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A very British problem

Lania

Lania

Moon
Joined
Jul 5, 2017
Okay, so two people are walking down a corridor together (in the same direction) but person A is slightly in front of person B.


They get to a closed door, and A opens it, given that they reached it first. Which is correct:

1) A should go through the door first as they reached it first, but hold it open for B who was close behind them.

2) A should open the door, but then step back to allow B to go through the door before them.

Assume that both people are fully capable of opening the door (i.e. not locked, neither of them carrying anything, neither disabled/injured or otherwise inconvenienced)

Are there any other factors that affect the decision?

Discuss!
 
I would think that the direction the door opens in - pull vs push,

Is it at the end of the hall facing them directly, or is it on a wall, and thus when it opens it would either swing towards them or away from them

Both of those might come into play in the decision, I would think.
 
I agree with Blackthorn...if you push the door open, A goes in and holds it for B. If you pull the door open, A opens the door, lets B enter, and then follows.
 
I think you may very well be right there, however the corridor I had in mind when writing this has doors that open both ways. I think I'll just have to start running at work...
 
see, where i'm from - canada - we hold the door open for whoever, and then proceed to go through the door afterwards. or we just don't hold it open at all, because canadian's can be dicks, too. i mean, i've seen a few people go through the door first, catch that someone was behind them, and awkwardly try and keep it open for the next person behind them, but i don't think it was their intention to do that.

i'm also thinking about most of these doors being pulls, instead of pushes.. hm.

was there a particular reason as to why you asked? o:
 
Yeah, there was.

There's a certain corridor where I work that has numerous doors along it, and when I had finished my shift me and a co-worker were going along it at the same time. I got the door first and opened it, and she just cut in front of me (not barging or pushing, just walking as she she expected the door had been opened for her) and I remembered finding it quite rude.

But then I noticed that almost everyone else was in the habit of opening the door and waiting for the other person to go first (which to me, seemed awkward because they have to step in front of the door to open it and then step back to let the person trough) also given that there are numerous doors, you'd sort of 'swap places' several times along the hallway. To me it just seemed easier for the person who arrives first to go first.
 
Ehh, I've always seen it as you hold door for anyone. Doesn't matter if it's a little old lady who will struggle with her shopping trolley, or if it's some body builder that could rip it off the hinges with the power of his glutes alone. You just hold it. The question is do you go first and hold, or hold and wait.
 
Neither. Slam the door in their face and flip them the bird. Problem solved
 
Lania said:
.....or if it's some body builder that could rip it off the hinges with the power of his glutes alone.....
Click to expand...

It's almost as if we've met! :p

I agree that the door swing direction matters, and you hold it open for somebody in whatever way makes the most sense, as long as you're not so far away that the other person feels compelled to run so that you're not holding it open forever.
 
Lania: you expect a gentleman to hold it for you.
Click to expand...

Nope, I very much don't. I expect that whoever gets to the door first is the one who holds it open.

I've seen some women who get to doors when they're walking with men and just stand there waiting for it to be opened for them, with the oblivious bloke standing behind her wondering why she just suddenly stopped. I just stare when that happens and think "What the actual fuck are you doing?"
 
...as a British person I find elements of this thread unrealistic.

There has been no discussion of awkwardly avoiding eye-contact with the other person, muttering the word sorry despite no-one being at fault, forced chuckling as you both try and usher the other one through the door first and try to make the awkwardness seem ''funny'', etc.

Await my discreet yet sarcastic letter to The Times on this issue.

Outraged of North Yorkshire.
 
Reydan said:
...as a British person I find elements of this thread unrealistic.

There has been no discussion of awkwardly avoiding eye-contact with the other person, muttering the word sorry despite no-one being at fault, forced chuckling as you both try and usher the other one through the door first and try to make the awkwardness seem ''funny'', etc.

Await my discreet yet sarcastic letter to The Times on this issue.

Outraged of North Yorkshire.
Click to expand...

why do Canadians and Britians act the same in such situations?

i think i've pulled more awkward smiles in public due to situations like this more than anything else.
 
Haha, so cute!
That said, I very much expect a man I am DATING or going out with "not as a friend" to handle doors and all. If he doesn't, I'll obviously do, but it's a surefire way to kill attraction.
 
in my opinion, anyone who walks around expecting something is setting themselves up for disappointment to eventually happen.

on another hand - because i'm a conflicting paradox - i also believe that you should open the door for anyone behind you, no matter what. not because it's expected, but just because it's what you should do, regardless of gender, age, etc.
 
Sometimes indeed you are disappointed. But all of us (?) have some expectations in life, and we have to deal with disappointment sometimes ;)
 
this is extremely true; you can't take the good without the bad. c:
 
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