How lovey-dovey are you in public?

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

When I'm in a relationship I don't go in for much hand-holding/hugging/kissing etc etc when other people are around. Other couples are alright, but single friends or family members = even arm around partner feels a bit awkward.

Ex accused me of seeming uncaring when other people were around, but to me it's just good manners, wanting to be sensitive to how other people are feeling (know how it is to be the single one with a glued-togeher couple), and just plain embarrassment.

So, am I weird? And how do you behave around other people?

not really

My OH is not lovey dovey at all when sober in piblic but when he's had a drink hes very err 'handsy'

We hold hands, kiss (never snog) and hug in public. If we're out with other people, it's usually down to just holding hands and perhaps a peck on the cheek.

Fairly affectionate, though it does change depending on who we are with.

We always hold hands, and are fairly cuddly. Don't tend to kiss so often in public though.

My dh is a bit more willing to kiss in front of people and he is such a nice kisser it's easy to get lost I'm the
moment (cheesy emoticon perhaps?). But I do tend to not like the whole kissy kissy can't keep hands off full snogging thing if your not a teenager it does make me think what are you trying to prove? , and I can't stand it when people slurp especially on the bus I feel like a gooseberry at a threesome .

Aw, I didnt think we were lovey dovey but it turns out we are!

When we are out together we are more likely to be chatting to different people, etc. But we do always hald hands or ave arms round each other when we are walking, kiss in public, etc (although not snogging....eugh).

Hate it when a couple are clearly doing foreplay/pillow talk in public - that's what makes me feel awkward.

Ah, see we do the leg / hair stroking int he car but that's not public (unless you mean you hold hands when you have passengers, in which case I think they might be scared for their safety )

I will also have to admit to some bum squeezing now I've seen it written by another poster. Maybe I'm less PDA-phobic than I thought after all!

We hold hands when we are out. If we go for a beach or wood walk DH usually has his arm round my waist or shoulder.

I often have my hand on DH's leg whilst he is driving and he often gives my hand a squeeze.

If the kids are on a play area we quite often sit sideways on a bench with me between his legs and his arms round me.

Def wouldn't snog in public though.

Neither of us were like we are now, when we were previously married to other people, so its interesting that we are like this now. Lovely though.

I am probably one of the older people here and me and hubby still hold hands and show affection in public,We cross hands and touch thighs in the car too. Nothing full on but just gentle tactile moments, its nice. No full on snogs though shudder

But my mum and dad held hands and snuggled all the time and they died within 6 months of each other aged 70. Been with each other since mum was 13 dad was 14.
As a child I recall them doing it and as a teen I remember being slightly embarrassed by it but looking back , its a wonderful memory of just how devoted they were to each other and how they stuck 2 fingers up to the etiquette of their day ...
My mum and dad, the rebel cuddlers of their community, oh how eyes rolled and bosoms were hoiked.

^ hahahaha, same!

Im not its horrible. I'm 22 so maybe should be having one of those passionate young love type affairs but i just don't like public displays of affection, Being part of or watching, i find it awkward and embarrassing. Yuck

almost no contact between DH and i - sometimes i wish there was. it would be nice to just hold hands now and then

This is us too - gross when people who have been together for ages are all over each other in public - get a room!!

Bit of an affectionate touch of the arm as i pass. odd kiss snatched ina quiet corner of a party.

but no. no big PDA's. We're both a bit old and boring for that.

Elephant - just wanted to say thank you for your sensitive approach, I wish others would follow suit. As a single person who misses her lovely DH very much (he died), I find it very hard to be around friends who don't take the same view that you do. Of course I understand that people might kiss hello or goodbye, but much more demonstration of affection than that betwenn couples when there are just 3 people in the room is very hard to witness. And if I were long-term single rather than widowed I would probably feel the same.

dd thinks we are weird because we dont hold hands in public. but we never have,

there was a woman sitting astride her man the other evening, she was in her 50s or 60s i guess, both pissed.
quite revolting.

In general we hold hands ect..nothing ott
On a night out I Might follow dh up to the bar for a peck and a squeeze but not do it while sitting in company.
Wouldn't ignore him to make someone else feel better,who's feelings are you worried about more.......
Could see how this would be a problem if he was into it and you weren't.
Still get asked out to meet single friends so we must be okay.

Y'know, sometimes those of us who are affectionate to our partners in public are just doing it because we love them and because it's normal to us to demonstrate that physically. It's not always because we have something to prove

I disageee strongly, LeQueen.

There are cultural aspects to how tactile people are in public, too. I used to be quite the reserved Englishman until my wife changed me with her dark Slavic ways.

I think it crosses the line when it stops being merely affectionate and starts being overtly sexual. I kiss and hug lots of people not just DH. I also hold my DC's hands, ditto my DH. I wouldn't snog anyone else, not would I start groping anyone else, so I tend not to do that to DH either.

We are about to move to Dubai, where public displays of affection are an offence. We may have to work out a secret code :)