The Student Room Group

Why are people in London so rude?

You'll get pushed into, pushed past... Londoners won't say excuse me or thank you.

They'll sit in the elderly seats on buses/tubes and won't let the elderly sit down.

There is no kindness whatsoever.

Why do Londoners think they are above everyone? London is just such a dirty place too. Every time I've returned from London after using the Underground, if I've blown my nose, black soot has come out!
It's a big city so you're far less likely to run into someone you know or care about, and also you don't need to socialise or network as again you will probably never see them again.

As a result of the above and it being generally a place of work where people have things to do and places to be, Londoners are less friendly than say places further north.
Original post by 2scotty
You'll get pushed into, pushed past... Londoners won't say excuse me or thank you.

They'll sit in the elderly seats on buses/tubes and won't let the elderly sit down.

There is no kindness whatsoever.

Why do Londoners think they are above everyone? London is just such a dirty place too. Every time I've returned from London after using the Underground, if I've blown my nose, black soot has come out!


No definite answer to your question, unfortunately. I travelled in London for two years for university and I agree with all the points you made above. I guess it comes down to many factors - one of them being a Londoner or travelling in it - don't bother anyone, don't look at anyone, don't even breathe when near someone.
Who cares lol, I bump into you, you bump into me, we move on, no one's feelings hurt no one cares.
Reply 4
People here are just used to the rush hour and constant busyness during the day. It's frustrating when you're in a rush and there's forever people standing around in groups awkwardly in the way whether on underground platforms, pavement or in a large shop. Although it's almost never pushing and shoving, it's more just getting unusually up close to people, and sometimes clothes sliding on them.

However, I do not push and shove and am aware of people's personal space. And majority of the time on the underground I remain standing throughout for the benefit of others to sit, and I apologise if I feel I have done wrong too.

And yes the underground is dirty but what do you expect? Wash your hands asap as soon as you get back home
(edited 5 years ago)
I have never been out of London and explored the rest of England so I have become desensitised to the aggressive way of living here. I also found that I am quite stoic, which might be a direct result of being a Londoner.
Original post by 2scotty
You'll get pushed into, pushed past... Londoners won't say excuse me or thank you.

They'll sit in the elderly seats on buses/tubes and won't let the elderly sit down.

There is no kindness whatsoever.

Why do Londoners think they are above everyone? London is just such a dirty place too. Every time I've returned from London after using the Underground, if I've blown my nose, black soot has come out!


During rush hour, the trains are ridiculously over-crowded. So, sometimes it is not that people don't want to let the elderly sit down. They just don't see elderly people/pregnant women standing amongst the sea of people that are on the trains.

Like a lot of cities, London is a very bustling place full of people who have somewhere to be. So, tourists who stand in the middle of a busy street with a selfie stick tends to annoy us because they just get in the way. It's not that we're rude. We're just impatient.
When I played sunday league football, I was taught to barge back if someone does it to you.. I guess you should try this tactic next time you're in London
Reply 8
I went to London recently, everyone looked so busy and didn't give me a second glance. However at the train station there were a lot of stares in my direction. It's kind of a good thing that everyone is so busy but also not because it's probably why the crime rate is high there because Londoners are too busy to spot crime or care.

I went to the underground for a few minutes but it was much later when I was heading back to the station to catch the train home that I had to blow my nose and the black stuff came out. I think it was because of the weather though. It was so cold and windy that my eyes were watery and my nose was running constantly.
I don't agree with you about anything but air pollution and the pushing- usually in crowded areas or during rush hour.
Priority seating on buses and trams are also intended for: parents with young children, pregnant women, blind people and infirm people with all sorts of disabilities or illnesses.

London life can be hectic with a lot of stress; there is also terrible traffic congestion, many tourist hot spots and densely populated areas.
Even during rush hour at waterloo station, I hear plenty of mutters of "excuse me" and dozens of apologies for accidental pushes among commuters.
Whenever I have tripped or been knocked over, lots of strangers have always helped me up and asked if I am ok.
Original post by 2scotty
You'll get pushed into, pushed past... Londoners won't say excuse me or thank you.

They'll sit in the elderly seats on buses/tubes and won't let the elderly sit down.

There is no kindness whatsoever.

Why do Londoners think they are above everyone? London is just such a dirty place too. Every time I've returned from London after using the Underground, if I've blown my nose, black soot has come out!

This is bullsh*t - there most definitely is kindness in London. And I'm a bitter, cynical old man at 28, so it's almost difficult to admit that there is goodness.

