NationStates Jolt Archive

New York!?
A big WTF there! :)

Reader's Digest commissioned a study of 35 cities, sending ppl round to rate the inhabitants according to a series of 'politeness' tests. Things like helping someone pick up dropped papers, holding a door open for them, whether the shop assistants said, 'Thank you' and so on.
They then gave them a rating and converted it a percentage.
And surprisingly, NY came out top, by a long way.
Unsurprisingly, the usual suspects like the Swiss, Canucks, Kiwis, Swedes (obviously Fass must have been sick that day;) ) all featured in the top ten. And Asian cities all featured in the bottom 10.
Here's the list:
1. New York USA 80%
2. Zurich Switzerland 77
3. Toronto Canada 70
4. Berlin Germany 68
5. Sao Paulo Brazil 68
6. Zagreb Croatia 68
7. Auckland New Zealand 67
8. Warsaw Poland 67
9. Mexico City Mexico 65
10. Stockholm Sweden 63
11. Budapest Hungary 60
12. Madrid Spain 60
13. Prague Czech Republic 60
14. Vienna Austria 60
15. Buenos Aires Argentina 57
16. Johannesburg South Africa 57
17. Lisbon Portugal 57
18. London United Kingdom 57
19. Paris France 57
20. Amsterdam Netherlands 52
21. Helsinki Finland 48
22. Manila Philippines 48
23. Milan Italy 47
24. Sydney Australia 47
25. Bangkok Thailand 45
26. Hong Kong 45
27. Ljubljana Slovenia 45
28. Jakarta Indonesia 43
29. Taipei Taiwan 43
30. Moscow Russia 42
31. Singapore 42
32. Seoul South Korea 40
33. Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 37
34. Bucharest Romania 35
35. Mumbai India 32
Here's the full article:
Most polite cities (http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=27599&pageIndex=0)
So, where does you country sit?
Mine is 7th - 1 more polite person and we would've been 4th equal! Bastards.
Where I am now is 25th, which goes some way to explaining why I felt it was so rude and insulting when I first came here.

I notice Singapore is 31st, which is kinda ironic considering how they fine ppl for doing anything, even slightly, non-conformist or anti-social. I guess now they'll bring in a law telling ppl they have to be polite in public else face an instant fine and/or a rattan caning.

No Tokyo? Thats wrong.

Doesn't surprise me, actually. I just visited NYC last week, and I was frankly dumbfounded how throughly all of my preconcieved notions regarding New Yorkers were shattered within 24 hours of being there.

A great city...with some damn nice people. :)

Sao Paulo?
Paris?

JA!

Auckland...... More polite than Wellington? Fuck off.

I can't believe philadelphia isn't on this list. It should be just because of me!

Dammit!

Auckland...... More polite than Wellington? Fuck off.
There's no Wellington on the fukken list!
Anyway, Aucklanders are much morepolite than you fuckin morons!

New York? Are you sure? Afterall New York has many black people, and we all know blacks are evil, smelly, dirty, stinky, and criminal. :rolleyes:

Stockholm as number 10? WTF!!1111 And even the damn Finns are on the list? That survey is rigged, no doubt about it. Probably a swedish hoax to get back at us for 1905 ;)

But, yeah, I'll have to agree that söta bror is polite, and Stockholm is a good place to be.

There's no Wellington on the fukken list!
Anyway, Aucklanders are much morepolite than you fuckin morons!
Ohh.. You jaffas are fuckin' crazy! The road rage up there is insane..

I think this test is slightly unfair because Japan does not have the tradition of opening doors for people.

There's no Wellington on the fukken list!
Anyway, Aucklanders are much morepolite than you fuckin morons!


Bullshit! you fuckers come down here and I'll cramb politeness down your useless throats!

Yeah, damn straight, bitches, New York, top of the food chain. We'll show you how to do it. Old school, baby. :cool:

New York? Are you sure? Afterall New York has many black people, and we all know blacks are evil, smelly, dirty, stinky, and criminal. :rolleyes:
Well, so are the whites, but both races know how to say "please" and "thank you."

I wonder if anyone outside the country realises that Australia doesn't consist of just Sydney & Melbourne, whenever someone picks an Australian city it just has to be one of the stuck-up east coast ones that make the rest of us look bad. Thanks Sydney.

New York!?
A big WTF there! :)
[...]
whether the shop assistants said, 'Thank you' and so on.
They should have deducted points for saving 'have a nice day' without meaning it.

London is 18th.... something wrong there...


London, the city where EVERYONE despises tourists, non-locals, locals...
Been there many a time (live outside of the city), have NEVER seen a shop-assistant look semi-happy.. Never seen/heard anyone polite...

And almost got run-over at a road crossing MANY times.. even when Pedestrians had priority (AND were ON the road...)

London is 18th.... something wrong there...


London, the city where EVERYONE despises tourists, non-locals, locals...
Been there many a time (live outside of the city), have NEVER seen a shop-assistant look semi-happy.. Never seen/heard anyone polite...

And almost got run-over at a road crossing MANY times.. even when Pedestrians had priority (AND were ON the road...)

No kidding. London has black people.

Bullshit! you fuckers come down here and I'll cramb politeness down your useless throats!
Just try it Monkey boy!




btw, I'm actually even further north than Akl. My parents live in Kaitaia.

