The RUDEST, unfriendly people you've ever encountered were from what city, or place?

[ManlyBanisters]

I was really calling out ppl who act like twats regardless of how polite and friendly you are.

Well yeah - but what you think of as being polite and friendly may be considered intrusive and overbearing in another culture. You have to observe interaction to find out what 'polite' is.

I think a lot of what we perceive as rudeness is a cultural disconnect. What we expect from each other is not always what we get and what might seem rude to a visitor is normal to a local.

Exactly.

 

[798686]

Well yeah - but what you think of as being polite and friendly may be considered intrusive and overbearing in another culture. You have to observe interaction to find out what 'polite' is.

I guess so. Maybe they read things differently to other places (due to shyness - or even a chip on the shoulder?).
Maybe the way I behaved came across as rude, I dunno - but it certainly wasn't intentional. :/

...but in the Highlands and Islands and central Scotland a good number of the people I met were rude, unfriendly, unhelpful and sulky. Some friends and I were on a driving holiday, finding the country breathtakingly beautiful, and enjoying the food and nice hotels and stuff but it actually became a running joke about how glum and rude the people we were meeting were.

This is the sort of thing I meant. It tends to be in beautiful, isolated places as far as I can tell. Maybe they resent outsiders/tourists?

 

[ShakeYrDog]

Hmm, based strictly on my experiences on tour:

Friendliest city in the US: Portland, OR
Rudest/unfriendliest city in the US: Boston, MA

Friendliest city in Europe: Glasgow, UK
Rudest/unfriendliest city in Europe: Milan, ITA (total jerks, specifically the law enforcement)

 

[Hoss]

I would say my hometown of charleston south carolina is the friendlyless area to visit and the food is out of this word and reasonable priced though the gay community is lacking which is fine. We do have outsiders err vactioners who come here and think they are above us and treat us with disgust and some of them come from the north(enough said).

Wish the community would have functions here in our city because the rates in the hotels are excellent and not like other cities such as Los Angeles or New York city were you pay a prem to buy a cup of coffee but we are overlook and maybe that is a good thing.

Bless you an all, but this isn't really OT is it? :wink:

Seems on topic to me. He's says it's friendly and even describes the place.

 

[Jason]

Morocco. I'm very sure there are friendly Moroccans, but I didn't encounter them. A European visitor outside of the tourist hubs appears to be perceived as fair game for theft, scams and general rudeness. It seems to me that there is a real law and order problem where Morocco doesn't seem to be able to control (or wish to control?) the crime directed at visitors. I think it is okay for visitors in the resorts and in organised trips to the cultural hot spots, but anywhere else it seems problematic.

Maybe I was just (repeatedly) unlucky. But I'm not planning a return trip to Morocco to find out.

 

[D_Tim McGnaw]

Seems on topic to me. He's says it's friendly and even describes the place.

The thread title (emphasis added)- The RUDEST, unfriendly people you've ever encountered were from what city, or place?

 

[Hoss]

The thread title (emphasis added)- The RUDEST, unfriendly people you've ever encountered were from what city, or place?

Yeah? There are other posts which don't name the rudest places. Is every topic to be exact in response to the title and OP? If so then there are a lot of threads (check every last 1 of the circumcision threads) which aren't havin criteria met. In fact I even brought that up on the 1 I began and was told it was o.k. because not violations etc. had entered it.

The PM I got from a moderator said: "Thank you for your message, unfortunately the thread will not be closed as there is no violation of the rules at present. Sometimes discussions do not go the way we intend, but they will remain on the site.

Regards
FB"
Just saying if it's o.k. in 1 place then why not another?

 

[helgaleena]

Paris and here.

 

[Drifterwood]

Rudest, unfriendliest place? International Airports.

People? That's difficult because some cultures just don't click and some places have just been touristed out. I don't really hit it off with the Viennese.

 

[Pendlum]

The internet.

 

[Drifterwood]

The internet.

Asshole.

 

[Pendlum]

Fuck you!

 

[Drifterwood]

Who hasn't?

 

[Pendlum]

Me, unless you drugged me. I'm on to you!

 

[vindicari]

I found people in the north of Wales very ignorant, however the most obnoxiuos people in general I have found are the French. rude,arrogant and downright unpleasant.

 

[wallaboi]

... We do have outsiders err vactioners who come here and think they are above us and treat us with disgust and some of them come from the north(enough said).

Yes, sometimes it is the attitiude visitors bring and not the unfriendliness of locals themselves. When travelling, if you expect locals to fawn on you just because you are a visitor, you are bound to be dissapointed.

More often than not, I am surprised by the hospitalty and friendliness of people when I travel. Occasionally, I have encountered rudeness by an individual, but I try to not let it colour my perception of an otherwise enjoyable place.

 

[LaFemme]

Canadians- I've traveled all over the world and find the Canadians the most difficult to communicate with or with whom to have any point of contact and have been to Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto. I crossed the border from Niagara to Buffalo and was so relived to be back in bars where I could talk to people who could do more than grunt whilst transfixed on the tv screen. I also had one of the worst border crossing experiences going into Canada from Seattle- I should have turned round then- and I'm British!!

On behalf of all Canadians, I apologize! Mind you, also having been to the three cities you've named and (even lived in Vancouver,) I have to agree. I've traveled all over North America and I am embarrassed that the rudest place I have ever been is Toronto *spit* Horrific! I was window shopping on Queen street and someone actually walked up and punched me in the chest! WTF??

That being said, Minneapolis was the friendliest and I can't believe how many people I ended up having long chats while queued up. I was shopping (catching a theme here?) and one co-shopper evaluated my outfits and even ran to get a different size!

And I thought that Los Angeles would be rude, but far from it. People were lovely!

I do believe our own attitude can colour our perceptions of the places we visit, but I have a good attitude - I love people, I love different cultures and even the way different places even smell different. I am friendly and out-going, so when confronted by rudeness, I feel shocked. My poor Canadian apologetic heart just breaks...

So again. Canada apologizes to you.

 

[nudeyorker]

Slightly off topic, but I think the people who work at the Tel Aviv airport are the most "matter of fact" and brusque. The last time I was there one of my bags did not arrive and I was waiting in line to make the report. The person in front of me was demanding service as a VIP. He stated he was a frequent flyer with the airline and they guy behind the counter shouted at him... "This is Israel there are no frequent flyers here; everyone is the same!"
I did not mention my VIP status to him when I filed my claim and got my bag the next day.

 

[helgaleena]

Me, unless you drugged me. I'm on to you!

:rofl:

 

[bigbull29]

Interesting thread.

You can't always chuck general rudeness/impoliteness up to just cultural differences. The reality is that some places are just really unfriendly on the surface. But, that said, there are always dear people everywhere in the world (hope so!).

Sorry, but I found Western Europe to be very rude in general when living there, particulary the big cities. I think hospitality is just dead there, unless you're filthy rich. Again, there are some friendly folks here and there, as there is everywhere.

Australians are no conservationalists (just mainly small talk), but they are rather friendly on the surface and laid-backed (lived there 2 years).

The Far East in general has great hospitality and very polite people, particularly Japan and Thailand. Also, I hear China is pretty darn nice as well in that department.

The vast majority of Southern US is EXTREMELY hospitable and friendly, even though there are things I don't like about it.

I don't find Montréal or Toronto very friendly at all.

Rudest places I've been in the US: Boston and Washington D.C.

I've heard some nasty things about the SF and Los Angeles, but have never been there.