Why are people in London so unfriendly?

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wild_eep

bitter
tired
overworked
overpaid but no time to spend it
or not paid enough to make the bus fare to work

three hours per day of travel would make anyone unfriendly.

Warlock Fiend

Because most people in London don't understand English

nads

It's an odd question to answer as it depends on what you define as unfriendly?

Is it the people? Is the places? or is the atmoshere?

You might some areas less friendly than others, due to whow people in the city live there lives. Perhaps they have their own issues to deal with.

The following is an itneresting article on the most courteous cities in the World and i was shocked by who was at the top and the countries at the bottom.

I think it's expectations, and I would have thought the city at the top would be somewhere at the bottom. London in itself was "average" - you could be in far worst places!

cymbalita

Most people's initial reaction with be that you mean Londoners are unfriendly, but London is a cosmopolitan capital city much the same as Paris, Washington or Adelaide. It's full of people with no time, doing their own thing, and a lot can't even speak English so you're not going to get any conversation out of them! Real Londoners are a friendly crowd (I know, I am one!) but they've become suspicious about everyone in view of the crime rate there. Who can blame them if they don't want to pass the time of day with a stranger?

kimberleibenton

I've been to London and didnt think the people were unfriendly. Depends on what you mean by unfriendly...unwilling to help? I think if you were dealing with sales people they are matter of fact, but not unfriendly. I noticed that the people there dont feel like they have to crawl up your *** just because you are shopping in their store.

cps8199

Its full of tourists most of whom speak little or no English. Come to Scotland its much nicer, and the air is fresher

debbie

i found the english in london to be extremely friendly. the others in london didn't really speak english. even the desk clerk at our hotel didn't really speak english. i don't know how he got that job.

however, your definition of "unfriendly" may be different for a number of reasons. firstly, londoners may see themselves as being well-mannered but they have a different lifestyle that dictates different ways of interacting with people. they no doubt have a steady influx of tourists at all times. i know the locals in my town in florida are always complaining about the apparent self-centered ways of the "snowbirds" that come down every year. they drive too slowly, walk too slowly, and this is perceived as being oblivious to the fact that the people that live there year round have places to go and things to do. the fact is, the main reason is that they're just old and they are also sort of on vacation. it is probably not on every londoners agenda to stop their life and make sure you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
also, the pace is different. i can relate it to driving patterns. people all over the place complain about california drivers, especially the ones from los angeles. they say that they cut people off and consider this to be rude and poor driving. however, i believe that drivers from los angeles have very keen driving skills. this is because they are used to only having a small amount of space in which to quickly merge onto the highway. this is normal for them because of traffic. this means they must be very exacting in how they drive. people i've see driving who have lived in the country don't seem to mind driving right down the middle of the road because there's no one else around. but they consider themselves good, polite drivers because they can afford to give a half a mile space before merging onto another road. it's a different mentality and a different way of doing things, but it does not mean they are rude.

Gypsie

Because everything is so fast there, people don't have time for manners. They are used to being bumped into on the over crowded tube so they don't think it's a big deal when they bump into someone else.....don't think it's intentional.
It's a great city.

master

they just are.if you want friendly come to Wantage just 70 miles south west of london its really friendly there.

btmduk

I don't think 'unfriendly' is the right word. If you go to any large city - especially in Europe - There is a whole different mentality to people who live in a large city.

Mrs B 2 B (22/08/09)

Not everyone is! I've met some very friendly people in London and I'm always friendly when I'm there.

Although I recently discovered, having travelled and had my horizens broadened, that people in the UK are quite rude and this is only surpassed by the Germans and ladies who work for South African Airlines!

britbloke50

I am English.lived and worked in London and I found that it is like a lot of small towns.Some Londoners are great some just want to rip you off.Don't forget that a lot are immigrants so that does not give a true perspective.Where ever you go in the world and wether they are black,white,yellow ther are good and bad.Trust me most Brits are good and helpful people.

clydachowl

dont know but just down the m4 is wales and we are real friendly.
hugs.

Weedan_Ash

If i lived in a small villiage, i could stop, chat or smile at everyone i saw.

If i do this in London, i would never get anywhere and my mouth would be sore.

marliboco

This is not true. If you visit london you are going to central london which is populated by tourists. You can't expect tourists to be over friendly because they are visiting a city and on their guard. In my south london local pub everyone is welcome and everyone is spoken to. I did not come from london originally but some of my best mates were made from random conversations and general friendlyness.

choilein

u might have asked the wrong question or should have rephrased ur question on YAHOO Questions and also to the people u spoke to in London!

got that! they arent un-friendly........they are just not inquisitive!

knighttemplar1119

It's a time and number of people thing. In a small village, if you see someone and stop and talk, you are likely to bump into them again, so therefore it is worth the investment in the time to build up the friendship. In London, it is so hectic, busy, and full of so many people (1.5x the population of New Zealand) that it isn't worth the effort. Also people are too tired from work, especially if they have a 2-3 hour commute home, and back again in the morning.

When I moved from London to Leeds I was shocked at how much more friendly people in Yorkshire are..

From a Londoner!

EllaL

Londoners are used to minding their own business, whether on the street or in the Tube, so this is probably why they appear unfriendly, but most are lovely people once you talk to them (me included!). Lack of time is another factor.

Like people have said, London usually means central London to most people and there all you have are tourists, who clearly aren't going to start chatting to you as most don't know English!

taketwo

they are even worse up north.

squirrellondon

This question is outraegously unfair. Londoners are not unfriendly - if you've had bad encounters while travelling on the tube, well that's perfectly normal because poor travel conditions often send people into miserable moods. However, I've lived here all my life and I think the people who live here are great - willing to help lost tourists, very talktive, sociable and friendly and of course a lot of them are confident people by nature, due to the energetic and vibrance of this wonderful city.

You shouldn't generalise like that. I consider myself friendly and I live in London :)

lollipoppett2005

Guess you just met the wrong people........I am a Londoner and people don't find me unfriendly. Please don't tar us with the same brush we aren't all like that........ honest :)

Karli

I don't know. I've never noticed. Well, I've never been there. But people from Louisiana are nice. :D

Alex H

Living in a crowded, smelly, uncomfortable, gridlocked city. Wouldn't you be unfriendly?
Being too busy or simply not liking strangers it's unknown though the further north in the UK you go the more friendly the people are.

daisychain

Most are foreigners who speak no English. The rest are just ignorant Cockneys.

bulan

because Londoners are money-minded.

johnboy

I worked in london for some time..they are all too busy building empires to be friendly

amylr620

why are people in big cities so unfriendly.Some of the rudest people I've ever met were in big cities.I think it's because they're snooty, snobby, pathetic little creeps.

adorehandel

Nice answer to the question John B

meep

they are english!

DeDe

'Cause they're English

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