Manners don't cost a penny

I remember back at primary school, the receptionist had a sign above the window stating 'Manner's don't cost a penny'.

Being a busy woman to a school of loud-mouthed children, she had obviously become sick of people's rudeness, and refused to help unless you were polite.

And I don't blame her.

Traveling around London for the week, I have come to realise just how rude some people can be. Especially on the tubes, it seems some people do not have it in them to wait that extra 2 minutes for the next train, and so insist on crushing me against my fellow passengers. A little too closely for my liking.

Not only that, but I have lost count of the amount of people who have barged into me in the street, and not apologised! No it's fine, you've just half stepped on my foot and knocked open my handbag, please do carry on!

Unfortunately, this rudeness has become part of our 'Londoner' identity, and so I raise the question - where have peoples good manners gone?

Please and thank yous have been drummed into me since birth. So how people lose them later on in life is beyond me!

However, in contrast to this, being lost in this sea of street weaving and lack of eye contact, it does make a nice change when someone does show some kindness.

For instance, during my Monday morning rush into work exp, I found myself bursting for the loo after way too much coffee at breakfast. The toilets at Victoria charge you 30p, and of course just my luck, I have 20p.

Asking at Cafe Nero for change from £1 so I can stop doing the wee-wee dance, a guy gives me his 30p change with a smile and then marches off with a simple 'here you go!' Bless him. (Of course I said thank you!)

Then later on in the week another guy, despite being in the 'queue' to get on the tube first, lets every woman near him (including myself) get on before him, before boarding the train himself.

It's moments like this that make me smile, those little acts of kindness radiate out and can change your whole mood for the day. 

So next time you have the opportunity, why not try it yourself. Remember your please and thank yous, and you could just change someones day, as well as make yourself feel better.