r/Norway • u/xTabaB0yx • 1d ago
Working in Norway Etiquette? Common courtesy?
This may offend people and get down voted. It is what it is. Do Norwegians not learn common courtesy or street etiquette when they are kids? For real. So sick of this. Always stopping and standing in the middle of an aisle or sidewalk to talk, fix a bag, etc. Don't care about the people behind you. When they're walking down a sidewalk, they just walk in the middle, on the wrong side, walk 2 or 3 abreast, not caring about people walking towards you. Don't let other people off public transport before you push your way on. The last straw was tonight when I was at Meny, and a lady didn't even let me finish my order before she was pushing her way into my self checkout. I go to grab my receipt with my barcode to get out, she looks at me and goes "Ja". You guys don't give a shit about anyone but yourself, for real. This needs to be said
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u/MuggleMari 1d ago
I’m Norwegian and I don’t really have an answer nor do I have an argument. It annoys me as well. Common politeness is just gone
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u/everyone_is_a_robot 1d ago
I agree it's gone, because it certainly didn't used to be as bad as it is now.
People just don't care about anything but themselves out in public.
I've lived in the same city for my entire life, and never ever did people block others, walk right into the streets, etc. like they do now.
It's infuriating.
If I ever unwittingly block someone for just 2 seconds in an grocery isle or something, I ALWAYS apologize. Which is something I get in return maybe 1 in 100 times.
In fact I'm just as surprised every time someone actually apologizes for causing any kind of inconvenience for me anymore. Almost never happens.
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u/maddie1701e 1d ago
Another thing is that people go with their heads in their phones listening to music. Even older folks that should know better
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u/Broad_Steak9742 1d ago
Good to know there are still people like you out there :)
When I was travelling to Amsterdam a while back I was at a restaurant and met some teenagers that hit my chair.. even they apologized for it. I was kind of shocked that they apologized because I was so used to the rude people in Norway that I found it so common just for bump peoples chairs and stuff that I never expected an apology so that was nice.. but its really only common courtesy.
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u/Chance_Value_Not 1d ago
Not gone, but too rare.
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u/Broad_Steak9742 1d ago
True.. i do meet some nice people rarely. What happens when there are no nice people anymore
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u/thelippern 1d ago
Same. I’m Norwegian and this annoys the hell out of me as well.
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u/Broad_Steak9742 1d ago
Sometimes I wonder how it is even possible that society has become this way. A rudeness and ignorance I never thought I would experience. Whats next ? People blocking people from even getting on to public transport because its "their subway" or "their bus". Its difficult enough getting a seat on public transport now when people take up two seats on a full bus not letting people get the seat.. but the whole not caring about if you hurt or cause damage to other people kind of scares me.
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u/-Parptarf- 1d ago
That interaction at Meny really hit the spot. For some reason Meny attract a lot of the most selfish individuals in the entire country it seems like. I know exactly what you are talking about here.
Had one exactly like that at a bread slicing machine just the other week.
So yeah, we Norwegians can be a little selfish sometimes, no doubt. Really wish it wasn’t the case at all but here we are.
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u/PowerOhene 1d ago
I guess Meny is fairly expensive nowadays... attracting snobbish/ too well off posh people or something 🤷🏿♂️
I think we Norwegians care so much about our own personal space we lack spatial awareness for anything out of it ( broad generalization / stereotyping ) causing us to ignore others personal space and inconvenience them, kinda ironic poetry.
Jeg prøver mitt beste selv for unngå å forstyrre andre på denne måten. Se opp fra mobil skjermen, senk ned lyden i earbuds'a - seg deg rundt, og respekter all 🙏🏿
🇬🇭🇳🇴
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u/Broad_Steak9742 1d ago
Well said. Yes please look up from your cell phone, look around you and respect other people. Its not that hard. Yes, many people seem to have got incredibly protective of their personal space, even on a crowded rush our bus or subway. I get the impression that people hate eachother on public transport and just want to get the hell off. While we all like to spend a little time as possible on public transport, people dont need to actively try to be mean to people.
I love it when people tell other people (rarely happens) that they are rude, ignorant, say that they need to let people sit, should not cut in line. One time I told a women that tried to cut in line in front of several people if she didnt know how to stand in a queue.. she stopped cutting in line and people seemed to kind of like that.. speak up and let people know.. althogh Ive seen a pattern that people get every defensive, angry and even agressive when being told on so i guess it is a little of risk sometimes
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u/SadSpeechPathologist 10h ago
Just like EVERYWHERE else there are always some rude people. That doesn’t mean “all Norwegians are rude.” Speaking as a U.S. American I know we get the same bad rap as tourists because of the minority who are loud, rude, condescending and obnoxious wherever they go.
