Different experiences near Bath.

[AndyOfTheSouth]

Apparently there’s a story going around Bath about a couple of mad blokes on electric bikes.

One’s been trying to make eye contact with people as he cycles the towpath (crazy!).

The other tries making conversation with complete strangers at bus stops (when he’s on his bike, loopy!)

There’s nowt as strange as folk, is there?

As Bathonians say…

 

[Barnowl]

Not just London, this sort of thing happens in Reading, Bristol and many other cities and even some rural areas.

Ironically in "friendly" East Anglia robberies are a bit rarer, but if someone hates you for whatever reason they are much more likely to verbally or physically threaten you there and then!

Yes, as you say it's a question of degree. I'm from the 2nd city. No, not Manchester and while muggings and violence happen they aren't such common place that people are noticably unfriendly. Actually thinking about it maybe they are.

PS I've only been to Bath once. Nice place. It's on my short list for another visit.

 

[Barnowl]

I was born in the centre (Soho) and have spent the great majority of my life in various London Boroughs, but have also lived in Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Glasgow and Paris. If London really was like that I'd have cleared out a very long time ago, but it's not and I haven't.

Youth street culture is a different issue which as Alex says is common to all parts and has always had it's dark side.
.

It gets a bad press.

I was surrounded by youth street culture one night down a dark back street in London several years ago. It was a most unerving experience and could have ended badly.

 

[flecc]

It gets a bad press.

Exactly, and we all know what the press is like.

The fact is, London is an easy target and it's sheer size ensures there's always something bad to report. Compared with the world's other very large cities, it's a generally safe and friendly place.
.

 

[bode]

Most middle aged/older folk who do stuff like walking, cycling etc are friendly to strangers - they have usually reached the age they have mellowed out a bit so the risk of conflict is much lessened and anyway and if they are angry grumpy old men aren't going to be out walking or cycling, they are usually in their motor cars fuming away in some traffic jam, moaning to themselves about taxes/cost of fuel etc

At least half of my non-responders were in the older age-group.

I don't think that anyone would imagine that they were going to be falsely befriended or mugged by somebody passing in the opposite direction at 15mph!

 

[Barnowl]

At least half of my non-responders were in the older age-group.

I don't think that anyone would imagine that they were going to be falsely befriended or mugged by somebody passing in the opposite direction at 15mph!

Perhaps they hadn't got their hearing aids turned on and were visually challenged.

 

[Alex728]

At least half of my non-responders were in the older age-group.

Perhaps these are the grumpy old men who want to drive but feel they have been forced off the roads of it due to taxes/fuel cost/nanny state/immigrants/political correctness/bloody cyclists/badgers (*delete as applicable)

I've actually met folks like that, including one old goat at my former employers who bought a bike as "New Labour had priced him out of motoring", decided it was too dangerous to ride it on Reading's roads (even though there are some reasonable cycle networks).

when I suggested he joined the politically neutral local cycling campaign, he (politely) declined saying "oh no, that would make me one of those left wing eco-warror activist types".

thats far more insane thinking IMO than other older folks talking to strangers..

 

[Barnowl]

when I suggested he joined the politically neutral local cycling campaign, he (politely) declined saying "oh no, that would make me one of those left wing eco-warror activist types".
.

Which reminds me I must give my beard a good trim.

The Smart car put me in a high risk category as it is.

 

[musicbooks]

Apparently there’s a story going around Bath about a couple of mad blokes on electric bikes.

One’s been trying to make eye contact with people as he cycles the towpath (crazy!).

The other tries making conversation with complete strangers at bus stops (when he’s on his bike, loopy!)

There’s nowt as strange as folk, is there?

As Bathonians say…

bw
musicbooks

 

[tenderbehind]

Irrespective of whether or not one is on a bike, driving, walking or whatever, I normally find that a lot of people, ie complete strangers do look as though they have a certain amount of aggression and mistrust in them as eyes meet, but I also find that once a cheery 'hello' is given the person quite often responds in a friendly manner and the ice is then broken, enabling more conversation. Difficult for all this to happen whilst whistling by on an e bike of course.
About a month ago I was walking alone down a narrow lane in Devon, it must have been rush hour just outside the quiet village as about 12 cars came along the road within a space of 20 or so minutes, I thought it best to stop and face each one as they came towards me, to see where each car was going, almost without exception the drivers gave a cheery wave as they went past.