AwkwardRule #1: holding the door open behind you
The situation - you walk into a building and then politely hold the door open behind you, only to realize the person behind you is too far away. You’ve already made eye contact, and now you’re locked in and can’t just continue on your way. So now the other person has to be polite and do the ridiculous “jog” up to the door while you stand there like an idiot, waiting to help them with a simple task they learned to do easily as a child.
To avoid this awkward situation, I propose Awkward Rule #1:
When entering an establishment, it is prohibited to politely hold open the door after yourself if the person behind you is more than 10 feet away, with the following exceptions:
- extremely old people
- pregnant
- crutches
- handicapped
- Nelson Mandela (or equivalent)
If eye contact is made out of the 10 foot zone, give the person a short nod to acknowledge eye contact and then continue on your way. Here is a diagram showing the clear benefits of the rule:
Before Rule |
After Rule |
 |
 |
Any suggestions for amendments to Awkward Rule #1?
***** Edit ********
Amendment A, from Jorge: Should an awkward jog happen to commence while a person is outside the 10 foot zone, you are required to hold the door.
