8 things people apparently believe, and that are not, in fact, true:
1. Sigarette butts magically disappear when thrown or dropped.
2. The closer you stand to the person in front of you in a queue, the sooner it will be your turn.
3. Anyone who holds the door open for you actually enjoys being a doorstop and there is therefore no need to thank them or even acknowledge their presence.
4. Using someone’s name repeatedly when talking to them denotes sincerity.
5. If you don’t feel drunk, you’re perfectly sober, and therefore able to drive a car and to make rational decisions.
6. A mobile phone makes you more interesting.
7. If you’re on a bike, the highway code does not apply to you and in the event of a collision the person in the car will come off worse.
8. A person in slightly grubby clothes who comes into your shop obviously has no money, and so does not need to be treated as a potential customer.
A couple of notes:
Re: 2 – This may be true in some instances; if you make the person in front of you uncomfortable enough, (s)he may leave.
Re: 4 – This practice freaks me out. If you want to sell me something, don’t use my name more than once or twice.
Addendum re: 7 – For bike, read: bicycle, you know, the kind with pedals rather than a motor. Though to a certain extent the point I’m trying to make appplies to a lot of people on motorbikes, it was occasioned by the fact that I am the only cyclist in Oslo who actually stops at red lights. Seriously. Also, I overheard someone on the bus yesterday advising someone else that you’re “supposed to run the lights” when you’re cycling. “Supposed to”? Well, yes, if your aim is to commit suicide in a rather really messy way, I guess.
To be continued…