Why Doesn't SF Smile? (maintenance, legally, public transportation)

[schmedes2]

I think because it's foggy, kind of cold and everyone is wondering why they're paying so much in rent :P

[alexxiz]

Smiling a lot is usually a sign of idiocy/low intelligence, so it's a good thing people in SF/NYC don't smile much.

[alexxiz]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Eye contact: After being in SF for a while, people learn to expect that there's a great chance they're going to get hustled for money, or asked another dopey question from a tourist, if they make eye contact with a large percentage of the population, so they just avoid it. Kind of like what is often advised on NY subways. Or nervous straight people brought by their gay friends into Castro bars.

People who come from small towns where they rarely meet strangers complain about "lack of eye contact"... try making eye contact with million of strangers every day and see how long you'll last before being locked up in an institution.

In general, even in smaller towns--anywhere--stranger eye contact is rude, intrusive and unwanted. Please don't bother and harass people by making it, unless you have a very good reason (like need directions). Thank you very much.

[alexxiz]

Originally Posted by windycitychicago

Marin County is one of the nicest communities from a distance and tries to stage itself as a "real community", the place is vacuous w /no real sense of happiness). It's beautiful but you feel guilty because you should be happy that you live in the most beautiful place in North America but it's an empty place.

It took me only few minutes during my first visit to get this vibe. This is pretty much laying out on the surface there.

[mr bolo]

Originally Posted by alexxiz

Smiling a lot is usually a sign of idiocy/low intelligence, so it's a good thing people in SF/NYC don't smile much.

too many mentally ill people wandering around to smile at strangers for nothing

one time a guy smiling invited me to join him in the adult theater and tried to offer to pay my admission, thats why it's best to keep a straight face [no smiling]

smiling usually means they want something from you

[alexxiz]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Sorry, but SF is anything but genuinely liberal, and I don't feel liberated from anything. When I travel out on the peninsula or the East Bay, that's when I feel liberated from that SF attitude. I like Oakland, San Jose, San Mateo, Redwood City, Orinda, Fremont, South City, etc. all better than SF. Maybe I'm just a suburbanite (although Oakland isn't exactly suburban).

And I always felt liberated from Bay Area/SF suffocating attitude when I headed out to the mountains... (Sierra Nevada). Been there for the last year--heard that back down in the flatlands rents went up %16.5 percent in the meanwhile...Imma not coming back.

[alexxiz]

Originally Posted by mr bolo

too many mentally ill people wandering around to smile at strangers for nothing

one time a guy smiling invited me to join him in the adult theater and tried to offer to pay my admission, thats why it's best to keep a straight face [no smiling]

smiling usually means they want something from you

Oh wow....yes, exactly. I grew up in Eastern Europe, big city--strangers smiling at you meant no good was coming your way...

[alexxiz]

Originally Posted by windycitychicago

Yes exactly, which is why we are moving to Jupiter, Fl next year

With existing general situation in the US, I'm afraid that Neptune, Solar System will be the next of the few remaining viable options...

[alexxiz]

Originally Posted by jupiler

I'm sorry you had bad start. The negative energy simply proliferated downstream. It's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I've visited SF about 5 times.

5 times? *cough*

When your car windows get bashed out by junkies overnight, I want to see your positive energy "proliferating upstream"

[Ms Kitty 98]

It's not really that San Franciscans don't smile if you are lucky enough to get to meet any native born citizens, most of the people in San Francisco today are transplants from other parts of the country where they never smile.