Do You Hold Doors For People?

[Brian Cronin]

I'm a big door holder.

How about you folks?

If you DO hold doors, do you discriminate based on sex? Age?

Do you only hold the door if it seems the other person literally NEEDS someone to hold the door (people with packages, etc.) or do you just do it for anyone walking by?

-Brian

[stealthwise]

Yep, I do it all the time. I don't discriminate, but I make a point of making sure to do it for older people or those with children.

[Dan Apodaca]

I do it almost all the time. Sometimes I'm in such a hurry that I can't stop and hold the door, or being a dick somehow (for example, I was at 7-11 and the guy ahead of me was being super condescending to the cashier, talking on the phone the whole time, AND treating his girl like shit), and then I might find myself letting that door slam right in their faces.

But for the most part, yeah, I hold doors. It's one of those little things that is so easy to do, which can help make the world a nicer place.

[Dan Apodaca]

Rather, THEY'RE being a dick somehow...

[Mikl C]

I try to, but I mostly hold it after I've walked through so it doesn't slam back on them.
And yeh, more to the womenz.

[Johnny Triangles]

I hold the doors for people, don't discriminate by sex, but the one thing I stopped doing is holding it for people who are more than a certain distance away. I realize that once you go past a certain distance, you put the person in a position where out of guilt they feel forced to speed up or go into a light jog to keep you from being inconveniences by holding the door too long. So what was meant as a favor originally now becomes an inconvenience.

[Stony]

Yeah, usually to hold the door open if they're following or coming the other way.
Non discriminatore.

But I don't rush off in the middle of doing something else to open the door for someone, unless it someone who clearly needs it... like Australians.
They'll just stand there mystified all day otherwise.

[Karl H]

I hold doors for everyone but especially girls. It seems not that many blokes do it and my new missus reckons its one of the things she first found attractive about me!!!!!

[Karl H]

I hold the doors for people, don't discriminate by sex, but the one thing I stopped doing is holding it for people who are more than a certain distance away. I realize that once you go past a certain distance, you put the person in a position where out of guilt they feel forced to speed up or go into a light jog to keep you from being inconveniences by holding the door too long. So what was meant as a favor originally now becomes an inconvenience.

I totally get that. They should have rules or something, like with men and urinals... We need guidance damn it!!!!

[dancj]

I hold the doors for people, don't discriminate by sex, but the one thing I stopped doing is holding it for people who are more than a certain distance away. I realize that once you go past a certain distance, you put the person in a position where out of guilt they feel forced to speed up or go into a light jog to keep you from being inconveniences by holding the door too long. So what was meant as a favor originally now becomes an inconvenience.
Yeah - I hold doors for everyone, but I often realise too late that I've overstepped that line.

Dan

[Deathstroke]

I do hold doors for people.

While it's not a conscious thing, I do find that I seem to hold doors for women more than guys.

The guys can fend for themselves I guess.

And I hold the door if I'm going in or out, and a person is doing the opposite. Regardless of whether they have packages in their arms.

[Shellhead]

I used to hold doors for people all the time, regardless of age or gender. However, I sometimes got stuck in awkward situations where a whole bunch of people wanted to pass through that door and I would make my date or my friends or whoever wait while I was holding that door for a time. So I now I am more selective about the situations where I hold it. One or two people, sure. A crowd, no they can fend for themselves.

[Rallura]

Yes I do, and no I don't have rules about it, I just hold the door open.

[Chase]

If someone is exiting and I'm closest to the door, or if they're near behind, I'll hold open the door. I still believe in being a gentlemen, regardless of living in Las Vegas.

[Gingold]

Yes. I've got no time for non-doorholders.

[Cayman]

I almost always do unless the person is really far behind me. Gender and age doesn't really matter for me.

[Gladiaria_Alata]

I almost always do unless the person is really far behind me. Gender and age doesn't really matter for me.

Same here.

[Schornforce]

I try and hold doors for people, but sometimes don't for reasons people've already stated. i.e. in a hurry or if someone's mean. Also, if I'm not thinking, then I may forget.

