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The best and worst manners

MAJOR METAL

MAJOR METAL

The Beagle Father
Inactive
Supporting Member
Sep 10, 2002
29,521
21,074
Where I lay my head is home
#1
In your travels, what geographical areas would you say have the best and worst manners?

Manhattan VS San Francisco are an equal tie for the worst manners I have observed. self absorbed in themselves, these silly smart phones the embodiment of the person themselves, horrific manners. Me, me and me!

Tennessee and Ireland are again a tie for the best manners I have observed.
 
#5
48thStreetCustom said:
Try walking down Camden St in Dublin on a Friday night when the pubs let out. Fights, breaking things, puking, people passed out in gutters, sex in alleys, peeing in the street. It makes Mardi Gras look like a boyscout jamboree.
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Well, I'm always invited to participate in all of the above, so maybe that's why I don't find it rude.
 
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#6
I agree with the Irish people having good manners. Most were willing to take the time to help out a lost American. I punctured a tire and this very rough looking guy really helped me out. He called the car rental company on his cell phone went through the queue talked to them for a few minutes. He muttered "You're f****d" and then handed the phone to me. I found out I was on my own with the tire. While I was on the phone he slipped a floor jack under the car and changed my tire. He wouldn't take any money and when I shook his hand it felt like it was made of concrete. His two young grand kids were playing in camper in his trunk. He saw them and commanded "Get out!" Those two kids moved at the speed of light to get out of that camper.
The worst I have encountered is in Jerusalem. Tension yelling and drama seem to be a way of life there. People pushing and shoving at crowded tourist areas. After a while I got used to it and it just became part of how things worked. Just a different culture you gotta go with it.
 
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#7
I flagged down a taxi out side of the old section of Jerusalem. I knew the cabbie was trying the cheat me on the price and that started a whole dramatic discussion with yelling on his part. By this time I was use to it. I could see he wasn't moving on the price so I flagged down another taxi. The guy I was haggling with jumped out of his cab and started yelling at the other driver. They yelled at each other for a little bit then the second cab drove off. The cabbie told me he would take me for the price I suggested. (I checked with the hotel and our tour guide before leaving and I knew what the standard fare was.) When we got to our hotel he told me he needed more money because there was a lot of traffic. I gave him our agreed on fare and I gave him a tip as well. He was still yelling when I walked into my hotel.
 
#8
New Yorkers have good manners. They're generally pretty amenable. What you encounter in New York, unfortunately, are a lot of tourists who behave poorly. They walk 5 abreast on a sidewalk. They talk very loudly. They stop suddenly to look up at a building. And they eat at terrible chain restaurants.
 
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#9
The folks in Portland OR, really impressed me with their manners. Canadians all seem to be rather polite.

People in NJ and PA, come off as being rather rude, but I think that's just something to do with the way they speak.
 
#10
Hand's down nicest manners was Japan for me. People over there have a sense of decency when it comes to public anything be it restrooms, streets, etc. Here anywhere in America, people don't seem to know how to wipe there own *** or learn to **** in a public toilets. On road trips I would be lucky If I saw less then 2 toilets where the guy completely missed the toilet and **** all over the seat. Don't even get me started on the obnoxious driver's over here. Over in Japan, when you let someone pass in front of you or let them merge, they will 90% of the time flick on there emergency lamp as a sign of "thank you".
 
#11
Germany and Austria are very hospitable and friendly, even when all the German you know is thank you, please, and where's the toilet. They'll help a lost tourist and be kind while doing so. Poorer parts of Mexico are surprisingly amiable, at least in the daytime. Turkey has got to be the worst manners overall, although there were some very friendly people. The majority had no inkling of the concept of "personal space" or how no to haggle anyone for anything. Ridiculous really.

Also, the guys in music stores tend to be extremely helpful and cool. Whenever I go into a guitar/bass store I always get the kinda relaxed, chill vibe. They'll also help you out 99% of the time if they know anything about the subject, and won't harass or trick you into buying something more expensive than necessary. All of this IME.
 
#13
Manners is a very vague word, what is bad manners in one country is normal in another, however in my experience: Russia , France have very rude people. In the other hand people from South Africa, Japan, Latin America are very friendly and easy going.
 
#15
ShoeManiac said:
New Yorkers have good manners. They're generally pretty amenable. What you encounter in New York, unfortunately, are a lot of tourists who behave poorly. They walk 5 abreast on a sidewalk. They talk very loudly. They stop suddenly to look up at a building. And they eat at terrible chain restaurants.
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Not my experience at all. What they do up state, I don't know, but in the city, people are rude and impatient, particularly with outsiders. I got physically shoved out of the way the first time I tried to use the toll turn style in the subway because I wasn't fast enough.
 
#16
Gravedigger Dav said:
Not my experience at all. What they do up state, I don't know, but in the city, people are rude and impatient, particularly with outsiders. I got physically shoved out of the way the first time I tried to use the toll turn style in the subway because I wasn't fast enough.
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A similar thing happens in London, except that the impatient people tend to push you through the turnstyle rather than out of the way. Not sure if it counts as good manners, but I guess that it is at least better manners.
 
#17
paste said:
^ Great point. I heard in some parts of the middle east, it's actually a sign of "damn, this food was good" when you burp after a meal. In the west, that would be considered rude.
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pedroims said:
Manners is a very vague word, what is bad manners in one country is normal in another, however in my experience: Russia , France have very rude people. In the other hand people from South Africa, Japan, Latin America are very friendly and easy going.
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It's a good rule of thumb to study up if you don't know on the culture of the place you are visiting. People may be giving you attitude because you're being rude without knowing it. Either way there are nice and rude people everywere.
 

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