I have a question about lift ( elevator) etiquette. Bleak Towers is a several story tower block, with lifts where one is sometimes out of order--as in not working, not as in being unruly or objectionable. There can be a long wait for a lift. When I am on the ground floor, and hear people coming in, I generally hold the lift door and wait for them. People always seem amazed--and grateful--and thank me for waiting for them. Is this not appropriate lift etiquette? Are you supposed to just glide away, and let them wait, or is it OK to hold the door and wait for other people to get on?

on the topic of etiquette.

a great qoute from fight club comes to mind:

" Now, a question of etiquette - as I pass, do I give you the ass or the crotch "

If I remember rightly you are in London? I found that when I moved from Yorkshire to London for my undergrad degree people where suprised if i held the door open or said please and thank-you in shops. Up north people tend to be alot friendlier such as talking to randoms on the train, holding doors open etc. etc.. so one of my big mistakes when i first moved there was trying to chat to people on the tube.. Whoops!

^^ were not where

Another etiquette question...when you are on a crowded sidewalk..I mean pavement..and you can see someone coming at you head on, should you duck right or left? I tend to duck right, but that sometimes to create confusion and that awkward shuffling of two people trying to not bump in to each other while not admitting the other person is there. Is the appropriate thing to do duck left? Barrell straight on and not mind, knowing the other person will get out of the way and apologise?

you should duck left, as we drive on the left hand side of the road

However, it can be difficult as there are so many poles in London and they drive on the right, so going left may not be the best option!