American Reacts to Unspoken Rules in the UK
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
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Like many Americans I don't know exactly how to behave myself in Britain because it is so different. Today I am very intersted in learning about some of the most important unspoken rules in the UK. If you enjoyed the video feel free to leave a comment, like, or subscribe for more!
Does anyone else in the uk thank both drivers who stop to let you cross a Zebra crossing ? I always do.
Yes!
Sometimes if I'm in a rush or distracted I might forget and feel a little guilty. Like I ruined their day or something 😂
I do it even more these days as am in a wheelchair to mobilise, so it makes me feel I am making them wait for more time than I would've on foot! 🤔👍🏴😊🖖
i always stop and wait until the crossers has travelled allthe way acorss, befor ei go
Yes - usually via a little hand-raise and smile; and if, when driving, someone does that to me then I always reciprocate!
As far as queuing is concerned, unlike the claim in one of the comments, some of us do care how busy other people are, and will invite another person to take our place. It might be because they only have a couple of items in their basket, whereas we have a full trolley.
That doesn't seem as common anymore :(
Or for disabled people.
I do that
@@Jamie_D I have noticed it to be more likely in Aldi than Waitrose.
@@sylviagrinham3382 It’s good to spread some smiles.🙂 I’m the same with driving. I’ll always try to signal that drivers can pull out ahead of me if it’s safely possible.
Brits will actually FORM queues where one doesn’t already exist, for example at the bus stop, or waiting to get in to a show. So much better than the mob of people pushing to get in!
Yeah you can find queues coming out of music venues going down the road without barriers forming a direction and people are single file and there is no cutting
@@ShrubScotland amen
In the last few years I have noticed that people don't queue up at bus stops anymore. It seems to be a change since the COVID lockdowns. Is this just an Oxford thing or has anyone else noticed this in other areas?.
@jenniedarling3710 Might just be an urban thing, because I'm in Cornwall and there would still be a queue, even if there's only two of you at the bus stop
but not at a pub bar, my American GF really struggles with this concept!
Saying sorry when somebody bumps into you is extremely common; everybody I know does it! And it does literally mean sorry.
It's kinda like, "I'm sorry I was in your way" / "I'm sorry you haven't the good manners to apologise to me" 🤔...(?)
I even say sorry to street furniture when I've bumped into it.
@@tonys1636 Exactly - it's really a reflex I think at times. I once said sorry to someone who had stood on my foot and it was only afterwards that I thought, hang on, surely they should have apologised to me...
@@tonys1636... Ha! Me too, many times over the years. 😂
Well both sides are saying that
The one my American friend from Tennessee found odd was that in the UK if you get off a bus you should thank the bus driver and it is considered very rude not to do so.
While people found her rude not doing this, she thought we were rude in shops as "Ma'am", "Sir" are just not used here. She would always say "thank you sir" to the cashier and nobody else here did.
She'd only do that once to British police, they tell you not to call them sir and they mean it.
We find it bizarre to call fellow adults Sir and Madam. We are not their superior, and nor are they ours, even if we may be providing a service to one another.
@@ChrisShelley-v2gYes, there would be something very wrong indeed if a member of the police expected to be called 'Sir' by members of the public. Mind you, some of the names they _do_ expect to be called by some members of the public fail the British Politeness standards ...
'Officer' is a standard polite means of address, and their given name is more usual in a relaxed situation.
@@Sine-gl9ly It's acceptable when taking the piss and joking, but you are spot on, it really doesn't feel right for anyone that I know of.
it sounds sarcastic. you do not know their title. if you are not speaking to a knight, why would you address them as one? "mister" is fine. no need to address anyone anyways, they know who youre talking to.
in the UK we learn how to queue in school, not like a lesson on it but we line up single file to enter a class room, we walk on the left side of the halls, we line up in the diner hall, we line up before we can enter the school in the morning and break times. There are 2 main exceptions to queue cutting, Nurses and Paramedics, they wont cut the queue but people will simply let them to the front and no one will complain.
"Americans will just stop to think" we mastered walking and thinking in europe.... 😜
When I hear Americans order things in a food place it always sounds so rude.
