[casita37]

Not to worry, Gracie....warming back up soon, and weren't the days just before this snap just glorious? I couldn't bring myself to stay inside.....my poor dirty house.

[batman911]

Southern folks, especially from smaller communities, consider it rude to conduct business without first exchanging social pleasantries. Just plain good manners. Have you ever noticed that people that are always in a hurry and can't be bothered with social exchanges are never smiling? I have yet to see anyone passing me in their golf cart with a smile on their face. Just saying. Wonder what makes them so unhappy and hurried?

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

Amen.

If people need more social contact, which many do, TV is perfectly designed for socialization and conversation at 3 town squares and dozens of beautiful recreation centers where a person can go and chat all day long, with different people every day of the week.

Of course a cashier has to be friendly and courteous, but they should be doing their job, first, for all customers in line, not just the needier one.

A grocery store, bank or post office line is a place of business, not a social hall.

If some get the same cold shoulder that my sister-in-law and I did at the rec center(s), I can see why some stay away and visit with clerks, etc. She loves to play Pinochle so I took her over to play (I love to play, too) when she got here to visit. Reluctantly, they agreed to "let" us play but were anything but friendly. They definitely were not happy for the intrusion to their weekly gathering, even though it was and still is published in the Recreation News on Thursdays. You would have thought that we were there to run them out. Needless to say, this did not make a good impression on her of our Villages or me, since we had not been here very long. Unfortunately, too many people are not very social, but very cliquish. As one poster stated, some will not even bother to say hello when greeted the same.

Solution: We never went again and I came home and rounded up others from one of our clubs to play. We have a great time and anyone is welcome. We will even teach you if you don't know how. The more, the merrier for us. We just want people who want to have a good time for a few hours and leave negativity behind. We take turns hosting.

Maybe some of the chit-chatters have had similar experiences.

[casita37]

We totally got the cold shoulder when we went to bingo at Paradise, right after we moved here. It was so uncomfortable, we just left....which is, I'm sure, just what "they" all wanted. We will never go back to anything at Paradise and have shied away from other activities unless we already know someone to go with.

I'm also getting a little tired of smiling and waving and getting nothing in return. Lots of pushy people, too. We were standing behind a couple of people, at the bar, at Bonefish who appeared to be finishing up. As they were leaving, we kind of backed away to give them room to get out of the chairs, get their jackets on, etc. A couple came through the door and made a beeline for the chairs. My husband politely said, excuse me, but we've been waiting for those seats for a while. Couple just ignored him, turned around and proceeded to enjoy their evening, while we continued to stand and wait for 2 more seats. That kind of behavior is so foreign to me, I don't even know how to respond to people like that. End of the world? No, of course not, but don't tell me this is "Florida's Friendliest Hometown".....HA!!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by casita37

We totally got the cold shoulder when we went to bingo at Paradise, right after we moved here. It was so uncomfortable, we just left....which is, I'm sure, just what "they" all wanted. We will never go back to anything at Paradise and have shied away from other activities unless we already know someone to go with.

I'm also getting a little tired of smiling and waving and getting nothing in return. Lots of pushy people, too. We were standing behind a couple of people, at the bar, at Bonefish who appeared to be finishing up. As they were leaving, we kind of backed away to give them room to get out of the chairs, get their jackets on, etc. A couple came through the door and made a beeline for the chairs. My husband politely said, excuse me, but we've been waiting for those seats for a while. Couple just ignored him, turned around and proceeded to enjoy their evening, while we continued to stand and wait for 2 more seats. That kind of behavior is so foreign to me, I don't even know how to respond to people like that. End of the world? No, of course not, but don't tell me this is "Florida's Friendliest Hometown".....HA!!

I truly, TRULY understand what you are saying. I have never encountered that kind of behavior before living here either.


It is more than surprising, it makes me sad.


We do have different upbringings for sure even though we are all "grown up"..


You are always so positive. Please don't ever change.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by casita37

We totally got the cold shoulder when we went to bingo at Paradise, right after we moved here. It was so uncomfortable, we just left....which is, I'm sure, just what "they" all wanted. We will never go back to anything at Paradise and have shied away from other activities unless we already know someone to go with.

I'm also getting a little tired of smiling and waving and getting nothing in return. Lots of pushy people, too. We were standing behind a couple of people, at the bar, at Bonefish who appeared to be finishing up. As they were leaving, we kind of backed away to give them room to get out of the chairs, get their jackets on, etc. A couple came through the door and made a beeline for the chairs. My husband politely said, excuse me, but we've been waiting for those seats for a while. Couple just ignored him, turned around and proceeded to enjoy their evening, while we continued to stand and wait for 2 more seats. That kind of behavior is so foreign to me, I don't even know how to respond to people like that. End of the world? No, of course not, but don't tell me this is "Florida's Friendliest Hometown".....HA!!