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u/ThinkbigShrinktofit 1d ago
My family first moved to Norway in 1969, and my American grandma commented on how Norwegians walk and stop wherever they want on a sidewalk or path. "They walk like farmers," she said. Meaning, they haven't learned to walk where there are more people. Solution? Walk slalom-style, wait for a space and speed around, etc.
I speak the lingo so I'm not beyond telling a pushy next customer to wait. But honestly, while the three-abreast-with-baby-carriages is annoying as hell (to everyone, not just foreigners), in general, I don't find Norwegians rude.
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u/BradleyEchoes 1d ago edited 1d ago
«Walk like farmers» is the perfect description - most Norwegians were farmers not too long ago, and the farmer mentality is still strong - you should be self sufficient and take care of yourself and your family first. And of course there was, and for the most part still is, so much space per person that it doesn’t really matter how you move around - it only becomes a real problem in some of our cities.
Sometimes I just walk into people who stop right at the top of escalators or in doorways on purpose, and if I get really annoyed add a «dere kan ikke stoppe her!» as I pass, but it doesn’t seem like people get the point at all.
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u/riktigtmaxat 6h ago
Most Norwegians are many generations removed from being farmers. In 1950 only 20% worked in agriculture. Even back in 1900 the number was only 38% which is less than the neighboring countries.
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u/Virtual-Passage6921 1d ago
This is my theory too. Many (most?) people in the cities are not from the cities, but from one village or another where you walk surrounded by a whole lot of nothing and noone. The only reason I keep out of the way (mostly) is because I'm a fast walker and annoyed by midle lane social gatherings and sunday strallers. And don't get me started on the condom suit cyclist royals.
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u/casio_enjoyer 1d ago edited 1d ago
As a Norwegian, I can confirm that most people here are like this. Zero spacial awareness in public and always thinking only about themselves. For instance, I am a fairly large guy at about 1,9m and just shy of 100kg, and whenever I am walking out in public and someone is walking in a straight line toward me on a narrow sidewalk, most of the time they continue walking in a straight line and expect me to just move out of their way, even though they would be objectively worse off than me if we were to collide because I am usually alot larger than most people I encounter like this. In my mind it's polite for both parties to each move a little out of the way for eachother, so to avoid that person 1 has to move entirely out of the way for person 2 while person 2 just keeps walking as if person 1 wasn’t even there.
These things aren't exclusive to Norway and Norwegians. This lack of awareness and "me, me, me"-thinking seems to be an international problem
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u/retallicka 1d ago
It's very different in the UK. At least in London. I go there, and people immediately apologise because I walked within 5cm of them
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u/stettix 1d ago
Having lived half my life in Norway and half in London, I agree. My theory about it is that Norwegians just aren’t as used to being in crowded places as Londoners. There’s a bit of the same in London on weekends when more out of towners visit, there’s more friction and people don’t move as smoothly through crowded places as on weekdays. Well, that’s part of it anyway. Norwegians also don’t have the same queuing culture so there are definitely cultural aspects to it as well.
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u/LaurieTZ 1d ago
I have the impression that they're just all super unobservant and that it isn't purposeful.
But I've lived in Germany and Germans could compete with Norwegians in standing-in-the-way championships. Grass ain't always greener.
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u/MF_Kitten 1d ago
Definitely depends on where in the country you live. I see a lot of stuff that's "definitely what Norwegians are like", and it's all eastern Norway stuff that I've never heard of.
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u/Fungus-Rex 1d ago edited 1d ago
Disregarding the unpleasant tone and sentiment of the OP, as a 60+ y.o. Norwegian I do concur that many of my countrypersons lack basic common courtesy and public navigation and queuing skills.
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u/Free-Preparation4184 1d ago
It's the same in the U.S. I think it has more to do with current society than geography.
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u/perceptioneer 21h ago edited 9h ago
I'm a Norwegian living in Poland and it's really just as disorganized here. I don't think this is a Norway only thing.
And people sneak in queues here like nothing I have ever seen in Norway or any other country for that matter.
