Proper manner in England?

Question

Is it considered rude if you met someone on the street (you don't know them) and you don't greet them?I

Answer 1

Why bother as manners in the UK seem to have gone out of the window anyway. sad but true.

Answer 2

yes

Answer 3

No, it's normal in most cities - my boyfriends' dad went to London in the 50s and he said hello to everyone he saw and everyone looked at him as if he was weird.

Answer 4

It depends where you live.  I live in a town and if I addressed every one I walked past it would take me two hours to get up the street but when I go home to the village I grew up in if you don't greet someone when you walk past then then it would be considered rude.

I found the general thing is if you make direct eye contact with someone it's polite to greet them. If they ignore you it's their loss but at least you were polite.

Answer 5

As others have already stated it depends on where in the UK you are.

I come from London (SE) and to be honest you would avoid eye contact with the majority of people. I now live and work in West Yorkshire and I find that people here are friendlier and have more time for others including total strangers. I was unloading luggage from my car last week and at least 6 people whom I did not know walked past and all said hello and 2 actually offered help. Nice to know there are still some nice, friendly people in the UK apart from myself!

Answer 6

No!  It wold be a pretty busy walk to the corner shop if I had to stop to greet everyone I DON'T KNOW along the way!! :-)

Answer 7

If you are in a busy area with loads of people you really just walk by everyone.  If you had to push a little to get through the crowd intwould be only mannerly so say "Excuse me" and if you bumped in to someone "Sorry" or Pardon me". If you were perhaps out a walk in a quiet area and someone was coming towards you most people would say "Good Morning" "Good afternoon" what ever time of day it was. Also a quick comment about the weather as in "Fine day isn't  it?". Think if you actually are meeting eye contact with someone it comes automatic to say a short greeting.

Answer 8

NO NOT AT ALL CANT SAY HELLO TO EVERY TOM d**k AND HARRY

Answer 9

people dont usually greet people they dont know, people would think you were a bit weird

Answer 10

Ignore everyone. It's a Jungle out there.

In London, if you come across as friendly. . . it's usually seen as being Naive, weak and a potential nutter. I'm afraid to say.

Unless you can cut a Dashing Figure, maintain a strong Disposition and cast a fine Diplomatic stance.

Best be friendly in Pubs and Restaurants in the Evening say. Thats the time people let their hair down.

Common Courtesy, is respected by many still. . . despite the fact that most Londoners are notoriously UnCivil and rude. But put that down to fear of confrontational elements.

There is a lot of potential Crime in London.

Answer 11

It better and older times it was a commen courtesy to say hello or good morning etc. But times have changed people don't trust one another any more. This is the society we now live in and it sucks.

Answer 12

h**l no, otherwise you'd be saying "hello" a hundred times a minute!

Although if it's really early in the morning, dog walkers are very friendly and greet or smile at everyone they walk past (mainly because there's only about 3 people awake and out at that time!)

Answer 13

They may think you are a tiny bit wird if you just go up to them say 'Hey' if you don't know them. If someone says 'Good Morning' to you, then saying 'Good Morning' Back is just polite and considered nice and well....Polite.

Answer 14

In the USA talking to strangers is far more common than the UK. For instance, when waiting in a line, it's not common to speak to the person nearby. You may ask a short question and that's it eg, if you think you are blocking their way you might ask if they need to pass. No talking about the weather!!! Otherwise, I wouldn't make eye contact with strangers or they will glare back, LOL! Unless it's in a bar.

I was SHOCKED the other day when my neighbour said hello as we walked past in the apartment block. I greeted him back but I didn't stop and chat as then he would find it weird.

It depends largely where you are, maybe you can get away with this in a village but not in London where I live. My background is rural and even there people didn't really strike up random conversations. In the USA people talk more. But sometimes a bit too much, so that it can appear false. In the UK it's better not to bother than make small talk.

Answer 15

Respect to you my friend.

Whether you greet someone depends on where you are and who you might be greeting. Many places in Britain are crime ridden, so I don't think I would feel safe saying 'good evening' to a mugger. In my village, I do say 'hello' to strangers because I feel safe to do so, and I have also heard some say 'who the h**l was that' as soon as my back was turned. So it's a tricky answer really, and certainly on a crowded street, I never speak to a sole unless I am dealing with an individual or buying something from a news stand.

Answer 16

Nope. Just tell them, "Sorry I don't reognise you."

Answer 17

You should only greet strangers in the following situations:

- when out for a walk in the countryside

- on Christmas day, or new years eve, when it's customary to give best wishes to everyone you pass.

Otherwise, it tends to frighten people, especially women.

Answer 18

No it isn't rude, but sometimes people just give a smile if the street is otherwise empty.  You cant go grinning like a Cheshire cat in a busy street though!

Answer 19

if he/ she is staring right at you say hi, if not your fine.

I think that's  anywhere...maybe except for you wife/husband or kids....

Answer 20

you don't have to greet someone you don't know...

Answer 21

If we had to greet people in passing we'd never get anything done. In my home village, 200 ppl, it's possible to see a newcommer/stranger and just say hello as we pass but in the city..no chance. So it depends on the situation.

I always say 'Hi' in less populated areas if I make eye contact, but in towns and cities..I don't usually bother.

So no, it's not rude generally, but be aware of your location, number of people etc.

Answer 22

The bigger the town or city the more invisible you apparently become.  On your part this becomes the avoidance of eye contact indicating that the others are invisible.  (Tragic, isn't it?)  In small towns, if it is quiet and few, if any, people are about, you normally nod or say "Good morning".   But when it's busy you might give half a smile being careful that this is not misconstrued.  Watch what others do.  You'll soon catch on.

Answer 23

If I walked down Oxford Street in London and greeted everyone...I would never get home in time for tea!

Answer 24

There is a protocol depending where you are, how old the person is and, believe it or not, what day it is!

If you are in a busy area, then you don't. There are far too many people around and you would be considered a weirdo if you did this. However, in a rural area and walking down the street and there is someone coming towards you, rather than 'greet' them, just a smile is enough. If you make eye contact, maybe a quiet hello is ok.

If walking past an older person, they are more likely to greet you-I always say hello as I am quite tall and have very short hair, so I do it to make them feel at ease. Don't be too nice though as they will start talking about the weather and you'll never get away.

On a monday, no one feels like doing anything, let alone talking to strangers. Tuesday isn't much better. Friday afternoon you can go back to the smile rule when no one else is about. Sunday morning is the best time. People walk slower and are enjoying the morning, so this is about the only time you can say good morning to anyone.

Some people might consider it rude if you did greet them as it isn't really the done thing anymore and going up to everyone saying hello will make you look a bit strange, so that is why just a little smile works better and wait for them to see if they want to say hello, morning etc.

Mostly, no- we don't say hello to everyone. We don't doff our cap, either!

Answer 25

No, you only talk to people you know, unless in rare occassions when two people are walking past each other in the morning and it seems appropriate. You still get the talkitive people that will talk to people in the street, but they are now seen as a bit odd, which is a shame because they just like communicating and meeting people.

Answer 26

I usually smile at people - after I find them staring at me.

I think it is rude if you don't greet someone you already know.

Answer 27

If southern England you do not talk to strangers. In the midlands and the north of England you do. Big cultural differences.