I heard this happened too, in another card group at one of the rec centers. It has made me reluctant to try to join one of those supposedly open groups of card players.

I'm sorry this happened to you, casita. And also, about what happened at Bonefish... The unfortunate part of that is that you end up feeling you must get as pushy as they are.

All I can say is, some on both coasts live in such crowded conditions that they have grown up having to fight for their "spots." When we lived in northern NJ I would go to Pathmark, a large grocery store, and frequently there would not be enough carts for everyone to have one. One time I had my cart "appropriated" by another shopper, and one time by a worker who wanted a cart to use for stocking! There were other instances too numerous to mention. You had to become proactive.

Those of us from Pittsburgh west to California simply cannot fathom that.

[Shimpy]

Too many times I am in the line to pick-up my prescription drugs and the woman in front is picking up hers plus a weeks worth of groceries. I can't believe Publix would allow people to hold up the line for prescriptions for someone trying to get around waiting in the normal lines for food.

[JB in TV]

I'll say this, and I'm totally ready for the backlash....

When we were still in the deciding stage to move here, we were at Panera Bread eating lunch and looking at floorplans. The couple next to us welcomed us as potential new Villagers. They had been here a few years. We spoke for some time, then I asked them, "What is the worst thing about The Villages?" They looked at each other, then asked us a return question before answering us. "Where are you from?' they asked. We told them Arizona, and they replied, "Ok, the worst thing about The Villagers is The New Yorkers" They were from Ohio.

I say this only because there was a post above discussing the crowded cities and how people act that have lived in the big cities for most of their lives. Having come from AZ, (we also spent much of our lives in CA) we also notice a definite difference here (vs "out west") in the overal politness of many folks here while visiting stores, and other activities.

What we have experienced in about a year and a half here...If you ask anyone about The Villages, most will have a nice conversation with you about how great it is. But don't get in their way when parking, shopping, at a restaurant, or getting into a game with their usual friends.

So that is my "Rant"....whether it is true or not that New Yorkers or "big city folks" are more pushy then us "South Westerners", it is definitely noticable here. One last thought, I don't think of Florida as presenting the "Southern Hospitality" ...perhaps because most folks in TV are not southerners?

[dillywho]

Everyone here is from somewhere else and regardless of where, there is absolutely no excuse for rude behavior....period. Those of us from the south and Midwest might be considered too laid back or red-neck. "Excuse me, thank you, please, hello, and welcome" are just good manners. At least, that is what I was taught.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by dillywho

Everyone here is from somewhere else and regardless of where, there is absolutely no excuse for rude behavior....period. Those of us from the south and Midwest might be considered too laid back or red-neck. "Excuse me, thank you, please, hello, and welcome" are just good manners. At least, that is what I was taught.

It's mighty pleasin' to my Ohio ears, Maam.

[2BNTV]

99% of the time i have patience but sometimes i need to get somewhere else so list is:
1. People who drive in the left lane on a highway or parkway with no intention of passing another driver, and who won't move over, forcing me to break the law by passing them on the right.
2. People in supermakets that get in the twelve items or less, and have 27 items in their cart, If their bill is $43 and they give the machine a $100, they can count up to 57.
3. People who watch each item being wrung up, and then can't find their credit card, and fish trying to find it.
4. People at the drugstore that tell their life story when other people are waiting in line. I waited twenty five minutes, for one person to pick-up their prescription.
5. People who walk around stores, etc, and think they are the only people in their world. Two ladies talking to each other, and blocking a exercise machine,
and were totally oblivious, to what was going on around them.
6. People who use the automatic check-out lanes at Sam's and have no idea on how to operate the system. On elderly couple took thirty minutes to check out. They asked for assistance at least four times. At least, when I joined the line, and they were probably there longer.

Whew, I don't feel better, but I got my bitchin out of the way, all, at once.

It seems like to 1%, is increasing. OH NO!!!!!!

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

It's mighty pleasin' to my Ohio ears, Maam.

And, I thank you.

Gotta go catch 'The Millers'. Love that show!

[eweissenbach]

On this subject I would add the cashier in a small store who answers the phone while waiting on a live customer. Instead of saying "can you hold please, I'm waiting on a customer", they talk to the person and answer all their questions while I stand there waiting. I want to shout HEY, I CAME TO YOUR STORE TO GET MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND BUY SOMETHING AND YOU ARE GIVING PRIORITY SERVICE TO SOMEONE WHO DIDNT MAKE THE EFFORT TO COME TO THE STORE?

[elizabeth52]

Originally Posted by perrjojo

I was checking out at Radio Shack when two separate people came up, and asked a question which required a bit of time to answer. This took the cashier away from my transaction while I just stood there. My peeve, people who think it's ok to butt in because they are more important.

I just bristle when this happens to me. I don't understand why some people think that it is okay to interrupt when someone else is being waited on. My pet peeve, also.

[69Ludwigs]

Tailgaters