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u/fancyzuzu 1d ago
As a grocery store worker, i completely agree. I feel like the lack of space awareness is really prominent in stores.
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u/naynaytrade 1d ago
I notice it here quite a lot, yes. Pushing onto public transport without waiting to let people off first and walking 2-3 people wide and not making space for people on the sidewalk is particularly infuriating
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u/ultimatox 1d ago
Us Norwegians are simply terrible at queueing. Worst people ever at airport gates for example.
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u/CygnusVCtheSecond 1d ago edited 1d ago
I see this in almost every country I visit.
There are polite people and ignorant NPCs everywhere.
It's upon you to enforce the change you want to see. If you have a problem with somebody pushing in before you're done, say something. Did you? You only mentioned what she said. If you didn't say anything, it's your fault as much as hers.
Whenever people push in front of me, I very rarely need to say anything. I just look at them and they back down, 9 times out of 10. That one time I need to open my mouth, I just ask them: "What do you think you're doing?" And that sorts it.
Most people are not even malicious; they're just ignorant and not even considering anything except their own needs, so will back down as soon as you call it out.
Those who are malicious are also cowards, so will back down when called out because they get embarrassed and they know what they're doing is wrong.
And, at the end of the day, even if the person doesn't back down and you let them push in, so what? Nobody is going to die as a result. Let them be an asshole. They gain what? Like 30 seconds of time? Unless they've physically assaulted you to push in, it's not that big of a deal, if we're honest.
Overall: If you aren't willing and able to rectify the behaviour yourself, don't complain to people online because that's not going to solve the problem for you.
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u/elfinthearea 1d ago
Totally agreed. I lived in Northern Germany and people would stand with their bikes in the middle of EVERYWHERE. Then I moved to Czechia and it's somehow worse here? But it could be because the city is way more crowded and they stand out more. So I don't think this is a "Norway issue"
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u/Afraid-Salt820 1d ago
I’m experiencing exactly the same! I’m kind of in shock in how much pushing and shoving I’ve experienced here since I came. People are totally unaware of personal space and won’t even apologise 9/10 times. To everyone saying there’s rude people everywhere - obviously yes, but it’s really another level here..
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u/omaregb 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes, crowd etiquette isn't a concept a lot of people are aware of in Norway. People tend to avoid each other instead of interacting, so it makes sense this is the pattern, and there's very little awareness because it's so rare. It's also how Norwegians think they are the best drivers in the world because they have few accidents, because they don't realize there's just a lot less traffic compared to other places.
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u/Redditlan 1d ago edited 1d ago
What country are you from where all these things functions perfectly?
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u/PeStLevel 1d ago
Silly question. We are talking about Norway. However, Norway is the fourth country I live in and I have travelled widely, but when it comes to this Norwegians are absolutt "best i verden" at lacking common decency. Upvote for OP.
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u/Mediocre-Tax1057 1d ago
Just wondering, could it be a rural vs a big city thing?
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u/Dam0cles 1d ago
I think it’s a covid thing, but might very well be an Oslo thing as well (since I moved to Oslo at the start of the pandemic). It’s absolutely infuriating and I can only wholeheartedly agree with OP’s observation.
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u/dragdritt 1d ago
Eh, I have traveled around the place too.
Norwegians are better in some ways, worse in others.
As drivers is an outlier though, rarely do I feel in danger crossing the road here. I cannot say the same for pretty much every other country I've ever been in.
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u/xTabaB0yx 1d ago
When I first came here, I was amazed that my wife didn't look both ways before crossing the street. I was equally amazed that drivers slammed on their brakes at crosswalks instead of speeding up. Regardless, I still look both ways before crossing the street or tracks. Trust nobody
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u/Super_Schedule5497 1d ago
It might be just your wife. Lots of norwegians do check both sides before they cross.
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u/AI-COSMOS 1d ago
We are tought to look both ways tho, but as everyone knows we just ignorant and in our own space. It is what it is. A lovely peaceful world😤
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u/Broad_Steak9742 1d ago
Usually you double check when crossing.. Ive almost been hit by a car too many times even when doing this.. I dont share your experience...people are not good at stopping where I live in this country
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u/Intelligent_Rock5978 1d ago
I agree about the roads, but it's not common courtesy. Here you get a huge fine or even get your driver's license taken away if you endanger pedestrians or other drivers, while in many European countries you can just get away with it, or get a very low fine that you don't mind paying regardless of your financial situation. So it's just common sense that you must drive safe in Norway.