“Give me this” “I’ll have this”
Yeah, like “I’ll have an Americano with creamer”, this makes me think ‘what the f**k is creamer?’ (we don’t have creamer in the UK)
And there's "Can I get ....?"
No, you just wait, whoever is serving will get it for you.
Interestingly in America if you say “Could I have the…?” They respond with “yes, of course!” as if they are confused as to why are you asking 😂
They interpret it as “is it possible for me to order some food?” To which the response is “uh.. yeah dummy, you’re in a restaurant!” 😂
@@ShrubScotland Quirk of British English. Questions are actually used as soft Imperatives. It really catches people out.
There was uproar when phill and Holly jumped the queue to see the Queen after she passed...it was front page news on every tabloid...it was on all news channels...they jumped the queue and the nation went berserk lol
Yes, many celebs were in line for hours and hours.
There was also some man who was un-named. He went so far as to try to remove the flag covering the coffin - saying he wanted to check she really had died! Security took him away. If his aim was to get admitted to a mental hospital - he probably succeeded?
Unlike David Beckham. He stood in line just like everyone else who do not think of themselves as VIPs.
@@davidpotter3569 yes, many celebrities did.. which is what was even more annoying about it I think...
“Are you ok/alright?” and “How are you?” ONLY means “hello” when it’s the first thing said. If you are in the middle of a conversation and a Brit asks “are you ok?”, they’re actually asking for real.
Also, you are allowed to take a hello version of “are you alright” as an invitation to tell a Brit how you are actually feeling BUT ONLY if they are your friend, partner, close family or if the matter is very important or interesting.
I if you see your doctor/dentist you still go through the How are you/Fine Then go way you are not alright.
We are so polite we even apologise to doors if we bump into them.
I refuse to apologise to Lego on the floor after I stand on it.
I thought that was a Canadian thing.. I guess it's a trait we share.🍁
I apologised to a mannequin in Debenhams when I bumped into it😂
@@bytesback.
If I trod on a Lego, I'd yell, "What the 'bleeeep' are you doing there,
F'🦆's sake?!! ...especially asI haven't had Lego for decades, my offspring are all in their thirties now ...and have no offspring of their own!!
(I am 71 and have no grandchildren!!😮)
If I burp, I always say 'pardon me', even if I'm alone! PS. I ONLY ever burp when alone or alone with my partner, so it's academic anyway!
The escalator rule is sign posted all over so it isn't quiet unspoken. But tourists often miss them and can end up getting a few choice words thrown their way.
Yeah, I've noticed it being signposted more and more now. I think in the past, less so.
@@JamesLMason It's been a while since I lived in Mordor but yeah I remember when I started seeing them around. Handy to point at when you're passive aggressively saying 'excuse me' when some knobhead and his family are clogging it up.
Thing is, it’s a stupid rule, if you’re trying to get up to the vestibule earlier (AFAIK it’s only the London Underground where this happens) you’re not going to get that result especially at busy times, because all you’re doing is filling up that space between the top of the escalator and the ticket barrier. 3:25
To be simply considerate of others's space and feelings.
Blocking walkways etc. The traditional wording in Britain is "Mind yer backs".
The weather may be very warm
But as you surely know
Horses sweat, men perspire,
But ladies merely glow.
❤❤❤❤❤👍🏴💜🇬🇧🤭🖖
An example of causal indirectness is the phase "can you go check" or "can you go see". What that actually means is "can you go fix". If someone says "can you see if the window's open?" what they are actually asking is "Can you go close the window." This applies to most uses of the phase and does sometimes catch foreigners out.
In the uk
When you walk past people you often say
“Alright” and they will say “alright” back and you both carry on walking.
Or you may say “you alright” with a head nod, and the person says “alright” back with a head lift/nod.
We don’t literally want to know if that person is alright.
Most of these boil down to basic Empathy. Rather than putting yourself first, you always take in the entire situation, and assume that you could be literally anyone else in the group, and as such, don't dismiss their needs.
So, Queueing, you wouldn't like it if you'd been waiting, and someone just walked in and got served before you, so you don't cut in front of people.
or the train thing, You want to get on the train, but if you were on the train, you'd want to get off. The platform is much larger than the inside of the train, so it's easier to make room for people getting off, than it is to people getting on. If everyone pushes on, you might be forcing someone to miss their stop. The train driver also has a mirror so they can see if people are waiting on the platform, but he can't see if there's people inside the train waiting to get off. So, you let people off first, then get on when everyone else has gotten off.
