To think Londoners are v unfriendly

[maggieryan]

I've moved over from Ireland to London. Big move and im very happy with my decision BUT finding people so unfriendly. Walk into a.shop and try to have a bit of chit chat and nothing., I tried talking to neighbours and barely any response.. Taximen barely speak where as in Dublin you cant shut them up.im not unlikable, plenty of friends and loads of family but maybe im just used to Dublin. Im only finding my feet so I probably need to give it time??

Practising for the national recruitment drive that starts in September @Notknownatthisaddress

Seriously though, it is great craic & it really does make a positive difference in girls' lives. Like the girl who's never spoken a word in a school performance but volunteered to narrate the Brownie Christmas one & even managed to look at the audience when she did. Brownies who've never been able to cook with or even share meals with their peers because of their food allergies getting to feel "normal". A space for STEM activities where boys can't take over in the way they do at school. Plus lots of Trying New Things - at the end of term we did a circus workshop & they got to try tightrope- & stilt-walking, unicycling, a load of acrobalance stuff, juggling, plate-spinning, and all kinds of other things... We've upcycled a greenhouse & planted trees in a local park; we've done stuff on body confidence/media depictions of girls& women/peer pressure; & before the 2015 general election our MP came to a meeting & faced some pretty stiff questions on things like bullying, women in sport & the media, affordable housing & the environment. She also got one hell of a question about sexism viewed through the lens of original sin...

Sorry, I can get a bit babbly about it But getting to see small people blossom is awesome. (And see me refrain from babbling about the historical!awesome. There is at least that...)

Yes I enjoy the ever so chatty London cab drivers....

I so look forward to having unsolicited views on race, migration, Islam and sexual orientation, interspersed with requests for Wenger to 'spend some facking money' barked at me by the Essex-dwelling, UKIP voting loudmouth behind the wheel.

Miserable bunch of fuckers

Seriously? And you call Londoners rude!

more chait chat like "very warm" or "your baby is georgous" Theyre two things I said and I thought I said something offensive as they barely answered. Im delighted when people chat to me about my kids etc. Im probably just a chatterbox. I live in Camden?

I live in Camden, not Camden Town but in the borough of. If you came up to me out of nowhere and started chatting about the weather I might think you were trying to chat me up, if you commented on my child (she has beautiful curly hair so gets a fair few compliments) I would respond to you. If you made the mistake of making small talk when I was with my dh he would chew your ear off (as in he's very chatty, not that he would yell at you) and you may well start to regret it.

I do know what you mean though, sometimes I make random comments to people and they look at me as if I have two heads.

I so look forward to having unsolicited views on race, migration, Islam and sexual orientation, interspersed with requests for Wenger to 'spend some facking money' barked at me by the Essex-dwelling, UKIP voting loudmouth behind the wheel

I have never been in London taxi where a driver has behaved like this.

You could try speaking to an older person - we generally aren't in such a rush and are unfazed by conversation with strangers. Or maybe that's just me! I notice I'm more liable to offer the odd comment to someone at a bus stop or wherever, now I'm in my 60s, and quite often have short chats.

Lucky you Lass. There are lots of them about. I have gone over to Uber because they are cheaper but it's a bonus that they tend not to chat at all.

Lass
Dear God, I have. I take a lot of black cabs though, so that might skew statistics somewhat, but I've had some right racist/sexist charmers over the years. One bloke actually locked the doors to the cab as I was about to get out because "we're having a nice little chat, aren't we, love?' as he wanted to continue telling me about what was wrong with Muslims.

I have never been in London taxi where a driver has behaved like this

Me neither, &. I've been getting in black cabs all my life. I'm not getting in an uber if my life depended on it. You only have to look at their drivers track record to know why.

So all 8.2 million people who live in London, the 19 million tourists who visit every year and 3 million who commute into London to work every day are ALL 'v unfriendly'. If you say so.

I live in the South Wales valleys. Born and bred. It is an area known for doorstep chats and cuppas.
Many local people would say London and cities are unfriendly.

However when I have visited (as recent as two weeks ago) these places I have come across many courteous,smiling and conversational people. I also saw some quieter people, and some downright weird ones-as exist in my own community. It boils my piss when people in my area say London is unfriendly,when perhaps they've only been there once-it's a sweeping judgement and not necessarily true, ime.

You have a different perspective as you live there but the lady in my corner shop never looks up from her mobile when serving you. I don't know if she's ever been to London.

