SCOTTISH BRIDGE UNION
Law 74 – Conduct and etiquette : A2
A player should carefully avoid any remark or extraneous action that might cause annoyance or embarrassment to another player or might interfere with the enjoyment of the game.
"There has been a lot of correspondence recently complaining about bad behaviour at the table" (from the April 2014 Monthly Memo)
It is disappointing to report that there is still a lot of correspondence complaining about bad behaviour at the table.
Please, please, try to be considerate of others' feelings, and tolerant of their weaknesses.
Consideration
- One person's witty remark may be another person's hurtful slight.
- One person's normal vocabulary of expletives may be offensive.
- One person's expression of irritation at the shortcomings of the organisation, the TD, partner, opponents, life in general, can be very upsetting.
- Emotion is normal in a competitive sport. Do not let it take over.
- Should you fall short of perfection PLEASE offer an apology. This is not an admission of guilt, just an acknowledgment that you may inadvertently have upset someone.
Tolerance
- Your standards of behaviour are high, but others are human and may fall short (could some pedantic individual even find something to criticise in your own behaviour?). When someone upsets you explain nicely why you are upset. If they apologise let that end the matter.
- Give others the benefit of the doubt. There is rarely anything personal in an apparent lack of courtesy.Why not assume they are having a bad day?
- Try not to get involved in a tit for tat argument. Bad behaviour is bad behaviour, no matter what someone else may have done.