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LOS ANGELES, April 3 (Xinhuanet) --
Eight in 10 Americans
believe that a lack of respect and courtesy is a
serious problem,
while six in 10 say the problem is getting worse in
recent years,
a survey released on Wednesday showed.
The study, conducted by Public Agenda, a non-profit public
opinion
research organization, also found that 41 percent of the
respondents
admitted that they are part of the problem and
sometimes behave badly
themselves.
The survey, entitled Aggravating Circumstances
-- A Status
Report on Rudeness in America, showed that about 73
percent of the
respondents felt that Americans treated one another with
greater
respect in the past.
About 58 percent said
they often encounter reckless and
aggressive drivers on the road,
although just 35 percent admitted
to such behavior themselves. About
64 percent added that the
problem is getting worse. But only 13
percent reported seeing
frequent rudeness at the
airport.
Three-quarters of those surveyed said they had
often seen
customers treat sales staff rudely -- while 46 percent also
said
they have left a store because of the way the sales staff treated
them.
About 71 percent of respondents who had watched
kids play
organized sports said they witnessed parents shouting at
coaches,
referees or players.
The increasingly popular
use of cell phones has become a public
nuisance, as 49 percent of
respondents complained they are often
disturbed by loud and annoying
cell phone conversations. The
survey found that 61 percent backed
legislation banning cell phone
use in public settings such as
restaurants, movies and museums.
A majority of
respondents said that Americans had become more
thoughtful and caring
after the September 11 terrorist attacks
last year, but far fewer
thought the good feeling would last.
About half of respondents said
they believed the money donated to
September 11 victims would be
misused or misdirected.
Funded by the Pew
Charitable Trusts, the poll of more than 2,
000 randomly sampled adults
was conducted in January. The poll has
a margin of error of plus or
minus 2 percentage points.
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