They should have deducted points for saying 'have a nice day' without meaning it.
Yep. That crossed my mind as well. How sincere were they when they said, 'Thank you'?
It might have been a matter of,
"Thank you, please come again..."
*customer walks out, shop closes*
"...asshole"

Polite according to what standards? Different cultures possess different values na dbeleifs in regards to what is and isn't polite. It doesn't surprise me that the Asians scored poorly on a eurocentric politness test. I'm sure all of the westernised nations would score poorly on a foreign politeness scale.

New York!?
A big WTF there! :)

Reader's Digest commissioned a study of 35 cities, sending ppl round to rate the inhabitants according to a series of 'politeness' tests. Things like helping someone pick up dropped papers, holding a door open for them, whether the shop assistants said, 'Thank you' and so on.
They then gave them a rating and converted it a percentage.
And surprisingly, NY came out top, by a long way.
Unsurprisingly, the usual suspects like the Swiss, Canucks, Kiwis, Swedes (obviously Fass must have been sick that day;) ) all featured in the top ten. And Asian cities all featured in the bottom 10.
Here's the list:

Here's the full article:
Most polite cities (http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=27599&pageIndex=0)
So, where does you country sit?
Mine is 7th - 1 more polite person and we would've been 4th equal! Bastards.
Where I am now is 25th, which goes some way to explaining why I felt it was so rude and insulting when I first came here.

I notice Singapore is 31st, which is kinda ironic considering how they fine ppl for doing anything, even slightly, non-conformist or anti-social. I guess now they'll bring in a law telling ppl they have to be polite in public else face an instant fine and/or a rattan caning.


You're a Jaffa?


I don't like you anymore:p

1. New York USA 80%
Don't listen to it, it's a trick! Quick, stuff your ears with wax!

Stockholm as number 10? WTF!!1111 And even the damn Finns are on the list? That survey is rigged, no doubt about it. Probably a swedish hoax to get back at us for 1905 ;)

But, yeah, I'll have to agree that söta bror is polite, and Stockholm is a good place to be.
Damn Finns?! I beg your pardon, you arrogant torskfiskare. ;)
I'm quite surprise about the list. Stockholm is great, that's a fact. But polite Spaniards? While they are ripping you off probably. Ok, they may keep the door open, but shop assistants saying "thank you"? That just doesn't happen.

By the way, Finland is on the list but it doesn't mean that Finns are polite, if you look at the study you see that Helsinki has only 48%.



...why doesn't it rain beer in Bergen...
now I can't get song out of my head. Damn you again

New York? Are you sure? Afterall New York has many black people, and we all know blacks are evil, smelly, dirty, stinky, and criminal. :rolleyes:
No kidding. London has black people.
In light of the recent black-bashing trend on nationstates, I've decided to create my own "Let's Blame Everything on Black People" thread.
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/5531/onetrackmind9os.gif
"As far as I can see
No doubt about it
I've got a one track mind"
One Track Mind, by Eric Clapton

You're a Jaffa?


I don't like you anymore:p
Read my post three above yours...

Berlin is supposed to be more polite than London???

What kind of people made these tests? What did they smoke and where can I get some?

Berlin is supposed to be more polite than London???

What kind of people made these tests? What did they smoke and where can I get some?

Remember London has more blacks than Berlin.

Remember London has more blacks than Berlin.
And the train just keeps on rolling, down that line...

Berlin is supposed to be more polite than London???

What kind of people made these tests? What did they smoke and where can I get some?
I'm not surprised. Based on my experiences, Berliners are very nice and polite. Well mannered in general.

Remember London has more blacks than Berlin.Have you ever been to Berlin?

Remember London has more blacks than Berlin.

And that explains... what? The part about what they smoked? :confused:

Just try it Monkey boy!




btw, I'm actually even further north than Akl. My parents live in Kaitaia.

Awesome, bring some weed with you when you come then. There'll be some out behind your parents house somewhere.

No Tokyo? Thats wrong.
I've been to a LOT of countries, and Paris is by far the rudest place I've ever been.

I've been to a LOT of countries, and Paris is by far the rudest place I've ever been.


People in other french towns tend to blame their countries reputation for rudeness on tourist experiences in Paris.

WHAT!!! Liverpool didnt come first, im disapointed now

(obviously Fass must have been sick that day;) ) :p

Also, Berlin in fourth place? You gotta be kidding me.

Sure they were measuring politeness in this survey? The only way we'd manage fourth place would be measuring either general grumpiness or the amount of dog poop on sidewalks.

People in other french towns tend to blame their countries reputation for rudeness on tourist experiences in Paris.
Parisians are rude even to other French non-Parisians, according to my two neighbours, both French both from the South of France.

Parisians are rude even to other French non-Parisians, according to my two neighbours, both French both from the South of France.

WTF is up with the people in Paris, anyway? I first thought that it was an anti-American thing, but they seemed to be rude to everyone. Also, if it was anti-American, they've been doing it for decades.

This study wreeked of anti-science.

Firstly, its a pretty scarce list, Tokyo, the world's most populous city is not even on there.

I doubt the experiments were repeated often enough to get a proper perception, or perhaps other factors played a part (for example, you are much less likely to help someone pick up their crap if you are hurrying to work).

And it's too culturally specific. What's considered polite in one country may be considered the height of rudeness in another (that seems to be the case given Asia's bad showing).

