liverpool girl

I don't know whether this is just my experience, but when going round Woolies to do the weekly food shop, I always notice that people look so grumpy and miserable. The isles are narrow and in the UK when there was a traffic jam full of trollies, people would acknowledge you with a smile if you let them through. Over here they just keep a sour face, like you've annoyed them or something. They seem to be so unfriendly - in the UK we would laugh about the isles being chokka with trollies. Has anyone else noticed this?
On a similar note, I have noticed that when you are driving and you need to switch lanes, say in order to turn right, if you indicate, people will just not let you in - they seem to speed up and close the gap on purpose. Maybe this is just because we live in fast paced Sydney, but driving curtesy seems to be terrible. People rarely thank you if you let them in, or past on a narrow road. What are other people's experiences?

iPom

You obviously never shopped in Leighton Buzzard Woolies or Tesco!

Wendy

Or my local one in Bradford. You had to watch the backs of your legs there for fear that someone would take you out with the trolley if you were in the way. :scared: That's why I switched to internet shopping

iPom

And my local Safeway, where you'd see the customers with 30 loaves of bread in their trolley on Christmas eve, leaving you with none... And if you should dare ask .....

Wendy

It was milk and washing powder in mine.

iPom

They wouldn't make very good sandwiches...

northernbird

When I first moved to London I didn't think I would ever get anywhere in the car. After about a month the way I would just pull out into traffic would rival a black cab!!

Liverpool girl you get miserable folk the world over. Its because its new you notice them more.

Wendy

No.

If the milk has the same effect on them that it does my hubby, no wonder they needed soap powder

Wendy

I've noticed that there is a huge difference between shopping centres out here. One may be full of young mums, another full of old people and another full of "posh" people, it all depends on which suburb they are in. Have you got another supermarket near by, perhaps give it a try and see if you notice any difference.

Traffic here in SA isn't too bad compared to where we come from. It just seems to flow really, no-one seems in any rush to go where they are going. I think maybe that's just a Sydney thing. I'm sure people in say Melbourne may have different views again.

canaveral

This is so totally true. Maybe I lived in an area in the U.K where people had manners because in North Sydney there seems to be a lot of rude, mannerless people.
Have you noticed how they get their kids to push in front of you too?
Don't even start me off about driving.

LouiseD

I haven't really noticed grumpy people in supermarkets but have certainly noticed the lack of manners behind the wheel. People seem to take great delight in not letting you in, speeding up when you try to overtake and pulling in front of you etc.! I know inconsiderate drivers are everywhere but here it's like people seem to change personality when they get inside the car. :scared:

moneypenny20

I know I'm not imagining it, and I know I'm not making it up, and I know everyone is probably getting bored with me saying it but where I am, everyone appears happy, ready for a laugh, a harmless chat, I haven't noticed any grumpy people in shops but maybe because I don't feel grumpy.

Same goes for driving. Never hear a horn tooted in annoyance, a couple of times when some one is driving past someone they know. People are polite, let me in, say thank you if I let them in. Yes there are crap drivers and tailgaters but no more or less than any other country I've driven in.

I am honestly confused and (almost) speechless when I read about some people's experiences here because it is totally different from my experience. Think I'll stick where I am

northernbird

I totally agree. I find it is as much to do with my attitude to others. Something along the lines of sow and you shall reap kind of thing. If you look at some of the aussie bashing threads (not this one I might add) and its the usual suspects.

iPom

I share your experience Moneypen... I think I'm a fairly considerate driver and people usually return in kind. Same with the shops... lovely people always up for a chat.

Poppett44

I haven't found a grumpy shop worker here yet,,even the teenagers ask "how are you" I know they dont really mean it but it tickles me!!!
And both my local supermarkets are a pleasure to shop in, we go all sorts of days and times and its never been unbearably busy yet,,in the UK I used to get trolley rage and trying to get round Sainsburys with a basket was next to impossible, ended up doing my food shopping on the net cos I couldn't take it any more.

I do find the drivers here pretty reckless, I dont mind letting anybody in front of me but sometimes I just cant believe the smallness of the gaps they squeze (sp?) into :scared: dont hear much hornblowing though!!