For the ladies: should a guy initiate a handshake with a woman?

[skydiver30960 0]

This is one from the "Wayback Machine"

When my mom was "raising me right" she taught me all kinds of interesting nuances about being polite with the ladies. Examples: when walking down the sidewalk, the man should always walk between the woman and the traffic (supposedly to protect her?). When meeting a woman for a date ALWAYS bring something (flowers, candy, whatever).

Another one was: a man should always shake hands with another man when introduced, but when meeting a woman the man should wait for the woman to initiate the handshake; this was supposedly to keep the woman from being uncomfortable about being touched by someone she wasn't comfortable with yet.

So waddaya think? Does this still hold? Or is this outdated in today's more forward society, and men should feel comfortable initiating handshakes with men and women?

Elvisio "you can tell it's a day off" Rodriguez

[keka 0]

I have no problems with hand shaking at all.
If I don't know the person, I will shake hands.
I think if I take too long to offer my hand for a shake, it will be rude.

my 2 cents

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
PMS#551
I love my life :)

[Conundrum 1]

What the hell? Why wouldn't a guy shake a woman's hand?

[skydiver30960 0]

That's kinda the reason for the poll: it's one of the many "old school" mannerisms that my proud momma taught me when I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and one of the few that I genuinely don't understand. But, on the other hand, it seems to be one that maybe proves out a little bit in the real world. In a room full of people, most guys are right there with the handshake, and lots of ladies are too. But there are also the ladies that don't seem to thrilled to shake hands, and I always wondered if maybe there was something to what mom always said...

So, being that dz.com is my first (and often only) stop for the gathering of arcane information and opinion, I thought I'd see what y'all thought...

Elvisio "just wonderin'" Rodriguez

[skymama 35]

Yes, it's fine for a man to offer his hand. I think that rule is passe now with so many women in the workforce.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[skydiver30960 0]

Yahoo search points out a couple websites that list this duplicity of handshaking as an older, more traditional custom. One specifically attributes it to a "naval tradition" which would make sense since her (my mom's) side of the family is steeped in the Navy.

Elvisio "yahoo, ALMOST as good as dz.com" Rodriguez

[turtlespeed 212]

Quote

Yahoo search points out a couple websites that list this duplicity of handshaking as an older, more traditional custom. One specifically attributes it to a "naval tradition" which would make sense since her (my mom's) side of the family is steeped in the Navy.

Elvisio "yahoo, ALMOST as good as dz.com" Rodriguez

I would say it depends on what is on his hand.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Frenchy68 0]

- when meeting a man I do not know: handshake
- when meeting a woman I do not know: kiss on the cheeks
- when seeing a male friend of mine: kiss on the cheeks

Use the hand to: shake hand of people you don't know, open doors, pick your nose, kill roaches, scratch your ass, zip up, hold booze, zip down, tie your shoes, etc...

Use the lips when: greeting people you care about (male or female), kiss that hot chick, sip on that booze your dirty hand brought to your lips, etc...

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[turtlespeed 212]

Quote

- when meeting a man I do not know: handshake
- when meeting a woman I do not know: kiss on the cheeks
- when seeing a male friend of mine: kiss on the cheeks

Use the hand to: shake hand of people you don't know, open doors, pick your nose, kill roaches, scratch your ass, zip up, hold booze, zip down, tie your shoes, etc...

Use the lips when: greeting people you care about (male or female), kiss that hot chick, sip on that booze your dirty hand brought to your lips, etc...

You don't know me anymore.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Broke 0]

Because Hugs are better

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[livendive 8]

I don't think I've ever heard the handshake one, and I certainly wouldn't bring a gift on a first date, but I do walk on the traffic side.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[TheStepchild 0]

I don't think I've ever heard the handshake one, and I certainly wouldn't bring a gift on a first date love to bring my girlfriend chocolate when we go out on a date, but I do walk on the traffic side.

Blues,
Dave


Awwww! You're such a wonderful, romantic boyfriend baby!

