To ask for lists of things that would make the world a nicer place if people did them

[Bearbehind]

I posted yesterday about things that I’d noticed others do which seemed selfish, and it seems the problem is that people don’t always think about how their actions might affect others.

So if you could list the things that wind you up that would make life nicer with very little effort.

My top one would be to park considerately - I lose count of the number of times I see people who’ve blocked others in, parked across 2 spaces, made roads impassable for emergency services.

What other things do you wish people thought a bit more about?

"I think bikes should only be allowed on off peak trains - they take up too much space on already crowded trains."

Then I guess I'll drive to work everyday instead. Coz that's what everyone wants me to do. I may as well get fat, too. And drive to the supermarket instead of cycle (coz world likes that better).

Not really, but that leads onto my next point (imho):. World would be a nicer place if folk didn't make me feel very unwanted & disliked all the time.

MN reminds me every day that no one likes my opinions.

Stop throwing rubbish out of car windows (take it home and but it in your own bin)

Smile a people

Say hello to pensioners a lot live alone and don’t have any contact with other people for days so when a see them in the shop a try and say hello how are u today!!

It's really simple. People should treat each other in the way they themselves would like to be treated. I smile at everyone and let others go first, always say thank you. This is mirrored back to me and my life is happy because of it.

Miserable horrible people become pensioners too(if they’re lucky) so I don’t hold with that. I’ve met plenty of bloody rude, unfriendly pensioners .

I do still smile and be polite because that’s how I was brought up. But I do notice many older , rude people.

Stop driving everywhere, your pollution is harming everyone.
Stop shouting at your children.
Pick up your dog poo.
Stop bullying people.
Leave the trees alone.
Consider animal welfare.
Stop smoking and drink less.
Don't smoke weed in the street, it stinks.
Buy less stuff, buy second-hand, recycle.
Object to things like 5G, smart metres, AI, human cloning, GM crops.
Stand up for your rights, protest, don't be so passive.
Be nice, kind, helpful, polite to every person you meet.

The point not of this thread was to list things that are easy to do, but have a big positive impact on a lot of others around them.

To me, that doesn’t include things that would personally make your life easier, to the detriment of others.

Thinking everyone who uses perfume is a jerk or thinking train companies should cater for unlimited numbers of bicycles only benefits a few people to the detriment of many.

I guess it illustrates why we see so many things that make life difficult for others - a lot of people are only thinking about things from their own viewpoint.

Bearbehind I do walk through London at 8am.

Every day I get a coffee on the way to work, and every day it's in a reusable cup. It's really really not hard. Thankfully I see more and more people doing the same.

It's not a small problem, it's part of an absolutely massive one. Plastic pollution.

Same with people getting narky with cyclists. Let's all burn some more fossil fuels in our cars instead.

But cyclists taking their bikes on trains cause more problems as other people can’t get on them.

Re disposable coffee cups - I realise every little helps but I don’t really understand people getting evangelical about coffee cups or drinking straws as opposed to the plastic in everyone’s weekly shop or children’s toys and packaging, ie, why focus on just people who sit in a coffee shop using a takeaway cup?

Bikes aren't allowed on most trains during peak times (certainly not on commuter routes) but they are an important part of travel so trains should cater for them in the same way that road space should cater for them. Reducing from 8 spaces to 4 is not reasonable.

Because every little helps. Focus on plastic bags and usage goes down by 90%. Same principle with other every day items that people wouldn't think twice about.

There is also a campaign for McDonald's toys - so much unnecessary plastic.

Focusing on a few things makes you think about everything.

If those 4 spaces mean an additional 8 plus people can use the train I think it is reasonable - as with so many things it’s about what benefits the most people.

Focusing on a few things makes you think about everything.

Fair enough

Depends how you look at it. Did you travel into London when it was 39 degrees? Trains can't cope in that heat. Unless we change our ways - significantly less fossil fuels - those conditions will be completely normal for London.

And trains will not be able to cope.

Show kindness wherever possible

Smile and say hello / good morning

Use manners as much as possible

Wherever you see bullying, pull it up whenever it is safe to do so

Tiny acts of kindness are fantastic, if everyone did this the millions of gestures would make a huge difference: share trolley tokens, offer to help carry someone's shopping / lift it in the car if they are struggling... Carry the drink for the parent / carer to their table if they have their hands full with a baby or toddler

If someone looks upset, be that person who can just ask "Are you ok?" and offer a tissue.

Offer to lift prams up steps

Drop a (cheap!) bunch of flowers to a lonely / quiet / just because they are there neighbour

And so on....

Yes I did but I don’t see your point - if you need to take your bike on the train then you’re reliant on trains even if it’s hot.

Plant trees and flowers. Even if you haven’t got a garden you can guerilla garden along the public path with some poppies or similar.

Don’t use your phone on public transport unless you can’t possibly avoid it. If you must make or take a call, keep it short and to the point.

Don't use your phone in the cinema.

Don't corner the lady who asked you politely to put it away in the toilets afterwards and call her rude.

Yeah, this happened to me today. My actual words "Could you please put your phone away" but I'm the rude one. Ok...

Also, my life rule.

Don't be a prick. Just don't. It's not hard to not be a prick. Probably less effort.

Not eating meat? By eating meat/dairy we contribute to the unimaginable suffering of millions of animals. It's a huge moral blind spot. So many are offended by this being pointed out, yet not offended by just one slaughter house killing 9,000 pigs every day and 10,000 chickens every hour?

If you must eat eggs, don’t choose ‘large’. Buy ‘small’ or ‘medium’. Chickens haven’t evolved to lay large eggs so you are causing extra suffering for no benefit. Anyway it’s just more ‘white’.

Respect pedestrians; don't drive or cycle over a pedestrian crossing when pedestrian lights are green, and someone is trying to cross.

If you run as a hobby, great and all power to you; but please look where you're going and don't knock over people who are walking on the pavement. (Happened to a friend of mine recently; her face was badly bruised.)

Don't leave or especially drop litter.

If possible, don't block pavements so that other people have to go into the road to get past you. Especially, don't park on pavements.

Bearbehind, because the person with the bike cycles both ends of the trip and it's quite likely at least one of those replaces a car journey.