Nothing drives me more crazy than inexeperienced and ignorant umbrella drivers!!! I swear there should be a test and I license issued to everyone who wishes to take on the rain with their new ‘weapon’- and yes they are weapons! Many times my eyes have been within millimeters of their lives with the oblivious driver tilting, or walking their tips at eye level not knowing the fragility of my peepers!
Now that the rainy season is upon us, I think it is time for a little reminder about the rules involved in carrying such an accessory. It is said a Vancouverite has three umbrellas – a good one, a cheap one, and one found on the bus. I love the rain, but I hate umbrellas, and I’ve always just had crappy ones, that I then leave on the bus and have to get off two stops early to buy another cheap one. This year, I was prepared and bought 2 straight off the bat, last week, before it even started raining. They did not come with instructions, as I seriously think they should have.
The reason being is that people do not know how to deal with umbrellas. Yes they are a nuisance, particularly when you’re trying to carry your gym bag, laptop bag, and coffee cup in a delicate balance that is entirely thrown off by the addition of an umbrella, but it rains a lot here and so they are here to stay.
First off, you do not need one of those giant golf umbrellas that will hold 3 people as well as all their golf equipment under them. Those are for golfing, not the city. I recently had the misfortune to be walking behind someone with one of those behemoths and everyone on the corner had to shield their eyes.
Secondly, watch out for people’s eyes! There are a lot of sharp, pointy bits on these things and they are not to be swung around all willy-nilly.
Next, I have to say that it particularly annoys me when people have their umbrellas open and then walk under the awnings. Personally I think all businesses in Vancouver should be mandated to have an awning of a certain size, to protect the passers-by, but that is another story. If you have an umbrella, then walk in the rain or put it down. No need for the hood-wearers to be forced coldly (and wetly) out into the street.
I’ve seen various methods of how people avoid umbrella to umbrella contact outside. They walk around if they are nice or run straight through if they are rude, leading to a brushing of their rain umbrellas. It is already bad enough the weather is poor, no one needs to get hit by an umbrella. The proper action to take depends on your height. You can avoid running around a crowd if you size up how tall you are compared to the other people. This means if you are generally taller than them, stretch your arm up and raise it above to avoid contact. If you are shorter, take a few hits of rain and drop it to your left or right depending on which side you are passing. This will ensure no one gets hit and you don’t have to travel out of your path during these inconvenient situations!
Once you reach your destination your umbrella will most likely be soaked and dripping from the elements. There are options when you go inside, such as shaking off the excess water to dry it off or lay it down. What’s the best option? Before entering the indoors, give a few strong shakes to ward off the extra water and hold it to your side. You don’t want to put it in your bag yet, it will soak everything. If you are sitting down, place your umbrella on the ground near your feet. I’ve seen some people put it on a seat or right on the table. No one likes to sit in a wet seat, so don’t ruin it for people who will sit in your spot after you leave. Laying it on a table will work if you make sure to wipe up the water afterward…don’t be lazy with rain umbrellas!
Here are a few more tips….
1.Never open your umbrella indoors. (unless you’re at GumDrops, where all umbrella opening is immune to bad luck!)
2. The taller person should always raise their umbrella when passing in tight quarters.
3. Never open your umbrella at sporting events.
4. If your umbrella has blown inside out more than six times, replace it.
5. Be very cautious when changing direction with an open umbrella, accidents happen!
I would love to hear other pet peeves, stories or tips on umbrella etiquette…so GumDrops followers let me know!
