Today, I would like to talk to you about three norms: the first involves seating arrangements on public transportation, the second involves elevators, and the third is the walking rule.
There is a certain, very specific etiquette involved when one rides public transportation. For obvious reasons, the elderly, disabled, pregnant women, and children are always given preferential treatment when it comes to seating. Most public transportation systems have seats reserved for the elderly and handicapped, usually right next to the bus or train car doors so that people who are not as mobile are easily able to find seats and don't have to maneuver all over a usually moving platform. I violate this rule, I admit, by frequently sitting in these semi-reserved seats. If I don't, some other perfectly healthy individual will do so. However, as soon as someone who doesn't appear to have the ability to stand in a moving bus enters, I give up my seat. Partially, this is because it seems profoundly wrong to let an old lady stand for five stops. Part of it, however, proves the effectiveness of shame. I would be embarassed if a pregnant woman was standing and I had a seat to give her, and chose not to do so. I glare at other people who behave like this, so I assume other people feel the same way.
The second norm that I would like to discuss is always interesting. It involves elevator etiquette. When one person enters an elevator, he or she may stand wherever they please. Once a second person enters, both people move to opposite sides of the elevator. A third person will stand in the middle. A fourth will take the place of the third one, who moves to the back and usually to one side. The fifth person to enter will take the fourth person's spot, who will move to the opposite corner from the third person. If any more people enter, there is a free-for-all, in which all persons simply try to avoid touching each other. There is no talking on an elevator, unless you know the people you are riding with. There is also a very serious attempt by all parties to avoid making eye contact, or to appear to be really looking at anyone else (unless, of course, you happen to be female, in which case it is perfectly acceptable to check out each other's shoes. Any other articles of clothing must be looked at in a very casual, quick-glance sort of way). People violating any or all of these rules will be seen as creepy, though, with the exception of groping and stealing, there really is no moral issue at stake.
My third norm is what I have called the walking rule. It is quite amazing to me that when walking, people unconsciously imitate driving. If a person is in a country where the inhabitants drive on the right side of the road, that person will walk on the right side of a sidewalk or hallway. If, however, that person lives in a place where everyone drives on the left, he or she will walk on the left. There is no real moral reason for this, other than the fact that once a pattern is established, it is best for you to follow it, in order to avoid knocking other people over. However, there is no law establishing that just because Americans drive on the right side of the road, they must walk down the right side of the hallway, while the British and Australians should walk on the left.
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Yesterday I was the only person in an elevator on campus and after one floor, another student got on. Yes I was standing in the middle of the space, but I am not a big person and do not occupy that much space. This person thought it would be appropriate to stand squished into the corner, directly in front of the panel with the buttons, and stare at the elevator occupancy sign so closely that I could have sworn that his very life depended on memorizing every last speck of ink used to engrave that sign. Last I checked, I do not smell nor do I appear threatening in such a way as to force this strict, militant adherence to the elevator norm...
p.s. This was not an elevator in a place that could have potentially caused embarrassment for those seen riding it, but was an elevator to go to the library (which I guess could have been considered an embarrassing place to be seen, depending on who you are).
I think some of this "must not look at other person" attitude is actually instictive. We're all taught not to make eye contact with animals that we do not already know, as it's a direct challenge to them that may inspire throat-ripping. Making eye contact with a dog that is displeased with your presence is a good way to get eaten.
Also, in my many years of riding public transportation, I've discovered that making eye contact with otherwise seemingly normal people instantly results in general creepiness, such as the pervy old guy asking your age, or the otherwise nice-seeming woman who states that you're going to Hell.
On the other hand, rape prevention pamphlets all suggest making eye contact with strange men, as it indicates that you will be able to identify them in a line-up.
For me, though, it's really that eye contact often means that you end up entangled in small talk, and I really hate that. So, in all honesty, the fact that I'm anti-social ensures my adherence to this particular norm.
I think elevator behavior reflects general norms of interaction with strangers, and sometimes it changes depending on the environment. For example, when walking in the neighborhood where I grew up (which is rather large) I would never walk by someone without saying hello. However, when students in GSPIA walk by other students who they may have "seen around" but don't actually know, they rarely say hi or even make eye contact. I'm guilty of this myself, but I often think it's actually kind of rude not to have the decency to just say hello or smile at a fellow human being as you walk by. GSPIA and my neighborhood are pretty similar environments in that they are both made up of people you see often, but may not actually know. Have any of you experienced the whole neighborhood "hello" norm as well? Maybe someone can shed light on this.
If you want to have some fun getting into an elevator sometime, try this. A long time ago on a television show called Candid Camera they did a stunt that involved an elevator with some people and one wise guy. Try his, when the doors open get into the elevator and face o the rear, don't turn and face front. Why is it people follow the common rule of entering an elevator and turn around to face front? Is this a rule, a law or a norm. I believe its just a common norm that people have followed. Probably comes from something that stems from when elevators were manually operated by, yes an elevator operator.
Another norm that I am guilty of violating is the norm of obeying the sign on parking lots that says, "for expectant or new mothers". I always park in these spot, after all there is no law that says I cant. Unlike handicap spots which have laws that govern their use, the new mom spots
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