I moved to NYC from Virginia after college. I found the people there very friendly--but very "to the point." Sometimes people from other parts of the world mistake that quickness for rudeness. When I moved back down to VA, I re-learned that when you call someone on the phone you have to chat a bit before getting down to biz. NY'ers seem confused when you say "Hi, how are you?" to open a business call! It's funny!

Talking about NY.
I always remenber the first time that I came to live in America..My hubby was in the Air Force and we were stationed at Stewart AFB, NY...
What a rude awakening it was for me!!...In all the American movies that I saw during my teen years, the people were so friendly and actually brought food to all the newcomers...There, we lived off the base in a small community, people did not even looked at you, even the older!!And I was only 20 years old... I could not believe it..Anyway I survived,I learned a new culture and a different ways of life..It made me Stronger and very Adaptable .I liked the countryside, especially during the fall when all the leaves changed colors. We stayed there for 4 years.My two older children were born at the Accademy Military of West Point.. Lovely place....
In defense of NewYorkers, I must also admit, that later on during my stay there, I have also met nice, caring, friendly people.

My daughter and three grandaughters (all Southern Californians) went to visit relatives in rural Iowa and then drove to Mt. Rushmore and back. They commented many times about the friendlieness of the of the people in the towns they had been in.

I was shopping in San Diego the other day. It was really one of the hottest days I could remember. I was waiting for my kids to finish their music lessons when an elderly lady just started to talk to me. I stopped what I was doing to listen to her. She went on about the weather and how she just so needed to escape the heat. We chatted for a while longer and then it was time to go. She said to me,"thanks for listening". It struck me that unlike in Italy where they have so much respect for their elderly population, many people here tend to brush past them. I suddenly felt her loneliness. Not sure what this has to do with manners while traveling, but just wanted to share.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us Calamari..It is sad but true, America is a youth oriented society, I feel sorry for the elders that lives by themselves or are at a retirement home, without any family close by or if they do have one, sometimes they are forgotten...

Kismetchimera
It is really true. A while ago, I fell off of a 16 foot ladder and broke my back in three places. After my HMO kicked me out of the hospital, I was put in a convelesent home. Since I was unable to walk or sit up, I did not want to burden my husband and small children. I was the youngest person there for miles! All the residence kept asking me if I was their daughter and if I would take them home. They were all so lost and lonely. I am going to volunteeer at a home near my house when my kids go back to school at the end of the month.

ttt

I was walking down a street in La, my first visit and a guy straddled up to me and asked me to share a joint.
Here is Boston, It's "Do you have any...."

Some time ago there was a thread on the forum reporting a BBC study of tourist behavior by nationality. If I remember correctly, Germans, Japanese and Americans came out on top; the British were the rudest. I've tried to find the thread without success. Hope someone else may have better luck--or be better at searching.

Oh calamari!!What a terrible ordeal you went trhough!! How you kept your sanity in these days?
I believe it is great that you want to volunteer with the nursing home, I will like to do it, but i am afraid that I will became too attached to the these lonely people. This is why I ended up with 7 strays cats.....I see them, I keep them....

To get back to the original topic.

We went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art exhibition of the Pushkin exhibit followed by the museum's Mogdilani exhibit . I was pleased by the extreme courteousness of everyone.

It really added to the enjoyment of the art.0:-B

Have lived in Phoenix, AZ for over 25 yrs and almost everyone is from somewhere else! Red light running - did we learn from CA? What do politicians have to do with the way WE behave with each other?? What happened to the Golden Rule.. Possibly I am a Pollyanna but I try and treat everyone the way I would like to be treated! We used to say at work that we could tell where our customers were from by their initial reactions to "May I help you?" - used to laugh and say East side of anywhere thought you were trying to rip them off!! Truly feel that places with more sunshine are happier!!

We are more fun to be around because the English tend to formalize everything and do it by the book. Some are still stuck in the Victorian or Edwardian eras.

But the have some great TV ideas. I love "Faking It" on BBCAmerica.

I've lived in Southern California for the last 15 years and am kind of surprised to hear that your British friends think we're 'polite'. Perhaps it's because I grew up in South Carolina, but people around here don't seem that courteous to me, especially on the road.

The smiles and sunshine STOP when we get behind the wheel. Road Rage is a major proublem here in So. Cal. It is amazing how one minute you can be engaged in a deliteful conversation with someone and 15 min. later you are invisable to them and they want to drive you off the road. Yes, you are correct.

Topping..

So many confuse politeness with gracious manners. You can be polite but have horrible manners!

calmari, I know your feelings, I did a year as a volunteer reading for the blind, and a few years ago I was hit and run on my bike.
My husband goes to nursing homes with a chorus group he sings with.