I have a confession of a prejudice. A few miles up the road from me, there's a rather exclusive private housing estate, consisting purely of multimillionaires. (I have nothing whatsoever against multimillionaires, but this estate has a reputation for its snobbery.) As the entrance to this estate is near a junction, traffic lights etc, there is often the opportunity to hold back and allow a vehicle out onto the main road. Which I (nearly) always do. What I have noticed, is that the drivers of vehicles obviously resident of this estate never give a gesture of thanks, I guess their opinion being that I have a lesser car and am therefore a lesser person not deserving common courtesy. The vehicles that acknowledge thanks are always the ones who are obviously workmen who have been working on the estate. Which is why, just occasionally, I don't bother letting out one of the more exclusive types. Petty, maybe, but I don't like rudeness.
I also have a summary of those that seem to be prejudiced against me. (apart from those mentioned above!) Generally speaking, the people that will go out of their way *not* to let me out are either young women or elderly gentlemen. I don't know why this is. And, I have to say, in my own experience anyway, White Van Men often don't deserve their reputation.
HF
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HF,
Interesting point you make about people who won't hold back and let you out of a junction. I find that women are far less likely to offer this courtesy than men, and I have put it down to the fact that this often involves making eye contact which women may be wary of doing with strangers.
Perhaps you'd care to comment?
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Yes Tom, I would very much to comment, this is an interesting point.
However I will have to comment tomorrow, as my eyes are starting to droop now and I have to seek much-needed sleep!
Is there anything I can to to keep this thread/post as unread so I can see I haven't answered in the morning? Mind you, I won't know, even if there is a way, because fatigue has taken me over and off I go.
Night all.
HF
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HF, Interesting point you make about people who won't hold back and let you out of a junction. I find that women are far less likely to offer this courtesy than men, and I have put it down to the fact that this often involves making eye contact which women may be wary of doing with strangers. Perhaps you'd care to comment?
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Morning Tom,
There may be something in what you say about women not making eye-contact with a stranger. I don't know. Surely if they don't want to make eye-contact they could always flash their lights?
Personally I find making eye-contact is usually the *only* way of being let out of a junction, and even then it's touch and go.
The two groups I mentioned earlier, young women and elderly men, are the ones in my case who make eye-contact and then carefully edge forward to prevent me from getting out.
There is another group which I forgot to mention, and this will sound *really* prejudiced. Very elderly women, who don't make eye-contact but give the impression that they are totally unaware of your existence anyway. Which, in a lot of cases, I think they probably are. And yes, I know we'll all be old one day, but this is just how it appears to me.
HF
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It's only because they can't see over the steering wheel HF
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HF - my cousing lives in said private park and he'll tell you that most of the 'old money' (reputable professional people) has been replaced with 'new money' from all sorts of dubious activities (dodgy builders, cleaning contractors, club owners and worse !!).
Most of the residents there wouldn't know manners and consideration if it smacked them in the face sadly !!
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HF - my cousing lives in said private park and he'll tell you that most of the 'old money' (reputable professional people) has been replaced with 'new money' from all sorts of dubious activities (dodgy builders, cleaning contractors, club owners and worse !!). Most of the residents there wouldn't know manners and consideration if it smacked them in the face sadly !!
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Volvoman - point taken about said estate. Into which of these categories does your cousin fall? ;)
HF
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Ex Rhodesian Policeman, teacher (Head of English) and cattery owner. Now retired having lost his first wife who also owned a business in the City.
A really lovely man with manners in abundance and a great support to me after Suzy died.
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Ex Rhodesian Policeman, teacher (Head of English) and cattery owner. Now retired having lost his first wife who also owned a business in the City. A really lovely man with manners in abundance and a great support to me after Suzy died.
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I did not mean to cause offence, sorry. Was speaking TIC.
HF
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HF - no offence taken I promise - I knew you were talking TIC but thought I'd make the point that whilst decent people were once in the majority in such places, the reverse is now the case. My cousin has lived there for over 25 years and has seen the change for the worse.
There really are some seriously nasty folk up there now and the same is true of the other private estates nearby too !
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