Reader's digest conducted a survey to find out the courtesy levels in some of the most famous cities of the world. A rude shock to Indians, Mumbai takes away the crown of the rudest city in the world.
Given the fact that most (should I say all?) of the middle class people travel in stuffed, stinking, claustrophobic local train for atleast 2 hours a day, every day of their lives without fail, can we let them be a little less courteous? I have experienced the coldness of the people as you stand on the local train platform staring blankly at the train status display, not knowing what those code letters meant, but I wouldn't call the people rude. Yes, they are indifferent sometimes, but definitely not rude. They will help you if you ask them. They won't go out of their way to offer you any help, but if you go to them, they won't turn you down.
My husband puts it in a nice way. "When the local train is at the platform and you want to get in, people won't let you get in, but once the train starts moving and if you are hanging at the door, the same people won't let you fall".
Hats off to the mighty Mumbaites.
