Isn't Michigan the Midwest? Detroiters were totally rude to me.

New Yorkers are friendly and polite too! We're just more efficient about it.

See, I know you don't mean anything by that other than in a hurry=efficient, but that implies the south is inefficient, which rubs me the wrong way. It's a value judgment I'm uncomfortable with.

It's a value judgment I'm uncomfortable with.

Inefficiency can sometimes just be a statement. I've been on calls with folks from the deep south where I have to consciously talk much slower than normal because they're complaining I'm talking too fast and why am I in such a hurry? This simply affects the efficiency of my support. It doesn't make them better or worse, it just means my support call takes longer than it might otherwise have.

Slower is often a function of accent though. You'd have to slow down for anyone who didn't understand yours. Efficient isn't faster. It's optimum speed at which the job is most correctly done.

You may be able to go faster than they are able to understand, but that doesn't fulfill the second half of the efficient equation.

She stands there while the cashier rings up and bags all of her items, and only after the total is announced to her does she think to start looking for her wallet.

this happens in every kind of line. I've had people stand in a movie line for ten minutes with a giant marquee above the box office and then ask the cashier what's playing. After that they go to the snack bar line and wait until they get to the register to decide what they want.

One thing I appreciate calling Southerners for is your primo phone etiquette. Around here, this is a skill very much in decline. Little stupid things like "I'm sorry, you've got the wrong number," Which I thought everyone learned in the fourth grade, but alas. I got better results when I stopped going with my natural inclination to say "Hi, is FirstName there?" in favor of asking for Ms. LastName. I didn't mean to be rude, but it came off that way.

This simply affects the efficiency of my support. It doesn't make them better or worse, it just means my support call takes longer than it might otherwise have.

Or maybe they'd have to call again because they didn't understand you so one slightly longer call rather than two shorter ones.

(My Texas Grandfather CONSTANTLY told me to slow down when I was talking so he could understand me. I still talk to fast sometimes.)

In re the escalators, what REALLY bothers me are (1) when a group takes the escalator and then stops at the top/bottom to count noses, check on where to go next, and blocks everyone else from getting off and (2) the people who seem never to have seen an escalator before and stand at the bottom/top holding the moving handrail and trying to get their feet coordinated.

And, even though I'll bitch about the tourists, I will sometimes (mood and time allowing) stop and help them find their way around.

so, do you have any pets?

Answer "no. I ATE them."

I got better results when I stopped going with my natural inclination to say "Hi, is FirstName there?" in favor of asking for Ms. LastName. I didn't mean to be rude, but it came off that way.

I wonder if this will cease to be a problem when we all give up landlines for cells.

Around here, I talk fast. But not like people from the East Coast.