Say Hello in East Dulwich

[citizenED]

Hi all,

Several posts on this forum have recognised that East Dulwich is a friendly place. Must say that I generally say hello to people i pass in the street and my impression is that i get a reply more often than not. Last Sunday I thought i'd make a mental note of the responses as i walked from the Plough end of LL down into East Dulwich Central. I said Hi, did they respond? Here's the result:

Passerby 1: Black guy in track suit - no

Passerby 2: Old white guy carrying jute bag, listening to i-pod - yes

Passerby 3: young mixed race guy, cool looking - yes

Passerby 4: Very old, shuffling red faced man - yes

Passersby 5: trendy couple, shades - yes

Passersby 6 Old white couple at bus stop - yes

Passerby 7: Regular bloke, News of the World, smoking - yes

Passerby 8: Old shuffling Chinese man with shopping trolley - no

Passerby 9: Mum with pushchair - no

by this time i'd got to Budgens and the foot traffic was getting heavy (and I was in desperate for a coffee).... so that was 6 out of 9 in this strictly non-scientific survey which can't be too bad.

Still, have to that say no-one actually said hello to me first (if you see what I mean).

so c'mon East Dulwich, say hello on the street.

citizen

[TillieTrotter]

What a lovely idea. I shall try it forthwith.(tu)

[karter]

I said hello this afternoon but you did not hear me :))

[SeanMacGabhann]

I'll be taking the same route nearer the weekend so will post around then

Loving the idea I have to say

[hari]

Great idea

[giddygecko]

CitizenED you are a bloody genius. Sheer intelligence & pure wit, I am new to ED so I am gonna give this a try too. I can be new & revamp my image & be a whole different person from the GG that lived in North London not so long ago. Mmmwwwwwwhaaaaa haaaaaaaa haaaaaaa (shrouding myself in a rainbow cloack & rather fetching stripy fleecy hat)

Cheers GG

[SeanMacGabhann]

And now we know where the first part of your name came from GG ;-)

[monica]

i say hello to most people i pass,and they do say hi back to me,i smile as well,i have always done this as its a custom we use in italy all the time.Its a great idea and the more people do it,the more it will pass on,good idea ed

[Ko]

Great idea. I often smile at people. I often also talk to strangers about their nice garden or I stop to pat their dog and people are generally very friendly.

[Chartwell]

I think that's a great idea. I stand at the bus stop thinking how many people standing with me are on the EDF. I may venture a furtive smile tomorrow.

[dulwichmum]

Terrific idea. I shall be trying it too.

DM

[karter]

Hello Dulwichmum :))

[mockney piers]

It's funny it always takes me some time to adjust when I go back to Letchworth to visit friends or family, strangers randomly saying g'maarning t'ya. Your instinct is to say 'Sorry I haven't got any change' or something.

I shall make a point of following citizen's fine advice so the culture shock is not so huge in future.

[catgirl]

I think that is a great idea although people who don't reply may not necessarily be unfriendly..

I myself have been embarassed on more than one occasion when a smiling stranger coming towards me has said hello and I have responded with an equally large smile and loud hello, only to hear the person behind me saying 'oh hi Simon, haven't seen you for ages' or whatever.

So now if a stranger says hello I usually assume it is directed at someone else.

Having said that, if it becomes more commonplace to pass friendly greetings in the street then this wouldn't be so much of a factor.

[Jeremy]

mockney piers Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's funny it always takes me some time to adjust

> when I go back to Letchworth to visit friends or

> family, strangers randomly saying g'maarning t'ya.

They don't talk like pirates in Letchworth!

[mockney piers]

> They don't talk like pirates in Letchworth!

Everyone in Cleethorpes talks like pirates ;-)

(actually that was an attempt at a east anglian 'ooh aar', which used to be quite prevalent in Letchworth, before all these claphamites moved in etc...)

[Keef]

catgirl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

I have responded with an

> equally large smile and loud hello, only to hear

> the person behind me saying 'oh hi Simon, haven't

> seen you for ages' or whatever.

People with handsfree or bluetooth headsets are a bugger for that!!!

[AnotherPaul]

mockney piers Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> > They don't talk like pirates in Letchworth!

> Everyone in Cleethorpes talks like pirates ;-)

>

> (actually that was an attempt at a east anglian

> 'ooh aar', which used to be quite prevalent in

> Letchworth, before all these claphamites moved in

> etc...)

But being claphamites etc? folks in Letchworth must be talking about pilates.

A great idea citizen!

[SeanMacGabhann]

I can feel the hand of the Administrator on our shoulders, whilst his leg kicks open the door to the Lounge

BoT: Has anyone actually re-enacted this experiment yet?

[Keef]

I know it's a nice thing, but if anyone ever sees me in the morning, please don't bother saying hello, as I'm not a morning person, and I won't thank you for it! ;-)

[SeanMacGabhann]

Same here Keith as people have found to their cost. Not just people on here, but people I've known for years and years

Actually I can raise an "Hello" but conversation is unthinkable

[Jah Lush]

Growing up as I did in Dulwich Village in the 60s and 70s this was a normal custom, everyone greeted each other with a cheery hello or a good morning or afternoon whether they knew each other or not. This seemed to die out in the 80s and 90s where if you said hello to a passing stranger most people got the impression you were a nutter. It's only since a lot of my friends moved to the countryside over the last ten years or so that I noticed that the natives there still did this sort of thing so I hope it catches on here, but then again if we were to say hello to everyone we met on our busy streets then you probably are a nutter. Hmmm....

[dulwichmum]

I am not trying to be antagonistic in any way, but I spent about six weeks in Wales last year, and they do not say hello to anyone they do not know where I was. They knew me, my name and everything - it is a small village and they know my husband because he was born and bred there, but they spoke Welsh in my company and behaved as though I was not there. I felt like a complete fish out of water. It was dreadful, they were a most unfriendly rude lot.

I was overjoyed to return to Dulwich - my home of twenty years, and to see familiar friendly faces everywhere. People in Sainos, in the dry cleaners on Lordship Lane, the library and the coffee shops all say hi and are generally warm and welcoming. I think it is a great idea for us all to say hello, but I feel Dulwich is generally a happy welcoming place to be already.

[templeton]

I went to France last year and they spoke French in front of me.... outraged i was!

You should get a Welsh speaking au pair and he/she could translate for you.

[Jah Lush]

Hello Dulwich Mum,

I'm afraid the Welsh are a breed apart. And you should know you married one. I did a gig in Wales once and had a bit of a run-in with the Welsh mafia (Tafia) and they made me an offer I couldn't understand.>:D<