If you are in a public restroom and someone walks in on you, who should apologize? The person who unknowingly opened the unlocked door to see something they didn't want to see, or the person in the bathroom exposed who did not lock the door? I am talking about a single bathroom, no stalls so someone could look for feet. Assume the door is lockable.
2007-10-02 13:43:00 · 19 answers · asked by takemymulligan 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Etiquette say both must apologise to each other because if one didnt locked the door of his restroom then the other should have knocked the door before entering...
Besides it will be really humble of them to apologise to one another. :)
2007-10-02 21:54:11 · answer #1 · answered by angelanita 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nobody really has to apologize. The person walking in had every right to believe that no one was in there because the door was unlocked (and a lot of times you can't hear the other person in there if you knock), and the person who didn't lock the door embarrassed themselves more than they injured the other person. So it's a wash. But it's such an uncomfortable situation, usually both people do.
2007-10-02 13:48:22 · answer #2 · answered by julz 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Politeness is not primarily about "who's right". It's about making people comfortable and easing social relations. Whether or not the door was lockable, the person exposed is quite uncomfortable! So I would say the person walking in absolutely must apologize.
Of course, politeness works both ways. The person walked in on should be gracious, and assume that the person doing the walking in did not intentionally mean to catch him/her in an embarrasing position.
2007-10-02 13:50:01 · answer #3 · answered by la fea 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The person who open the door should apologize but if you don't lock the stall door then you're bound to get walked in on.
That's just a given.
2007-10-02 13:51:29 · answer #4 · answered by ♥SLIM♥ 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The first apology should cme from the opener; the second from the didn't-locker.
Or at least a "Oh! I didn't lock it!"
The door-opener didn't really do anything wrong, wrong; but they did expose the other.
The person at fault is probably just too freaked. But an acknowledgement of wrongness (the mis-hap IS their fault) is appropriate.
2007-10-02 16:07:54 · answer #5 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The person that opened the door
2007-10-02 13:50:26 · answer #6 · answered by Vera C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The one who opens the door .
2007-10-02 13:47:26 · answer #7 · answered by fuzzykitty 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The person that entered. You are not suppose to enter a closed door without knocking and waiting for a response.
2007-10-02 17:49:02 · answer #8 · answered by kim h 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The person who unexpectedly opened the door & exposed the innocent potty-er, I believe.
2007-10-02 13:47:46 · answer #9 · answered by Little Lola 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
neglect on the users part. always lock. the door opener has noway of knowing if its occupied unless there is the automatic sign as in planes. but then too...those are tied to the locking bolt on the door. it is the users responsability..
2007-10-02 13:53:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