Excuse me.

[MinnieMountain]

Should one add “please” at the end of “excuse me” when asking someone to get out of the way?

I think it’s polite in itself. DH and the woman standing on the left of the escalator in the underground last week (who felt so strongly she shouted “please!” at me twice) think it sounds like an order without the “please”.

Nope. I would in a polite social situation, as long as it wasn't so crowded I'd be begging obstructors every step of the way.

Woman standing on wrong side of escalator: it is an order; the socially acceptable face of "Get out of the way". No need to beg.

If she’s rude enough to be standing in the walking side she’s got a nerve expecting others to be polite.

*excuse me is perfectly polite anyway. I’d have probably just shouted “coming through” and barged on by, but I’m getting grumpier as I get older.

I know I was in the right on the escalator 😁 She was English so definitely had no excuse.

My question is mainly about DH’s insistence in situations where the other person isn’t being rude but they are in the way.

I don’t think it needs a please in that situation either op. I would give a big smile and say thank you to them though as they let me by.

I always add 'please' after excuse me as I was shouted at as a child for not doing so.

I would never try to 'correct' someone else though!

"Excuse me" on its own could be a request for attention rather than action.

"Excuse me, please" is a euphemism for "You're in the way".

The 'please' does not make it more polite, it makes the meaning clearer. But what kind of a numpty do you have to be to stand on the wrong side of the escalator and think you're in the right?!

(Unaware visitors excepted, of course.)

That makes sense @Aparecium. I’ll start using “please” for clarity.

Escalator woman clearly thought she was in the right. Bizarre.