for many people. Don’t cut. Don’t stand on top of the person in front of you. And if you need to get to the other side of a line, try to go around the back of the line. If you have to go through the line, please, please, please apologize to the people you’re going between.
That’s just a few examples of the etiquette of public spaces, but I think you can gather how it works from them. If you need clarification of any other public spaces, let me know. Things would go much more smoothly if everyone understood basic etiquette.
