Overcome by a wave

[Avocet]

I believe it is southern city living that turns people into evil, selfish, shits rather than happy fellow humans.

In the country (darkest Staffs/ Shrops borders) every one waves as you slow & move over (or stop) to pass on single track lanes. When walking the mutt I move onto the verge & call her to me, drivers also slow down out of courtesy & wave as they pass.

In southern cities like Bristol or London, talking to people at bus stops or as you pass one another in the street is seen as a threatening act. Fortunately, the inhabitants of places like Liverpool & Glasgow still behave like normal people.

Of course having something in common with another human being is an excellent reason to wave or even chat - in fact having nothing in common is also a good reason to wave or chat & learn about a different person's perspective.

Just what is up with all you miserable "won't wave, can't wave" southerners?

Similar experience here. Not sure it's "North/South" so much as "affluent/not affluent" though. (Which, I admit, broadly amounts to the same thing)! However, considering how close Liverpool and Manchester are together, I've always found Manchester the less friendly city.

I absolutely loved it when we moved up to Cumbria. We'd raise a hand to thank another motorist for (say) stopping to let us past on a single track road, and get a wave back! We often joke that people round here "thank for thanking them"! It's really lovely.

 

[onesea]

Similar experience here. Not sure it's "North/South" so much as "affluent/not affluent" though. (Which, I admit, broadly amounts to the same thing)! However, considering how close Liverpool and Manchester are together, I've always found Manchester the less friendly city.

I absolutely loved it when we moved up to Cumbria. We'd raise a hand to thank another motorist for (say) stopping to let us past on a single track road, and get a wave back! We often joke that people round here "thank for thanking them"! It's really lovely.

Try getting the train form Southampton to Glasgow in the days of the old smoking compartments.

Leaving Glasgow you would not know anyone, by the time the train had left the station you would be chatting, soon there would be a hole group of you. Slowly it would get smaller as people left and less joined the group.

Heading North, hell there was a few nights I nearly did not make it home after stopping for just another beer across the road.

I moved south and still wave and thank people people as I drive, you can get some really funny look's and some times a wave back.

 

[Modulation]

I think the key word here is "right". A rant follows - not really directed at you reptile but just at the attitude behind your phrase.

"It's my right" has to be a key reason for people's general tendency to become more and more horrible and selfish to each other. Totally misguided too, IMO, as it misses out the fact that those rights only happen if those around you are courteous enough to grant you those rights.

Just a little less thought about rights for you and your own family and a little more consideration on how others around you might be affected by your actions and we'd
have fewer dirty shoes on train seats, less aggressive driving, less loud and unhappy children, boring public mobile conversations and all those other things that turn close-packed living from a lively pleasure to a series of encounters with gits.

Love this post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially the last 2 lines.

 

[Halo]

Some of this definately money related. At Christmas I go round the streets with Santa's Sleigh collecting money for charity whilst santa talks to the kids. There is a stark contrast between poorer areas where generally a number of people come out and chat versus rich areas where they rarely come out and frequently ignore us or even switch the lights off to avoid making a donation.

Also on a charity front I have done a lot of car parking at events to raise money and found the horsey people have a very high percentage of arrogant self centred gits.

I also find that women in 4X4s drive much more aggresively than others in the cobbled "semi pedestrian" areas of our town.

Genrally though I find sailing people wave back (but not in the Solant ) and would be sad if the habit died out.