Some more questions about 'come' and 'go'

[Haihao]

Hi,

I am now quite happy and confident in using 'can I come with you?' or 'can I go with you?'.

However, I am still curious about some other expressions involving 'come' and 'go' such as:

1. Can I come in? -When someone is asking for permission to go into the room/house, he/she wouldn't say 'can I go in'. Is this because the speaker always takes up a similar position to the hearer's in this case?

2. Coming through, please. -When someone is asking for the way to pass through a crowd/etc. the speaker wouldn't say 'going through'. Is this with the same reason as the above case?

3. When people say 'I don't know whether I am coming or going' to mean 'I don't know what to do', what would they image? I mean, even though this is an idiom, would people still have some kind of imaging such as 'coming here' or 'going there'? Maybe this question doesn't make sense at all.

A million thanks in advance.

haihao

[Mister Micawber]

.
1-- Precisely, out of courtesy.
2-- Yes, it is the people in front who must become aware of the warning.
3-- Just running back and forth is how I picture it.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Haihao]

Hi Mister Micawber,

Is courtesy there behind the scenes! That's what I needed, Micawber Sensei. Kansha Kangeki!

Haihao