And linguistically, polite terms have different intensities in different languages. While saying 'thanks' may be a matter of course, the act of thanking may be taken much more exclusively in... Java or wherever.

This study wreeked of anti-science.

Firstly, its a pretty scarce list, Tokyo, the world's most populous city is not even on there.

A quote from the very first post:
Reader's Digest commissioned a study of 35 cities,

It's not a study about all the capitals in the world!

It's not that serious. Just relax.

Yay Mumbai !

How the fuck did Toronto make it on to there? I guess they didn't take the drivers into account...

I suppose if one isn't either being taxed to dath by the socialist government running toronto, tripping over beggars who sleep in the street and who harrass, threaten and intimidate you and you can avoid the bullets flying all over, and tripping all over litter strewn about the city Toronto, then ya.... it's a pretty nice city. Unless of course its a real hot day and the beaches are closed either because of highly poluted water and or people sabotaging the beah with needles and razor blades hidden in the sand, then it just gets ugly..... Sad but true folks... Toronto is the new New York of the 80s.

São Paulo???? :eek:

Every third word spoken by Paulistanos is a swear word. Politeness there is not stabbing you twice when once was unnecessary! I guess the survey only looked at very specific parts of the city (The malls with their security and AC probably). Try the bus station!

New York?? Thats wrong quite frankly, heh my best memory of that place is the expresion 'Talk to Frank'

Yeah excuse me I need to.... 'Talk to Frank'

Yeah hello, could please tell me who... 'yeah you'll have to talk to Frank'

Oi mate do you know... 'Talk to Frank'

Shit how many Franks live there then?

No Tokyo? Thats wrong.

Hehehe - gotta disagree with you there. Tokyo'd be on the other end of the scale. Kyoto maybe, but no way for Tokyo. And anyone who's been run over by a Naniwa obatarian queing for a train knows Osaka won't be on the list (I love Osaka too much to call it a "dirty" name like "polite").

New York!?
A big WTF there! :)

Reader's Digest commissioned a study of 35 cities, sending ppl round to rate the inhabitants according to a series of 'politeness' tests. Things like helping someone pick up dropped papers, holding a door open for them, whether the shop assistants said, 'Thank you' and so on.
They then gave them a rating and converted it a percentage.
And surprisingly, NY came out top, by a long way.
Unsurprisingly, the usual suspects like the Swiss, Canucks, Kiwis, Swedes (obviously Fass must have been sick that day;) ) all featured in the top ten. And Asian cities all featured in the bottom 10.
Here's the list:

Here's the full article:
Most polite cities (http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=27599&pageIndex=0)
So, where does you country sit?
Mine is 7th - 1 more polite person and we would've been 4th equal! Bastards.
Where I am now is 25th, which goes some way to explaining why I felt it was so rude and insulting when I first came here.

I notice Singapore is 31st, which is kinda ironic considering how they fine ppl for doing anything, even slightly, non-conformist or anti-social. I guess now they'll bring in a law telling ppl they have to be polite in public else face an instant fine and/or a rattan caning.

BTW, broken link:
We're sorry, but the page you requested is temporarily unavailable. Click the back button to return to the previous page, or click here to go to the rd.com home page.

Parisians are rude even to other French non-Parisians, according to my two neighbours, both French both from the South of France.

That agrees with my experiences with Parisaians and Southern French. Every Parisian I've worked with or known except 1 was a right bastard.

In my experience, the basic, fundamental difference between Canadians and Americans is this:

Canadians are polite.
Americans are friendly.

The test, as descibed, didn't adequately differentiate between the two. Holding a door could be an excuse to start a conversation, something Canadians aren't likely to do, but Americans would.

Imagine this scenario. You're sitting in a coffee shop reading a book, and the place is pretty crowded. Someone asks if he can sit at your table, because you have a free chair and there aren't any others. You agree.

Now, in this situation, Canadians and Americans will have behaved identically. But that stops here.

Americans will tend to try to engage you in conversation. After all, you're sharing a table, and you're total strangers. It's a good opportunity to meet people. Canadians, on the other hand, likely won't speak to you again, except to thank you for the chair when they leave. You're reading a book, and interrupting that would be impolite.

Zurich is awesome! Go swiss!

New York!?
A big WTF there! :)

Reader's Digest commissioned a study of 35 cities...New York? Paris?
LOL.. this is proof that the Reader's Digest has as much credibility as the FIFA rankings :D

WTF is up with the people in Paris, anyway? I first thought that it was an anti-American thing, but they seemed to be rude to everyone. Also, if it was anti-American, they've been doing it for decades.
Maybe you just didn't use the "Get out of my way or be trampled underfoot" attitude when walking through crowds. They get real friendly if you do that :D

I got treated rather well the last time I was there. Then again, I kept switching languages with my sister so as not to be approached by other Americans and Germans...

:p

Also, Berlin in fourth place? You gotta be kidding me.

Sure they were measuring politeness in this survey? The only way we'd manage fourth place would be measuring either general grumpiness or the amount of dog poop on sidewalks.Yeah, certainly not when I was younger... We had some mean neighbors...

I live in Zurich!

However I'm suprised that Zurich's second, I'd have expected on other city.

In my experience, the basic, fundamental difference between Canadians and Americans is this:

Canadians are polite.
Americans are friendly.

