Are American less patient than Brits?
Aug 29th 2017, 1:53 pm
#16
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Location: East Seaxe
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
No. Your sample is very small and highly localized.
You wouldn't expect London to be the same as Harrogate, Penzance, or Inverness, and your experience, presumably in one town in NJ is not necessarily typical of a country of 325million people.
Maybe where you live, but where I live I am probably guilty of a couple of those things as viewed from the perspective of the locals here (car horns are rarely heard here, "passing" in a car is almost unheard of).
. If transplants from NJ and NY who come down here don't adjust pretty quickly then they are rightly branded as "obnoxious yankees". 
You wouldn't expect London to be the same as Harrogate, Penzance, or Inverness, and your experience, presumably in one town in NJ is not necessarily typical of a country of 325million people.
Maybe where you live, but where I live I am probably guilty of a couple of those things as viewed from the perspective of the locals here (car horns are rarely heard here, "passing" in a car is almost unheard of).
. If transplants from NJ and NY who come down here don't adjust pretty quickly then they are rightly branded as "obnoxious yankees". 
Aug 29th 2017, 2:26 pm
#17
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
7. Not giving way to even elderly people at crosswalks
8. When you stop at a ped crossing for an elderly person the car behind tries to "go around" almost hitting said pedestrian and honks out of impatience
Does anybody else experience this? It London the same ? Wondering if I can even get used to this or will I have to move out into the sticks to get away from it :P
I was nearly hit as a pedestrian the first week I spent in the USA. I was on business in Augusta, Georgia, and we were downtown, walking along the sidewalk after eating lunch, and I stopped at a cross street and pushed the button. When the lights changed and the sign changed to "Walk" I stepped out and was immediately dragged back by my US host and I just missed a car that was turning right from behind me. My host explained that although it is legal to turn on red, the driver is supposed to come to a stop first and then give way to any pedestrians, but few drivers in that town actually followed that law.
Other US cities we have lived or stayed in were exactly the opposite. As soon as we were near to the kerb thinking about crossing, the cars would come to a halt.
Aug 29th 2017, 3:50 pm
#18
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
Aug 29th 2017, 5:57 pm
#19
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Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
This was particularly bad where we lived in Texas. Twice in 2015 we were nearly hit crossing at an active school zone by impatient moms after dropping their kids. In both cases it was a 4 lane boulevard with a refuge in the median and a car had stopped to let us cross but while we were crossing they were overtaken by another vehicle that had just dropped off a kid at the High School.
I was nearly hit as a pedestrian the first week I spent in the USA. I was on business in Augusta, Georgia, and we were downtown, walking along the sidewalk after eating lunch, and I stopped at a cross street and pushed the button. When the lights changed and the sign changed to "Walk" I stepped out and was immediately dragged back by my US host and I just missed a car that was turning right from behind me. My host explained that although it is legal to turn on red, the driver is supposed to come to a stop first and then give way to any pedestrians, but few drivers in that town actually followed that law.
Other US cities we have lived or stayed in were exactly the opposite. As soon as we were near to the kerb thinking about crossing, the cars would come to a halt.
I was nearly hit as a pedestrian the first week I spent in the USA. I was on business in Augusta, Georgia, and we were downtown, walking along the sidewalk after eating lunch, and I stopped at a cross street and pushed the button. When the lights changed and the sign changed to "Walk" I stepped out and was immediately dragged back by my US host and I just missed a car that was turning right from behind me. My host explained that although it is legal to turn on red, the driver is supposed to come to a stop first and then give way to any pedestrians, but few drivers in that town actually followed that law.
Other US cities we have lived or stayed in were exactly the opposite. As soon as we were near to the kerb thinking about crossing, the cars would come to a halt.
Aug 29th 2017, 5:59 pm
#20
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
We were in St. Johnsbury, VT (medium sized former factory town in northern Vermont, now practically dead on its feet) last week, walking around town. Every time we got within twenty feet of a crosswalk, all the traffic stopped to let us cross. Several times we crossed the street when we had no intention of doing so, so as not to disappoint the drivers.
Pedestrian right-of-way laws can also help, but in the bigger cities it's basically a free for all when it comes to the roads. A case of **** or be ****ed, essentially.
Sep 1st 2017, 6:58 pm
#21
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Joined: Mar 2017
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 214
Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
I've noticed this, starkly so in the 4 weeks I've been here.
However, I think I could cope with impatience better than the complete inability to say "excuse me".
I mean, how hard is it???
However, I think I could cope with impatience better than the complete inability to say "excuse me".
I mean, how hard is it???
Sep 1st 2017, 7:11 pm
#22
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
Sep 1st 2017, 10:10 pm
#23
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
Just a few observations, currently living in NJ very close to NYC.
1. Getting in elevators, normally Brits wait for people to get out before attempting to enter right?
2. Letting person in adjacent bus seat get off first
3. Waiting until its safe to pass
4. Personal space, people walking way too close unnecessarily
5. People grabbing items in the supermarket that you were obviously about to grab
6. People attempting to cut the line
7. Not giving way to even elderly people at crosswalks
8. When you stop at a ped crossing for an elderly person the car behind tries to "go around" almost hitting said pedestrian and honks out of impatience
Does anybody else experience this? It London the same ? Wondering if I can even get used to this or will I have to move out into the sticks to get away from it :P
1. Getting in elevators, normally Brits wait for people to get out before attempting to enter right?
2. Letting person in adjacent bus seat get off first
3. Waiting until its safe to pass
4. Personal space, people walking way too close unnecessarily
5. People grabbing items in the supermarket that you were obviously about to grab
6. People attempting to cut the line
7. Not giving way to even elderly people at crosswalks
8. When you stop at a ped crossing for an elderly person the car behind tries to "go around" almost hitting said pedestrian and honks out of impatience
Does anybody else experience this? It London the same ? Wondering if I can even get used to this or will I have to move out into the sticks to get away from it :P
1. Less theft.
2. People seemed more trusting.
3. People more honest in their comments.
4. Rules were followed, especially driving.
5. People stood in line.
6. Less time to enjoy life.
7. Harder life for the elderly in terms of time spent by family members taking care of,BUT they were out and about more whether driving or on scooters.
8. He couldn't believe that cars would actually stop for pedestrians.
One thing jumped out to him was idea of store having a "lost and found", and people actually turning things into lost and found instead of just taking.
Sep 2nd 2017, 2:59 am
#24
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Location: Portlandia Metro
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
My wife reciprocates the use of pardon me and excuse me in this type of situation. I would say excuse me to get past someone, she would say pardon me.
Sep 2nd 2017, 4:53 am
#25
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
Wait, does that mean "**** out of my way, arse face" is not the acceptable thing to say?
Sep 2nd 2017, 5:20 am
#26
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Sep 5th 2017, 6:52 pm
#28
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Joined: Nov 2014
Location: 4yrs in MA now back in UK
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
Sounds like city life all over the world.
My experience of the 'burbs' in MA is people are miles friendlier than in central UK.
Just my findings!
My experience of the 'burbs' in MA is people are miles friendlier than in central UK.
Just my findings!
Sep 5th 2017, 11:41 pm
#29
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
I live in Chicago and find people amazingly polite even downtown (city center). But I've heard the American Midwest is friendlier than other parts of the country.
Sep 6th 2017, 12:48 am
#30
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Re: Are American less patient than Brits?
But yeah, on the whole with my limited experience of UK and US cultures, people have been more friendly here.