...to think that we Brits would generally be happier and nicer if we had a warmer climate?

[SpeedyGonzalez]

You know what it's like: the sun comes out and suddenly everyone's cheerful, open, positive and friendly. Then autumn starts to creep in and it all evaporates. Once winter arrives, we're doomed.

I always notice the stark contrast between us and people in hotter climes - obviously I'm making huge generalisations here, but strangers seem to be more open and less grumpy, less whingy/ irritated by insignificant things such as one's child standing in their way for half a nanosecond or a train arriving a quarter of a second late. Complaining is sort of a national sport here, isn't it?!

Obviously, once you get to know British folks we're utterly marvellous and the salt of the earth, but sometimes all that loveliness seems to be hidden under a thick, crusty facade. Is it purely weather-related? Is there in fact a sunny, hot country where everyone's permanently pissed off? Am I talking utter bollocks?

I'm a lot happier when the sun shines

YABU - sorry but I live in a very hot country and the people here are extremely grumpy. Tourists don't realise it as they come here on holiday and everyone at the hotels, on the tours etc are lovely and friendly. Well, it's their job to be friendly and that's how they get tips. Generally, they are a very mumpy lot - which I don't blame them for, I'm pretty bad tempered most of the time in this heat.

When I go back to the UK I am always so amazed by how friendly everyone is!

yes, I absolutely agree

< switches light-box on >

Not me! I am quite a happy friendly sort of bod anyway but the heat makes me irritable. I hate being hot and sweaty.

I think that stressful lives, always in a hurry, makes us irritable not the climate.

I get very SAD-dy...for sure.
But think how bad we briuts get when their is a heatwave and everyone has really noisy bbqs and gets drunk and we all want to kill our neighbours...

when it was the Big Freeze last year, I was struck how lovely everyone was being to each other - it was such a conversation-point, complete strtangers were talking to each other and - HELPING each other. Gave me the warm fuzzies actually!

No we are just miserable by nature. Take my DH anywhere and he is grumpy. I am a ray of sunshine whatever the weather of course

Not really - the topic of conversation would just be how awfully hot it is and how we wish it would rain

Coming from a warm country I don't think the heat and humidity would do anything to improve the moods of most ...

ok, maybe not hotter but certainly sunnier

Yes, in Rome and Naples in high summer people laugh merrily and blow kisses at each other in traffic jams...

(whoops, my nose just grew so rapidly it banged on the computer screen!)

Yes to more blue skies and less heat. My favourite weather is cold winter days with blue skies and sunshine.

Not sure about anyone else but it would certainly perk me up

Ahh now you're talking. A beautiful crisp Autumn day. Even a lovely warm summers day. I can do warm, 24 degrees or whatever is fine. What I hate is extreme heat and humidity. Especially when you are runnung around trying to get two small children ready for school....

Yes agree with you Speedy. I have wondered if it's because I associate lovely warm weather with holidays and holiday bonhomie feelings, but I don't think it's just that.

I love warm preferably hot weather. I feel and look better in it. Daily life isn't such a struggle when you are not battling the elements and you can just pop out without spending 20 minutes dressing up in coats and boots blah blah first. Things are easier, or at least feel that they are. Even lifes hold ups are more bearbale when the weather is lovely. I don't feel so battered.

Barrington - the grass is always greener! Think sun tan cream, sun hats, insect repellent, constantly changing clothes because of sweating, getting into an oven every time you get back into the car, children complaining they are being burnt by the straps of their car seats....hot weather is great on holiday when you are lying by a pool with a cocktail, not so great when you have to live an ordinary life in it!

I need heat and light, my body goes all wrong in the winter.

I'm taking industrial strength vitamin D this year to see if it helps. I don't actually care if I just feel the placebo effect :o

hot weather makes me bad tempered.

I hate being sweaty.

cold is good

I love the UK in the Summer. Seeing groups of people drinking outside pubs in the sunshine makes me smile. Right now, I think everywhere looks fairly drab and miserable due to the dark light/rain.

That's me too Orm.

We had a beautiful day just like that this week, sunny but cold, chilly breeze straight off the North Sea

DH was laughing at me "You are such a Northern European"

I am definitely a Viking jules

We've had quite a few sunny cool days this week. But I prefer it when we have a good frost too.

Well I am much happier in the summer, and I really think that children are.
They can play outside from early till late.
During the height of the summer little girl ate all 3 meals outside with friends.
Bliss.

I (try very much to) carry my weather on the inside.

I quite like the London climate too. I don't like it too hot or humid unless I'm at the beach.

It's 29 degrees today and my comments on AIBU threads are showing just what a wee ray of sunshine I metaphorically am...and if it's 29 in October, you can imagine what it is in July.

And Brits abroad on their hollybobs are always so good-tempered aren't they? "oooh Derek, this here heat'll be the death of me, the death, I tell ya" "What's all this foreign food then Derek, where's me gravy?" "There's insects, Derek, and they're biting me. Do something Derek!"

And the nice climate certainly explains why southern Californians invented drive-by shootings and random shooting of strangers on the Freeways for fun.

Or maybe not...