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u/Snorress 1d ago
yeah, thats bs. does not sound like you have travelled anywhere tbh.
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u/PeStLevel 1d ago
Well, you won't be able to check and nothing I write here will convince you, but it is interesting you feel defensive about this. I have another question: Why do most Norwegians feel personally attacked when someone criticises their country/culture? What is the defensiveness about? Implicit guilt? An inferiority complex? Having been brainwashed by propaganda so much that anything contradicting it is just breaking your set of beliefs?
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u/Kaploiff 1d ago
Are you asking why individuals in a group feel attacked when you attack that group of individuals?
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u/Superb-Astronaut-371 1d ago
Imagine having a different perception of the country you grew up in, huh?
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u/PeStLevel 1d ago
I don't know what you mean. Plenty places in the world people will agree with visitors/immigrants on what is good or bad about the place. I speak fluent Norwegian and have many well-educated Norwegian friends, but for some reason they really don't like to hear what is not okay here. There are many good things here, but why is it so hard to hear that some things are not up to par?
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u/-Parptarf- 1d ago
I’m Norwegian and I don’t mind. But it’s kinda hilarious that you say we are the worst in the world at this.
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u/PeStLevel 1d ago
Countries that are better at this: England, Ireland, Germany, China, Iran, Morocco, Poland, the Baltic states, Turkey, Serbia, Slovakia, Czechia, Russia, Austria, Slovenia, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, US, Ukraine, Belgium, Scotland, Wales... (the list goes on).
Countries equally shitty at this: the Netherlands and Danmark (from the top of my head).
So maybe you are right, and it is actually a tie.
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u/Tilladarling 1d ago
Morocco? The country where they will grope any prepubescent girl or above and sexually harass you for the grave sin of walking while female? Yeah, you’re not a woman, are you. I’ve yet to meet any western woman traveling without a male chaperone having a good time out among Moroccans. Still feel those groping fingers trying to push my thighs apart in a queue. I was 11.
Just my «qualitative» impression
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u/PeStLevel 1d ago
Ah, good point. Absolutely agree that gender will influence your experience. Morocco was great, but I am a man (and I speak French as a 4th language and I also know some basic Arabic). Your experience sounds awful and I am sorry you had to go through that.
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u/Riztrain 1d ago
I have been to over half of those countries, both rural and big city, and the fact you're saying those places are more polite in public tells me you're full of Shit and have never been there.
(the list goes on).
Well if you're already going to lie you should definetly just complete the list lol.
Every country in the UK will stop way more in the middle of an already much more narrow sidewalk and have a chat, fix bag, or just liter in general unless they feel like leaning up against something.
They're not doing it out of rudeness, but because they have just as much right to that space as you do. Again; nobody owes you their space just because you find it annoying to walk around them.
The south American countries you listed are laughable...
China even more so...
Got Poland right, and 'some' Baltic countries.
I mean, I don't even know why I'm telling you because you're obviously clueless 🤣
Go off peanut king, tell me the other 50 countries you frequent! Do they also kneel when you pass them on the street?
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u/WaitForVacation 1d ago
wow, how was this study conducted? I'm sure there were some clear criteria and was measured on a meaningful size of the population in all the above countries.
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u/BradleyEchoes 1d ago
We are told that «det er typisk norsk å være god», every time some statistic says Norway is the best it gets a lot of media coverage, and of course there’s an inferiority complex at play. Any time any foreigner or foreign news media are talking about Norway it gets media coverage:
A perfect example of what you’re saying is the Finnish «influencer» Sanna Sarromaa - I think she really loves riling up Norwegians, but for the most part she has good points when she writes about problems in Norway - however she will always receive a lot of criticism from us Norwegians no matter how on point she is
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u/-Parptarf- 1d ago
Wow, I don’t think I’ve seen someone aggressively hate Norwegians this much, ever.
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u/PeStLevel 1d ago
Oh boy, the shitstorm here just proves my earlier point
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u/-Parptarf- 1d ago
Your point is fair, I agree. But this comes across a little too harsh. So that kinds moots the point(even if I agree with you) as people might be reacting to how you’re writing it instead of your overall point.
Edit: To clarify, this is specifically to your comment, not OP’s. Don’t see a reason why this thread should be a shitstorm. I even commented on the thread in agreement of what is being written here.
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u/Super_Schedule5497 1d ago
I'm also curious where OP is from. Because I dont think norway is any worse or better. Sounds more like he's new to Norway.
