Official "Seattle Freeze" Discussion Thread (Pacific, Starbuck: store, moving to)

[wannabeaTexan]

Originally Posted by toughguy

The church I was forced to go to as a child was predominitely white, and the people there would hug you unprovoked, welcome or not. This is one of the many undesirable aspects of church which left an indelible imprint on my mind.

And you grew up here right? So I guess that's a vote against there being a freeze?

[wannabeaTexan]

Originally Posted by VeronikaW

I find the opposite is true, at least on the Eastside. If I make eye contact and smile at strangers, they avert their eyes quickly, or give me a dirty look.

I like doing this at Bellevue Square. I smile at everyone I make eye contact with. The only people that have ever smiled back, or even said hello, were janitorial staff.

I worked in Manhattan for a year in the 90s, and the people were friendlier there than here, in my experience. In fact, as a Californian going to New York, I was surprised at how friendly the people were, since New Yorkers usually get a bad rap as being rude.

V. =)

Hmm...I'm not surprised that smiling at everyone at Bell Square doesn't get you much of a response. Since there's going to be alot of people shopping there that are from the Eastside, have money and are snooty. I know all about them..there's a couple in my family.

I don't feel like people there are very friendly either. I think you'd get a different response if you went to a different mall. Have you?

[wannabeaTexan]

HistoryAff and Cobolt,

I got to thinking that alot of the blacks in my generation are from Seattle, but their parents probably are not (for the most part). So maybe they were brought up differently by their parents who grew up elsewhere. But that doesn't explain why the freeze didn't "get to them" like so many here are saying has happened to them.

And I wonder if other races are inlcuded in this as well.

[VeronikaW]

Originally Posted by wannabeaTexan

Hmm...I'm not surprised that smiling at everyone at Bell Square doesn't get you much of a response. Since there's going to be alot of people shopping there that are from the Eastside, have money and are snooty. I know all about them..there's a couple in my family.

I don't feel like people there are very friendly either. I think you'd get a different response if you went to a different mall. Have you?

I have at Redmond Town Center (but I'm guessing that's similar clientèle?) I should try next time I'm at South Center. Bellevue Square is my main haunt, though.

V. =)

[PencilMeIn]

I have found the service industry people out here to be so sloooooooow. Guess I'm used to a faster pace.

And, also, the pedestrians who take their good old time crossing the street or parking lot right in front of the car. OK...I've got it...you have the right of way...but, please, hurry your butt up!

[Pittgal]

Originally Posted by wannabeaTexan

Since there's going to be alot of people shopping there that are from the Eastside, have money and are snooty.

Not everyone who lives on the Eastside and who has money is snooty. Mabye the reason there is this "freeze" is because people are so judgemental of others since there is such a strong financial divide out here. There seems to be no medium, either you have money or ya don't. I am from a predominitly middle class area so this is all new to me.

[mayfair]

Originally Posted by Pittgal

There seems to be no medium, either you have money or ya don't. I am from a predominitly middle class area so this is all new to me.

You're right. But it didn't used to be like that. There was a middle class in Seattle and it's disappearing. Now it's very much a land of the "haves" and "have nots."

[Topaz]

I'm an introvert but I still notice when people are rude. I don't know why Seattle has a reputation for politeness but I think what is really meant by that is that people are generally quiet and reserved rather than screaming in your face if they are annoyed with you.

Yesterday I was leaving a Pacific Northwest Starbucks and a customer was coming toward the door. I noticed she was juggling a drink carrier and a large bag and she seemed to be struggling with it so I waited a few extra moments to hold the door open for her. She scurried through and AVOIDED looking at me or saying, "Thank you." How rude is THAT?

Then as I was driving away from the store, a guy who seemed to be in a big hurry started backing out his car even though I had the right of way. I stopped, waved him through, and smiled. He turned his head to avoid eye contact and sped past me, deliberately avoiding eye contact even though I had just smiled at him.

My husband is in Houston for work and he commented that it is so refreshing there that every time someone crosses in front of him in a grocery store aisle, they say, "Excuse me." By contrast, people in Seattle and Portland will practically knock you down in a store without acknowledging that they have invaded your space bubble. Customer service professionals are nice in Portland...their behavior is in marked contrast to their customers. In Seattle, the customer service professionals AND the customers tend to be rude.

Common courtesies and just a minimum of caring for the people in one's community...I care about these things more after living in the social drought of the Pacific Northwest.

Today was my last day living in the Pacific Northwest. I'm sure there will be weird social phenomena in Houston but at least the dynamics will be different...I'm weary of the familiar ones in the Pacific Northwest.

[tahoma14410]

I'm an introvert but I still notice when people are rude. I don't know why Seattle has a reputation for politeness but I think what is really meant by that is that people are generally quiet and reserved rather than screaming in your face if they are annoyed with you.

Yesterday I was leaving a Pacific Northwest Starbucks and a customer was coming toward the door. I noticed she was juggling a drink carrier and a large bag and she seemed to be struggling with it so I waited a few extra moments to hold the door open for her. She scurried through and AVOIDED looking at me or saying, "Thank you." How rude is THAT?

Then as I was driving away from the store, a guy who seemed to be in a big hurry started backing out his car even though I had the right of way. I stopped, waved him through, and smiled. He turned his head to avoid eye contact and sped past me, deliberately avoiding eye contact even though I had just smiled at him. That's kind of weird...

My husband is in Houston for work and he commented that it is so refreshing there that every time someone crosses in front of him in a grocery store aisle, they say, "Excuse me." That's just common courtesy By contrast, people in Seattle and Portland will practically knock you down in a store without acknowledging that they have invaded your space bubble. And that's where the Texan in me would definitely say something to that person...subsequently making them sooo uncomfortable, they would just sit there and wet themselves before having any meaningful retort. Customer service professionals are nice in Portland...their behavior is in marked contrast to their customers. In Seattle, the customer service professionals AND the customers tend to be rude.

Common courtesies and just a minimum of caring for the people in one's community...I care about these things more after living in the social drought of the Pacific Northwest.

Today was my last day living in the Pacific Northwest. I'm sure there will be weird social phenomena in Houston Houston's not that bad...just huge, humid, hot, etc. but, the people are, by and large, friendly...at least compared to what I've heard about the Pacific NW...and yes, I am planning on moving to Portland within the next month. Nuts...maybe??? but at least the dynamics will be different...I'm weary of the familiar ones in the Pacific Northwest.

[wannabeaTexan]

Originally Posted by Pittgal

Not everyone who lives on the Eastside and who has money is snooty. Mabye the reason there is this "freeze" is because people are so judgemental of others since there is such a strong financial divide out here. There seems to be no medium, either you have money or ya don't. I am from a predominitly middle class area so this is all new to me.

One side of my entire family is from and still lives on the Eastside and I do not think most of them are like that. That's why I said you will find this with alot of people on the Eastside, not all of them.

I made quite a few trips to Bell Square this past Christmas season and every time I am there, I feel the snobbery from alot of shoppers, not that they are bad people. (I'm not outgoing and don't say hi to perfect strangers myself unless they speak first.) But that is why I said I'm not surprised that V doesn't get alot of "hey, and how are you" replies back. Hey, I've been taken and gone shopping at that mall since I was a kid and Southcenter as well, so I'm not a stranger to it.

I don't think I'm being judgemental...just calling it how I see it. I think that's what everyone is doing here...otherwise this whole stinkin' thread could be called judgemental (against the Seattle people with the so-called freeze).

There seems to be no medium, either you have money or ya don't. Yes, this does seem to be very true.