For some infuriating reason, some of my close friends (these are people I see on a regular basis ie at least once, twice a week) have started shaking hands when we meet !!

I personally prefer to reserve such action for people I meet on a professional basis or distant friends I rarely see..

Am I being picky? cos this is really starting to grate on me now..

What’s the standard protocol you stick too?

IF they’re close friends can’t you just ask them?

Next time you meet them and they offer a handshake, reply with the classic outstretched hand then thumb brought up to nose with wiggly fingers manovure, complete with “Neerrr!!!” noise, they’ll quickly get the jist.

For what it’s worth my opinion on handshaking is the same as yours.

Fist bump, bro!

NOT.

IF they’re close friends can’t you just ask them?

Suppose I’ve been avoiding the question so as not to insult them.. I’ll take your advice 😉

Tell them NO! on hygiene grounds!

Embrace them and kiss them on both cheeks Euro style, they’ll soon stop coming in for the handshake

Just give them a big sloppy kiss instead.

Some of my friends are huggers and kissers (the kiwis) and others are not (the scots).

But shake hands is what you do with people when you meet for the first time, and not after that, is the protocol as I understand it ?

Trump their handshake with a hip hop hug

I prefer the “Dylan” 🙂

My main friends I tend to shake hands with unless a bit drunk when the man hugs come out to play

Man hugs all the way……………….

Followed by who can lift who off the ground, throw them to the ground, in a neck lock and wait for the tap out 😉

A few guys from work insist on going round shakin everyone’s hand when they return from annual leave. I don’t get it. It’s like they want to be congratulated for coming back to work.

Meeting up with mates I haven’t seen for a while is different. That could either be a handshake and a manly hug, or both but it wouldn’t happen as often as the OP said.

OP – are you from the South as this confused me…

I’ve been avoiding the question so as not to insult them..

Or, as you approach them, do a big stagey coughing wheezing sniffling fit, finished with a big wipe of hand across snotty nose.

Then see if they dare…

(and get new some friends, honestly what kind of people are they ?? Do they leave traffic cones outside their house and fence nazi memorabilia too ??)

hug

arrrgh.

Man hugs all the way……………….

Followed by who can lift who off the ground, throw them to the ground, in a neck lock and wait for the tap out
+1 then we snap each other with towels, share a hot tub and watch Brokeback Mountain

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFULNmqhPI4[/video]

A few guys from work insist on going round shakin everyone’s hand when they return from annual leave. I don’t get it. It’s like they want to be congratulated for coming back to work

Lead the cheering as they go round – a few whoops in there should do it. Then a mid-air chest bump when it comes to your turn for a handshake

I’d rather shake hands with a friend, even if I’m crying out for a hug, than meet someone through work and have my fingers crushed by some over-compensating professional hand mangler, or shake hands with someone who’s grip is so weak, that their fingers collape under their own weight and you’re left feeling just a bit icky.

Then there are those that don’t let go, the awkwarness of how hard to grip a woman’s hand…it’s a minefield of variables.

Simple solution is hug everyone; friends, colleagues, suppliers, ramblers. Good way to make yourself memorable at an interview as well.

How old are you OP? (serious question) During my late twenties early thirties me and my mates went through a similar thing. Some wanted to shake, some wanted to hug, one wanted to kiss. All a bit weird for a while but I think it was one of those “sh!t I’m growing up now so I’d better act that way” things.

Eventually it worked itself out, given most of us are either married or in couples now it feels a bit weird not greeting even my best mates with a handshake – I’ll always give their wives/girlfriends a peck on the cheek so a handshake seems the mature and appropriate thing to do. If it means crossing the room then just a serious nod will suffice.

These days we appear to be struggling with how to greet or say goodbye to each others children. For our closest friends I usually opt for the bear hug, tickle, blow raspberry on neck approach. One of my best mates is quite manly and not too comfortable with that so goes for high fives.

zerocool – Member
Embrace them and kiss them on both cheeks Euro style, they’ll soon stop coming in for the handshake

I like your style!

OP. Shaking hands is just a show of respect. Get comfortable with it. MTFU.

Yeah, I tend to shake hands with people. No biggy, its just a nice way a greeting people I think.

Close friends?

Hug.

I don’t see my friends that often and they mean a lot to me. Handshakes are for strangers, acquaintances, and business.

Are we really that afraid of showing a bit of love?

cos this is really starting to grate on me now

why?

What’s the standard protocol you stick too?

ocd?

What’s the standard protocol you stick too?

1. Unzip fly

2. Put flaccid p£ni$ in friends hand

3. make groaning noise

4. repeat 2 & 3 for multiple friends if necessary

What is the protocol for a kiss on the cheek when meeting a woman?

A lot of the wifes friends / relatives go for this and it makes me rather uncomfortable.

Do you actually kiss the cheek? or just the air?

Is a hand on their hip acceptable?

Do you give said hip a little squeeze? – even if its an old lady?

🙁

I do the hand shake thing – sign of respect imo.
What I still can’t get used to is the kiss!It happens most Darn Sarf.

mwa mwa ! “get off me I’ve only just met you!!”

What is the protocol for a kiss on the cheek when meeting a woman?

Peck on the cheek IMO, hand on hip or arm acceptable if good friends. Can’t be doing with all this kiss on both cheeks nonsense, it’s a show of affection not some pretentious clap trap.

GrahamS – not afraid of showing a bit of love but you don’t have to cuddle each other to accomplish that. Stiff upper lip and all that.

Edit to add: Don’t squeeze old ladies hips in case they break.

GrahamS – not afraid of showing a bit of love but you don’t have to cuddle each other to accomplish that. Stiff upper lip and all that.

Why though? What’s wrong with a cuddle, or even a stilted man-hug-with-back-slap if you must.

We’re only here for a short time – so show some love. 😀

(it should be noted that many of my male friends roll their eyes when I give them a hug)

Go for a ‘thumb in’ shake.

Or delicately trail your index finger across their palm as you retract from the shale.

Or make it clear you’re going for a “fist bump” just before your fists connect, revert to a traditional handshake, and shake their fist.

The man I was working for always used to shake hands.

Then he didn’t pay you.

I’d rather he had paid me……….. and his other staff, distributors, council tax, Inland Revenue, VAT, car tax, mot, you name it, on time.

Shaking his hand became quite nauseating…perhaps that was the intention….to further insult you!

I said “you name it” there, but it is quite possible he did pay his dealer on time!

my brother inlaw has the worst handshake ever…i now dread seeing him for that reason alone….its the masterful palm facing the ground that he employs…i twist it back now.ive shook hands for years in all my jobs/with freinds and family.
you can tell a lot by a handshake….

Are they masons?

Are they masons?

i dont think so…

Does he lean back a little while he offers you his downturned hand? I’d be tempted to kick him in the nads 🙂

I always carry a small bottle of alcoholic hand wash gel to get the germs off after a handshake.

here you go – shaking hands protocol
😳