To say I work in a popular store would be an understatement, especially now that people are (already!) starting their Christmas shopping.

Since we're only 2 hours away from the 49th, a lot of Americans come up here to take advantage of the exchange rate and save a bit of $$$ on their shopping. Nothing wrong with that. Your money's as welcome as ours. Heh. Higher profits mean we menial workers get higher wages. (And we just got a raise! Thanks a bunch! )

But here's my problem.

Your absolute lack of civility in even basic transactions. Canadians have a reputation for being polite. Personally I don't think it's that we're especially polite, it's just that our neighbours to the South apparently can't say please or thank you to save their lives. 9 times out 10, if a customer is rude, they're carrying an American credit or bank card. Even paying by cash can't hide you; the accents are a dead giveaway. I'm sure there are plenty of you who were raised right, but why are so many of you guys -at least the ones that come up here -so goddamned rude? If Please and Thank You is asking too much, would it kill you to at least keep your tone of voice civil?

I'm always very polite; it's almost a neurotic thing with me.

I always say "please" and "thank you" when I have to ask for/about stuff when I shop. People who don't are stoopid

meow85 said:

Are Canadian English and American English really that different ? I thought they sound pretty similar.

I'm always very nice and polite

Yeah, I'm big on manners and being sweet to who ever I'm dealing with. But I do notice that a lot of people are assholes.

I think it has to do with how you were raised or something.

Some people were just raised as idiots. Every country has them.

I met a couple from Pennsylvania this weekend. They were very nice and polite.

What drives me crazy are the clerks to places who don't even say hello when you get to the counter. I say hi, and goodbye, and sometimes they say absolutely nothing. Thats when I have to look at their nametag and call them by name and say hi again.

endorphin74 said:

I can vow to that, I, on the the other hand, am very rude, not cuz I am inconsiderate, but cuz I am a scatterbrain.

bluesbaby said:

They are just as rude here in the States, let me preface this with 'some people'. I think people get off on the fact that they are in a little bit of a power situation when they deal with people in retail. The customer is always right and many times the manager won't stick up for the employee.

Stymie said:

true, except for one thing: in my experience in retail, there were a lotta times where the manager would stick up for me because some piddly-assed customer would actually be totally in the wrong and believed in the whole "customer's always right" thing.

and i'm always nice to those who work in retail. i know how it is working behind the counter and having to deal with rude fucktards a lot of the time.

I think it's a lifestyle thing.

I'm a nice and polite Southern boy! I bet you don't get many Georgia peaches in Canada. Our brand of nice and polite is sicking!

CynthiasSocks said:

And then there's 'Minnesota Nice'. We're known for being polite to a fault!

I always try to be as friendly and as polite as possible. But around here in NYC, I'm ready to rip some heads off. There are so many people here who are allergic to the words "Excuse Me". On the subway, I have to fight to get on the train cause the people aren't trying to move to let me or anyone else through. Plus, I see so many people throwing their trash on the streets it makes me sick. I saw this guy throw a bottle cap into the street when he walked pass a garbage can. I went . I can't speak for all Americans but something is up with many of the people here in NYC.

CarrieMpls said:

Kill em with kindness!

Stymie said:

That's very true and that's why I would never work in retail cause I would get fired for cursing out an customer, I just know I would.

I'm polite to a fault (in fact, I'm TOO damn nice!). Not all Americans are rude, those who are, are just assholes.

I go to Canada all the time and there is definitely a cultural difference, at least in our area.New Yorkers are more crass than Canadians, I'm used to it and don't think anything of it till I get to Canada and it's so polite everywhere.
It feels like a lot of people there are OC with it all. Creepy really.
I try to be polite most of the time, but I don't mind telling someone off if it needs to be done. It must be pretty rare though, because my friends are always amazed when I do it. "Shelly! WTF! I can't believe you said that to them."

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I had to teach my mom, who didn't have a problem going off if she felt something was unfairly done, to stop yellin' at the sales rep. Just go straight to the manager but stop going off (unless she was treated unfairly). I worked retail for years and I always felt like it should be a requirement that ppl have to work on Christmas season to get a dose of it the maddness.

I worked for a retailer who didn't believe the customer was always right and it was a wonderful store to manage. If the customer was wrong, they are wrong. I loved it.

psychodelicide said:

That's the truth. And because you are nice psychodelicide, whether it looks like it or not, you will always finish first!

shellyevon said:

Man once you leave NY, everybody seems much nicer.

purplecam said:

Aww, thanks, Cam, you're pretty cool yourself.

bluesbaby said:

There are rude people where ever you go. I try to be nice and polite to everyone, so to make a sweeping statement about Americans being rude, is actually rude in it's self

I'm English, so naturally I'm polite.

No wait, I'm horribly aloof.

meow85 said:

interesting ...when i spent a week in london ont. this past summer i found myself several times thinking that in general the poeple there were unfriendly and quite rude compared to the people in the area i live ...western north carolina

humans can seem rude no matter what corner you turn