synthkeys

A few have remarked about China and Hong Kong. I'm in China a lot, and ride elevators multiple times a day. This is the single biggest thing that bugs the [redacted] out of me over there. At least in the Shenzhen metro, there seems to be some sort of half [redacted] idea about letting people off first, but people usually lose their patience quickly and start entering the car before everyone has gotten off. But in the elevators its every man for himself. I see people waiting for the elevators, standing right in front of the door causing so many bottlenecks with people getting off. They don't realize that it would actually be quicker and easier to let everyone off first. But it's just the culture and I can't change it. But I do sometimes act out passive aggressively, taking a wide stance as I exit not caring whether someone gets bumped. But then I end up being the one who's rude.

Another elevator etiquette rule, talking on the cell phone. When I'm in the states, generally people don't talk on the phone while in the elevator, or if they do, keep the conversation quiet or quickly end the call. In China, everyones ringtone is super loud and they have no voicemail, so every call gets answered. And of course if the elevator is crowded they just yell at the top of their lungs. Screaming in someones ear is not considered inappropriate, because after all they have a phone call. Every super load ringtone is answered by an equally loud "Wei". Sometimes if I'm super fed-up, while someone is shouting on the phone in the elevator (only if I'm alone with the shouter), I pull out my phone and pretend to answer a call and start yelling in English -- "What? I can't hear you? Someone is talking real loud!" Yeah, super passive aggressive, but the rudeness just kills me some times.