Tyler my lad you have an admirable ability to make a good conversation out of a monologue and keep one entertained. Kudos!
If someone says to you, 'You must come to lunch', they probably mean, 'I never want to see you again.' :D
I’m just impressed how the team find all this content for the channel! 🙂
When I take a ticket from the machine at the entrance to a car park, I always say ‘Thank you’.
Always say thank you and sorry to the inanimate objects. You don't know when they may come to life. :P
😂😂😂 yes! I’ve done that too!
@@orcmcc
I always say sorry to my phone if I forget to charge (cough...him) it in time... Of course it inconveniences me to have to wait for the phone - or Tablet - to charge / reset...but it still feels "correct" to apologise for "not feeding it" sufficiently well that it cannot do its job?!! ...um...🤔 Nurse?!!!😅😊 🤭
You have to. When the computers take over, I hope they remember that I was always kind to them!
My mother used to say, Thank you very much, enjoy the rest of the day to the ATM. She was sure there was a person sitting behind the machine putting in the amount she asked for, just for her!
All of these British customs are exactly the same as the social norms here on the east coast of Canada. This makes sense, because this region was originally settled by British (and French) immigrants. This might also explain why we Canadians are considered "polite" by our American neighbours.❤😊
My first day at work in Colorado, my boss had shown me home and then said 'See you later' and left.
Even though I was tired and jetlagged, I stayed up till 2.00am in case he came back.
I did not do that twice!!! And he learnt to say 'See you tomorrow' instead!
It's not just sarcasm or politeness. We also use a lot of metaphor and allusion.
I tried to explain what 'Taking the mick' meant to a Ukrainian friend and could only do it by using other idioms that meant exactly the same. I even turned back to my original phrase and tried to use 'Extracting the Michael'. It amused us no end that we had royally failed to make our own language understandable AND that we have so many idioms to describe playfully joking with someone in a way that slightly teases them or makes them the subject of the joke.
See, right there, I had to resist the urge to use the phrases 'pulling your leg', 'butt of the joke' and 'making fun' when describing the above concept. The mental gymnastics I had to go through!
Americans never say 'sorry' it invalidates their insurance.
Gentlemen walk past people on the right (like boats, not cars). But walking beside a lady they keep kerbside, to protect her from snickering horses.
And waste potentially being lobbed out of an upstairs window.
My Dad said a gentleman walks on the right side of a lady, so his right hand is free to defend her. (Of course this would be reversed for lefties.)
My mother was the one who insisted that I walked on the kerbside when out with her....from the age of '4'; since I was the man.
@@scottmasson3336 I'll bet that even at age 14, you were a child when it suited her. It sounds like she put her safety before yours.
Your left index finger should touch the back of your fork at all times when eating. Try it. Use an elastoplast.
I once took my Britishness on holiday with me. I joined the back of a very long queue and it must have taken half-an-hour to get to the front of line. I was then asked "What can I do for you, sir?", to which I replied "Nothing, but there was a sign saying 'Queue Here', so I did." (OK, yes, I WAS very drunk!)
@@Stuffed_Cat 😂😂😂
😂😂😂
To Americans. Regarding queuing and, 'not taking the British literally.' 'Is considered rude,' is understatement for can get you hit. If there were 70 000 000 people in living Idaho, they'd learn to be polite too.
When a new IKEA opened in my area of north London they had a massive sale starting at midnight. People got a little eager and started cutting in. Long story short, a mass brawl kicked off and three people got stabbed!
We don't just "tut" people!
One i think is also a unspeakable rule here in the UK is when you get off the bus, always thank the bus driver as you get off, it's kind and respectful to do it considering the job they do when depending on the days and if they work till yhe evenings of getting rude customers on the bus and can't do anything to them
the queue thing is correct, however if you are in a supermarket and see the person behind you has only one or two items....many Brits will ask if they would like to go infront to be served first
Never, never let your gun
Pointed be at anyone.
That it may unloaded be
Matters not the least to me.
I always like your videos before they fully start! Well done Tyler, from the UK.