I'll give you a couple of examples of kindness I've witness from London people. I moved to south London at the end of September for university. There was a homeless lady near New Cross' big Sainsbury's every day for about a month. She'd always be there, sitting leant/slumped against the wall at the far corner of TK Maxx, next to where you cross the road into Sainsbury's carpark.

One day, I was walking past TK Maxx to go to Sainsburys, and I couldn't see this lady. A woman was coming across the road towards me, out of Sainsbury's carpark, with a small child holding her hand on either side of her body. The girl (on my left) must have been less than a year old and she was eating a bag of crisps. They got to my side of the crossing, where the corner of TK Maxx is, the mother paused with the little boy and I couldn't see where the girl was. I got past the corner of the building, saw that the homeless lady was slumped against the back wall and the little girl was offering her crisps to the homeless lady, with a big smile on her face. The mother wasn't trying to drag her children off and rush away, she seemed pretty happy that her little daughter was trying to do something nice for this homeless stranger.

Another day, two or three weeks later, I was in almost precisely the same spot but heading in the opposite direction. About to step onto the crossing to leave Sainsbury's carpark. There was somebody middle aged (don't actually recall whether it was a man or woman, but that's irrelevant anyhow) coming towards me on crutches. I looked to the side to check whether any vehicles were coming before I stepped onto the crossing, and I heard a crutch hitting the floor. I looked up and this person was there leaning on one crutch, trying to support themselves whilst trying to reach down to pick up the other crutch. A boy was coming along from behind them, towards us. He must've been about 13 years old, was wearing a shellsuit with a baseball cap and carrying a rucksack. It was mid afternoon and I remember thinking he was a little chavvy skipping school, on his way to go shoplifting. Anyhow, as fast as I've had this thought, the boy has seen the person struggling to reach their crutch, has changed direction to the left slightly and gone straight to pick up the crutch, and let the other person lean on him whilst they got back onto the crutches.

Sometimes I give change to homeless people/beggars, because I feel sorry for them and it must be so hard to have to walk up and ask strangers for change. I'm far from virtuous though, not trying to virtue signal here.

In fact, I am one of the people you hate about London. When I'm walking to lectures from my house, or going food shopping when I have a break between lectures, I have to pass several large, busy bus stops. Such as outside New Cross bus garage. The pavement is relatively wide and there are shelters set back from the road, so people don't have to be in the way. Yet they're always milling aimlessly about the pavement, with earphones in, staring obliviously at their phones. Often they look up, see me coming and continue milling about in the way. Sometimes they're just utterly oblivious to the existence of anybody else in the world. But regardless, it should be obvious that the pavement is for walking on and people need to pass through. If they don't have the sense to stay in the shelters, out of the way, or to consider that they might be in the way, I really don't have the patience. I'm just going to keep walking at them and they'll either move or be barged out of the way.


Also regarding your comments about giving up seats on public transport for those who need them more. Last week on the overground, I saw a guy roughly my age ask an elderly black lady whether she wanted to sit down. She said yes, so he stood up and relinquished the seat to her. It's not the first time I've seen something like that and won't be the last. Often I stay standing up even though there are empty seats, because I'm only going to be on the train for 10 minutes anyhow.
(edited 5 years ago)
Depends where you go. I live in London and find tourist ruder than locals. But in general...big city, lots of stress, therefore higher crime rate, just like Any massive city around the world.
Another thing I've noticed is that if you try asking someone for directions or help in London they completely blank you and continue walking unfazed.

This really shocked me being from Manchester, literally 95% of the people you come across (chavs, boozers and druggies knock it down from 100) will not only be willing to help but go above and beyond and have a nice chat with you to boot.
Walk faster
You are used to your own culture.
London is now another country.
A factor is probably very high overtime of the workers, stress and potentially extremely long journeys which make them seem bad because it’s a lot to handle, working in the city.
Yep I agree with all your points. I live in London and whilst it is one of the best cities in the world, it needs much nicer and friendlier people. Travelling on the tube is a nightmare everyday and people with cases and bags are a constant hazard. I have tripped over them so many times as they just cut you up. That is why Londoners leave London every break they get to run away from all this hustle and bustle. Kindness goes a long way in making someone's day. :smile:. Give up your seat to those in need. and don't push.
I think its partially that that's just how very big cities become. Cities like Paris and New York don't exactly have the nicest reputations either!

Its probably a regional cultural thing too though. People up North are much nicer even in large cities. Even just driving around up north is noticeably different to south - people actually let you out of difficult junctions and give way when they should!

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