In high school, I'd hold the door open so long, one of my friends usually had to make me stop.

An episode of "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" ('Store Wars') had a character hold the door for people virtually the entire episode. It brought back high school memories galore.

[Babylon23]

I'll almost always hold doors open for people. I'll usually even stand there and hold the door for a group of people.

Although I don't have any gender bias, I admit that I probably hold doors open for women more than men.

[Sean Whitmore]

I hold doors open for people, but am slightly annoyed that we as a people haven't come to a consensus of precisely what the rules are.

How far away does someone have to be before it's okay for me not to hold the door? If I'm at the door, and you're coming up the hallway behind me, ad we make eye contact, am I obligated to stand there and wait?

Can I just push the door so that it's swinging open as you're approaching it? Is that seen as a sign of disrespect, or is it better than nothing?

If you're holding the door open for me, but I'm, for whatever reason, not quite ready to step through the doorway, then what? Do I now have to accept your offer of holding the door for me? Is me waving you away too dismissive?

I actually have these Larry David-esque thoughts about a lot of things.


SEAN

[Froggy]

always unless the person is like waaaaaaaaaaay behind me. I'm always suprised when people do it for me tho

[Bok]

I hold the door for anyone. Age, sex, race, whatever doesn't matter, I'll stop and hold it. Sometimes if I'm opening the door and get a step in and notice someone is heading out I'll actually stop and do a backpedal outside to hold it open for them (especially at work).

One thing I end up doing often if someone is behind me and walking slower than my pace, I'll actually slow down and match their speed while staying in front of them so that when we both reach the door I can hold it open and they won't have to run/jog to catch up to me. I guess I'm just that nice a guy.

[Chris N]

When opening a door I look for somebody behind me always. If they're close enough I always hold it. There's an awkward distance where I may decide not to as it will be fully closed by the time they get to it. At this point I may let age and gender factor into my decision.

If the door pulls out to me and I see somebody walking from the other side, I try to hurry to it so I can pull it open and stand out of their way thus avoiding awkward indecision

[sun tzu]

I hold doors. Regardless of age and sex.

[Gilda Dent]

I'll hold doors for just about anyone, but I'll try to make more of a point of doing so when it's someone who is impaired in some way, such as elderly or disabled people.

[Stony]

What happens when two Door Holders meet in front of a door?
Who gets to be the DH in that context? The one closest to the knob?
What if the other person has a longer arm?

[Lex]

Doorholders of the world unite! Personally, if I see someone carrying something heavy and I'm in a position to hold the door for them, I don't think there should be a time limit on how long to hold it. Could I look dumb if they're further away than normal? Sure, but it's worth it to help them out.


I hold doors. Regardless of age and sex.
Wait, how do you tell what age and gender doors have? :)

[Hulkamaniac]

I do hold the door for someone directly behind me or if it's obvious that the person needs assistance. I was always taught that this was the proper thing to do. Most of the time others do this for me as well.

What I notice though is that when I do hold the door many people fail to acknowledge the act by saying "thankyou" and when it does occur I reply with a "your welcome". I say thankyou all the time. You'd think that the verbal response would be easier than the physical act, no?

[brundlefly]

I'll try to make more of a point of doing so when it's someone who is impaired in some way, such as elderly or disabled people.

That's my MO, as well, along with people who are carrying stuff, wheeling a cart, moving furniture, that kind of thing. About the only time I don't hold the door is when a large line of people are involved and I'm at the front, since I don't want to get stuck holding the door like a sucker while thirty or forty people file through.

[Dan Apodaca]

Wait, how do you tell what age and gender doors have?

Give a little feel when you're holding it. If it's there, you'll know.

[dancj]

About the only time I don't hold the door is when a large line of people are involved and I'm at the front, since I don't want to get stuck holding the door like a sucker while thirty or forty people file through.
Ah - that's when you do the old swing of the door that means it hasn't yet shut when the person after you reaches it, but they'll have to catch it themselves.

Dan