English manners

Ever had one of those elevator experiences that leaves you wishing you'd taken the stairs? An American in London just did, and she has an observation about English men. It seems they don't have the good manners she expected:

This comes as quite a shock to me, as somewhere in the back of my mind, for no specific reason, I was anticipating gentlemanly manners beyond compare.

It's a common misconception and stems, I think, from the pervasive notion of the English Gentleman. It's nonsense, of course. In general, I've found that one can only reliably expect impeccable manners from those Englishmen who ride bicycles while wearing scarves and carrying umbrellas.

There aren't a lot of them about.