Five Behaviors Not to Do in Public

In these days of changing laws and changing values, some people seem to have lost sight of the lines of acceptable behavior in public. Workplaces, malls and grocery stores would be better places if people would remember just a few behaviors to avoid.

1. Douse yourself in perfume or cologne. Up until the mid-20th century, most people seldom bathed more than once a week, and their clothes were changed and laundered on about the same schedule. Perfumes were used to help mask the odors this lack of modern hygiene created. Now, people tend to bathe more often and change their clothes daily, so fragrance is largely unnecessary. A small dose of perfume or cologne can be pleasant, but those people who bathe in their body spray do a disservice to those around them. Worst of all, such behavior can be a health risk. More and more people today are dealing with environmental illnesses that can be exacerbated by such strong smells. Keep the dosage at a minimum.

2. Spank your kids. In case you haven't heard, spanking is out. This behavior in a public space seems to invite other adults to tell the parents how to raise their children. If you don't want to get free advice from others, refrain from this behavior in public.

3. Smoke next to entrances and exits. Most places now ban smoking inside buildings, sending smokers outside for their breaks. The idea behind such regulations was to keep secondhand smoke away from non-smokers, an idea that becomes frivolous when smokers park themselves immediately outside building doors. That behavior doesn't allow people going in and out of the building to avoid going through the smoke, which can be, just like perfumes, a health hazard. Buildings that encourage such behavior by placing ashtrays right at the entrances or by avoiding ashtrays altogether, not giving smokers an indication of where they can smoke, are just as bad.

4. Make a private conversation public. We've all heard of this behavior with regard to cell phones, but it can be true of other conversations, as well. Children are usually hushed when they use loud voices in public, but for some reason, many adults seem to forget this rule. A loud conversation at the table behind you can ruin a nice evening. Adults should be able to monitor their behavior and the volume of their voices.

5. Curse. For many people, cursing is just part of their everyday language, and they feel they have the right to speak as they wish wherever they wish. But chances are that such language will offend someone within earshot. Although the speaker may not care about offending others, avoiding such behavior is part of being in a civilized society. It is why we wear pants and talk about people behind their backs instead of to their faces. Cursing up a storm is fine in your own home, but keep such behavior there.

Rules of public behavior change from generation to generation, but some should remain as others are born. While we don't need to walk on eggshells, we should try to have respect for each other. That will allow for a much more pleasant public experience for all.