To think that some people in Yorkshire have surprisingly weak handshakes?

[dieselKiller]

Three people recently have given me the weakest handshakes. Its not just that they didn't give a little squeeze but they didn't even use their own muscles to maintain the shape of their hand or support its weight. This has only ever happened to me in Yorkshire. AIBU to think that its specific to Yorkshire or has this happened to you in other parts of the UK?

It's ok, OP, Cumbria is, errr, right next to Yorkshire . Easy mistake.

I know a lot of farmers, my hands crack and pop suddenly when shaking hands. I enjoy the look of fear on their faces when they think they have broken my hand with their sheer power hehehe

Yorkshire folk are famously weak handshakers, tired after years of holding onto their money

Yup, I still have my Weak Handshake certificate in my Record of Achivement folder. I've very proud of it, not everyone in my S. Yorks comp could pass the test

The weak handshake is a northern thing that applies to whichever County or indeed Riding you happen to be in at the time. If we give you a weak handshake it's basically a signal to our fellow northerners that says "this 'un's a daft beggar, tek no 'eed of 'er/'im"

This thread is perfect. Say something really bleeding stupid, then realise you were in a different county 😂

FWIW, the feeblest handshake I've endured was in a county down south (Sussex, or Wessex or summat). A woman gave me her hand vertically, so, having lost my bearings on which was I was supposed to shake now, I wiggled it a bit in every direction. Very unsatisfactory for both of us.

It's cos thee caught chill on Ilkley Moor bar t'at.

Ah, check agin, OP. You sure you weren't in Dorset, now?

Oh sorry!!! I just checked the map and it turns out I was in Cumbria if that makes any difference

No difference whatsoever. Once you leave London, you'll find that other people are simply 'Not From London.'

That said, people from Cumbria melt if they are more than 57 metres away from a sheep. It's only proximity to sheep that keeps them solid.

Stupidest thread I’ve ever read on here.

It's because we don't like people who aren't from Yorkshire. I mean what if we catch something "southern"!! Not worth the risk, quick light shake and then look for an exit!

Aye, well, we like our own space we do.
This touching business is for tupping and child rearing and nowt much else.

I'm in South Yorkshire. We don't tend to shake hands as the remnants of coal dust will infect other people. Most unfair. A simple exclamation of 'yor reyt cocker' is greeting enough.

Worst handshake iv ever been on the receiving end of was a Glaswegian accountant. Terrible, limp and sweaty.

No difference whatsoever. Once you leave London, you'll find that other people are simply 'Not From London.'

That said, people from Cumbria melt if they are more than 57 metres away from a sheep. It's only proximity to sheep that keeps them solid.

Herdwick or Swaledale? [exhausts sheep knowledge in one go, but then I live in Norfolk - ask me one on root vegetables]

FFS how sodding ridiculous

It's weird though, isn't it? There's a manager at work who told my boss he trusts my opinion over another colleague because I gave him a firm handshake when we were introduced.

Yes, he is a dick

"Love Yorkshire folk - so much more outgoing than people in the South East for example."

It varies wildly from place to place. Lots of places in north Yorkshire are really friendly. South Yorkshire not so much. They will shout at you about how friendly their towns and cities are (and fly off in a huff if you say that actually, in your experience, Londoners are friendlier), but a lot of people are not friendly so much as forthright to the point of rudeness. (I have lived in both places for several years).

Yes, we are very afraid of catching “The Southern”
It will make us drink shandy and wear coats in inclement weather

You'll not be wanting to meet my Dad then. The first time he met any of my boyfriends he would execute a comedy death-grip (it failed miserably on DH as he has giant Welsh hands hewn from slate, although it made for an amusing watch).

My brothers are both manly backslappers and I have beaten many a soft southern shandy bloke at an arm-wrestle.

As PPs have noted, they were probably scared of hurting you.

I now see you were actually in Cumbria. Do you not get out much OP?

AIBU to assume the whole of the Yorkshire Dales would be in Yorkshire?

I loathe and abhor a limp handshake.

OTOH, I have before been accused of 'gripping like grim death' when shaking hands.

I've not knowingly or consciously shaken hands with anyone from Yorkshire so I can't really join in with this discussion beyond that.

Perhaps you look very fragile indeed OP? and they didn't want to hurt you?

Cumbria? Did you have sausage?

I'm from Yorkshire and I've got a really weirdly strong handshake, I have to tell myself to rein it in a bit. I think it's quite Yorkshire to not shake hands or hug or anything though, just say hello with no emotion. Maybe they are just not used to it.

AIBU to assume the whole of the Yorkshire Dales would be in Yorkshire?

If you aren't familiar with the boundaries of the Yorkshire Dales National Park then no. Recent boundary changes mean that the park not only extends into Cumbria but also (whisper it) Lancashire.