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u/NNL_THE_BOSS 1d ago
Go to the Middle East or most of eastern Asia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia. And you will be pleasantly surprised seeing how the local people act.
The problem is not as big with the older generation in Norway but among the younger its becoming an alarming problem, with lack of respect for society and elders. I do think this is a problem of lack of a sense of pride/culture for your own country. Rarely do I meet a lot of my peers (younger gen) who are «proud» to be Norwegian and the culture that comes with it. Our love for the country, traditions and hell even our language are slowly dying. We are adopting more and more from the western media coming from the US
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u/broken-paddle 1d ago
I've been to most EU countries, and lived in 6 different countries for an extended period of time. Norway is way worse than the UK, a bit worse than Germany or France (outside Paris), about the same as Paris, but better than the US. But honestly, it's annoying at worst, no serious harm done.
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u/Shadowrunner138 1d ago edited 1d ago
Your speech mannerisms sound American, and if you are an American, you're being a raging hypocrite because we're no better in public. I work in tourism in a famous national park in the U.S. and go through this every day. In the U.S. it's common to be told "If you don't like it here, leave". That may be good advice for your situation. Have you ever had the courage to vent to a Norwegian face to face on the street? Just curious.
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u/Ambitious_League4606 1d ago
Way more civilised in UK actually, we like to queue
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u/nestestasjon 1d ago
They could easily have been describing the behavior I see in the US every day.
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u/Ok_Chard2094 1d ago
Not to mention behavior on US highways. Slower traffic, keep right? Pass on the left? "Nah, not me. I like to drive in the left lane at my own speed. It's my right to do as I want."
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u/Shadowrunner138 1d ago
I was nearly killed in a crosswalk because people were walking in opposite directions, and an incoming driver decided instead of letting us all cross, he should try to speed through the gap of people in the middle before it closed. Completely agree we're very hostile drivers in general.
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u/IsaRat8989 1d ago
Tbf, We don't fear getting shot down by thinking the person walking behind us might get offended.
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u/FyllingenOy 1d ago
Weren't you in another thread on here complaining about there being too many "muzzies" in Norway just yesterday? Kinda hard to take your complaining seriously when it's coming from a racist dickhead.
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u/Hildringa 1d ago
Shitty individuals exist everywhere. I travel quite a bit and cant say Norwegians in general come across as particularly rude, apart from perhaps our lack of certain "politeness phrases" like you have in the UK etc. Here we prioritize not taking up other peoples time with unnecessary small talk, whereas other cultures might consider this shortness unfriendly.
Most Norwegians shit themselves at the mere thought of a confrontation, so most people try not to bother others. Its a very non-aggressive culture in general.
When this woman was pushing her way in front of you, you could have addressed her directly and told her to back off. Going on Reddit to complain isnt gonna solve anything. Her behavior definitely isnt typical for the culture, so chances are low you're reaching anyone who actually behaves like this here.
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u/that_norwegian_guy 1d ago
You mention an example from Meny, and since every Meny except one in Tromsø is in the southern part of Norway, I am going to assume that's where you are. And I have to say, I rarely encounter the behaviour you describe in Northern Norway. I have however noticed it on my trips to the South. People seem to be a lot more self-involved down there.
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u/TheAderalStream 1d ago
I think that’s all Scandinavia honestly. Denmark is the same. Nordic „I’m the middle of the world” attitude.
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u/Loud-Astronaut-5807 21h ago
I've definitely noticed the getting on a buss when others are getting off.
I think I have an answer...
The culture in Norway seems to be about avoiding confrontation. If you're in the UK, and you get in someone's way or act in a way that's inconsiderate, people are more than happy to call you out on the spot, sometimes rather agressively.
In Norway, that is generally avoided. Therefore, certain behaviours are not challanged.
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u/Bellbete 13h ago
To be fair about the bus thing, I didn’t even realize people got off at the ‘front door’ of the bus before moving into one of the bigger cities.
Where I grew up, you get in at the front due to tickets, and you get off at the middle/back door so that the front is free for the people getting on the bus.
(Not an excuse, but may be a small explanation as for why some people keep doing this.)
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u/Silly_Ad_3568 18h ago
Finally, someone had to say it. And I honestly don’t know if it’s “entitlement” or just being oblivious. Either way, truly annoying
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u/Linkcott18 1d ago
It's just a different way to do things.
