Location personality ??

Recenly while walking my dog in the park, i past a small group of people, i geeted them as i always greet people i see in the morning, one of the group said to me "I love Yorkshire this would not happen where i come from" he meant that perfect strangers would not say hello in his home town of Epsom in Surrey. so never having visited Epsom i cant really comment as to why people in the South are maybe less friendly than the northern counties .can it be so.

Re: Location personality ??

Not sure - I'm friendly and from the South ...

Re: Location personality ??

I don't know about greeting customs in different parts of the UK Bill, I had a mate lived in Yorkshire many years ago and he told me the folks there were very friendly. Over here in all counties everyone says good morning to you, except in the very posh parts of Dublin, say good morning to one of them and they look at at you as if you had three heads.

Re: Location personality ??

As Jem says, here in rural Ireland everyone greets everyone else and if you are driving it is normal to wave to people you pass on the road. I think it's more a rural versus city thing rather than north versus south.

Re: Location personality ??

That's it !! I firmly believe that ... city versus country ....

Re: Location personality ??

Hi Im from the south origionally . I was born Hammersmith London but my parents moved to Hampshire in the late 60,s. I then married in 1978 to a soldier from the north east up here in Durham , we met when he was stationed in Tidworh in wiltshire. The first time I came up to Durham I thought it was another world as everyone was chatty and in your face more and the way of life seemed quite different to what I was used to. I first noticed that people would just walk in your back door uninvited , usually a neighbour or other family member from up the road and put the kettle on . As a young girl I though it a bit rude as we were used to a knock at the door and then we would invite the person in for a cuppa if it was convenient haha . I also found that the northerners were much louder than us southeners who in general were more quietly spoken . I also thought that northeners were a bit nosey and asked too many questions all at once. I have always put this down to just a different upbringing and culture. I have now lived in the north for many years and have four grown up northern kids and five northern grandkids. two of my kids are the loud ones and the other two more quiet . I would never live back down the south now as I find the people up here more approachable and friendly and dont beat about the bush . Your are either liked or your not and you know where you stand with people. I also love the south but on a recent visit i sat in a nice cafe and you could hear a pin drop it was so quiet. I just felt a bit uneasy with all the quietness after living up here for years. I guess i can see both sides because i feel i am still a southener but im also a northener too. I would say that the southeners are in general more quiet and reserved thats all and that its not part of the lifestyle to just say hi to every stranger you see in the street. I will say hi to people if im out on a walk because a smile does not cost anything and what do you have to loose? I would however feel not as comfortable doing the same thing in wales for instance as i did once say good morning to someone and they just ignored i was there. I am not saying that everyone in wales is ignorant because i would be ignorant to suggest such a statement but i just think we are all different and unique in our cultures and local ways and that maybe we should all respect our differences. Who are we to judge anyway

Re: Location personality ??

You're right Sandra, the North is a different culture in many respects, they tell it like it is. But, the East end and other parts of London, were the same, open door and certainly didn't beat about the bush either. I think the reason for change here is times have changed, we are stuck at home more. Work environments have changed also, and, community spirit has been lost, except in a crisis ....

Re: Location personality ??

Yeah, we're definitely a friendlier bunch up 'ere. I remember being in Kent once and discussing this with a relatives neighbour and was told ''people would think you're mad if everyone said morning to folks they didn't know down here''.
Maybe it's changed now, this was some years ago.

Re: Location personality ??

yes Patsy you are also right that times have changed and the world is a different place now. I was eight when my parents moved to hampshire so grew up mainly in Andover hants. My parents were friendly , my dad had served in the army at home and abroad and both my parents worked and had not been stuck at home like people are now. I think community spirit is still around but like you say more so when there is a dissaster or something like that. I think us brits are also more of a multi cultural society than ever before and I think if we mixed a bit more and learned from one another instead of fighting about our differences we might all be much better off and we all have things to offer i would say .

Re: Location personality ??

So right - that's another added ingredient, a very mixed and diverse cultures now. Which 'could' be great, if we were to embrace .....
So many influences now, and they are not very social are they, children stuck on games consoles, parents watching DVDs, so different now, not much time for interaction .....