Golden rules for public transport

Basic courtesies are easily forgotten on public transport, particularly if delays are lengthy and space is tight.

1. Bus queues were once an iconic part of the London street scene but an actual line is no longer always practical. However, there is still an order of boarding, even if it is not always explicit, and it is rude to barge in, rather than allowing those who were there first on to the bus. Be alert, make some eye contact and smile. It is good manners to have the card or fare ready and not spend ages fumbling in a huge bag.

2. Always offer your seat to those who need it more than you do. If pregnancy or decrepitude are in any doubt, it is best to quietly vacate your seat, move away and hope that your intended recipient will gravitate towards it.

3. Be tolerant if sudden lurches (a frequent occurrence on buses and tubes) propel you into close proximity with other passengers. Apologise if you're the perpetrator, and smile politely if you're the one being crushed.

4. Remember that proximity heightens tension and amplifies your behaviour, so be considerate if using a mobile phone, eating, drinking, listening to music or carrying outsized luggage. It is fine to be plugged in and to text or email but do not leak music, or impede people. Very loud conversation is anti-social but quiet talking is acceptable.

5. It's inconsiderate to eat smelly food in a confined environment, and applying make-up on public transport can jeapordise that all important first impression and make you appear disorganised.

6. Keep conversations with travelling companions quiet and discreet - you don't want everyone on the bus to be involuntarily eavesdropping.

7. If a fellow passenger wrongs you, ignore it and avoid confrontation. Smile and thank others who show forbearance or gestures of goodwill, including the driver and any staff.

British Etiquette and Customs Meeting and Greeting

• The handshake is the common form of greeting.

• The British might seem a little stiff and formal at first.

• Avoid prolonged eye contact as it makes people feel uncomfortable.

• There is still some protocol to follow when introducing people in a business or more formal social situation. This is often a class distinction, with the 'upper class' holding on to the long-standing traditions:

• Introduce a younger person to an older person.

• Introduce a person of lower status to a person of higher status.

• When two people are of similar age and rank, introduce the one you know better to the other person.

Gift Giving Etiquette

• The British exchange gifts between family members and close friends for birthdays and Christmas.

• The gift need not be expensive, but it should usually demonstrate an attempt to find something that related to the recipient’s interests.

• If invited to someone's home, it is normal to take along a box of good chocolates, a good bottle of wine or flowers.

• Gifts are opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

• Unlike many European cultures, the British enjoy entertaining in people their homes.

• Although the British value punctuality, you may arrive 10-15 minutes later than invited to dinner. However, if going to a restaurant be on time.

• Table manners are Continental, i.e. the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.

• The fork is held tines down so food is scooped on to the back of the fork. This is a skill that takes time to master.

• Remain standing until invited to sit down. You may be shown to a particular seat.

• Do not rest your elbows on the table.

• If you have not finished eating, cross your knife and fork on your plate with the fork over the knife.

• Indicate you have finished eating by laying your knife and fork parallel across the right side of your plate.

• Toasts are given at formal meals.

• When in a pub, it is common practice to pay for a round of drinks for everyone in your group.

• If invited to a meal at a restaurant, the person extending the invitation usually pays. Do not argue about the check; simply reciprocate at a later time.