I think t was a comedian, obviously many years ago, once said, It takes 5 thank yous to buy a bus ticket in the uk. First the conductor or " clippy" would walk around the bus saying "Thank you" instead of "tickets", you would hold up the correct fair and say "Thank you" he would take the money and say "Thank you" and give you your ticket and you would say "Thank you" That is , or perhaps was, the level of politeness!!
Here in Finland we installed Queuing 2.0. Anywhere where a decent regular queue happens uses tickets with numbers. You take a ticket when you arrive and wait for the number to be called. No-one has to stand in a line, you can sit down to wait, and no-one can queue jump. If it's somewhere awful like the tax office, you often have time to get your ticket, go shopping, then return before your number is called 😂. HOWEVER, some people who can no longer wait put their ticket on the ticket machine when they leave. NEVER do this! A new person arrives, sees the ticket and takes it, i.e. they queue jump and piss everyone off.
In London queuing for buses seems to a lost courtesy.
So true. My mum was shocked when she moved from Lancashire to London in the 80s. She thought Londoners were a bunch of savages.
However the population is so big. The queue for just one bus could go on for miles lol. So I understand why it isn't done except for the outskirts of London.
This is happening in Oxford too.
@@jenniedarling3710 Yes I noticed that too.
In the 80's/90's I travelled to the US several times to be trained to undertake 'seminars' for an American product and 'system' here in the UK. The ONE thing that I challanged and 'we' could NOT agree on was "NEVER APOLOGISE for anything" ! This became a major 'sticking point' that the Yanks just could NOT understand, which I DIDN'T follow and ultimately they failed here in the UK.
I was told to never apologise for anything when I worked at my local coop. There was no way I think I probably apologised at least once a shift.
If you apologise, you admit liability and can be sued!
@@WilliamSmith-mx6ze
You MISS the point... The American company had a 'mantra' of NEVER apologise for ANYTHING! Not just work, job or business related; _(even if you arrived slightly late to an appointment),_ because of i.e. 'traffic delays' etc. This is just not in the 'UK psyche' _(when we will even apologise to an inanimate object, that we may have bumped into!)._ Obviously, if you have an accident in your car, your insurance tells you to not accept resposibility, but their 'training' and 'rules' went WAY BEYOND that, to a point of stubboness. Ultimately, it was a contributing factor as to why they failed in the UK - NOT fully understanding the British 'way' of good manners...
It is hard work communicating with the rest of the world 🙄 They never take the hint, you have to explain everything, it's exhausting! 🤪
I once asked an American if he planned on standing there all day, when he was in my way. He wondered why I was interested in how long he was staying there.
I had felt like saying, get out of the b.... . way, but tried a more nuanced version, less aggressive. He shrugged and stayed put, until I had to 'gently' shove past him.
As you said, other nationalities are so literal 🥴🤪🤗
On the underground there are signs telling you to stand on the right so that people can pass by you on the left. London is well aware that there are lots of international visitors who do not understand the need to let others walk down the escalators on the left
We collect our drinking and cooking water from a well...there is strict queuing at the well. It is also consider rude to take too many containers. We usually take three or four 20 litre containers. If somebody behind has only a couple of bottles then it is etiquette to ask them if they would like to go first.
Historically not apologising or being rude in many countries would end up in a duel or similar. Even when this became illegal this happened. So many cultures adopted the apology, sarcasm and double meaning to avoid this
Hats indoors was considered bad manners. Here in Australia, we used to have a rule that if you went up to the bar in a pub with a hat on you’d have to buy everyone who’s drinking a drink.
Patient queuing originates from wartime, when we had to queue for food rations.
I've seen people get knocked out when cutting in line in front of the wrong person. So it may be an unspoken rule, but it does sometimes get properly enforced!! 😇
A couple of Chinese people tried to queue jump to get on the bus to the visitor centre in the rain, on Salisbury plain.
Oh my the audible tut and the bus driver slow walked them all the way to the back of the queue
The rules for queuing in the UK have some complications.
What happens if someone in a long, slow-moving queue is later joined by a partner, friend or family member? Was it obvious that the person queuing was a placeholder for these hangers-on? Are they allowed to cut into the queue or should they be made to go to the back?
