Scots have shared the “unspoken social rules” that people across the country should follow. Every country in the world has their own unique customs and traditions.
For visitors, it can be difficult to know what to do and what not to do in order to not offend locals. Here in Scotland, there are relatively few things tourists are likely to do that will land them in major trouble.
However, there are many customs that we follow that people in other countries would not. One upcoming visitor took to social platform Reddit to ask Scots anything that they should be aware of before they travel. Before long, they were flooded with etiquette tips from locals.
Posting on the website’s Scotland community, they wrote: “Hello! I’m in my mid-30s moving to Glasgow for one year for a postgraduate program. I’ve been to Scotland on four or five visits but A) never for more than a couple of weeks at a time, and B) I’ve not spent much time in Glasgow specifically.
“At the risk of getting roasted for asking this, I’m curious — are there any unspoken social rules/public etiquette/household practices you can think of that apply to Scotland specifically?”
Since being shared, the post has received 200 ‘upvotes’. With more than 440 comments, Scots were quick to share their own etiquette tips.
One Reddit user suggested that people should always thank their bus driver when stepping off of a bus. They wrote: “Just a quick ‘cheers’ or ‘ta’ as you climb off works fine.”
Meanwhile, another user shared their own bus-related tip. They suggested that, when getting onto a bus, whoever was at the stop first should be the first one to step onto the vehicle.
Another user said that, if you are outside of the big cities, you should say hello to people when walking past them on the street. In general, Scots are known for their friendliness when compared to other countries.
The user posted: “Depends where in Scotland but outside the cities everyone will greet you in passing. Greet them back. That is an unspoken social code, it makes the country a pleasant and welcoming place.”
A second echoed: “If you make eye contact with someone give them the smile/nod. Reciprocate if someone does this to you. More applicable the more rural the location. If you’re in the sticks walking, and someone walks by you — it’s customary in those places to greet good morning or afternoon.”
Elsewhere, someone else joked: “If you ever see the Duke of Wellington without a traffic cone on his head, put a traffic cone on his head.”
This is a reference to the equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington in Glasgow. Sculpted by Italian artist Carlo Marochetti and erected in 1844, it has become customary for locals to place a traffic cone atop the statue’s head.
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