Why can't pirates and cowboys co-exist in perfect harmony?

[popsjumper 2]

You don't shake skybabes hands...you give hugs, hump their leg and take them home for wild monkey sex.


Nina knows!


Well, part of it anyway...good thing Mike is secure in his relationship.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[livendive 8]

Should I only bring chocolate on date nights? Or should I bring some home tonight as well?

Oh...and you can quit wearing your new rig around the house now, you're going to stain it.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[jtval 0]

Quote

What the hell? Why wouldn't a guy shake a woman's hand?

1 answer?

COOTIES?
Back when this thought was prevalent people thought cooties were real.

My photos

My Videos

[1969912 0]

Yes, but only if there is no poo under her fingernails.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[TheStepchild 0]

Quote

Should I only bring chocolate on date nights? Or should I bring some home tonight as well?

Oh...and you can quit wearing your new rig around the house now, you're going to stain it.

Blues,
Dave

Tonight sounds good as well.
And I don't want to take it off. I'm going to wear it nekkid the rest of the afternoon.

Why can't pirates and cowboys co-exist in perfect harmony?

[Royd 0]

Quote

Yes, it's fine for a man to offer his hand. I think that rule is passe now with so many women in the workforce.

Where do you draw the line concerning rules of etiquette and good manners?

If a woman extends her hand to me it says that she is glad to make my aquaintance, or maybe that I'm just not one of the untouchables.

Seriously though, I see a lot of rules of etiquette discarded because of indifference, laziness, or just rudness.

I wonder how many women find etiquette directed toward them, simply because they are women, demeaning.

[masterrig 1]

In Meeting a lady for the first time, I remove my hat and shake her hand... if, she offers it. On the second meeting, I tip my hat. I've noticed too, a lot of women nowdays, don't know how to approach a door so the man with her, can open it. I believe, a lot of 'manners' in regard to women, have gone by the way. Probably due to women's lib and all that.


Chuck

[wmw999 2,169]

Quote

when walking down the sidewalk, the man should always walk between the woman and the traffic (supposedly to protect her?).

There are two versions. One is to walk between her and the traffic, to protect her (from mud thrown up). The other is to walk closer to the inside, so that when someone empties the chamber pot out the front window, it'll land on him instead of her .

I extend my hand automatically, so I've never noticed if a guy waited for me to do it.

But Miss Manners (I have my mother's annotated copy
Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[2fat2fly 0]

Quote

Yes, it's fine for a man to offer his hand. I think that rule is passe now with so many women in the workforce.

Even if you make fun of them later? (where is that Dublin thread)

I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried

[Andy9o8 0]

Quote

Yes, it's fine for a man to offer his hand. I think that rule is passe now with so many women in the workforce.

Agreed. I offer my handshake to women all the time, in both professional and purely social situations. It would never even occur to me to consider gender in whether I do or don't offer a handshake.

[tbrown 26]

I don't think it holds anymore, as most women probably haven't been taught they're supposed to initiate the handshake. Besides, it's SO archaic it hardly matters anymore, especially now that the wimmins is equal to us. she'd probably just think you're a cold fish for not wanting to sake hands.

Are we seriously talking about a handshake ? Is this some kind of Baptist hotline question or what ?

By the way, the thing about the guys walking on the traffic side of the street comes from the old days when people used to empty their chamberpots out of their bedroom windows into the open street (where unfortunate public employees called "rakers" would rake the unfortunate leavings into the dirt roadway, in an attempt to blend things a little more nicely). The upper stories of houses would usually extend a few feet out from the ground floor, so the ladies were being afforded the chance to walk with the prtection of the second floor over their heads, leaving their gallant male companions to brave the shitstorms without.

This is also where the expression "gardyloo !" comes from. POLITE people would shout "gardyloo !" as a warning to the people below that they were about to let fly with the night's leavings.

Flush toilets, modern dentistry, and skydiving are three reasons why I wouldn't want to live in any other "more romantic" time.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !