THE other day my husband and I were left gobsmacked while queuing in a shop when a woman walked right past us, to the front of the counter, and proceeded to place her request in front of us.

So shocked at what she had done, we were unable to get words out to protest and had to wait until this woman had been dealt with before we could be served ourselves.

Yet once we'd recovered sufficiently to confirm to each other that, no, we weren't invisible and yes, she really had just blatantly pushed in front of us, the incident sparked a lengthy discussion on how inconsiderate people appear to have become.

Waiting for what seems like hours to pull out of a side street on to a busy road while every motorist stares stonily ahead, determined not to let you out, has become an almost daily occurrence.

Even more frequent are the occasions I'm waiting at a roundabout assuming a fellow driver is going straight on as no indicators are being displayed, when they happily turn left, meaning I could have pulled out, but have now missed my chance.

And don't get me started on the number of times I've held a door open for someone, only for them to sail through without even a hint of recognition, let alone a "thank you".

I'm sure I can't be alone in noticing what a selfish place the world has become and I'm now on a mission to reverse this depressing trend.

So here are my top five ways to be more considerate: 1. The next time you're in a queue of traffic and notice someone trying to edge out of a side street, let them out. Okay, so you're one car back in the queue - it's not the end of the world.

2. If you're walking through a door, a quick check over your shoulder to make sure you're not going to let it slam into someone's face is hardly going to disrupt your day.

3. When you get back to your car and find you've still got an hour left on your pay and display ticket, give it to someone else. This has the added bonus of not cluttering up your car until you remember to throw the thing away.

4. Next time you're at the supermarket check-out about to load your monthly shop onto the conveyor belt, let the person behind you with only a loaf of bread and a pint of milk go first. Is two minutes' delay really going to make that much difference?

5. About to get off the bus? Finished with the newspaper you bought to read on the journey? Offer it to someone else. At least there's less chance of getting newsprint all over your clothes.

If you really can't get on board with any of these suggestions, just think how you felt the last time someone did you such a favour. Wouldn't the world be a happier place if we all made someone feel like that from time to time?