Commando Civility has been on a bit of a break for a while, but we felt compelled to come back when we witnessed this fine gentleman clipping his fingernails on the Subway in New York City. Listen closely, you can hear the “click click” above the sound of the screaming children and the subway noise.
This is great. We wish we had thought of it. It’s a pad of “citations” for rude cell phone users. Fill one out and hand it to the offending cell user.
You can order Cell Citations here: Perpetual Kid.
See this Common Craft blog post about clever Japanese smoking manners signs.
Overheard in a local hotel men’s bathroom during a large convention of legal technology folks:
“Did anyone find a BlackBerry in here? … Damn!”
I’m not sure where to begin. How about: do you really feel the need to have your BlackBerry in one hand and your, um, manhood (or toilet paper) in the other? Are you really so busy that you can’t take a break from the CrackBerry to take a dump? If it is hygienic to wash your hands after using the toilet, and you’re going to click away with your filthy digits on that cute little keyboard while pinching one out, shouldn’t you also put some Purell on the device, too?
People really need to stop and think about the things that they do.
Oh… and at the same conference, on another visit to the men’s room (it was a long day and I had a lot of coffee), all three of the other men in there were talking on their cell phones.
I wanted to hand them one my cards that says, “The world is not your private phone booth.” But, damn it, I didn’t have one with me.
Caroline Roberts did a nice piece in the Bostonist called Manners Police: No Assholery Allowed. I love Bostonist’s Golden Rule: “Don’t be an asshole.”
Commando Civility is not alone. Even in New Hampshire, they need to be reminded about civility now and again. Toby Hatchett is doing her part. She wrote a nice piece entitled 2008 Wishes for Port City in the local paper. Here’s a bit of it, but please check it out.
I want 2008 to reflect a return to civility and nice manners. Why, oh why, why, why, must you people walk abreast on icy streets in groups of three or four or more? Can’t you realize there might be someone behind you, in front of you, who needs to pass? This sense of sidewalk entitlement must be eliminated in 2008. Let us make it a priority.
Ahem, OK, bear with me. You cell phone users, we love you. You are so cute. You are so very important. We really do love you. However, may I just say one thing? We sincerely do not want to hear intimate details of your sex life and/or medical treatments. Don’t let us be subjected to this. Puh-lease! Give us all a break. If we wanted to hear such lurid details, we would not be out, but home listening to Dr. Phil and Oprah and soaps. Give us our quiet times.
If you really must divulge such details, can you just, please and thank you, step outside of the line you are in, INSIDE, and do it outside, so no one is captive to your drama queen life? Thank you.
We feel your pain, Toby, we feel your pain.
Maybe you don’t feel comfortable handing a rude person a card that says “You realize that you’re in public, right?” when they’re clipping their toe nails at work – in the cubicle next to you. Or maybe you just don’t have a card on you.
Maybe that rude person is a loved one, but you can’t bring yourself to tell them that they shouldn’t litter by handing them a card that says “I think you left something back there.”
Maybe you just need a little help forcing people to be civil. Well, Commando Civility is here to help! We can send them an anonymous email (from commandocivility[at]gmail.com) that includes the appropriate message and link to the blog. They’ll never know that it came from you (we can blind copy you on the email if you wish).
Maybe the offender doesn’t do email. For a limited time, we will send an uncivil person of your choice a postcard with a Commando Civility message. Again, completely anonymous. Just send an email to commandocivility[at]gmail.com with the person’s name and address and which phrase you want on the postcard. The cost of the postcard and postage is on us for the first 30 requesters. In other words, it’s free.
Please note that phrases (either email or postcard) are limited to the ones you can find on this site. Please don’t suggest any phrases. By submitting or suggesting phrases other than those found on this website (via comments to this website, emails, or otherwise) you agree to allow Commando Civility to use the phrase or the idea, in whole or in part, on future cards, blogs, or merchandise (which may be used for commercial purposes) and relinquish any claim for such use. In other words, keep your clever phrases to yourself.
This card, which simply says “That’s really not the best place to do that,” was inspired by those people who like to hang out at the top or bottom of stairways – especially the steps going into the subway. You’ve seen them: the menu hander-outers, the cell phone talkers, the newspaper sales people. They block the flow of pedestrian traffic and just generally get in the way. Maybe in a desperate act of irony, I should stand right next to the menu guys and start handing out these cards to the subway patrons. I think that I would be the only one getting the joke.
I realized that these cards would also be perfect for those people that do personal things in public (you know, like the public nail clippers), so if you don’t have a “You realize that you’re in public, right?” card on you, you can hand them one of these.
How would you use one of these cards? Leave a comment with your ideas and we’ll send you some – free. How’s that for civil?
So, some people are still wondering: what’s this all about? What are these cards? And what the hell are you doing? Well, here’s the deal. They’re cards, the size of business cards. And yes, they mean business. On the front is the clever statement and on the back is the website address and (on the advice of our lawyers) a copyright statement. Since a picture is worth a thousand words…
Have you ever been on the train or an airplane and it’s quiet, and all of the sudden, you hear it? That metallic click, click. It’s an unmistakable sound. You know what I’m talking about. Yeah… nail clipper. You hear it (click, click), but you’re not exactly sure where it’s coming from. You’re sort of paralyzed because you don’t know where those little shards are flying. If you turn around to look you might get one in the eye. That’s dangerous — and disgusting.
There are some things that you just shouldn’t do in public. Next time, hand them a card that says, “You realize that you’re in public, right?”