It may depend on a number of factors:
1. The speed of the queue
2. The length of the queue behind the cut-in
3. The penalty for being further back in the queue e.g. the risk of reduced availability and choice
4. The number of people cutting in.
5. The age, health, vulnerability etc. of thepeople cutting in
6. Their attitude - are they acting in too entitled a fashion or keeping a low profile?
7. The weather, if outside
8. Whether itwas obvious that places were being held (e.g. was the newcomer known to be previously in that place in the queue, left and returned?
Though obviously based on fairness, it can be a minefield because of the subjective judgements needing to be made.
I've queued for a shorter time than it took me to read this 😊
Or in a queue for the checkout when the person in front (with not much) is suddenly joined by the person who has been round and filled the trolley.
Also if someone is older or has less (shopping) we always let people go in front 😂
I think the indirect speech bit is a combination of the British use of wordple, innuendo and a lot of phrases have implied parts that aren't ever spoken. Example, if we say "can you check the window?" could have multiple meanings depending on circumstances. It's raining or you are going out, it would imply checking they are all closed and closing any that aren't. If it was a hot, humid day, the implication would be to check they are open, and opening them if they aren't. It would never mean the more literal check the windows are still there.
I experienced my worst case of queue jumping in Indonesia. In a small post office I was the only customer. The only teller was in the middle of copying some figures, so I stood at the counter waiting for her to finish and make eye contact. I was suddenly bulldozed aside by a man who banged his hand on the counter demanding immediate attention. When I pointed out that I had been ahead of him, he replied with the Indonesian equivalent of "Diddums!".
I live in France. The french are good at blocking entrances/exits when a group are engaged in conversation.
So, I just get close and join in. I mean very close 😂. I always get a dirty look but they get out of the way.
The majority of the British are polite. But it’s probably not a good idea to think we will back down in confrontation. We rarely retreat just to stay polite and that’s where the sarcasm comes in…😀
The best one is when someone is near a checkout/bus shop etc and i always have to ask them if they're in the queue, just to be 100% certain I'm not pushing in 😂
What you said about just stopping also applies to them in cars ! I have had many close calls from them stopping in the most ridiculous places.
The escalator thing is huge in London to the point that there are signs everywhere on the Underground informing people they should stand on the right and allow people to walk on the left. Commuters can get very aggressive to people who ignore this rule (understandably, since it's blindingly obvious due to all the signs and everyone following it). It's less common outside London, but has become more so in the last decade or two.
Do not tip policemen.
We take queuing so seriously in UK, that if somebody behind you in the queue is in a rush and you invite them to cut in front of you they are very hesitant, but also very grateful
Escalator Etiquette is normally 'Stand on the RIGHT - Walk on the LEFT' in most countries. EXCEPT in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, where the policy is to 'Stand on the LEFT - Walk on the RIGHT'. But be aware that in Japan, it CHANGES 'city-to-city', so you MUST check the signs !!!
I hear that this is the case but fail to understand the logic as we drive on the left and get overtaken on the right.???
@@tashasgran
But I think in this case, the UK just followed the majority of the world, perhaps?🤔
It goes completely against the grain for me to stand on the right!!!!! On the left, absolutely! We need to start a movement to change sides. We are British, we drive on the left!
@@tanja9364
Which means the side that is 'moving', surely!? Just saying - LOL
@StewedFishProductions 🤣
hey there, just an FYI, actually the escalator rule is only in London, in other cities they just expect you to wait your turn.
The cheering after dropping a glass originated in Butlins holiday camps when a waitress dropped a plate/cup and it smashed. The whole dining room of hundreds of families would clap and cheer. The tradition spread to pubs/restaurants
most of our unspoken rules and manners are really just out of consideration for other people, you bring up a good point that its probably motivated by confrontation avoidance, also if someone bumps into you, your both meant to say sorry, maybe in some extreme cases like where your stood still not moving i dont think you would be required to
I have had the train thing several times when travelling on the Continent. I am quite big so I just launch myself into the crowd 😂.
I think the blocking the path/ corridor/doorway thing is universal. People today really don't seem aware of their surroundings today.
