Walking in the company of a woman
If you are walking down a street in the company of a woman or a man know that the right side is honorary side. You will let a woman walk on the right side of you or a man if he is a senior person. In this way we honor them.
This custom dates from the middle ages when knights wore the sword on the left side keeping the right side free, since the right arm was “fighting arm”.
In some Scandinavian countries they follow the opposite rule. A woman should walk on the left side, “the side of the heart”.
A woman should always walk on the “protected side”, it being left or right, if she is exposed to some unpleasantness. For example if the road is filled with water ponds she might get splashed from passing by cars. This is why you should walk on the outer side of the pavement, no matter if it’s left or right.
If you are entering a cab, and plan to sit on the back seat, apologize to the lady and enter first. In this case you will squeeze yourself through and let the lady enter easily after you. In this case you will spare her squeezing through the back seats to sit on the outer side. To avoid this situation you can open the doors for her, let her in, close them, and walk over to the other side and enter inside the cab.
When exiting a cab be the first one out and offer your hand to the woman with you.
When entering some premises men should enter first, since this premise are unknown territory. When leaving, open the door for the woman and let her out first.
