to think there was no reason to say thank you

[liftwars]

took the lift up to my gp surgery. carrying 12kg child in my arms. doors open. very elderly woman all but blocking the exit. she has a walker so clearly not very mobile and i don't expect her to easily get out of the way. i aim for a small gap we can just about get through. she appears to move forward into the gap, as if going to get on the lift as we come off. no collision, i moved quickly but didn't stop and retreat back onto the lift. walk away thinking it wasn't a helpful place for her to stand and wondered if she expected us to wait in the lift for her to get on. she shouts "thank you" at me. i don't outwardly react but inside i'm annoyed. still annoyed. but maybe i was rude and don't get lift etiquette. aibu?

People waiting to get into the lift should make space to let people get out first. Same as boarding trains.

Sorry. I clicked YABU accidentally but if you were getting out of the lift she should have made space. I’m guessing she was struggling to move and in pain.

I just wouod have called out your welcome

You should have shouted back 'you're welcome' with a smile 😁

Once I was first waiting to get off a subway train, and there were a few people waiting to get on. One guy stood right in the way of me getting off, blocking basically everyone. It took one of the other guys waiting to tell him to move for him to shuffle over a bit - while complaining that he had left enough space. There was literally no space. Clearly my 'excuse me' didn't count as I'm just a woman.

It really makes no sense to not let people off first when it comes to lifts, buses and trains. I don't understand why people can be so stupid about it.

I hate when people say “thank you” or “my pleasure” in a condescending way especially when they are the ones in the wrong. I had it once when I was walking along the pavement next to a very quiet residential road and a bike coming towards me on the pavement quickly gets out of my way. The rider says “my pleasure” pointing out that I didn’t say thank you. I’m thinking I’m not going to say thank you to you when you’ve done something illegal which is of course riding a bike on the pavement.

In the case of lifts I think standard etiquette is to let others out first but as she was not that able to quickly get out of the way what you did in quickly getting yourself through a gap was the most appropriate thing. Her trying to use that gap to then get onto the lift was not sensible really, she should have waited for you.

You did the right thing and she was probably having a bad day!

You can change your vote by clicking the other one.

Oh yeah! Thanks. Can’t believe I didn’t think to try. 😂