Using PUBLIC TRANSPORT: British Etiquette

oh hello, welcome to English Like a

Native.

My name is Anna, and today we're talking

about transport etiquette.

Now before we start, if you prefer to

watch these videos with subtitles

then all you have to do is press the

little CC button which is down in the

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Somewhere at the bottom a little CC

button, press that and the subtitles will

appear. So if you're using public

transport to get around in the UK then

there's a certain etiquette that you

should be following; a set of rules that

will ensure you don't get into any

trouble, or offend anybody, because let's

be honest

during rush hour we can all get a little

bit impatient. So before you even get on

a train or a bus there are a few things

you should be aware of.

Firstly, beware the rucksack. If you're

the kind of person to walk around with a

huge rucksack then have some spatial

awareness. Be aware of the people that

you're, potentially knocking out every

time you turn around.

it's probably best to take the rucksack

off if you're in a busy carriage on a

train, or if you're on a bus and there's

lots of other people. Now if you're

visiting London and you're planning on

using the underground we have a rule

about standing on the right of the

escalator. So as you're going up or down

the escalators if you're just going to

stand you must be on the right hand side;

and if you want to stand on the left

then you should use that to continue

walking, otherwise people will get quite

cross if they're in a hurry and they

want to get passed you.

Now once you reach the platform or bus

stop and your vehicle arrives the polite

thing to do is to stand aside, away from

the doors and allow those people who

want to get off to disembark. Then you're

free to get on without any troubles. So

remember when the vehicle arrives

stop-and-wait. Once it's clear then get

on, otherwise you might come across as

rude if you push on. If the train or bus

is really busy and you're struggling to

get on then you could ask everybody to

move down, but don't forget we're British.

We have to use manners.

It's always polite to say 'please', "Could

you move down please?"

Which is also something to bear in mind

if you are already on the train or bus

and you can see someone struggling to

get in then you should also move down.

Now you've boarded, you're walking down the

carriage, you spot a seat

that's free, you make a beeline, beeline

means a direct movement towards

something. So you make a beeline for that

seat and you have to check first that

nobody is sitting there. So if this seat

was free but someone's here

maybe they have their paper on the chair

or their bag then the best thing to do

is to ask them

excuse me do you mind if I sit there or

excuse me

is anybody sitting here and usually

they'll say no it's fine

they move their bag or their paper and

let you sit down. Now once you're on your

journey one thing to be very careful of

is eye contact. We do not like making eye

contact on public transport.

So you have to do everything you can to

avoid making eye contact with another

person and if you happen to make eye

contact then keep it brief.

Maybe a little smile and look away. Never

stare or hold someone's eye contact for

too long

it makes us very uncomfortable. Let's

talk about food. Now if you're planning

to eat on public transport then do avoid

really smelly and offensive food like

boiled eggs for example, or kippers. It's

really not pleasant

if someone opens up

their very smelly food in a packed

carriage of a train;

perhaps someone else isn't feeling very

well or they don't like the smell,

yeah so avoid smelly foods. Then of

course there's the obvious etiquette, if

you are eating and drinking don't do it

loudly, keep your mouth closed when

you're eating. You're not a camel. And now

you know the basic etiquette of using

public transport in the UK. Follow these

rules and you will be ok. if you enjoyed

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