Ask Lemmy

One could write a book on unspoken rules for tipping in the US. Do you tip on takeout? Do you tip baristas? Does it depend on the beverage? Do you tip if you sit down but bus your own table? What's considered a good tip (and this is situation-dependent)? The only thing I can tell is if you're worried about something happening to you, then 20% of the price is generally a safe amount.

Don't make phone calls on speaker when in public. Not even if you hold it up to your ear.

If you're boarding a train or bus let people exit first instead of squeezing your fat ass past everyone to get a good seat

Here's a weird one:

Don't offer advice unless its something you have some experience with.

Googling someone's issues and giving them a boilerplate answer from the first thing you find isn't helpful and can actually be a hinderance more than anything.

Don't stop in doorways when walking through public places.

So many of these are "Don't create obstacles or bottlenecks".

Return your cart, zipper merge, wait for people to get off before you get on, don't block doorways.

Clearly, the truest unspoken rule is "Get out of the way!"

Put your cart back when you're done shopping.

When it’s close to closing time, get out of the store. If you have items you want to buy, leave yourself enough time to check out before the store closes. If you’re bringing a full cart to the register 30 seconds before closing time, you’re an asshole.

The employees have probably been there for 7+ hours, and still have to clean, restock, etc. They don’t want to be there for one second longer than necessary. Don’t be the reason they get home even later than usual.

Be aware of your surroundings. This is not just a safety thing for yourself, but a courtesy thing for other people.

Zipper merging.

If your lane is closing ahead, it is better for everyone in traffic if you drive all the way to the end of the lane and cut in at the last moment.

Note that this does not apply to exit lanes. The basic rule is if late merging blocks someone from going somewhere, merge early. Otherwise, merge as late as you can.

When shopping and it's busy, don't walk down the middle of the aisle or leave your shopping kart there.

You stand on the right side of an escalator/moving walkway. You walk on the left side.

It doesn't matter if you have multiple people or luggage, the right is for standing, the left is for walking.

If you're in a drive on the left or right side of the road country, that goes for bike and walking paths too. Eg in Australia, keep left on footpaths.

People exiting a building or vehicle get priority over people entering. Let people out before you go cram yourself in the way.

Zipper merging

When waiting at a red light, cars are supposed to stay out of the pedestrian crosswalk

There's really only two of them:

1. Don't be stupid.
2. Don't be a dick.

They're not even unspoken, people say them all the time, but some people just don't pay attention I guess.

Push your chair in after leaving a table at a cafeteria. It blocks the path for people who are carrying trays and may not have a free hand to push it in themselves.