Why is everyone soo nice in Austin (Houston, Dallas: sales, credit)

[TexasHorseLady]

I'm female, appreciate the door holding, and even do it myself on occasion (if someone's right behind me it seems boorish to let the door close in their face, and if they're carrying a load - packages or something - our House Rule at home is, "the person with the bigger load gets the right of way").

It's just a matter of making life a little bit more pleasant for everyone.

[WillysB]

Born, reared and raised in Texas I practice those 'friendly' aspects of a Texas heritage. And I appreciate those transplant Texans who recognize that Texas is a friendly place, such as 'austintilelady', and I hope your son recognizes those actions and incorporates them into his life.

But 'friendly' does have its boundaries. Particularly the one next to abuse. Like in rush hour and the bozo ahead is pushing buttons on his cell phone after all the cars in front have gone. I was taught better in drivers ed, some 45 years ago. So, yeah. I honk. And not a little pep squeak 'hey buddy' honk. I use a lead, follow or get out of the way honk. If you've got a problem with that, then re-read. You'll know what to do.

And as much as I hate to say it, my mother will stand in the rain three days waiting for someone to come along and open a car door for her (a bit of an exaggeration...but). At 85, she's never touched a gas pump in her life. Entering a building with a double set of doors she'll stand between the two (even blocking foot traffic) and wait for whoever held the first set to come in, walk around her and open the second set.

Again, I'll hold a door, I'll let you cut in front in traffic, I'll go out of my planned agenda to make life easier for others, I particularly like speaking to older folks (tho' there's fewer of those these days) in the grocery or such places.

Welcome to the land of the Tejas.

[TexasHorseLady]

I will honk when someone clearly hasn't noticed the light has changed - but it IS a polite "wake up" honk, because one never knows when I will be the one who didn't notice for whatever reason, and what goes around comes around (yeah, I'm an old hippy).

On a few rare occasions I have sat on the horn, but it was when someone had the strange idea that two very arge metal objects could occupy the same lane - mine - at the same time without major consequences. Or they just didn't see the big white Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel long bed pickup that was already in the lane they were moving into. The horn blast is simply a brief lesson in physics.

[CravenClan]

Austin was GREAT when we visited last year, thinking we may move there, from So. Cal...(yes another one!) Anyways, my husband and i loved the niceness of people, it seemed Genuine, unlike here, where it is either fake or just not there!!!

The holding door thing is COMMON COURTESY, which alot of people do not have, i also hold the door for everyone, if they don't say Thank You or even a Thanks, i say your welcome, either way. Maybe they will get it, and realize they are being rude, maybe not...I just think if noone says anything, i can only imagine where this world is headed. And what examples are we teaching our kids??

I have had 4 kids, and i can't tell you how many times grown men, do not hold the door for you!! Out of all my pregnancies, i had one very nice man, at the carwash it was 100 degrees, and all the benches were full to sit on, i stood, which was not a big deal, but he actually got up, walked over to me, and asked me if i would like his seat!!! I was floored, accepted and out loud told him how nice he was and considerate, and that you just don't see it very often!!

[AustinTexan]

My biggest beef and complaint on here has been about how transplants who move here just don't get it. When they come here, I guess most of them think that this whole "Texans are Friendly" is just some media sensation that isn't real? I really don't know what most of you think, but coming to Austin or Texas and acting like you're still in California, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, etc. is NOT the way to make friends! There should be some kind of camp that transplants have to attend to learn about Texas, the culture, the history, and the people already here! Some people are great and easily adapt to strangers being nice to them, but others have a hard time with it and probably think that "they're about to get robbed" or whatever. I absolutely despise the transplants coming here and being rude to people who are genuinely trying to be nice. The whole world isn't a bad place and there really are nice people out there who aren't out to get ya!

I find it interesting when people start threads like this or talk about how people are so nice here because those of us who are Native Texans or Austinites just take it for granted that people behave this way here and when someone comes along that is rude or obnoxious, the first thing that comes into my mind is that they're not from here (Texas). I deal with people from out of state on a daily basis and I can usually tell that I'm talking from someone from out of state within a minute or two just by the way their personality comes across over the phone. You transplants truly stick out like a sore thumb to real Texans. When in Texas, act like the Texans...........got it?

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by AustinTexan

You transplants truly stick out like a sore thumb to real Texans. When in Texas, act like the Texans...........got it?

Gotta love this "native" charm and friendliness.

[Mckellyb]

While I am Texan, as is my lovely wife, in our extensive travels, we've found it's not just a Texas thing...it's a southern thing.

I remember stopping for a guy whose car broke down in Oregon, once, offering him a ride. My wife was with me, and we were in a more-than-decent car. I think he thought we were axe-murdered, or something. While nice about declining the ride, we received odd looks.

Like most others, my horn usage, even though we've been on the west coat for nearly a decade, and in Vegas for the past three years (which is its own little, flaked-out, psycho world...look at who winds up there...Mike Tyson, the runaway bride, Michael Jackson, OJ...the list goes on), I'll give the shortest of 'toots' when someone obviously hasn't seen the light change, usually because I can see their head bobbing around looking for something or reading something.

At the same time, when in Vegas, I went to an auto salvage yard with a small 12V battery, and dug through old Cadillacs until I found four, yes, four, horns, as the 'beep-beep' on the Mercedes S-class I have has people looking for a 30 year-old Honda.

