In my experience, I have encountered Lagosians who use the umbrella in
the public carelessly with a cluelessness of a little child. When some of them
hit you in the head with their umbrella or their umbrella get to close to
poking you in the eye and you nudge them to carry the umbrella properly. They
either give you the scornful look to convey their disdain for being corrected like
the rainy season is supposed to be an excuse for bad manners.
Some would even act as though they didn’t hit you with their umbrella
and just walk away. Only a very few Lagosians use the phrase “I am sorry,” when
they hit you with the umbrella.
Umbrella etiquette is really lacking in this city – stay civilized with
the following umbrella etiquette tips in this rainy season. It’s not enough to
learn how to hold the umbrella from the waist and slowly raise it to a
protected position, you need to also, be cautious of how to use it in your
surroundings.
☔When opening or closing your umbrella, point
it away from others.
☔If you’re going out of the house or the
office, and you plan to carry an umbrella, the moment you’re out and about on
the streets, you need to be mindful of others and don’t cause danger in other
people’s space.
☔I know a lot of us, try to avoid getting wet
in the rain, but it will be courteous of you to go about in the public with a
portable umbrella, and not the outrageously large umbrellas.
☔To avoid hitting someone in the head or
poking them in the eye with your umbrella, the best thing to do when someone
shorter than you walk towards you on the street in the rain, you either raise
your umbrella, step aside and bear the pouring temporarily.
☔If you're about the same height as the
person, and your umbrella is the largest, slightly raise it up. Getting a
little wet is better than poking someone in the eye with your umbrella and risk
getting into trouble.
☔Never go about in the public with your
umbrella too close above your head and covering your eyes. Why, because you can
bump into others and hurt them.
☔👢Think
of this gesture as being a neat and considerate person – to avoid a wet and
messy floor with the kind of muddy untarred roads we have in quantum over here,
if you're carrying an umbrella, and want to enter a home, office, or shop
gently shake off the water and leave it in the umbrella rack. If there’s no
umbrella standing vase, leave your umbrella in the corner near the door and let
the security guard know it’s your own and would pick it up on your way out.
☔Whenever you’re dropping your umbrella, make
sure it’s not dripping water onto someone else’s belonging.
🌂When you are not using a closed umbrella, be
careful how you carry it. Hold it vertically, with the pointed end down.
☔Shake your umbrella out outdoors before
coming into the house or leave it outside to dry.
Finally, no matter how important you think you are, do not harm others
using the umbrella during this rainy season. Have a special awareness of
other people. Be courteous. . .
What’s your umbrella etiquette and worst umbrella experience with
others? Share your story with us in the comment section below. Know anyone who
might find this post useful? Share it with them.
Love,
Damilola Ogunremi
Your friend & Coach
Photo Credit: Engin Akyurt
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