OT: Talk to me about rudeness . . .

Not quite what you are asking but an interesting regional and national comparison.

I live in a generally affluent small English town, what we call a Market town, that is one with a very long history ( back to the 10th century) as a rural centre. Very picturesque, bustling, full employment. People are polite, not unfriendly, but distant and reserved.

My daughter lives in rather run down, old industrial city near the Welsh docks and coal mines, now both almost totally closed down. High unemployment, cheap houses etc.. Here people are friendly, helpful, chatty. Old ladies stop you in the street to chat, shop staff call you " my lovely" and it take ages to go through the till because all the chatting! My son in law's comment is that the locals would do anything for you at anytime, unless what you happened to want was for them to stop shouting loudly outside your house after midnight!,

And an anecdote from a friend who ran a campsite in France. National characteristics but happened to them all the time. There is truth in some stereotypes!

Italians would come in in high drama. Arms waving, shouting - over very small issues.

Germans came In quietly. Calm and polite. There is a problem. You will deal with it now, please.

The Brits would come in, apologetic. I'm awfully sorry to bother you but there is a stream of raw sewage flowing through my tent. No hurry but when you have time, I would be most awfully grateful if you could sort something out for me. So sorry to be a nuisance!

Kate

Walking into a store just behind someone and having them just let the door slam in your face.  Hurts my wittle feewings every time!

 I'm near Boston, and we New Englanders have a reputation for being cold and/or rude.  I don't see it... but when I'm in the south, I'm always floored by how gregarious and overly nice everyone is 

My biggest pet peeves are people who can't be assed to get off their cell phones when they're ordering a coffee, picking up food, checking out at a store.  Drives me bonkers.  But it also drives me nuts when I have a cashier who is too busy talking to the bagger (or whoever) to even speak to me.  

I volunteer often at a soup kitchen in Boston.  I go there to serve soup and serve dinner and dessert.  Sometimes we make the food, but usually the main course was made before we get there or brought in by another group.  One night I was walking through the dining room, serving meatloaf that had been made and brought in by another church.  One of the guests took a bite and yelled "did you people even TASTE this before you fed it to us?!?"    Well no, I didn't, since I'm not allowed to eat any until all of the guests are served, but I'm so sorry you don't like it!

I was there this week and we were serving dessert.  Once we gave a piece of cake to all of the guests, we had about 10 pieces leftover that we put out for seconds.  This always causes a rush of guests to the counter to grab one, and we have to stick to the one per person rule.  One woman was trying to argue that she needed two pieces but we stood firm.  She yells "I don't know why people even care.  I already ate a slice, it doesn't even taste good.  It's just stupid CAKE."  Then she takes a piece and walks away.  If the stupid cake doesn't taste good, perhaps you shouldn't eat another piece...  

I don't know if this really qualifies as rudeness.. but it does make me very upset.

There's some obliviot on another support site who said when they were asked how they lost all their weight.. that they told people that cancer really works for weight loss.  They thought it was funny!!

As a cancer survivor I find that statement to be extremely thoughtless and uncaring.

Telling me I look great - then in the next breath asking me how much I weigh. 

Working in "cube city" and having someone put their meetings on loud speaker phone and then proceed to share their call with EVERYONE in the room.  I love it when the meetings runs for an hour or more. 

OR.  The person who uses their headseat and shouts into their phone while walking around the room.

STFU!!!