Norwegians also queue nicely for toilets, theatre openings, etc., while people in southern Europe just form a packed clump around the doors. Are you going to take them to task for lacking courtesy because they don't know how to to queue?
I've seen people in the supermarket, waiting a couple of steps away from someone who was blocking the aisle. The waiting person was clearly just waiting for the person blocking the aisle to move and not wanting to disturb them. You don't get much more polite than that.
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u/rakfisksalmorejo 1d ago
Hahaha queueing? Are you serious? Next time you’re at the airport go see how norwegians “queue” at their gate. Unorganized clumps of separated people that run like savages as soon as they open the gate. I could agree with many other things but this one is simply wrong. Queueing in southern Europe is much better. OP is right about social manners.
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u/coffeandkeyboard 1d ago
Call em out, they'll turn red and start shaking, they ll think about it for years to come, you will traumatize them for sure, but they'll learn 😁
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u/kartmanden 1d ago
Common courtesy is not something we know well, sadly. At least several notches down from the UK, a notch down from Sweden and Denmark but on par with many other countries like Austria or Netherlands. imho
We are a cowboy country compared to at least Sweden and Denmark.
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u/MinecraftLibrarian 1d ago
As a dutchman, can confirm, we are not the nicest. A general "dont bother me" attitude combined with wanting to be the first in every line with no regard to other people or wether or not it actually matters.
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u/kartmanden 1d ago
Yet I have nothing against Austrians or Dutch people. Nor against the French even though I always [at some point during my trip] get butchered for speaking poor French or asking a person whether they speak English (in French). Or experience extremely sub par customer service in some form. It’s just how society is..
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u/dasrudiment 1d ago
Always stopping and standing in the middle of an aisle or sidewalk to talk, fix a bag, etc. Don't care about the people behind you.
THIS. I experienced it too. Lack of spatial awareness? No idea what the reason is but I have never been bumped into as frequently as in Norway. Or people just walking next to each other taking up the whole sidewalk
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u/xdarkshinex 1d ago
Wow, as if I was reading about the Netherlands. Surprised to see it's in countries like Norway as well.
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u/EeriePancake 1d ago
I was sat on the bus and it started filling up as it was around 15:30. There were no more free aisles. Just people sat on each free aisle. So this man comes from behind me and sits down next to me. I’m not a large person, I’m 162cm and 60kg. He’s also not large. Just an average male. He puts his leg on top of my leg, and then his shoulder is on my shoulder. I literally freak out and push him away with my leg and arm. He doesn’t move. At all. I’m so beyond pissed at this point that I turn and say «what in the hell are you doing? Do you know that personal space is a thing? Hææææ?!» and he grunts at me. Doesn’t move and doesn’t apologize.
Luckily I’m only 5 mins left on the bus and get up to stand in the aisle to wait for my stop. But I’m pissed. So pissed. Had to call my husband to complain about it.
I swear people are getting more and more unaware of themselves and other people. It’s a problem but I doubt it’s just Norwegians.
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u/littleoslo 1d ago
Thank you for saying exactly what I’ve been thinking. Sometimes the way Norwegians behave in public spaces is really puzzling. It feels like as long as they want to, they can just stand or stop anywhere without considering others, in supermarket aisles, at shopping mall entrances, almost as if they don’t notice anyone else around them. It gives the impression that, in public spaces, they see themselves as the most important. The scariest experiences usually happen at airports, train stations, or bus terminals. People often say Norwegians are “chill,” but in those situations, especially with younger people, they can suddenly become very pushy which is quite intimidating.
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u/Doobioscopy 1d ago
I've had people walk right in to me, while looking at me, while I'm standing still to the side of the path, and say (in Norwegian) "oh sorry!" as if they had no idea I was there.. even though they were looking straight at me the whole time 🤣
They definitely do it different
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u/nomoneystillproblems 1d ago
Least spatially aware country on the planet. As a New Yorker, I am constantly amazed by how people navigate busy streets and grocery stores here.
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u/Professional_Bear443 1d ago
I've actually thought about this before! The reasoning I came to was that a lot of Norwegians were raised in places where it wouldn't bother anyone to do this. Lots of small towns with not a lot of people. And the fact that we're not great at telling people off. Just give them a glare and complain to friends and family after.
