When you hold the door for someone and s/he just walks through without any thanks (wife, member)

[Blue Wave]

There are plenty of human behaviors that bother me A LOT more than whether someone thanks me for something. Slightly rude? Probably, but I wouldn't dwell on it for any length of time.

[bus man]

Originally Posted by BobCaldwell

I don't hold doors for strangers and don't expect them to be held for me. I stand aside and let them pass, then proceed. The number of bags or packages they may be struggling with are of no concern to me.

Those who believe in karma can envision you struggling with a huge load of unwieldy packages -- or, better yet, a squirmy infant plus the diaper bag and other stuff that goes with them -- and then you confront a heavy door that you need a free hand to pull open, all while being observed by a crowd of people who are telling themselves that your struggles are of no concern to them.

[BobCaldwell]

Originally Posted by bus man

Those who believe in karma can envision you struggling with a huge load of unwieldy packages -- or, better yet, a squirmy infant plus the diaper bag and other stuff that goes with them -- and then you confront a heavy door that you need a free hand to pull open, all while being observed by a crowd of people who are telling themselves that your struggles are of no concern to them.

I wouldn't care, son. If someone holds a door for me, they get a firm thanks. I don't go out of my way to accommodate strangers.

[CorporateCowboy]

I’m a gentleman - and I always hold doors open for women or anyone who is struggling. Is it rude if they don’t say thank you? Sure, but I don’t do it in order to be thanked - and who knows what worries happen to be on someone’s mind. I find that most say thank you or at least smile.

[Stripes17]

Originally Posted by Ceira

I always say "thank you" when someone is polite enough to hold the door open for me. OTOH when I hold the door open for someone and it isn't acknowledged, I loudly say "you're welcome".

Me too!

[arwenmark]

I use either a cane or a wheelchair, often people will hold the door for me and I always thank them, sometimes though I am still a ways from the door when they hold it and I feel I have to rush. Also sometimes they don't hold the door and it slams in my face as I approach behind them, this is annoying, not that I feel the everyone Should hold the door for me, just it is then a big pain to get through unless it is a HC equipped door.
Elevators are different most places allow you to go first, BUT no on cruise ships they always run in ahead and then there is no room. Which is a pain since those in WC cannot change decks any other way.
Of course being in a WC I have had people walking in front of me and suddenly stop or worse, turn and end up in my lap.
Anyway I always say thank you when anyone does hold a door for me.

[MinivanDriver]

When I was in New York a few years ago on business, I held the door for a woman coming in after me. Actual conversation:



"You know, you don't have to hold the door for me because I'm a woman."


"True. But common courtesy knows no gender."


"Oh my God. Would you have a drink with me?"

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by PuppiesandKittens

Of things in life that aren't worth worrying about, this is definitely one of them. However:


1. When someone holds the door for you, do you thank him or her (even by a nod or a wave)? If not, why not?


2. When you hold the door for someone and the person just walks through without acknowledging it, do you get irked?


This applies to elevators, too.


This morning, I was walking into a building and held two doors for one woman--even waiting a few seconds each time. She just went through without any kind of acknowledgement. When I glanced at her, a bit irked, she said, very forcefully, "What the #() are you looking at!"


Thanks.

1. I try to utter a “thanks” each time but sometimes I’m distracted.

2. I try to do the decent thing most times and be pleasantly surprised if I get praise for it. I have bigger fish to fry than not getting a thank you.

[silibran]

I smile and hold the door for the next person. I usually say thanks.

It is an odd experience for me, actually. I did not have doors held open for me until I moved here to the PNW where this is done as a matter of course.

The thing is, not everyone know to or knows how to say “thanks.” It is not in their repertoire of behaviors.

[hunterseat]

But you should never do something with the expectation of being rewarded, even with a thank you.
You can never be sure how your kindness has positively effected the world.
Having said that, good manners seem to be unimportant to the masses.