The test, as descibed, didn't adequately differentiate between the two. Holding a door could be an excuse to start a conversation, something Canadians aren't likely to do, but Americans would.

Imagine this scenario. You're sitting in a coffee shop reading a book, and the place is pretty crowded. Someone asks if he can sit at your table, because you have a free chair and there aren't any others. You agree.

Now, in this situation, Canadians and Americans will have behaved identically. But that stops here.

Americans will tend to try to engage you in conversation. After all, you're sharing a table, and you're total strangers. It's a good opportunity to meet people. Canadians, on the other hand, likely won't speak to you again, except to thank you for the chair when they leave. You're reading a book, and interrupting that would be impolite.

Interesting. I'll keep that in mind if I ever hop off to North America. It'd be more interesting than my effin' chemistry project...

Maybe you just didn't use the "Get out of my way or be trampled underfoot" attitude when walking through crowds. They get real friendly if you do that :D

I got treated rather well the last time I was there. Then again, I kept switching languages with my sister so as not to be approached by other Americans and Germans...
I found that speaking French didn't do me any good, but I did get treated even ruder when speaking German.

Maybe you just didn't use the "Get out of my way or be trampled underfoot" attitude when walking through crowds. They get real friendly if you do that :D
Ah, now I know why you were looking so grumpy on those Paris pics you put up. :p

I note they only picked one major city in each country. Given population sizes and huge variances in geography, one city per country doesn't give a very good average.

Toronto, for example, does not have a reputation for being the politest Canadian city, although it could be near the national average.

But good for New York for improving its reputation!

I can't speak for every city in the world, not having been to all of them. But the most polite city I have ever visited is Provo, Utah. And Sydney, Nova Scotia is a close second.

New York being number one doesn't surprise me at all. I've been there three times, and none of the negative pre-conceived notions people have were true about any of the people i met. The waiters and waitresses and those who worked in the stores were all very friendly. Now, i guess one could say they were just faking it, but if they were, they're very good actors.

New York being number one doesn't surprise me at all. I've been there three times, and none of the negative pre-conceived notions people have were true about any of the people i met. The waiters and waitresses and those who worked in the stores were all very friendly. Now, i guess one could say they were just faking it, but if they were, they're very good actors.

They were actors. What do you think aspiring actors and actors "between parts" and even the currently paid actors (save the top bills) do for a day job?

I've heard that in America you are forced to tip waiters, is this true?

I've heard that in America you are forced to tip waiters, is this true?
They expect it, as it is the majority of their earnings. It doesn't say so usually on any menu, although some will say that an automatic tip is mandatory for parties of eight or more. Unless the service is appallingly bad (and often not the fault of the server), if you don't tip, you're being a dick.

I remember in Germany, the tip is included in your bill, and you don't get a choice whether or not you pay for service.

New York, polite? HAH!!!!! *snickers at anyone who believes it*

If New Yorkers think that they will get money off you, then they will be polite. I wonder exactly what they did to determine the percentages.

I also ran into plenty of people who weren't going to get money from me, and knew they weren't, who were nice to me. I asked for directions once and the woman who gave them to me was very nice. Two different times someone saw me looking around trying to find something and asked me if i needed help. Once i did, the other time i found what i was looking for on my own. One women walking through Central Park with her dog looked up at me, smiled, and said hi, and i never said anything to her in the first place. A guy took a picture of me in front of a gazebo in Central Park, without me having to ask. I'll admit that i thought he would ask me for money after, but he didn't, he just told me to have a nice day. At another time i was standing in front of the Whitney Museum and there were two other women there, it wasn't opened yet and when we found out when it did open, they asked me if i knew what time it was. I had to dig in my purse for my watch because i don't wear one on my wrist, so they told me i didn't have to. I took it out and told them the time and they said "oh, you're so nice." Granted, i was doing them a favor. I have also had nice conversations with New Yorkers having nothing to do with money or help, just them asking me where i'm from and then chatting a bit. That happened in a bar, and it happened on the subway. Some guy i had never met before even bought me and a friend of mine a drink the first time i was there.

I realize some people have different experiences, but i have never had one negative experience with anyone there.

Now, that being said, do i think New Yorkers can be aloof, hard, tough? yes. Do i think that's a bad thing? no. What some people mistake for rudeness is to me just honesty. As Wayne Gretzky once said: "you know where you stand in New York." If they don't like you, they'll tell you, and i appreciate that. I also like the fact that you don't really have to worry about anyone looking at you funny when you're walking down the street because they just don't care. It's a place where you can be a part of the crowd while still getting lost in it. Some celebrities have said it's the most celebrity friendly city for that reason. I find many big cities to be that way, it's why i like them.

Unsurprisingly, the usual suspects like the Swiss, Canucks, Kiwis, Swedes (obviously Fass must have been sick that day;) ) all featured in the top ten.

Yeah, well... They surveyed other cities not listed and Montreal finished 21 with a 50%

http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/2006/07/polite.php

What did our Montreal researchers think about their city scoring below the global average? “The funny thing is, despite Montreal’s results not being great, for the most part people were actually quite nice about not being courteous,” says reporter Julia Slater.

I live in Zurich!

However I'm suprised that Zurich's second, I'd have expected on other city.

