It's time for my annual whine about how everyone in the UK is constantly apologizing for something. If it's because they are in front of you (legitimately) in line, or because you have to wait 10 seconds for your Big Mac, it's because they are replacing the water mains or building a new building across the street. Huge signs appear stating something like "We are replacing the water mains so that you can have fresh water, we apologize in advance for the inconvenience to you for our actions."
Why not something like this: "We are replacing the water mains to bring you fresh water. Thanks for putting up with our dust. You are going to like it when we are finished." I guess this apologizing comes from a society that grew up on tipping their hats or pulling on their forelock to those in higher stations. For me, I don't like it.
I was just walking up the street and saw a woman, smoking, talking on the phone, and walking directly toward me. I stopped. She nearly hit me. She then said – "What's the matter with you, can't you say "sorry." When apologizing becomes a national past time it loses all meaning.
Maybe our president got the idea for his apologizing to the world from the Brits. I don't mind telling someone you are sorry that their toe hurts when you stepped on their foot, or saying "excuse me" when you have to go to the restroom on the airplane. That's simple courtesy. But to apologize in advance for something that may or may not have caused any problem, and certainly for something that is going to make their lives easier and better, seems to me to be a sign of weakness. I'm with you Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
JVH
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