Letter from America
 

So here I am in New York City. Full of New Yorkers, surprisingly enough. We know the tye - rude, arrogant, unpleasant, right?

So why is it that when I held doors open for people here (and I'm a polite kind of guy so I do that quite a lot) not a single person sails through without saying thank you? Cops, train information people, cabbies, even street vendors are helpful and happy to give directions. We went to the Bronx Zoo. No gangs, no graffiti, no hassle.

In short, I feel safer here than I do at home. Not because there is an overwhelming police presence, because it's quite discreet. Simply because of the one thing that seems to be missing at home.

Respect.

People seem to respect each other's rights to do their thing. Sure, traffic is horrible but it works. No cameras and parking restrictions that actually make sense. political correctness doesn't seem to be rife here and if people step out of line they get busted.

The mayor is doing a grand job and has addressed what people actually care about - crime, security and the like rather than parking enforcement and minority groups. that's not to say these things don't get covered, simply that they don't get priority.

It's not perfect by any means but it seems to work pretty well. Apart from the speed limits and so on, of course...

SB

I was in NYC in 2000 and loved it. I felt safer there than I do in many UK towns and most areas of London.

i will hold a door open for sumbody if there following behind and its nigh on always thanked for

where do you live?

Yup go to NYC several times a year - people are always very nice - much more polite then the feckless cúnts in London :D

Just try not to be there when someone drops an airliner on it....

Try travelling to the north of England, or Scotland, you get the same sort of thing. Every time I visit the south-east, I can't wait to get home. The nearer you get to London, the more likely it is that strangers will be down right rude to you.

No need, not funny.