Dadtodabone wrote:WildBill wrote:ScooterSissy wrote:We talked a bit, and her husband (who was from NYC) said it's a cultural thing because of a dense population. He said as crowded as they are, and as intrusive as people are of the "3 foot rule" (out of necessity), it just becomes tedious to try to greet everyone, and extended eye-contact is almost considered a challenge.
I have been to NYC and noticed the same thing.
I have also visited Hong Kong where they must have a "3 inch rule". After a couple of days I was so claustrophobic that I had to leave. I also thought that if you were to use normal Texas manners, such as excuse me or sorry, in Hong Kong, you couldn't walk more than a couple yards in an hour because you bump into so many people just trying to cross a street.
I listened to a report on NPR in regards "Social Distance", Americans are the most standoffish people in the world. Our personal space is 2.5 to 3 feet. Europeans 1.5 to 2 feet(Germans on the upper end, French on the lower). African and Arabic cultures allow 16 inches, but that can drop to ten inches if needed. Asian societies 8 to 10 inches or to contact in large crowds.
This seems about accurate but I'd say the French have no concept of personal space. I was fighting off crowds of them at several national parks. They think it's perfectly fine to be bumping into you constantly
