Personal Space
British people are not overly active with their body language and are quite reserved when it comes to physical contact.
A person’s personal space is typically just around 40 centimetres or 12 inches. This is more or less the distance you can reach with your arms. The need for personal space is something you can easily observe every time the British interact.
The British definition of personal space means that touching other people or putting your arm around someone easily can make that person feel uncomfortable. In fact, unless you know the other person well any kind of physical contact is generally uncommon.
However, there are no rules without exceptions and for the British the exception in personal space is one of public transportation. On the tube (the London Underground), in buses and on trains, you will during rush hour find that people stand close enough to be able to smell what the next person had to breakfast.
If you feel the least bit claustrophobic it is advisable you try to avoid the tube in mornings and again between 5pm and 6pm.
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