OP, yes, give it time. Expect it to be different. Keep An open mind.

maggie- don't stop being friendly to strangers in cafes etc!

I am from a chatty place and also found it a mild culture shock when I moved to london. You don't talk to people at the bus stop here, but it would be rude if you DIDN'T where I'm from.

I have adjusted my chattiness, but it's still there. My London-born friends comment on the fact that I'll speak to anyone. (But I've got to know my neighbours and local shopkeepers etc.)

You'll get used to it! And then when you go to Dublin to visit, you'll be taken aback when people smile at you in the street or chat to you in the supermarket!

surferjet
I've been getting in black cabs all my life. I'm not getting in an uber if my life depended on it. You only have to look at their drivers track record to know why.

Do you have a link to this "track record"? Am interested to see the evidence for this wholesale slur on a group of people.

I find east London and the Essex area friendly. Even Harlow which is on the outskirts of Essex are friendly compared to my county. Herts.

Londoners are just soooo busy but I find it no worse than anywhere else.

I was in Sardinia in the summer expecting it to be lovely but I didn't like it at all. It wasn't friendly and even felt unsafe.

@Chocolatepudding85

"You don't talk to people at the bus stop here, but it would be rude if you DIDN'T where I'm from. "

That is exactly how I describe it to people too! Small town Irish here.

OP, I've lived here 14 years, and I find that the English are mostly only too happy to chat but a) you will always have to be the one to start the conversation because it's not the norm here, and b) you have to read people and pick your audience better than you would at home, and your words will open more doors.

The Independent
NewsUK
Uber drivers accused of 32 rapes and sex attacks on London passengers over the past year

Freedom of Information data obtained by The Sun newspaper revealed 32 assault claims were made against employees of the taxi-hailing app in London over the past twelve months, equal to one every eleven days

Plenty more info online if you can be bothered to look.

chocolate
I have adjusted my chattiness

That's really sad. Never stop being who you are,wherever you are. I am a very chatty person and I'm sure it's not always welcome (then of course I do back down) but some people welcome it.

Always chat to people at the bus stop, even in London. You might just make a lonely persons day!

I think it's a lot to do with homesickness and familiarity tbh. I like visiting London but could never live there,because I would miss where I'm from,not for any other reason.

When I moved to London from Glasgow 8 years ago I remember thinking the same...it passes...I found that usually if you chatted to people they were friendly back! Think your post said you had children - get to some groups with them and join local parents Facebook - you will find loads of people on that. London is different to smaller cities due to the fact that London has so many 'non-Londoners' as some have called them - people from all over the world staying for 2 weeks, 2 years or 20 years...once it becomes your norm other places seem strange. Although on the whole, I found, people are not as polite when trying to get from A to B...that is the daily grind will millions of people moving at the same time. Enjoy! I have just left to move abroad and am missing such an amazing city!

You want friendlies go and look lost in a tube station. You'll be inundated with people asking if you're ok.

I've always found Londoners friendly. Not overly chatty but friendly enough.

Unlike Leeds. I spend half of my time there muttering 'i thought northerners were meant to be friendly!'

I'm a Londoner. To be honest we have so many nationalities and cultures here I think it would be hard for a non Londoner to know what we are really like. My parents generation were different, neighbourhoods usually looked after each other and were very friendly towards one another. I lived in Europe for four years in my twenties and missed Londoners terribly, especially the humour.

Hello from Dublin op

I'm from Ireland, grew up in London. After living in Ireland for a couple of years I moved back to the UK and HATED it. The people were horrible! Think it was probably the area I lived in though.

Do you have friends in work that you could make friends with?

I won't use Uber either, they're actually expensive, they don't know where they're going, the vehicles don't compare and they often speak poor English. Never mind the issues already linked to. Black cabs are so much better. IF they are more expensive, it's worth it. But I dispute that they are always more expensive. Uber's minimum charge is higher and if you use an app like Mytaxi they often have special offers. Don't forget Uber's price surge policy, not just when it's raining but, when there have been terrorist attacks, Uber charges more to get people home but black cabs rally and take them for free as well as all the charity runs they do.

surferjet

I have never been in London taxi where a driver has behaved like this

Me neither, &. I've been getting in black cabs all my life. I'm not getting in an uber if my life depended on it. You only have to look at their drivers track record to know why.

Always black cabs for me too. I would never use Uber. If you are unfortunate enough to have experienced a black cab driver behaving like this take a note of their number - it is prominently displayed in the cab, and report him or her to the licensing authority.