Vocal Voices

I moved to where I live now in August 2007. In that time I have always driven to the same station and caught either the 7.36, 7.46 or 7.54 train to work in the mornings and usually it's always the same people on the same train; so one get's to know faces. Same as the car park - it's normally the same people that use the car park and again - the same faces one sees most mornings and evenings. Yet very few - if any - will even acknowledge you / the other people. Why? Is it really that hard to just make eye contact and smile or nod - no exchange of words needed.

There are a few people that do engage in conversation; but most just totally ignore everyone

all rather odd

It's the British way isn't it. Not wanting one's privacy invaded and all that. I think we miss a lot by being like this.

Definately not the Portuguese way

Stand in a queue in a shop, hospital or wherever and everyone (yes, even me ) gets involved in some sort of topic.

When I walk through the train station, on my walking days, people stop me and ask how far I've walked, where am I heading or just comment that it's good to walk

It must be a local thing.

In Leeds anywhere is a good excuse for a chin-wag, - bus stop, PO queue, supermarket checkout......... And it doesn't matter who is on the receiving end.

When I first moved North out of the London area I was startled by strangers talking to me, then I got used to it, enjoyed it and really missed it when I went South again

It's the same here in the West Country, people chat away as soon as there is a queue, strangers chat on the bus! I think the unfriendliness is a London thing, and I'm allowed to say that as I was born there

I'll come and get the train with you one morning. I'll talk to anyone.

I'm the weirdo on the bus that no one wants to sit with........

I agree that it probably is a London thing. I'm like most of you - I talk to anyone about anything and love interacting with people

Oh well, I'll continue to try and make eye contact and smile at the people. They probably think I'm a mad woman, but who cares

A few years ago I would have agreed about northerners being more likely to talk to you, but that doesn't seem to be the case any more. Maybe it has something to do with the area you live in as well. When we moved to where we are now nobody talks to anybody. It took years before I even got to know the names of one or two of the neighbours.

Here Oop North people chat all the time, in the lift last Friday from car park to town centre, I got into a convo with an elderly lady using the lift - happens regularly

I like it, I'd hate never to make human contact