Politeness Matters When Traveling
Dear
Polite Traveler,
One
important thing to remember, no matter where we are, is to be conspicuous of
how our actions affect others. Consequently, we should also remember
the number one rule of cellphone use: Do not irritate those around you when
using your cellphone. This
rule leads to the more specific rule of not talking loudly on your cellphones
when with others.
Loud, Chatty, Irritating Contractor
Noting
that this irritating person is a contractor isn’t
important. Nevertheless, since he mentioned it multiple times during
his assault on my calm, I thought it worth noting. On to the
details of this moment of grating clatter.
Picture
this, I had a five-hour layover in the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida. For
those of you who have passed through this badly-in-need-of-a-makeover dot on
the map, you know how small and limited it is. There’s no way to
pass the time by strolling or shopping—any type of diversion—as it’s so
small. It’s also busy since many pass through here from cruise
ships to their final destination. So, that’s bad
enough. On to the rude part.
I’m
bored...very bored after the first hour of walking in a half-circle. Ugh, a wall prohibits walking an entire
circle. Thus, I sit reading on my tablet. I suppose since
I’m sitting next to one of the many electrical outlets, this
man—grumble—decides to sit in the chair next to me, even though there are
plenty of seats elsewhere.
Within
a minute he’s calling multiple persons, telling them the same loud story about
his trip and how behind he is now. After twenty minutes, I’d had
enough. Closing my book, I opened a game,
which I played quietly for another loud fifteen minutes before disconnecting my
headphones.
Typically,
I would never, ever, play an unmuted game in public, but I didn’t want to move,
and he wouldn’t stop making noise. Once he moved, we were both
happier.
Could I have been politer?
Obviously
yes. Normally, I would have motioned for him to pause his
conversation to politely mention that I cannot read while he talks
loudly. Often, this works. Today...not so
much. It seems that many are under the impression that rude is the
new normal—the ruder, the better, especially in shared
spaces. This is not to say that I will join this trend, and
just may handle a similar situation differently. I would hope
so.
Your
Thoughts
Importance of Being Polite When
Cruising
Cruise Review: Panama Canal; Coral
Princess
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