I read somewhere that a gentleman is someone who can play the bagpipes, but doesn’t.
Geraldine Blake, Worthing, West Sussex

I disagree. A gentleman is someone in the airline seat in front of you who has the right to recline his seat suddenly, without warning the person behind, but doesn’t.

I have long legs. Almost every time I fly some self-obsessed idiot in front of me will, without the courtesy of a warning, suddenly throw his seat back, crushing my knees. Were Epicurean values ruling human behavior everyone would be thoughtful enough to turn round and say, “I am about to put my seat back. I hope this won’t inconvenience you”. Thank you, a chance to get my knees out of the way.

Dream on! Poor Epicurus! 2,300 years on and still some people resolutely refuse to pause and think of others.