Just back from a week in New York, where people are reputedly the rudest on the planet. Guess what? All I saw were good-natured people who smiled at each other and even talked and joked. I didn’t meet a single rude person until waiting with all the Oregonians to return to Portland:
The couple talking on a speaker phone who yelled at the people speaking privately around them to shut up. The people in the reclining seats banging into the people behind them and then complaining because they dared to press the buttons on the monitor screen in the back of the seat. The woman who stood texting and keeping people from getting off the plane, including one guy who said more than once that he had to pee, and then got irate when he finally pushed past her. Children running out of control and almost knocking an old woman over. I saw lots of kids in NYC who had actually been taught how to behave in public. Actually that’s true of almost everywhere else.
That’s enough. I could go on and on. Portland — you’re ruder than New Yorkers and not half as smart or interesting.
Well put & absolutely accurate!
I’m always amazed how much nicer people are when you leave the city limits.
Wholeheartedly agree. So many people here are incredibly rude, ill-mannered, and inconsiderate. It’s like their parents never taught them even the most rudimentary manners and etiquette. And some people honestly believe people here are friendly.
Those were New Yorkers heading to Portland on vacation, you idiot.
There were rude people everywhere I’ve traveled. Well, except in Japan, South Korea, and North Korea, people were polite there. We could use some East Asian politeness in our “gawddammit-I-do-whatever-I-want” culture.
Let me see if I can just find a way to lump everybody into some category or another and then slap a label on them…
ruder? Suck it! I don’t think “ruder” is a fucking word you fucking moron!
Next time get a one way ticket, traitor
I thought the general consensus was that NYC is just better and more impressive than other cities our nation has to offer. Portland can’t even compete.
This rant is like if an elementary school basketball coach went to an NBA game, then came back and told all the 4th graders how shit they are in comparison.
We’re still trying to figure out how to city, dude!
What happened to the Teach?
I don’t find Portland(or Oregon) to be particularly that rude overall, more so people are just non-confrontational and come off as a little reserved and passive. People from New York(or those claiming to be) are often just more direct whether they’re being rude or nice to you–people are just louder and more vocal about things in general.
Spend enough time on the East Coast and you’ll run into plenty of rudeness, though in general people who live in a giant city like New York are going to be much more accustomed to dealing with a lot of people and crowds all day(unlike Portland where I see people lose their shit over having to spend five minutes looking for a parking spot close to Tasty ‘N Sons).
Also though, if every transplant who’ve I heard say that people were “rude” or “cold” here just tried being extra nice and friendly themselves–considering the number of transplants in Portland, wouldn’t this city just be a shining beacon of happy and polite folks?
New York is a lot better to look at from street level. Get up 20 or 30 floors and take a gander at all the pigeon shit on the roofs and it doesn’t look all that impressive.
I think New Yorkers are happier these days now that Rudy “9/11 Self-Proclaimed Savior” Guiliani is out of office.
There was a DJ at KGON who thought he was Howard Stern, except that sometimes, Stern can actually be funny.
Speaking of rude: popups.
I just got back from my I, Anonymous Anonymous meeting and I just don’t think it’s working. I’ll try again tomorrow.
All the polite people were other tourists.
What this place needs is more generalizations!
Welcome home fuckwad, hope you got it all out.
I remember my grandfather talking about New Yorkers rudeness ‘they ignore you while asking the time’, but maybe New York has changed….
Watching David Simon (The Wire writer) talking about New Yorks supposed danger, he remarked how it was completely different now than in the popular imagination, and how Baltimore was far more dangerous.
Maybe New York has become more polite….?
In San Francisco, stranger strike up interesting conversation, then about five minutes in, they put the bite on you for as many bucks. That’s why to ignore requests for the time.
A big Mexican hombre gets on the BART at Balboa Park, and right away starts getting conversational. I told him I didn’t have any money, and he spent the rest of the ride to Millbrae, threatening to kick my ass for insulting him, because I didn’t give him the chance to ask me for shit.
I heard New Yawkahs will stop to let you cross the street, then mow you down.
You know why people are polite in NY? Because when you’re acting like a d-bag, people will call you out instead of passively aggress on anonymous complaint blogs.
*Sean Connery voice*: They offend you, you chicken out and write bitchy comments online, THAT’S the Portland way
As a born and raised New Yorker, I gotta say it’s true- we are just more real than pdx ers. We will just as soon save your life as slit your throat. We don’t bottle it up and run home to write an online rant-every moment of every day is a rant. When we witnessed 9/11 we became a much kinder city because we found a common reason to value eachothers lives.
I don’t see much difference between what this city has become and the Clackamas Mall. Sorry if I am rude to transplants that made this places a consumerist whore shit show.
I spent nine years in NYC before coming here six years ago. I think people are nicer here, but also that New Yorkers get a bad rap because they are direct and have somewhere to be.
That said, Canadians have us all beat. I love snowbacks!
You are from New York, aren’t you I, Anon?
I’m from NY. Portlanders are more polite, but less warm. I think it’s all the Northern European ancestors. Not as much hugging and kissing. In addition it’s often hard to know what people are actually thinking because they usually keep their opinions to themselves, excepting left leaning progressive opinions. Plus there’s the fake Californians.
Born and raised here and I have found that all the transplants bring their bullshit while the native Portlanders keep on trucking quietly.
I was wondering when someone would bring up 9-11. Thanks Obama!
Always late for the party, this rant is fine and a little generalized. I am happy to hear you loved your experience in the city I was raised. Children being well behaved, that is a little much. Whatever, when I came to Portland to find a place to live, I stayed with two friends of my parents for a week. I was fortunate to be accepted for a job before I visited. My savings is gone, but I’m here.
I fell in love with Portland, love my job, and since I never traveled anywhere to speak of, it was a huge move.
I anonie, the city has changed for lots of reasons. It started with Mayor Koch, a tough, no nonsense Mayor that had spoken so often of crime. His remarks about criminals were ” I don’t want to rehabilitate them, I want to punish them.”
Being from the city was a great experience, but the Northwest was always my dream. So many people from this blog are from New York, I think this rant? brought them out.
Hey Guys, where were you when I needed you?
So why are you still here? If I had a nickel for every transplant rant about P-Town I’ve had to endure, I could buy you all plane tickets back to where you moved away from but claim to love.
It’s all Fred ‘n Carrie’s fault!! All the rude, idiotic New Yorkers migrated here once the Poster-Boy for New York Jews started making fun of us.
I’m Jewish. Suck it.