I really want to go there, hey do you know anyone with the last name Kalin?

snip

I was mostly making fun of other people's perceptions of New York. I don't travel often, and so I can't fairly compare New York's politeness with other places.

lisbon more polite than london????? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.... only if they mistook brazilian emigrants as portuguese...

Mexico City made it?! Are they not including mugging and other theivery as rude or something.

Oh, okay, sorry about that then.

I can't compare their politeness to a lot of cities either, just a few, i just think that in general they get a bad rap. Their so-called rudeness is something that has been commented on for decades, probably longer, and i think some people just listen to that and run with it. While i'm sure that some of the people who think they are rude have actually been to New York, i'd be willing to bet that many of them haven't.

Oh, okay, sorry about that then.

I can't compare their politeness to a lot of cities either, just a few, i just think that in general they get a bad rap. Their so-called rudeness is something that has been commented on for decades, probably longer, and i think some people just listen to that and run with it. While i'm sure that some of the people who think they are rude have actually been to New York, i'd be willing to bet that many of them haven't.

My feeling about this is, since there are people in New York from all different places, cultures and classes, there is a mix in attitude and politeness. So depending on who you ask, there are different answers. Some people, when they come to New York, will get mugged. Some will be greeted. Some will eat well. Some will have stuff spilled on them by waiters. New York is so diverse, what the things that you see when you come here are just as diverse.

Up Toronto! And boo sucks to the rude people out west who didn't even make the grade.

Yeah, that's true too, and it's another reason why i like it.

Up Toronto! And boo sucks to the rude people out west who didn't even make the grade.

Whatever, Dobbsie. Maybe Toronto and Montreal were the only two Canadian cities measured. I've met very few rude people in Vancouver and Victoria.

New York?? Thats wrong quite frankly, heh my best memory of that place is the expresion 'Talk to Frank'

Yeah excuse me I need to.... 'Talk to Frank'

Yeah hello, could please tell me who... 'yeah you'll have to talk to Frank'

Oi mate do you know... 'Talk to Frank'

Shit how many Franks live there then?

Loads. Where do you imagine they get all the 'furters from?

I live in the most polite city in the world. :)

Oh, okay, sorry about that then.

I can't compare their politeness to a lot of cities either, just a few, i just think that in general they get a bad rap. Their so-called rudeness is something that has been commented on for decades, probably longer, and i think some people just listen to that and run with it. While i'm sure that some of the people who think they are rude have actually been to New York, i'd be willing to bet that many of them haven't.

I'll just comment that taxi cab drivers in New York are, in my experience, still pretty universally rude as hell.

New York?? Thats wrong quite frankly, heh my best memory of that place is the expresion 'Talk to Frank'

Yeah excuse me I need to.... 'Talk to Frank'

Yeah hello, could please tell me who... 'yeah you'll have to talk to Frank'

Oi mate do you know... 'Talk to Frank'

Shit how many Franks live there then?

Who's Frank?

lol...i had one cab driver in NYC that was really nice and friendly, and one guy riding one of those bikes that carries passengers around that was really nice. He's originally from Canada though, so that doesn't really count. I had one cab driver during my last trip in October who came to pick me up my last night there to take me to Port Authority. It was pouring that night and there was quite a large puddle by the curb where he stopped, he wouldn't get out to help me with my suitcase because he said they don't get out in the rain. He did help me when we got to Port Authority where there was no puddle. Most of the other ones i had didn't talk much. I only rode in a few because most of the time i took the subway.

Who's Frank?

Uh, Blue Eyes?

Uh, Blue Eyes?

He was from Hoboken, New Jersey. ;)

Sdaeriji, I know this is Off topic, and I suppose you don't care, but the quote in your sig, "Give me liberty or give me death!" was Patrick Henry, not George Washington.

As for who Frank is, I've been assuming it's a vague reference; a way to say, "ask somebody else" using a very common name.

Or maybe it really is a cryptic reference to hot dogs...

Sdaeriji, I know this is Off topic, and I suppose you don't care, but the quote in your sig, "Give me liberty or give me death!" was Patrick Henry, not George Washington.

I am sure it is quoted there for the LOL factor.

I am sure it is quoted there for the LOL factor.

Well, that's what I get for being a pedant...
...but I think I'm right about "Frank" :)

He was from Hoboken, New Jersey. ;)

Pssh. That's just a trivial distinction. Like how Aerosmith's not actually from Boston but from Sunapee, New Hampshire.

I am sure it is quoted there for the LOL factor.

You would be right.

New York? Are you sure? Afterall New York has many black people, and we all know blacks are evil, smelly, dirty, stinky, and criminal. :rolleyes:

Ceia, apparently you don't read very well. When Erastide told you to stop spamming and trolling here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=11213265&postcount=153) it was not a suggestion. You, however, continued the same nonsense here.

Two weeks forumban.

Whatever, Dobbsie. Maybe Toronto and Montreal were the only two Canadian cities measured. I've met very few rude people in Vancouver and Victoria.
I wasn't talking about the wet coast, I was talking about those prairie yobbos in Alberta.

I'm from Toronto (well, sorta, I live just north of it). And for the most part, Toronto is actually pretty polite, its not super-duperly perfect, but for the most part, Torontonians are pretty conscientous. Yay me! :)

No Tokyo? Thats wrong.
Yes indeed, Empress-sama.
Or Kyoto maybe? A bit more laid-back.

