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The World's Most Polite and Rude Cities
I don't know how empirical this study is, but here's the skinny. Reader's Digest dispatched several undercover reporters in three dozen cities across the world. In each city, the reporters:
- Walked into public buildings 20 times behind people to see if they held open the door.
- Bought small items from 20 stores and recorded whether the sales assistants thanked them.
- Dropped a folder full of papers in 20 busy locations to see if anyone would help collect the scattered contents.
The reporters awarded one point for each positive outcome and nothing for a negative one. The results of this "study" show that the top three most polite cities are New York, Zurich and Toronto. Conversely, Asia fared very poorly. Eight out of nine cities there finished in the bottom 11. Could this be a cultural thing?
The least friendly city? Mumbai, India. They may be rude in Mumbai, but they sure can cook.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Asia, North America
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 6)
Julie Feb 25th 2007 4:17PM
New Yorkers always got a bad rap. For the most part we are very helpful, especially to visitors who need it, since it is such a busy place. There are always a bad apple or two, but for the most part the Big Apple is a friendly place to visit, or to live in, and don't forget the food, it can't be beat!
Christine Feb 25th 2007 4:27PM
I would have to agree with this poll. I live in a smaller city in Texas which can be very rude...but, while on a trip to New York a few years ago, expecting the worst; I was pleasantly surprised at how gracious and genuine New Yorkers really were. Kudo's to New Yorkers!!
carol levy Feb 25th 2007 4:39PM
I used to live in NYC and now am outside of Philadelphia. The people in my area are so unfriendly that a local pastor even commented on it.
As far as Asia I have never been there but was appalled at my local Y when i saw a sign on a shower stall sayinig "No SPITTTING IN SHOWER" Sadly there is a high Chinese population there and I thought I was being prejudiced when my first thought was it must be because of the Chinese people here. Then I saw this morning an article on AOL about the chinese government trying to stop people from spitting in public so the rest of the world would have a better view of China and the Chinese people.
Hooray for New Yorkers! Would everyone else follow their example.
laura Feb 26th 2007 2:19AM
People in Seattle are probably the world's rudest! Everyone looks as though you'll cut their heads off if you smile or say hello. It's totally miserable. VERY standoffish.
Keith Wood Jul 7th 2008 2:12AM
Probably goes the same to Philly. Really cold, selfish, standoffish people.
drmofgenie Feb 25th 2007 4:47PM
It's quite funny to read how people think one place or another is "the rudest in the world". Those who find rudeness need to watch what they give out. Those who find kindness are sending out their own nice vibes.
I think what everyone seems to forget is that you reap what you sow.
Michael J. Williams Feb 25th 2007 4:41PM
There are nice, helpful people everywhere, and there are rude, selfish people too, so it just happens who you meet. I live in Tucson, Az, and when I hold the door open for someone and they thank me, I feel good, but when they don't, I just shout "you're welcome". Doesn't do much good, but I feel a lot better. I've found by experience that Mexicans are by far the worst and New Yorker's the best.
Sunni Feb 25th 2007 4:42PM
I hardly ever reply to posting but had to on this one. I've been to Japan and New York and have got to tell you that I was 100% shocked at how unfriendly the Japaneese people were towards me and my friends(especially the men), and how unbelievably friendly people in New York City were. I think it's due to the transplants, NOT the natives of New York. When you leave the city, the people are a bit more rude.
Tracy Feb 25th 2007 4:44PM
New York does not surprise me at all! I've lived in both Philadelphia and NYC for many years and have found that native New Yorkers or those that have lived there for a long time are some of the friendliest people I've ever met. It's the new transplants who don't understand and go by the reputation of a "New Yorker" who are the unfriendly, borish people.
Anna Feb 25th 2007 4:50PM
Well, I'm just a bit surprised but not much. As a native New Yorker, I feel we HAVE continued to be more courteous since 9/11. I am proud to be a New Yorker. Still, I wonder if the 3 tests would have been different if not chosen by the Readers' Digest but by someone from the cultures tested. Perhaps what is defined as and expected in regard to courtesy reveals itself differently in different cultures. For example, it might be less courteous not to hold a door than to omit doing something else in some places.
