Last week I was tutted at loudly in the street twice in the space of five minutes by two different women.

I hadn’t forgotten to get fully dressed (I have almost left the house without my skirt on twice now, it is only a matter of time) and I hadn’t so much as glanced at their husbands nor had I caked too much makeup on, well not in my opinion anyway.

Nope, my heinous crime was none other than getting in their way on the pavement.

What they completely forgot to take into consideration however, was that they were every bit as much in my way as I was in theirs.

Should the population continue to increase at a consistent rate then who knows how we’ll be forced to walk our streets in thirty years’ time, but as it currently stands we are free to change direction, overtake and move at any pace we like.

There is no pavement code in existence for pedestrians. There is no right of way – if someone cuts across your path then you’ve also cut across theirs. Common decency is our only guide.

What we’re forgetting to do is be our charmingly British selves. Surely the most obvious way to react in such situations is do what we do best – simply apologise.

Regardless of whether you feel at fault or not it’s nice to exchange awkward smiles, get in each other’s way at least three more times as you try to clumsily pass each other and then carry on with the rest of your life. It’s that kind of behaviour that enables us all to sleep at night.

Personally, I’ve managed to apologise to numerous lamp posts and other inanimate items over the years for getting in their way, so being rudely tutted at for occupying a particular spot on the street that someone else covets does leave a nasty taste in my mouth.

We need to cling onto our eccentric polite Britishness; it would be a terrible shame to lose it. I used to host foreign students and they never failed to be amazed by the great behaviour they witnessed around them in Oxford on a daily basis.

Many students were particularly stunned by our habit of thanking the driver when getting off the bus. They loved this extreme quirkiness of ours but were convinced that everyone would think they were mad if they did it back at home. I encouraged them to try it, just once, but I bet none of them have ever been brave enough.

We’re famous for our ability to queue but we’re beginning to get slack. There’s often a small huddle trying to weave their way unfairly to the front. It’s just a matter of time before we all just bundle for everything – how hideous will that be.

We seem to be forgetting that it’s actually really nice to be nice to each other. So think before you tut. Try smiling instead – it just might make you feel pretty good.