think that you should shake a person's hand the same regardless of whether they are a man or a woman...

[Iamblossom]

....and not save a special, limp, weak handshake for when you are shaking hands with a woman?

I have to shake hands a reasonable amount when I meet new people through work, at meetings etc - I still feel (perhaps old fashioned?) that a proper, firm handshake gives a good impression. I teach both my sons to shake hands properly.

Yet so often I get these really pathetic waste of space handshakes from other women, and I am pretty sure some men give me the "female" version of what would be their normal shake.

AIBU?

I've git arthritis and osteoporosis.

A firm hand shake is my most dreaded greeting.

It BREAKS my bones

Oh gosh, cutted :(

cutted you need to use Eddie Izzard's way of dealing with these persons of small genitalia :)

I hate really "firm" bone-crushing hand shakes. I always wonder what they are trying to prove.

I was on a course recently and as part of that the trainer touched on handshakes and got us to practice on each other. Her advice for how firm it should be was to imagine you are holding the hand of a small child when walking beside a busy road, i.e. with a firm enough grip that they won't get away and run in to the traffic but not squeezing so hard that you hurt them.

I hate shaking hands with people. I'm quite happy to just say "Hello" "Thanks" "Goodbye, nice to meet you" without the need for any physical contact. I probably have one of those limp handshakes as a result. I just want it over with and for this stranger to let go of my hand to be honest.

I kind of wish handshaking would just go away actually. I must be getting increasingly germophobic in my old age but shaking hands really is a perfect way to transmit germs. I must have picked this aversion up from my old boss. He had a serious phobia of germs and he would always squirt hand sanitiser onto his hands within a minute of shaking hands with someone. The person who's hand he had just shaken would always look a bit offended, not surprisingly but my boss really couldn't help it.

I hate shaking hands. I never feel comfortable doing it. I had quite an old fashioned up bringing as far as manners were concered (my mother still replied to wedding invitations in the 3rd person), and as such it just wasn't expected for me to shake hands.

When is everyone participating in all this hand shaking?!!., It's a weird thing when you think about it. Isn't it so very British to avoid too much physical contact yet we readily do all this handshaking when really no one likes it that much. (Except like I said above when are you all handshaking?!) .....thinks you all must be super professional business types having lots of meetings and handshaking beforehand! (Sorry it's been a long old day- Brain fried- I know what I mean!)

would rather have a limp handshake than a kiss on cheek from anyone

I would normally agree, but one of my Dutch colleagues greeted me at a work social do, and asked if he could greet me the Dutch way, kissing on alternate cheeks three times. It sounds really naff, but actually, it came over so naturally and considerately, so I knew what was expected, it was fine, and I said yes. And I managed enough professionalism to restrain myself from asking if we could practice the French kiss next. He's got a good handshake, too, just the right amount of firm.

I've always assumed that limp handshakers are like that with everyone, not least because in the past, I've had that conversation with (male) colleagues, and the limp ones seemed to be that way with everyone, not just me.

When I started my current volunteer role, my handshake was commented on, since I stood up, introduced myself with my full name and then had a 'proper elbow out' shake. It's been meant as a compliment, and i hate the pansy arse shake. I have grown up with my parents friends from all over Europe, but they are mainly Belgian, so I have always assumed 3 kisses was normal, and so really appreciate a handshake!

I haaaate shaking hands. I walk with a stick, so it's so bloody awkward as I'm leaning on my right, but they put their other hand out, so I have to move my stick, lean to the left - the often they realise what they've done, and swap hands - then it's an awkward dance about when I'm thinking just pick a fucking hand and stick with it.

Then finally it gets to the shake, and I have poor muscle tone and screwed up hands so it hurts like hell, and I can only give these so called 'limp' shakes, and even if they do it gently it still hurts me - and if they give a proper bone crusher my hand will literally throb for hours.

So, can they be bloody banned please?

So, can they be bloody banned please?

No. But people who lack the awareness to understand that when meeting someone using walking aids, they should probably take (or not) their cue from said person and definitely not instigate a handshake themselves, should be shot. Fair?

No, handshakes should not be banned - they are an integral part of our culture and custom. However, as Maid says, people should take the cue from the person using sticks.