Istanbul
The place where East becomes West, where West becomes East.

I think this test is slightly unfair because Japan does not have the tradition of opening doors for people.
Yeah, it seems pretty silly to compare counties all over the world to a western standard of politeness.

It could also be that New York won not because each person is necessarily more polite, but due to the population density, more polite people came to the aid of people who were running the test. Unless they counted the number of people who just walked by or something and took off points for that sort of behaviour.

I do agree about Parisians being rude, i took my gf there for a break and didnt find any polite locals, might have been because im english,but even when i was attempting to speak in french(always think you should make the effort to at least try)no change. But went into the countryside and they were friendly and were very helpful when our car broke down.A man who was just passing rode 3 miles to the nearest garage for us.

It's a shame Parisians opinions are taken as that as the whole nation as most of the french aren't anti-US/anti-UK etc etc.

I do agree about Parisians being rude, i took my gf there for a break and didnt find any polite locals, might have been because im english,but even when i was attempting to speak in french(always think you should make the effort to at least try)no change. But went into the countryside and they were friendly and were very helpful when our car broke down.A man who was just passing rode 3 miles to the nearest garage for us.

It's a shame Parisians opinions are taken as that as the whole nation as most of the french aren't anti-US/anti-UK etc etc.
I agree that people outside of major cities are nicer in France. I've found the same general trend in Germany, the UK, and the US - rural people are more friendly and helpful than people in a major urban area.

That said, the people in Paris take first prize for being intentional assholes.

OK. I feel dumb commenting without reading the article in question, but from here, even the Reader's Digest home page is loading like molasses.

I want to know if the team who did the research were composed of a fair cross-section of the nationalities of the cities they surveyed. How citizens treat visitors is important, but it isn't the measure of "politeness" that's claimed.

A good friend of mine recently visited London (from Sydney, Australia.) She said the friendliest and most helpful people she met were Indian and Carribean. She reckons they can pick her as a visitor, despite being recent arrivals themselves. Oddly, a lot of Aussies think she's English (an accent) but the English aren't fooled for a moment.

It's six minutes later now, and the RD front page still hasn't loaded! My, there must be a lot of us!

OK. I feel dumb commenting without reading the article in question, but from here, even the Reader's Digest home page is loading like molasses.

I want to know if the team who did the research were composed of a fair cross-section of the nationalities of the cities they surveyed. How citizens treat visitors is important, but it isn't the measure of "politeness" that's claimed.

A good friend of mine recently visited London (from Sydney, Australia.) She said the friendliest and most helpful people she met were Indian and Carribean. She reckons they can pick her as a visitor, despite being recent arrivals themselves. Oddly, a lot of Aussies think she's English (an accent) but the English aren't fooled for a moment.

It's six minutes later now, and the RD front page still hasn't loaded! My, there must be a lot of us!


Try going to Bridgewater, Virginia. It's a small town. Mostly populated by Mennonites.

I remember going to help a friend put up a large TV aerial (we had to put up a 50 ft mast first). Two guys aren't going to have much chance of putting up a mast like that, especially digging the foundation. But the neighbors spontaneously came over and helped. The people who weren't working on the mast brought food and music. After a few hours, there were about 100 people who, after the mast was up, stayed into the night partying and meeting their new neighbors.

When I asked one of the locals why they were so helpful, he said, "Because this is God's Country." And he meant it.

I'm sure that a lot of you would have run screaming for the cities, but a warmer and more generous welcome I've never seen elsewhere.

I want to know if the team who did the research were composed of a fair cross-section of the nationalities of the cities they surveyed. How citizens treat visitors is important, but it isn't the measure of "politeness" that's claimed.
No. It's an opinion poll, pretty much like the ones we make here without the Myrth option. It doesn't intend to be a scientific poll.

Then again, how does one measure politeness scientifically?

BTW, broken link:
It's working for me now.
Reader;s Digest server must've been down, that's all.


remember in Germany, the tip is included in your bill, and you don't get a choice whether or not you pay for service.
It's like that here in HK, so I've left a tip maybe twice in the last two years I've been here. I notice some places here always give change in coins (We have $5 and $10 coins here), hoping I guess that ppl will leave the coins for them. I make a point of taking every single one - I don't see why I should leave extra on top of the 10% already being slapped on, unless the service is extraordinary and I've rarely experienced that.

Worse place I ever went to was a cafe in a mall. I usually go to the cheap 'Pacific Coffee' cafe downstairs (PC is a Starbucks kinda of place but with slightly better coffee, comfy chairs and free internet).
That day I decided to treat myself and went upstairs to the much more expensive cafe, which also has dainty rich cakes to buy. The coffee was almost double the price of PC and the cakes were dear as well.
That was fine, as I was expecting that. What I wasn't expecting was when I got the bill and noticed they had added $5HK (60c US) to each item I'd bought because I had eaten them at the cafe seating and THEN had the audacity to add another 10% 'service charge' - even though I had to get up and get the coffee and cakes myself.
And of course they gave me all the change in coins (~$30 in coins IIRC), expecting a tip. A tip for what? I carefully counted them out twice before pocketing the lot. I didn't care whether they thought I was a dick for that. But there was no way I was giving a cent more.
Thinking back, I should have gone on to them how much enjoyed their food (though admittedly it was good) and their service and how much they deserved a tip. And then left them a 10c piece (~1c US).

