Do we live in the friendliest place ever or is this what village life is like?

[AnachronisticCorpse]

We’ve lived here about five years so this isn’t something I’ve just noticed, but I was musing about it on the school run.

As we walk or cycle to school we see many of the same faces, people on their way to work, dog walkers, other cyclists etc. Without exception, they all say hello and good morning. If we’ve got our dog with us the dog people will stop and chat. Even people I’ve never seen before say good morning.

But the people coming into the village to work, off the bus, rarely say anything, even if I do. Which makes me feel like a bit of a nob.

I’ve always lived in the town before (small market town but still a town) and people didn’t greet me, even the same people I saw every day (with a few exceptions). But here it’s the norm. I often get the bus into the village centre and it’s rare that someone doesn’t strike up a conversation with me. Also, the people in the Co-op always chat, which blindsided me a bit the first few items I went in ther.

Is this just village life or do I actually live in Chatty McChatsville?

I live in a town and people are friendly and smiley

My (large) village is like this,as was the last (tiny) village I lived in, so I would say it is the norm in the U.K.

It's like this the world over.

I lived in SE Asia for a time, people there are just the same.

I live in a large city but my suburb is as you describe. It's lovely. 😊

It's small town. But if you live anywhere that you see the same faces you will acknowledge each other.

Perhaps I’m just more aware of it now. It is lovely though, I must have said hello to about thirty people there and back.

I’m off to a neighbouring big town in a bit so I’ll notice how many people return my smile and nod and report back in the interests of science.

I live in "Shanktown" on the walk to school in the morning I am cheerily greeted by: 1 nun, 1 businessman in a trilby, Smoking Lady on Bike, parents going in the opposite direction, Owner of Dizzy Labrador, owner of the Three Hounds of the Baskervilles, owner of What-a-mess's slightly more elegant cousin, owner of Dulux-dog-scared-of things-with-wheels, my three neighbours, and various joggers, plus the parents going the same way as us.

The people in the corner shop chat too, why wouldn't they?

I think you must have just lived in unfriendly places before.

Perhaps my resting bitch face has mellowed in middle age

I grew up in a small village, and yes people do greet you more than in towns, but the downside is the level of nasty gossip seems a lot higher. I'd rather live somewhere larger where I can choose who I speak to and ignore the rest.

Is it called Midsomer? I'd be giving everyone the side-eye.

Like that in our village too. Wasn't like it when I lived in a big city so I really appreciate it too.

Your village must be bigger than my town if you get the bus into the centre!

But we get hellos, chat from shop workers, waves from the postman etc, and I love that about this place

I live in a village and it's the same here: everyone smiles/ chats/ says hello.
I read about school gate cliques and mums being left out etc. on here, but it's not like that at our village school. Everyone is (outwardly at least) nice.

Yep, definitely normal

Totally normal ime but there are rude people everywhere who won't or don't say hello.

I challenge myself to be get them to say hello by doing an extra cheery greeting

I've got this in my head now. Do you live in Belle's village, OP? m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp19xr8XuzU

Gerda I imagine your town to look like a 1940s-50s illustration of a "busy Parisian High Street"

Smoking lady on bike is a bit saucy and sexy....possibly an actual lady of the night, whilst man in trilby is a private detective.

but the downside is the level of nasty gossip seems a lot higher. I'd rather live somewhere larger where I can choose who I speak to and ignore the rest.

This.* The amount of gossip, judgement and prying in places like this is unreal.* My relatives live in one of these places.....

Relatives (R) are unhappy with the state of neighbour C's garden and trespassing by neighbor B.** They like neighbour A.

Neighbour A reported neighbour C to the council over the garden.**

Neighbour C reported neighbour A to the council over a planning permission issue, but wrote in support of Relatives planning permission issue.

Neighbour B reported neighbour C over the garden, Relatives over a planning permission issue and neighbour A for a planning permission issue.**

..... and this is in a hamlet where everyone is expected to turn up for every village event and they all have to be nice to each other!

^ bold fail

CheapSausagesAndSpam

If only!

Don't come to Essex. It's not like that here

This was my experience in a London suburb. In fact the unfriendliest place I've ever lived was a small Hampshire village.

I live in zone 3 of London and it’s like you describe.

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