Historicist: "The city that nobody loves"
The Daily Photoist: November 23, 2009
Newsstand: November 23, 2009
Urban Planner: November 23, 2009
How many of you have given up your seat on the TTC lately? What about holding a door open for a stranger with bags of groceries? Or given directions to a stranger? Well some of us must have because Reader's Digest recently tapped us as the third most polite city in the world (ok, it was actually just 35 cities). New York took the top prize and those orderly Swiss bankers in Zurich took second but third place is a pretty great honour.
But we were a little perturbed by how badly so many cities placed. Orderly if stifled Singapore placed near the bottom which means the uptigtht government there might just have to change a few laws. Fines for being rude anyone? London and Paris were in the middle of the pack at 18th and 19th. Strangely no other American or Canadian cities were on the list so we can't really tell how polite or rude Calgary is.Montreal placed a dismal 21st.
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ok, this is timely, because I have a beef on rude waitstaff. A new eatery opened on College Street recently, called Cucina. My family and I decided to try it out last week. We got poor service, but thought it could just be too early to tell. Last night, however, when hubby, friend and I tried again for a late night tea at CUCINA, we were even less impressed. They had no tea and the tv was blaring as loud as possible commercials after the end of the hockey game. When asked if they could turn it down [we were the only patrons], the response was "uh... let me see what I can do..." No word of a lie, it actually got louder. Other poor service issues later, we tired to bolt asap, but for some reason, the server can't count and it took 5 minutes to tally one bottle of sparkling water. CUCINA enters a long list of eateries that employ staff who don't want to work in the service industry. Why bother? Will it kill ya to maybe try a bit harder with people who will be tipping you?
I think it's amazing that, for all its size and hustle-bustle, NYC takes the top spot. I've noticed it myself, there's a sense of civic brotherhood and pride in that city that is striking. It's proof that a big city can still be a warm city. Hats off to New York, New York, the town so nice they named it twice.
From Jen Chung at Gothamist:
"Okay, it's a sign of the armageddon if NYC is number 1 in polite-ness."
I think it's the whole insecurity thing. In my one visit to NYC I was amazed how friendly everyone was. My theory is because New Yorkers are secure in the fact that they live in a big important city, so they don't feel a need to show it. Many of us Torontonians, on the other hand, seem to feel a need to project our "big-cityness" by being indifferent or rude to everyone around us, or by treating all strangers as if they are homeless lunatics until proven otherwise.
Yeah, but that's the thing: NYC has this rep that it's the big, cold, hard city. And surely it is, often. But just go there and interact with people; it's freakin' amazing. Tiny, colourful, gallic Montreal is massively more cold and surly, by contrast. Everybody's into not looking like they give a shit, here. As if it makes them seem hip. I was in NYC a few years ago trying to make sense of a subway map and an off-duty transit worker, on his way home, insisted on helping. Do you think a Metro employee coming off shift in Montreal would take one second to help?
I guess I agree? This isn't whether people are nice, but whether they are polite. And I mean, whenever I'm on the subway and someone accidentily steps on my foot or drops something near me, there's a "oh, sorry about that" on their end and a "oh, no problem, don't worry about it" on mine.
I wouldn't say that we're the greatest to strangers, but if a situation calls for politeness I think we do a good job.
At least once a week I'm asked for directions, and I do my best to point people in the right direction. I hold doors open and help stroller-pushers on buses and streetcars. I know I'm not alone.
haha, oh boy, i think toronto is worlds more polite than new york, but i see what they are measuring here: when you are dealing with things in new york like renewing your license, getting a passport, buying fast food, or accessing a service, employees are generally very curt and to the point. they try to limit their interaction with you as much as possible.
however, when it comes to strangers, it's true, new yorkers really shine.
also, why so confused that torontonians are polite? it's so true! as an outsider in 2004 i was shocked to see how many people smiled, how many strangers would talk to me, and how welcoming the people feel in general. maybe it was the summer!
Actually, there was another Canadian city on the list - Montreal was 21st, I believe.
Oh, that's pretty far down. Sorry Montreal.
Err, I mean, at least Montreal was in the print edition...
I actually was one of the people who held the door open. So it's all due to wonderful little me.
I'm blaming the jerks that barge onto the subway before everyone's off for us (TO) not placing higher. One of these days I'm totally going to throw down during rush hour.
I toss an elbow their way most of the time. You should try it - works wonders. Doesn't hurt them at all (you have to, of course, measure up your to-be-elbowed opponent), but lets them know you disaprove. And that you're there.
Maybe I'm too aggressive?
Good call. Usually, though, I'm waiting to get in and these people just push their way on. I love it when people behind me are pushing against me, trying to urge me in as people exit. I don't move until the last person steps off. It's fun.
Which would make me passive aggressive.
and sometimes people ask if i'm a "rude new yorker"! i should ask them if they're a rude torontonian!
I have lived in Toronto over a decade, I am from Britain and have travelled eastern Europe and spend a lot of time in New York city. Toronto these days, is hands down one of the rudest most snobbish and hostile cities I have ever experienced, i am pleased to see New York came in as a politer city, I've been saying this to my Toronto friends and they didn't believe me until now. You need to stop chasing your Condo's and SUV's and realise life is about people and the way you treat them T-snot. How can a city as influential and important as New York know this yet you do not? They are everything you want to be and never will be, your "World Class City" Ads make me laugh. The only thing you could ever hope to hold over NYC was being nicer than them, and you lost that years ago.
Well, Mary, perhaps if you learned that basic English pluralization does not generally involve the use of an apostrophe (as in "Condo's and SUV's"), residents of the "T-snot" would not be so "snobbish" toward you.
I'm loving the irony here right now.