Amber Feb 25th 2007 4:47PM
I Can't beleive Ny would be on the top of the list. I am from Texas and moved to Queens about 5 months ago. My experiances have been anything but nice. I have gotten yelled at by customers and employers for saying sir or mam been made fun of for my accent have had teenagers threaten my 5 year old and all sorts of other things in my experiance New Yorkers have been anything but nice including my neighbors
Judy Rademaker Feb 25th 2007 4:51PM
I am a native NYer who now lives in AZ. If I could afford it, I would still be living in NY. The people in AZ are rude, stuck up and nasty. They also hate NYers. I think its because we are real and tell it like it is.
CORNBREADJABO Feb 25th 2007 4:53PM
NEW YORKERS ARE BUSY NOT RUDE. THIS IS A CITY THAT MOVES VERY FAST. I LOVE NEW YORK AND ALWAYS ENJOY MY TIME SPENT THERE, CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT VISIT.
Cindy Johnston Feb 25th 2007 5:02PM
I like their criteria of people opening doors for you. When I moved from California to Iowa, I was shocked at the men that slammed the doors in people's faces. I lived in that horrible place for several years and the Iowa men were so backwards, ignorant and had no manners whatsoever. The work ethics were awful too. People showed up late to work, drunk, etc.
Now, that we've moved back to California. It is so hard getting used to polite, courteous people. I had gotten used to doors being slammed in my face, people spitting everywhere.
When we first moved back to California, I felt like I had two broken arms - because the way men opened doors for ladies was amazing.
I'd say the MIDWEST of the USA is the worst place for polite or nice people, and the WEST coast is the best! The EAST coast people are also polite and nice. So are SOUTHERNERS, they're very nice.
Wonder what it is with the middle part of the US and why it is so backwards and the people are so rude?
richard ulin Feb 25th 2007 5:05PM
Surely there must be a Scripture somewhere in the Bible that reflects our human diversities. Personally, I think it's all part of the master plan.
L. Gold Feb 25th 2007 5:05PM
I agree. I was raised in NYC, am now in L.A. and have traveled to Europe, however, the last 3 times I travelled to NYC, I was delighted to see that politeness is just just a phrase there, but a day-to-day occurence. I was in a subway and did not know the train I was waiting for did not run on Sunday. A stranger, walked me to the correct platform, and directed me as to where to disembark and what exit to use to get to the destination I was seeking. Everyone I came into contact with was wonderful, from people walking on the street, to shopkeepers, wait people, bus drivers and street corner hawkers.
I love New York!!!
Nordica Feb 25th 2007 5:06PM
As native New Yorker I have to defend my hometown. The rudest "New Yorkers" I have met in NY have almost always been transplants, especially from the Midwest. If you travel outside of Manhattan you would be surprised how friendly and helpful some people can be. Just my .02.
Chelsea Feb 25th 2007 5:36PM
OMG...i'm from the south...south carolina to be exact. i've never been to NYC before so i'm not going to pass judgement on that...but before people start hurling comments about some of the southern states (#12), maybe you should visit there first. You obviously haven't. Just b/c most of us don't support gay marriages or abortion doesn't give you the right to call us politically obtuse or ignorant. Oh, and by the way #6, the rest of the country was not soley seeking revenge. I know several cities who sent the majority of their fire and police forces there to help. My school and many others raised money to send up there. I don't appreciate any of the comments people have posted insulting other places. Don't get me wrong- it's ok to be proud that NYC did so well...but you don't have to be rude about it.
emily Feb 25th 2007 5:23PM
MIAMI is the rudest city ever
maybe its because NOBODY speaks the same language
Jim Sweeney Feb 25th 2007 5:32PM
I was born and raised in Brooklyn,NY,,and Manhattan,to me,was a great place to go with family and friends...most visitors to NYC go to Manhattan and stay there..yes there are rude people there...have a great time and ignore them....they know not what they do......I spent much time in the Orient while in the Navy and liked visiting the different cultures-they suffer from overpopulation more than anything else....that could make people a little cranky.............