Fortunately, I found an OEM switch which allows selecting a city horn, beep-beep, or a country horn, honk-honk. This is in Europe, so IMO, it's reversed... 8-P

We moved back to Texas before I had the chance to install 'em, though. Kept them, just in case we move back to D/FW....

[twange]

Originally Posted by austintilelady

We are from Ohio and I can tell you that in the 35 some years I have lived in Ohio I have never seen anything like it in Ohio. If you dropped dead I truely believe five people in Ohio would walk over top of you before one would help you. In Ohio we are raised to believe that if a stranger is being nice they are getting ready to rop you or worse.

Why are people so happy and friendly here in Austin and what makes them that way and why is it not that way in Ohio?

I'm not sure where in Ohio you're from, but being from NE Ohio, I've never felt that way. Are the people a bit grim and negative at times? Sure, there's not too much sun for 6 months and the economy sucks. They definitely aren't sunny and shiny about everything all the time. As Garrison Keillor said about the Midwest in Prairie Home Companion: “it could be worse, and we’re waiting for it to get worse.” But "five people in Ohio would walk over top of you before one would help you"? Not sure where you're coming from on that one. That sounds like more of an East Coast thing(which again, is sometimes overblown). I've experienced many acts of random kindness in Ohio. In fact, I was talking with a native Texan at a party the other night and he was praising Ohioans for their friendliness. I think it comes down to personal experience.

I can't speak for any other Ohioans but I was raised to hold the door for people(old, young, women and men), treat people as I would expect to be treated, help those in need, address elders as Mr or Ms/Mam, stand up and shake hands with people when being introduced and look people in the eye when talking to them. Every time I left the house as a child and as a young man, my mother would say "remember your fetchin's up". Incidentally, both of my parents are originally from Pennsylvania.

No state owns the rights to being friendly and courteous. It's a human thing. The south tends to be warmer and chattier by nature. Go figure. There's more sunlight and less of a need to hunker down into survival mode. But casual courtesy and true goodness are different things. I still believe that most of us have the capacity to be good, even if we aren't chatty and sunny all of the time. Often, different social conventions can be misinterpreted as rudeness.

Oh, and AustinTexan, as for the idea of having to attend a "camp" and learn how to behave in Texas? Perhaps you need to attend as well? You don't seem very friendly

[cobolt]

I will say that years ago, when I moved to TX from the West Coast (I'm originally from Chicago), I had a hard time adapting. It was clear to me how different Texans or maybe even Southerners for that matter were, and frankly, I didn't want any part of it. "What is this sweet tea thing, why does everyone feel compelled to mention Jesus, and why is it every potluck I attend has brisket and frito pie?"--was my attitude. "No way am I going to drive a pickup truck, own cowboy boots, and attend a rodeo." I prided myself in being a "yankee."

But something happened. I became a Texan. I learned to love the Texas spirit and this happened through her people. My neighbors who befriended me. My co workers and college mates who invited me to their houses, their dinners, their family events and holidays and addressed their parents simply as "mom and dad" or "ma and pa" when talking to me instead of "MY mother MY father." Something about that made it more inclusive. As if I were part of this family. I had doors held open for me and cashiers strike up conversations. Everytime I moved away from Texas for some reason, I returned. I lived there 13 years before I moved 3 years ago to take a job in Seattle.

I now see, living in Seattle and in the attitudes and manners of some people, what an a$$ I must have been years ago, being a proud "northerner" and trying to buck what Texas was about instead of embracing it. It took me moving to a different place to see that. Maybe a "camp" would have done me some good back then, but I don't think I would have seen it. I think I had to come to it on my own. It's funny, everytime I see a TX licence plate here (I live near a military base) I get very excited and nostalgic. And by the way, I don't think Texans are arrogant. Some are but as a rule, they have a very healthy love and pride in their state. And yes, you will find this in Alaska too, having lived there myself. Alaska is sort of the flip side of Texas: very independent thinking, very big, and very proud people, but they live in the North and use their heaters more than their air conditioners. Get on that Alaska forum and do some bad talking and you'll see what happens. But they too roll up their sleeves to get things done. It's a "Can do" attitude, just like Texas, and there is alot to be said for that.

I think TX has made me a better person socially, more friendly and approachable. It's hard for such a person to thrive in a place where it isn't quite like that. So....I am looking to move either back to the South or to Texas (they are and aren't the same thing. Remember, Texas is like a whole other country). I will say though, as a rule and being a native Midwesterner, on the whole, Midwestern people are very down to earth. Very salt of the earth and wonderful people. You may not see this so much in the big cities: Chicago, Cleveland, etc, but the region as a whole really is full of great people.

I miss TX! Thank Y'all for listening.

[AustinTexan]

Originally Posted by twange

Oh, and AustinTexan, as for the idea of having to attend a "camp" and learn how to behave in Texas? Perhaps you need to attend as well? You don't seem very friendly

You're right, I need a rehabilitation camp where I can learn to be myself again. After having to deal with all the rude and obnoxious transplants all the time, I'm starting to act just like them! Trust me, when I'm at home and away from transplants, I'm very "Texan." Once I come to work, the "California way" just seems to creep up on me.