On Thu, 4 Nov 2004 12:04:12 +0000 (UTC), "Mike" wrote:

~
~
~ Though I wish the Govt road safety campaigns would include road
~ manners and proper use of indicators!!!
~
~
~Come on, you will be wanting them to teach drivers how to use Mini
~Roundabouts next.
~
laugh

I live near Hemel Hempstead. If you can't cope with Mini Roundabouts
there, Darwin's principles of survival kick in!!


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

"Mike" wrote in message
...
The case of language has cropped up in another thread and readers of this
newsgroup should know my views on such as foul language. But I have
observed
another 'down turn' in manners and etiquette, this time at the Dinner
Table.
I have brought this up in this newsgroup, because on the whole, the
readers
are of a more 'mature' age and nature.


The designation of certain words as being "foul" and others not so is an
arbitrary social convention that varies from class to class, country to
country and also varies over time. Damn used to be foul in teh US and is
now harmless.
Gobshite is derogatory in Ireland and meaningless elsewhere (and it has
nothing to do with excrement and is in fact an English word). I refrain
from using the f word in general newsgroups these days so as not to offend
but it is just a word.

I attend a lot of Dinners and Banquets, I attended a few more this last
weekend. Has anyone noticed the dropping of the practice of the waiting
staff, of serving the Ladies first? I was at an hotel in Llandudno on
Monday
and Tuesday and both at our table, and at the table with a couple
alongside,
the Ladies were not served first, but 'how it suited' the Waiter. I also
noticed, and not for the first time, reaching across to serve the other
person. This happened in Llandudno and at a Dinner in Birmingham on Friday
night. Am I old fashioned?

Yes.
That again, is an arbitrary social convention. Being polite and thoughtful
of others is important.
Serving one gender before another is arbitrary and some women may find it
patronising.



I know it's off topic for a gardening newsgroup, but my parents had an
hotel
and I know what I was brought up with.

Mike
Old fashioned and proud of it.

--
.

Serving one gender before another is arbitrary and some women may find it
patronising.


Ladies of this newsgroup. Do/would you find it patronising?

"Mike" wrote in message
...
Serving one gender before another is arbitrary and some women may find it
patronising.


Ladies of this newsgroup. Do/would you find it patronising?

I did say "some" and I said "may". I do not really care anyway as serving
one gender over another is arbitrary.
As I get older I too sometimes despair at how people behave but serving
women before men serves no obvious purpose that I can see.

I hold doors open for people and take it as a token of politeness if someone
does it for me (male or female).
That is a pleasant way to interact with others.

"Mike" wrote in message
...
Serving one gender before another is arbitrary and some women may find
it
patronising.


Ladies of this newsgroup. Do/would you find it patronising?



Not necessarily, although in a large party I would hope that there were
enough servers to ensure my dinner wasn't cold by the time the chaps were
served. You see I consider it impolite to start to eat before everyone at
the table has been served.

On 4/11/04 21:39, in article , "ex WGS
Hamm" wrote:


"Mike" wrote in message
...
Serving one gender before another is arbitrary and some women may find
it
patronising.


Ladies of this newsgroup. Do/would you find it patronising?



Not necessarily, although in a large party I would hope that there were
enough servers to ensure my dinner wasn't cold by the time the chaps were
served. You see I consider it impolite to start to eat before everyone at
the table has been served.


And you are correct. That is why the 'proper' way of serving a formal
private dinner party is to start with the lady on the host's right and then
continue with the host and so on round the table. Then the host can start
eating, encouraging everyone else to do the same. The hostess and the man
on her right are served last and as the hostess isn't supposed to finish
eating before everyone else has, all works well unless there is one
especially chatty guest and the poor hostess ends up toying with the two
peas and a carrot left on her own plate! This 'ladies first' thing is not
correct in a private house. Hotel service isn't the same as private service.
Even laying the tables is different, very often.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Mike" wrote in message ...
Serving one gender before another is arbitrary and some women may find it
patronising.


Ladies of this newsgroup. Do/would you find it patronising?

It's nice when 'old fashioned' manners are used but I don't mind when we are
treated as equals :~)
Jenny