When i was young. Was in a fish and chip shop. Bout 6 people in queue. American couple came in. Everyone else waiting chatting. After 5 min. American man started complaining about delay. His partner was telling him he in UK. He must be patient. Two men next to me getting very angry. To this day the American has probably no idea how close he came to being dragged outside and 'sorted out'
The UK is not unique. I live in France where politeness is essential, and queueing expected. Customers should always say bonjour, merci, and au revoir in shops. If you don't obey those rules, then the French will be as rude in return as they think you have been. No matter where one goes holidaymakers are always a pain in the neck, seeming to think that the locals also have all the time in the world, particularly in the countryside.
If you're waiting in line it's just common politeness to wait your turn. Also if I have a bunch of things i'm buying or i know i'm going to take longer than someone else with less, i'll let them go first.
If someone bumps into you, both parties usually say sorry
With the escalators it's respect. You stand to one side so that if there are people who are in that more of a rush, they can pass on the clear side.
Saying sorry when it's not your fault usually defuses the other person's fluster, if they are having a bad day. Bumping supermarket trolleys/baskets into each other & both apologise, is the norm. We don't do it after a car crash, though! Oh, it's all about liability over there, ain't it? From Yorkshire
If someone says excuse me it’s natural behaviour to say sorry and apologise. I apologise for anything if I’m interfering in someone’s day to day outings. One act of kindness could make someone’s day even if it’s just a second out of yours.
As for not liking directness and not to be interpreted literally it stems from same thing, Brits have a habit of speaking in the second tongue, we say one thing and mean another. some phrases can be rude while wrapped in being polite
If someone walks into you, you apologise to them. They then apologise to you and honour is maintained for both. Anyone who fails to apologise is an outcast forever.
As someone who lives in the country (Somerset) where there are no escalators, literally none, anywhere I go. I would have no idea what "escalator etiquette" is ! I'm sure I'd see others and work it out by watching them, but I have never heard of this as a "thing" !
If you receive a British tut it is the equivalent of a very expletive swear word. If you receive one you better apologise and quick!
3:05 there are signs on the escalators that tell you to stand on the right.
On the "you alright" question, it actually is ok to answer truthfully if your not. But it's context specific. It's still bounded my what is socially acceptable to share with the person asking, so for most people the only answer is "yeah, I'm alright", because it's bad manners to talk about money or health or politics with an acquaintance or an indirect friend. You can talk about these things with Family and Close Friends though, usually over a pint or two. :)
In general the majority of the unspoken rules are just common courtesy and decency towards each other and the Americans (in this instance), but generally foreigners who travel, are generally socially aware of their surroundings but, like everything in life there are the ones who are self centric that nothing will change them and they give their compatriots a bad name.
I shouted at a group of Spanish students for jumping the queue and they quickly looked at me and walk away from the ATM machine 😂
I used to work in London, so I know what struggling through a rush-hour escalator trip is like. And I once experienced an American family struggling to come to terms with it while visiting: I was coming out of Victoria Underground, up a set of wide stairs, planning to cross a paved forecourt to get to the train station, knowing that there would be thousands of other people heading the same way, but also crossing that area to reach buses and taxis. It was always mayhem. But this day that American family were standing on the forecourt surrounded by their baggage, trying to work out which direction they should be heading. Because of the crush I was forced to step over their baggage in order to keep moving, and as I did so I heard the husband say "It's like an ant-heap, isn't it?" I had to agree. I'm glad I'm no longer one of those ants.
Waiting in line sounds a bit harsh and long whereas queuing sounds.......welll not like 'waiting'
If you call it queuing over there then the queue will sort itself.... I'm sure of it
We use swear words as a form of endearment , especially in London
There's an old joke in Sweden, Is it OK if I eat while you're smoking? Sure, as long as you don't do it loud.
Another smoking one, do you have a cigarette, thanks, do you have a lighter? Answer are you sure you can smoke it by yourself?
We are quite indirect
The unspoken escalator rule doesn't mean don't stand in the way of getting on it at rush hour ( tho don't lol) it means don't stand still in the middle of the moving escalator because people are busy at rush hour and will want to rush up or down the moving escalator, not stand still, and if you're standing still in the middle of them, people can't get passed to use the escalator as stairs.
Mobile phones have really impacted on the sudden stopping.... I have nearly put a knee out from suddengly side-stepping because somebody couldn't get to a wall or something to answer their phone. Grrrrrrrr!
