The friendly club
Very recently I used one of their sites .I am used ,when on site and walking passed other "campers" to saying "good morning" etc.(just acknowledging their presence)On this occasion during a stay of 4 days I was acknowledged by 2 people!!I have to wonder if this is a result of the covid outbreak making people more insular or is it the way of the world these days?????
Moderator comment: Post slightly moderated.
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Deleted User by TW.
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There are cultural differences around the country. Some places are more naturally open and responsive than others. Add in the variety of visitors to sites from all over the country and you are bound to get a different response. Just so long as they don't growl at you.
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Not everyone who enjoys our hobby is gregarious, in fact I would suggest that many people take part in our hobby to be self contained. Having used a mix of both Club's sites and a few commercial sites I don't find much difference. Mind you in this weather it's quite possible that people just find it too cold to stand around talking?
David
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If you are used to people saying hello in passing eg like we do in a village it has to be accepted that some are not used to it.
We had neighbours who moved back to central London, they said they had to relearn not to make eye contact.
It takes all sorts.
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Folk have way more stresses due to the environment we are living in right now, covid becoming less of a worry. Case in point-I started talking to my neighbour a few days ago who almost ignored me as he turned to walk away. I called him again & he spun around & I could see him come out of his reverie & smile. He said-‘I’m so sorry, I was deep in thought’. The conversation we had proved my theory, stresses of this country’s current woes. Folk want to get away but worry can’t be ignored by being on a camp ground.
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You cannot (or should not) ask whether millions of people are "just plain rude" based on your experience on one CCC site over four days.
Incidentally, how do you know that all the people who did not acknowledge you were English?
Your use of the term "Englandshire" seems to say quite a lot or were you trying to be amusing?
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"Your use of the term "Englandshire" seems to say quite a lot or were you trying to be amusing?"..
Just "trying" I think!
Have to say, in all our 40+ years of touring I never came across any reluctance from other folk to strike up a conversation or even exchange a simple "good morning" - maybe, as AD implies above, it's another advantage of always having at least one dog with us.
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I've never noticed this on any site in all parts of the UK. Always a cheery hello when passing.
As for abroad I've always found it's the British that are the ones that try and make eye contact and say hello to anyone passing or in the restaurants. Italians and Spanish always reply with a smile but others usually just ignore you. It was exactly like that in Cape Verde a few weeks ago.
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In doing this job I get to meet all manner of people, the majority will pass the time of day, some like to chat some don't, we're all different. Sometimes it's the time of day, more people will chat later on than early morning. Experience in reading body language helps but if folk don't want to speak that's fine. I'll agree with AD above though, watching brits abroad and their reluctance to engage with anyone but their own is very entertaining.
JK
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There are really all sorts of people out there. We go to our local NT property on a weekly basis and see many people. Some will say hello and walk on by, others will stop and pass the time of day and others will walk past, head down and not make any attempt to even look at who they are passing and certainly not make eye contact.
A couple we met last week told us about a bird identification app called Merlin which is great for identifying bird song so there can be benefits in chatting to complete strangers.
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It might just be a reluctance to show ignorance to a certain degree though JK, not every Brit who goes overseas can be bothered to learn a bit of the language of the country they are visiting, and we all know tales of folks who go and live somewhere like France or Spain yet don’t bother to learn any of the language. We spent a decade and a half of holidays on a lovely Cornish Site, well used by Dutch, Germans, French and in the main, their English was excellent. Had some lovely communal evenings there.
A pooch or two (or three🤣), is usually a good ice breaker. No experience of SE sites, so cannot comment really on N/S divide. Most folks are friendly if you give them the chance. I used to be a bit RBF in my younger days, but I’m all smiles nowadays😁
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It is interesting to see that a Moderator removed the comments about England and folks from England in the opening post.
Does it also mean that the writer was contacted about the comments? It would be interesting to know what happens when comments are deemed to be inappropriate/prejudiced or disrespectful.
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I accept your personal experiences are yours👍🏻. I have never noticed this in the past. Re experiences abroad, again-Brits are just the same in Hotels all over the World(personal experience), they recognise the accent & they almost instantly open up.
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+1, they’re also ardent users of ‘you’re welcome’ after they open a door for you?. More Brit than Brits😊
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We go on caravan hols to get away for peace and quiet and while I will acknowledge a ‘good morning’, we want to be left to ourselves and not get drawn into others banal conversations and enforced socialising. Hence in part why we don’t do rallies and package hols. I have had enough of interaction with people in my day job by the time we go on holiday and hence I need my quiet free time in my own space. However the behaviour indicated by the OP is just as likely in Scotlandshire, Welshire, Irelandshire and Europeshire. Some countries peoples will look at you as though you are a nutcase if you even smile, let alone say good morning. Just try it in Russia-Shire…… ,
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My Dad always taught me that a simple smile speaks volumes😁 some times I simply smile, sometimes if the body language is also saying hello, I am happy to converse. But you cannot always know what is going on, so I try not to judge quickly, just let folks get on as they want😁
We are renewing our passports this year. The French/English phrase book is out again, we like to try👍
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My comment was about people who totally ignore a smile or a "good morning".I have no idea as to where people visited the district from or their ethnic background!I live in a village,we sometimes see strange faces (as in non residents in case anybody takes offence at the word "strange") as visitors to the CL walk their dogs or ride the bikes,but I always smile or utter a "good morning".I am not looking to engage anybody in conversation,I just like an acknowledgement as in days of old!Some on the site were positively looking the other way and I find this as a pointed rudeness!BUT......each to his/hers/it,s own!
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It’s not something I worry about fluffy😁 Folks are all different, some are happy, some distracted, some very private. Nothing wrong with any of those.
Is it your CL you are talking about, or one you have visited? Not quite sure what you mean tbh.
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+1, if we just accept that some folks are super sociable others not so much life is better👍🏻. I don’t try too hard as I expect chasing folk around expecting a reaction is a bit unsettling to them tbh🤷🏻♂️. Acknowledge or don’t acknowledge I’m good with either😊
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When abroad we go out of our way to pitch in amongst the country folk of the country we're visiting. We have only once met an anti British attitude and even in the midst of Brexit found no antagonism. The majority were kindly folk, and because we don't tend to hit the normal tourist spots, we were I think a bit of a novelty.
We still write to one or two that we became good friends with.
I tend to agree with the generalisation put by both CY and AD. We've enjoyed good chats these last 2 days with people from Derbyshire, Liverpool, Northumbria and Lancashire.
I'll proffer a good morning but it's then up to others if they want to respond. No problem if they don't.
I must admit I do tend to find the ambience on a CL to be friendlier, by and large, than club sites.
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I have to say that while I always give a hello, or it's equivalent in whatever language, and have so far always got a reply on club sites and walking about in general in the UK (always got one on the way to the summits), if someone didn't then it wouldn't affect me or my holiday in the slightest and wouldn't give it a second thought. They are not part of my holiday or enjoyment.
I wouldn't class it as rude at all just their choice.
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I do not have a cl but there is one in the village.
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