Etiquette expert weighs in on the state of manners

It is a common sight to see people walking down the street staring at their cellphone or tablet, seemingly oblivious to the people around them.

This phenomenon has some people wondering whether good manners are endangered in today’s busy world.

“I think the etiquette has probably changed, because everyone has got a handheld device, so everyone is a little more focused on what they’ve got in their hand than what’s going on around them” said one man.

Whether it is forgetting to say please or thank you, or overhearing an overly-loud cell-phone conversation, we all seem to have our pet peeves when it comes to manners.

“Walking down the sidewalk and trying to navigate around people that aren’t looking where they’re going because they’re texting or looking at their phones,” said one man.

“People pushing ahead of me in the subway,” said one woman.

“Probably spitting on the sidewalk right in front of me, right before I walk into it,” said another man.

Louise Fox, owner of The Etiquette Ladies, says you should put yourself in the shoes of the other person.

“If you were the pregnant woman and had to stand there, wouldn’t you want someone to offer a seat?” Fox said.

So while it seems people these days may disagree on what constitutes good manners, as a group, Canadians are getting a fairly good review.

“I think people are a little more rude than they used to be, but with that said, I came from the United States for vacation. People in Canada I’ve seen so far are much more polite than the people in the United States,” said one man.

As far as using manners, Fox says they can go a long way and it’s important to begin early.

“You can start saying please and thank you from the time a baby is born, and they know then that when you receive something you say thank you,” Fox said.

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