I have found the rudeness reputations of New York and even Paris to be largely myths. I found people in both cities to be very polite and helpful (with one exception of a waitress in a Manhattan coffee shop who treated me like I was the stupidest person on earth when I asked her for a clarification on a menu item).
But I have noticed while walking in Manhattan or running in Central Park that there is definitely a different etiquette in operation: in New York pedestrians and even runners for some reason avoid eye contact with people coming the other way. Out here in San Diego if you were out running and failed to acknowledge a another runner coming the other way, you would be regarded as stuck-up. Kurt Bray > >the myth about the rudeness of the people of New York must have started >with >rush hour subway traffic. I admit, between 4:30-6:00 on a summer evening >after a long day of work... to be herded onto a subway packed with people >is >not exactly what you want to do. BUT, considering these circumstances, I >would say that New Yorkers actually have a huge amount of patience to be >able to go through this ritual day in and day out without exploding. > > >>From: "John Dye" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Reply-To: "John Dye" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: "T-and-F" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Subject: RE: t-and-f: National Indoor >>Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 07:18:21 -0500 >> >> >> >>Not to pick on NYC, which is one of my favorite cities on the >> >>planet, but you natives need to realize not only that ALL big >> >>cities are intimidating to much of the populace, but also that >> >>New Yorkers' unparalleled rudeness coefficient (I guess they'd >> >>call it "survival") and brusque manner rarely leave an outsider >> >>feeling particularly welcome. (Hey, I don't mind, just paint a >> >>target on me!) >> >> >> >>gh >> >> >>I have to disagree strongly with this sentiment and aim at GH's target. I >>have visited New York several times a year in recent years and have found >>that either I have changed or New York has changed. The reputation for >>rudeness is a myth. I have always found the city exciting and safe, and >>the >>people very courteous and friendly. I always ride the subway to the Armory >>or Van Cortlandt Park. New York is my favorite big city, and I grew up in >>small town Indiana (Plymouth, pop 5,280 -- the number of feet in a mile, >>coincidentally.) with a fondness for Chicago, and now live in Ballmer, >>hon. >> > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com > _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com
