10110 Italians? Rude?

From today's Times

Why are Italian tourists so pushy and rude?
We cannot reconcile these brand-addicted airheads with their cultured forebears

Matthew Parris

Are Italians the rudest people on the planet? Three times this year, trying to alight from a Tube train, I've been shoved back by stylishly dressed people pushing in to board before the alighting passengers are off: and every time they've been yabbering in Italian. How do we reconcile modern Italy - consumerism, junk television, brand addiction and mindless celebrity worship - with the Italy of Venice, da Vinci, Verdi and the Medicis? Say what you like about our rowdy, beer-swilling English mob but, tattoos and all, they'd have seen through Berlusconi in an instant.

Comments:

I am english living in Milan for almost 2 years. Till now i havent noticed any manner from any of the italians. They are rude, and spoilt by choice. Apart from the metro manners, they are also rude to the foreigners. They believe that the world bows to their italian blabber.

Norbet, Milan, Italy

I live in the dark heart of Nothern Italy, it is difficult not to generalise as the majority of the people are extremely obnoxious (a cultural thing). Amazingly its the wealthier types that demonstrate the poorest behaviour. If I lived with my parents until I was 40 i wouldn't know how to behave too

Sinjin, Veneto, Italy

OOPs, just seen the similar post, but it doesn't have the comments

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General chat about Italy

I think whenever there's a need to get home quickly and you have been waiting for ages for a bus or train, it doesn't matter what nationality you are. We all tend to push, some of us more than others.

Funny thing reading this, reminded me of something I hadn't thought about in years. Straight out of uni I worked very, very briefly in Milan, lived in the city centre, had to take a public bus out to the office, which was located a little way out of the centre. Getting on and off that bus plus the journey itself was sheer and utter hell. I remember the elbowing my way on, being trampled on, virtually squashed like a sardine (rarely remember being able to secure a seat). Oh and it was hot too, of course, very. Yet as a child I took the District Line on the Tube through central London to and from school everyday. Perhaps when you're younger these things don't bother you. Or perhaps Italian commuters really are ruder than the British counterparts.