You have to respect queuing in the Uk or someone or many people will shout at you. If someone cuts in front of me, I tell them to get to the back! And I’m not kind about how I say it. So yes. So get to the back of the queue and wait your turn. . Just like everyone else has to.
But if I have a trolley full of groceries and the person behind me has just a few things in a basket, I will usually invite them to go first before me.
We all learn social norms (like these) through socialisation from the people around us
You do a great job. I love watching your videos.. from s wales uk
Me too
I'm from Kent UK
The point of "Alright?", "You Okay?" etc being a greeting. In America, that feels like you're asking them what's wrong.
Don't ask a Brit "What's up?" as a greeting, that's showing concern, asking what's wrong.
Not taking things literally. I think many Americans lack the concept of reading context, so if someone says something they don't understand, they can't work out what it means because they're unable to take clues from the circumstances. I've noticed this with Tyler. A lot of the time he doesn't even try to properly understand.
Saying excuse me instead of sorry while barging passed somebody is really rude.
Being direct. You can be direct and to the point without being rude. It's called being straightforward.
If using the escalators is my only option and it's only really wide enough for one person, I do stand in the centre of it with each hand firmly gripping the hand rails. This is because of a terrible phobia and flashbacks from an accident as a kid where some fully grown adult pushed me, my brother and our mom out of the way. Of course I fell down to the bottom and my hair got trapped and a big chunk of hair got ripped out 😢 If I have to use one now, i will always insist people go before me, and look for a decent gap so i don't hold up other people xxx
You should do a vlog about going to the uk and should make a vid about how it went and what you thought of it afterwards
He'' never leave his basement.
He also never reads these comments.
If someone knowingly cuts infront of you in line in the UK the're fair game for a crack to the jaw 😂
Pretty much, yeah. Here in the UK, you never assume that the back of the queue is actually the back. You have to ask until you're sure you find the back of the queue.
@@PokemonNerd265 yep 😂👌 trailing up to the back of the line thinkin jeez how long am I gonna be here lol. Small talk with the person infront of you about the weather to pass the time 😂
@@ElDubz2025 Exactly. Complain about if it's too hot, too cold, raining too much. Standard weather conversation.
That's not the case in London though especially at bus stops where lots of people assemble. I sued to put it down to us having so many foreigners in the capital, but plenty of British people act like hard animals in London...
It is not respect, it is courtesy.
Funny.. every time he does videos on this topic - que etiquette, please, thank you & most of all, passive aggressiveness & apologizing to inanimate objects OR someone who bumps YOU - I could swear he's watching one about Canada 🇨🇦 (Actually, he has done, and the answers were almost all the same😊)
Something the US could do with is patience when interacting with the police , saying “I’m American” and “can I go” won’t get you let go any faster in uk
The officer could run out of patience and arrest you though , but we don’t want that do we
On the "Say sorry if someone bumps in to you," thing, see also the comment about passive-aggressive :-D
The person doing the bumping is very much expected to say sorry as well in the UK too.
Even though the sorry is said genuinely and politely, it is more a means of making someone aware you have recognised what happened.
For a British person doing the bumping and hearing this, if it was genuinely an accident then the other person can take no more meaning from it than just the acknowledgement... however if they are aware they were being careless and could have avoided it then they themselves will probably read a bit of implied criticism in it. If the person bumping doesn't apologise then the "sorry" from the person they bumped in to is definitely going to stand as a passive aggressive criticism of their lack of manners.
What I guess I'm saying is the difference in how communication tends to play out is not just one of intent, but in how someone receives things said to them. I'm not saying this is unique to the UK of course, I'm sure this applies widely across the world.
I once saw an American couple get of the top of an escalator during rush-hour and just stand there to consult a map. They were nearly trampled to death :-(
You ok can mean both. Depends on tone of voice and inflection
I'm not passive aggressive. I'm usually direct and to the point. Though there are times I can be directly rude if the situation calls for it! 😂
If you bump into a post and say "Sorry" to the post you are probably British.
we open the doors for each other, the elderly behind us we offer for them to go first. we also help them with disabilities and mothers with push chairs go through too. Its rude to let a door close in some body's face and ignoring people who need a hand.