Small-town Sydney ruder than New York

[hong]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/undercover-study-outs-impolite-sydney/2006/06/20/1150701548147.html


Undercover study outs 'impolite' Sydney


June 20, 2006 - 7:47PM

Australians may consider themselves polite and friendly, but Sydney appears to have let the nation down in a global courtesy survey.

Sydney has ranked just 23rd, alongside Milan in Italy, in a worldwide survey of 35 major cities aimed at testing the politeness and courtesy of their residents.

In an unprecedented study, Reader's Digest sent undercover reporters to each city.

In every location, they staged scenarios to see if people would hold open a door, say "thank you" after making a sale in a shop, or help someone pick up papers dropped in a busy location.

Sydneysiders may be willing to hold open doors for strangers, but are less likely than residents of Jakarta or Bucharest to help pick up papers dropped on the street, the survey found.

Top billing for politeness went to New York, which overcame its reputation for being brusque and confrontational to score in the top five in all three tests.

Ranked below New York but above Sydney were cities including Zurich (2), Auckland (7), London (15) and Manila (21).

Overall, the least courteous city was India's Mumbai.

Sydneysiders scored particularly badly in the test to see if residents would help pick up papers dropped in a busy location, ranking 27th behind bustling Jakarta and the Romanian capital Bucharest.

Sydney sales assistants were found to be as polite as those of Mexico City, but still only ranked in the bottom 10 countries when it came to saying "thank you" to customers.

But the harbour city performed better when it came to holding doors open for strangers, ranking a chivalrous 11th.

The Reader's Digest survey also found that Sydney women are more polite than the city's men, and that older Sydneysiders are more courteous than their younger counterparts.

Tom Moore, editor in chief of Australian Reader's Digest, said the findings contradicted Australia's view of itself as an easy-going society.

"Although we like to think of ourselves as an easy-going, polite nation, these results do reflect the recent concerns of many, including our own prime minister, that politeness may be diminishing, particularly in big cities," he said.

The most polite cities

1. New York (USA)

2. Zurich (Switzerland)

3. Toronto (Canada)

4. Berlin (Germany), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Zagreb (Croatia)

7. Auckland (New Zealand), Warsaw (Poland)

9. Mexico City (Mexico)

10. Stockholm (Sweden)

11. Budapest (Hungary), Madrid (Spain), Prague (Czech Republic), Vienna (Austria)

15. Buenos Aires (Argentina), Johannesburg (South Africa), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Paris (France)

20. Amsterdam (Netherlands)

21. Helsinki (Finland), Manila (Philippines)

23. Sydney (Australia), Milan (Italy)

25. Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Ljubljana (Slovenia)

28. Jakarta (Indonesia), Taipei (Taiwan)

30. Moscow (Russia), Singapore

32. Seoul (South Korea)

33. Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

34. Bucharest (Romania)

35. Mumbai (India)

Source: Reader's Digest Global Courtesy Test



. . .

The Big Apple will never live this down.

 

[Eridanis]

I'm not surprised. I work in Manhattan, and I see random acts of kindness every day (even ones I don't perpetrate myself!). People can be rude, of course, but I think most people I interact with realize that we're "all in it together," as it were. New York City is a commonwealth of small communities, which makes people more aware of others around them; there's a feeling of awareness-of-others that you don't see in smaller cities I've visited or lived in.

That's just the impression of someone who commutes into the city and leaves every day, though. Residents will have a different view, I imagine...

 

[Jdvn1]

I'm not surprised either.

I visited Manhattan, and was surprised when everyone was really, really nice. And, I come from the south US, where we tout "southern hospitality."

 

[jaerdaph]

We get a bad rep thanks to popular culture over the years.

Most people in New York are very nice, and many will go out of their way to help you.

But then again, I've noticed that all over the US and around the world too.

 

[Jdvn1]

In Manhattan, my (deaf) brother and I were riding the subway pretty late at night--everyone was tired by then. One gentleman decided to sit on the subway station floor.

"Ew!" "That's disgusting!" "Ugh!" New Yorkers are outspoken, to say the least. They'll say what's on their minds.

Anyway, I was explaining what was happening and what was being said via ASL to my brother. I had just used the sign for "crazy" (which everyone recognizes) when the guy's (very large) friend came up to us. I was worried.

*My friend is crazy* He said in sign language.

My brother and I laughed. The guy's sign language wasn't very good at all, but it was great to see someone not only going out of his way to have a conversation with us, but attempting an unfamiliar language.

And, we agreed with him.

 

[werk]

Yeah, NYC was always nice for me, but once you get into the burbs...

Take a slow trip from south Jersey up to Albany and you'll ask why those people haven't killed themselves yet...or at least I did.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

In defense of our friends Down Under, Charles Krauthammer had a nice editorial in the Washington Post today.

What some call rude, others call 'plain-spoken'. Where I live, we could use some more of that.

 

[Imruphel]

I still can't believe that Singapore came 30th. After seven years of living here I would have placed it in 34th position (Mumbai well deserves its last placing- no arguments there!).

The Singapore government is expected to soon announce yet another courtesy campaign (no, I am not joking and I am not being sarcastic- this is for real!) as a result of this survey. Of course, it won't do any good.

In defense of our friends Down Under, Charles Krauthammer had a nice editorial in the Washington Post today. What some call rude, others call 'plain-spoken'. Where I live, we could use some more of that.

That was an interesting editorial. Australians are fairly dismissive of power and particularly titles whereas the US seems to thrive on its pseudo-aristocracy of titled government officials who to retain their titles for life (which is both arguably unconstitutional and an affection that began only around WWII). Even our PM accepts that he is more likely to be addressed as "mate" rather than "sir" (and politicians in Oz know that if they hear too many of the latter then they're probably in trouble at the next election).

However, thanks to our exposure to American TV we're also becoming an increasingly litigious bunch which is a shame really. There are a lot of positives about the US but the sheer litigiousness of the place is not one of them (and remains one of the reasons why I refuse to do business in the US but am happy to do business with India despite the endemic and systemic corruption).

 

[Umbran]

The Big Apple will never live this down.

The New York State bird will no longer be a hand gesture

 

[jaerdaph]

The New York State bird will no longer be a hand gesture

We may have to retire the Bronx cheer too.