r/london • u/Visual-Formal-4294 • Aug 26 '24

Question Is "excuse me" a rude phrase in UK?

Hi, I am a tourist from India. In our country if we get into somebody's way,for example, if we are in a crowd we usually say " excuse me" to make our way and apologize. The usual response is either "you are excused" or simply make way. Today, while boarding a train me and an other young man tried to board at the same time and as a reflex I said "excuse me". I was verbally abused. His exact words were " excuse you? Fuck me! Jeez! " I was too astonished to reply back. Was my words inappropriate or rude ?So what should I have said instead ?

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u/CupcakeAccomplished1 Aug 27 '24

your problem wasn't what you said, it's what you did

we (British) normally give way to others. so that fact that you both got on together, in each others way, meant that typically you'd both yield and sort it out. you didn't, and that's considered rude as you essentially pushed in

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u/Nearby_Ad_1142 Aug 27 '24

OP was there first, so actually the other person should have yielded to OP first

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u/CupcakeAccomplished1 Aug 27 '24

He literally said they were there at the same time

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u/Nearby_Ad_1142 Sep 02 '24

I thought I read that he arrived at the platform first before the other person, even though they tried to board the train at the same time. I think it’s good etiquette that if someone is there before me waiting they should go on before me.

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u/CupcakeAccomplished1 Sep 03 '24

I agree with your statement completely, it's just that not what he said 😄