# Etiquette



## voipkid (Aug 30, 2013)

I'm struggling on this one to what I can found out with regards to Etiquette and DO's and Dont's in Dubai.

I am still young  but from London Old School chain of thought - I was brought up well.

i.e. in the UK I still open doors for females, offer seats on tube/train etc

Is it acceptable to open doors for females and offer seats in Dubai?


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

yes. i do.
Don't always expect a thank you, though!
There are quite a few here with a self-inflated sense of importance!

don't be too polite, though, or you'll never actually get in a lift!


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## voipkid (Aug 30, 2013)

Just like being in the UK with no thank you 

I know those self important type they float around Canary Wharf!

Just don't want to put my foot in it and offend someone by being polite and having manners.

Cheers Vantage


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

There was a thread not too long ago talking about chivalry etc... for the most part it's appreciated when you do open / hold open for ladies, but do beware of a situation where you find yourself holding it open for longer than you intended, owing to others just motoring through lol ...

About the Do's and Dont's ( not just related to etiquette but more generally ), it's rather simple really, don't loose your cool in public. If you keep to that mantra, no issues. Mind you it will sometimes be difficult, and a true test of your ego. But whenever the urge to 'flip the bird'/get in someone's face does arise etc, just remember you are in the UAE, a place where what is considered otherwise innocuous elsewhere can snowball into a mess. Always remember to think about risk/reward .... the risks, if something does get the attention of authorities , dwarf any, if any (situation dependent of course) rewards ...

In your other posts you mention not being a drinker, so a large majority of potential issues are bypassed. But this place can be aggravating, regardless of people's backgrounds/country of origin (just different buttons). Finally I'm not trying to scare you or fear-monger, just giving you my perspective on the place ....


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## voipkid (Aug 30, 2013)

Thank you for the good advice. Yep being tee total helps, I can be around people that drink I just don't like having people p*ssed up in front of me. So like the UK I will avoid situations where lets say people are not in control etc

Flip the bird - I was thinking more of some West London expletives LOL


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

I was brought up believing manners mean something. I still try to believe that but living here does try its best to knock it out of you day in and day out. It really wears me down and my personal standards have slipped as a result. 

Some people here are uber polite. Lift etiquette for instance is SO polite. I've missed my floor so many times arguing about who gets in/out first  I love lifts here.

Other aspects of life here are FAR from pleasant. Queues in banks/shops/airports plus driving spring immediately to mind. Most people take these as a chance to take advantage of others to their own gain. 

I was very mind mannered and would let things go by when people queue jumped/ cut me up driving etc when I was back home. 

After a few years here I can't keep a lid on it and do let rip to f*****ts fairly regularly. I just HATE the fact they feel that they are SO important / other people mean nothing etc. It boils my blood which is totally against my usual nature....


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## imac (Oct 14, 2012)

vantage said:


> don't be too polite, though, or you'll never actually get in a lift!


This is something that really gets me...

I can understand if when you are in a elevator, it stops on the way down/up and the doors open, a woman is standing there outside... she sees you in the elevator, and decides to wait for the next one... I can get that...

But you press the button to go down/up, the elevator doors open, there is a woman in there already, and you get on... don't look, don't smile, don't act creepy in any way, just get on... she actually jumps out of the elevator, leaving you alone in there, she is obviously not on the floor she was intending to go, and even before the doors close starts furiously pushing the button to call an empty elevator...

And yes, before anyone asks, this is both before and after I had showered...


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Jumeirah Jim said:


> Some people here are uber polite. Lift etiquette for instance is SO polite. I've missed my floor so many times arguing about who gets in/out first  I love lifts here.


Are you being sarcastic


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

saraswat said:


> it's rather simple really, don't loose your cool in public. If you keep to that mantra, no issues. Mind you it will sometimes be difficult, and a true test of your ego. ....


Very true. That applies no matter what, someone may try to kill you on the roads or not show up the 4th time after fixing an appointment, or damage your stuff and refuse to compensate, you cannot show anger to anyone who is searching to get "offended".

After spending some time you will figure out the types that are looking to get offended and those that actually will work faster after facing an angry customer


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

imac said:


> This is something that really gets me...
> 
> I can understand if when you are in a elevator, it stops on the way down/up and the doors open, a woman is standing there outside... she sees you in the elevator, and decides to wait for the next one... I can get that...
> 
> ...


i think it's just you....
not had this before!


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

imac said:


> And yes, before anyone asks, this is both before and after I had showered...


You must look very intimidating...


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## imac (Oct 14, 2012)

vantage said:


> i think it's just you....
> not had this before!


To be fair, its not all women... only the ones wearing a veil... the ones without the veil stay in the elevator and are either indifferent or smile... there is no way I can tell if the one that jumps off is scowling and cursing under her breath, or if she finds me so attractive she is afraid she will lose control if she stays...


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## imac (Oct 14, 2012)

Oh, and its only in AD... does not happen to me in Dubai...


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

imac said:


> Oh, and its only in AD... does not happen to me in Dubai...


Veil + AD ... there's your answer.


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## JP2013 (Jul 8, 2013)

I like your logic! Unmanageable attractiveness must be the issue.

I had this on my first day ever in Dubai, there was me acting like a chump saying 'after you' and the ladies just would not get in the lift.... took ages before I worked out the problem was they thought I'd get in after them.

Still, meant at least I got the whole lift to myself then!


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