Now, that being said, do i think New Yorkers can be aloof, hard, tough? yes. Do i think that's a bad thing? no. What some people mistake for rudeness is to me just honesty. As Wayne Gretzky once said: "you know where you stand in New York." If they don't like you, they'll tell you, and i appreciate that.
That's exactly what the article says. NYer's aren't rude, they're just direct.
Personally, I'd prefer that. I hate it when ppl skirt round an issue or are nice to your face all the while slagging you off behind your back. If you don't like me, tell me. I'm big enough and ugly enough to deal with that.

This study wreeked of anti-science.

Firstly, its a pretty scarce list, Tokyo, the world's most populous city is not even on there.

I doubt the experiments were repeated often enough to get a proper perception, or perhaps other factors played a part (for example, you are much less likely to help someone pick up their crap if you are hurrying to work).
a few points:
1. It's not a scientific study. This is the Readers Digest, not American Scientific, ok?
2. I'm surprised as you are that Tokyo (or any Japanese city) wasn't there. Also no Mainland Chinese cities. Shame really.
3. A BBC article on this said the tests were done by both men and women subjects at least 20 times for each test. So that's 40 times for each of the 3 tests. Which gives a pretty good idea. But as I pointed out in #1, it's not meant to be scientific. It's just fun.
4. There may be some Western bias in the way they did the study, but as it's for a Western publication it's sort of understandable. Though how helping someone to pick up their dropped papers could be viewed as a Western-culturally biased test is beyond me. That's just common courtesy imo.
5. I think you're missing the whole point of what being polite and courteous means by saying ppl wouldn't stop to help cause they're late for work. Stopping to help someone, even if it makes you late, is what being courteous is all about!

From my experiences hitchhiking and (later) living in Aussie country towns, I think that's probably true in any nation. Country folk do 'community' like it's meant to be done. There's a downside though. You do someone wrong, and everyone knows. It takes years to live it down. And places that are really remote, where people haven't been ripped off or insulted by city folk who split the next morning, are getting harder and harder to find.

I think they also know if you're country folk like themselves.

I think they also know if you're country folk like themselves.
City guys are the ones trying to milk the horse.

I agree that people outside of major cities are nicer in France. I've found the same general trend in Germany, the UK, and the US - rural people are more friendly and helpful than people in a major urban area.

That said, the people in Paris take first prize for being intentional assholes.
Well, my experiences with non-Parisian French ppl has been pretty awesome so far. When I moved to where I am now (a block of 6 flats) I found out that two of my neighbours are French, two are Brits and 1 is a Yank.

The Frenchies were the only two to come round and say hi and welcome me there. They invited me to a party the first Saturday I was there at another Frenchies place (There's quite a few of them here for some reason), where everyone was very welcoming to me. I met the American there as well, who was a decent sort (he comes from Seattle and I've always found West Coasters to be pretty nice, laid back ppl) and if we bump into each other will exchange pleasantries, but it doesn't go any further than that.

2nd week I was here, one of the Frenchies offered to help install a satelite dish for me. To do this he went to Sham Shui Po, an hours journey away, bought the dish and decoder and then spent all Saturday fiddling around on the roof with his TV he had hauled up there to get the signal, which was bloody awesome of him.
It's a shame - he had to move cause his company moved further into the New Territories and it was meaning a 3 hour return trip for him every day.

The guy who took over 5 months ago is apparently British but I have yet to meet him, even though we share a balcony. I knocked a few times on his door when I thought he was home (the lights were on) but he just ignored me, so I've given up.
Likewise the Poms downstairs. One I've never met, and the other even though I've gone out of my way to say hello, has been extremely indifferent to me.

Well, I'm still able to call it up. Weird.

Anyway, here's the article:
Page One:
Uncommon Courtesy

We keep hearing about the death of civility -- but it's alive and well in a place you'd least expect.

By Neena Samuel and Joseph K. Vetter

From Reader's Digest
July 2006

Politeness Put to the Test
A woman heads into a popular New York City coffee shop on a chilly winter morning. Just ahead of her, a man drops a file full of documents. The woman pauses, and stoops to help gather the papers.

Six blocks away, a different man enters another shop, but not before politely holding the door for the person behind him. A clerk at another busy store thanks a customer who's just made a purchase. "Enjoy," the young woman says, smiling widely. "Have a nice day." She sounds like she really means it.

Whoa. Common courtesy on the mean streets of a city known for its in-your-face style? Have New Yorkers suddenly gone soft?

In her international bestselling death-of-manners manifesto Talk to the Hand, author Lynne Truss argues that common courtesies such as saying "Excuse me" are practically extinct. There are certainly plenty who would agree with her. Consider that in one recent survey, 70 percent of U.S. adults said people are ruder now than they were 20 years ago.

Is it really true? Reader's Digest decided to find out if courtesy truly is kaput. RD sent reporters to major cities in 35 countries where the magazine is published -- from Auckland, New Zealand, to Zagreb, Croatia. In the United States, that meant targeting New York, where looking out for No. 1 -- the heck with the other guy -- has always been a basic survival skill.

The routine in New York was similar to the one followed elsewhere: Two reporters -- one woman and one man -- fanned out across the city, homing in on neighborhoods where street life and retail shops thrive. They performed three experiments: "door tests" (would anyone hold one open for them?); "document drops" (who would help them retrieve a pile of "accidentally" dropped papers?); and "service tests" (which salesclerks would thank them for a purchase?). For consistency, the New York tests were conducted at Starbucks coffee shops, by now almost as common in the Big Apple as streetlights. In all, 60 tests (20 of each type) were done.

Along the way, the reporters encountered all types: men and women of different races, ages, professions, and income levels. They met an aspiring actress, a high school student, a hedge-fund analyst and two New York City police officers. And guess what? In the end, four out of every five people they encountered passed RD's courtesy test -- making New York the most courteous city in the world. Imagine that.

A for Effort
While 90 percent of New Yorkers passed the door test, only 55 percent aced the document drop. Are people less likely to help others when doing so takes extra effort or time? Not always, the reporters found. Take the pregnant woman who thought nothing of bending down to help us with our papers. Or the Queens woman named Liz who precariously balanced two coffees, her keys and her wallet on a takeout tray with one hand, while picking up papers off the wet pavement with the other. Her reason for helping? "I was there," she said matter-of-factly.

Part of the Job
Nineteen of the 20 clerks who were subjected to service tests passed. Roger Benjamin, the manager and coffee master at a Manhattan Starbucks, acknowledged that the chain trains its employees to be courteous. And some baristas the RD reporters encountered went beyond basic niceties. "You have to feed off people's vibes," said one clerk. "You go out of your way to show customers they did us a favor by coming here." At another store, a green-apron-clad attendant said that while courtesy was part of his job, he sought respect in return: "It's contagious."

Page Two:
Chivalry -- Not Dead Yet
Overall, men were the most willing to help, especially when it came to document drops. In those, men offered aid 63 percent of the time, compared to 47 percent among women. Of course, men weren't entirely democratic about whom they'd help. All of them held the door for RD's female reporter, and were more than twice as likely to help her pick up fallen papers than they were to help our male reporter. "I'll hold the door for whoever's behind me," said Pete Muller, 27, an account executive from Brooklyn. "But I'm definitely more conscious of women!" he added with a smile.

Mother Knows Best
By far, the most common reason people cited for being willing to go out of their way to help others was their upbringing. "It's the way I was raised," said one young woman who held a door open despite struggling with her umbrella on a frigid, sleety day in Brooklyn.

Her sentiment was echoed by Christine DuBois, a 49-year-old sales manager from Bayside, Queens. DuBois was headed to the gym when she stopped to retrieve a pile of scattered papers. "It's something that's taught to you when you're young," she said.

A few people, including Frederick Martin, 29, credited their mothers' influence specifically. "My mom brought me up like that," Martin said. "It's pure manners."

What Goes Around...
Another reason people are quick to be courteous: "You do what you'd want other people to do if it happened to you," said Christine Rossi, who pitched in on an early-morning document drop. Dennis Kleinman, a 57-year-old doctor and writer, used one word to sum up what drove his impulse to help: "Empathy." He came to the aid of an RD reporter when a middle-aged woman ignored a pile of papers in front of a shop on Manhattan's East Side. "The same thing happens to me, and I appreciate it when someone takes 10 to 15 seconds of their valuable time to help," he said.

Excuses, Excuses
The reporters did run into a few courtesy clods. In one case, while an RD staffer was inside a Starbucks interviewing a woman who'd passed the door test, a dozen oblivious people stepped over a second staffer's fallen papers. Another time, a wise guy offered only a snarky comment on our clumsiness: "That guy had too much coffee!" he cracked.

And just when we thought we'd heard every excuse in the book for not helping, along came Margot Zimmerman. The 44-year-old computer saleswoman was on her way into a Queens Starbucks when a reporter dropped his folder of papers right at her feet. Looking down, Zimmerman stepped gingerly around the papers, then entered the shop. "I'm probably one of the most courteous people," she insisted later. "I pick up every other person's dog poop. I help old ladies across the street. But when he dropped his papers, he made such a face."

Thankfully, such responses were the exception, not the rule. Which makes New York City a pretty darn polite place -- the most polite major city in the entire world, in case you missed it before. We realize this isn't a rigorous scientific study, but we believe it is a reasonable real-world test of good manners around the globe. And it's comforting to know that in a place where millions of people jostle one another each day in a relentless push to get ahead, they're able to do it with a smile and a thank-you. Hey, if they can make nice here, they can make nice anywhere.

Page Three was just the ranking list of the cities.

New York!?
A big WTF there! :)

*snipped for length*
I think Minneapolis, Minnesota would rank among one of the most polite cities in the world. In particular, the customer service in Minneapolis is friendlier (on average) than pretty much any other place I've lived or visited.

I think it's because Minnesotans know that a blizzard could hit at any moment, and they might have to huddle together for warmth. So they best all get along.

Frenchie or not, what you've got there is a Nerd. He wants to install a satellite dish 'cos he enjoys that stuff. :cool:
True, but he was still a nice Nerd. And surprisingly, he didn't smell (considering he was French and a Nerd, almost unbelievable!)

I think it's because Minnesotans know that a blizzard could hit at any moment, and they might have to huddle together for warmth. So they best all get along.
Ah, conditions where daily bathing would be considered good manners.