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u/kyotokko 1d ago
Sadly your observation is true. Because of this , I always bring a bag with me when I go out, in case someone decides to bump into me
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u/Present_Sail7173 1d ago
Agree 100% seems like many Norwegians are not aware of their surroundings. Apart from this their gym etiquette is even worse. I went to a local gym and in my city and they barely unloaded the racks/bars - so annoying.
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u/JanTio 1d ago
I don’t think this is just a Norwegian thing. I notice this here in my country too. Politeness and mutual respect seem to get considered outdated and conflicting with what some people, and not only the young, call personal freedom. Which is a huge misunderstanding of what freedom is, btw.
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u/Broad_Steak9742 1d ago
As a native norwegian that has lived here all my life in Oslo and other places in the south east of Norway I can without a doubt say that you are right on point. I even discussed this topic with my colleagues just a week or two ago about norwegians being even more rude than usual. They all agreed that they have experienced that people have got a lot more ignorant and selffish over the last years compared to what it was earlier. I would say this is even more noticable for kids who have for whatever reason lost all respect for adults.
It seemed to get worse after covid where people just didnt seem to care at all anymore. Not sure if it is because of that but it kind of seems like it.
I have been punched in the face just for asking if people can move so I can get through. Yesterday there was an argument in the forest where a cyclist almost ran over a dog.. not an uncommon occurrence that you have a conflict with people. I was not there but I heard the conversation from some distance away in the forest, sounded like it almost turned to violence. People expect to do whatever they want to do regardless of what it is.
For a few weeks ago I was charging up my car and to start the charging station I needed to push a few buttons on the machine.. this machine was only located on one side of the charging station so I had to be standing there.. a car comes and demands to park exactly where Im standing.. they almost run me over because they will not let me finish starting the charging.. had I not moved I would have a broken leg now.
In the paper they were talking about people being knifed for asking to put their dog on a leach. When the police had an inspection for a while a go they mostly gave warning but one person even had to be written up and get charged because they refused to put a leach on their dog.. not even the police get respect from some people.
I do meet nice people to.. at work, but they are quite arrogant and narcissistic though. Still in general nice people to talk to.
So I do agree with you and share you experiences with people being incredibly rude and ignorant. While I like Norway as a country I would love to move away to get away from the people if there are friendlier people elsewhere. I have travelled a lot earlier in many countries and never have I ever come across as rude people as there are in Norway or France but this is my home and I will continue to live here.. its not that easy to move away and I dont know if it wuould be better some other place.
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u/Dr_Prunesquallor 1d ago
Can't believe nobody has mentioned stopping at the top of an escalator to chat with someone, oblivious to the people coming up the escalator behind them
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u/fareedadahlmaaldasi 1d ago
Lived 2 years in Bergen and it infuriated the shit out of me. They would just randomly take objects next to your face, over your head, besides your butt and stand so close near you without even saying, 'excuse me'. (Happened in libraries often, supermarkets and surprisingly, the workplace and at my fiance's home, lol).
I've been hit multiple times while walking because they just expected me to move I guess. They would walk in the middle of the trail or with a friend (worse if with friendS) and they just expect you to figure out how to get past them or just eternally walk behind them.
At first I thought it was a race thing, expecting me to move over for them because I'm not white but I realized that they are all like that to everyone. So I decided to fully integrate myself into the culture and tried to emulate them and looked at them afterwards as if saying, 'You like that, right?'
I asked my fiancé once if he wasn't taught to say, 'excuse me', growing up before randomly opening cupboards directly in front of other people or taking stuff in a drawer where someone else is standing in front of it. He said that it was fairly common and he didn't even think about that. When he went home and practiced what I told him at his home, he said that everyone looked at him crazy. Must be common then.
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u/Leather-Scallion-894 22h ago
Norwegian here, lived abroad for 16 years, recently moved back, it's atrocious 😅 Currently in Japan, and the contrast is immense, but my nerves are at peace finally ahahaha.
People not pulling in on public transport is my biggest annoyance. Like, you're going to the end stop Kjartan, the carriage is completely empty over there, why are we sardining by the entrance and looking lost and dazzled? 😭
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u/RockVader501 1d ago
100% This!!! My experience every where I go. The whole train thing boggles my mind. People trying to get on as soon as the door opens while people are trying to get off.
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u/T1sofun 1d ago
You’re right, but offended Norwegians are just going to respond with “whataboutisms”. Things are worse in Ugandan prisons!!!! I guess you’ve never been on a rural Indian train!!! Americans shoot each other!!!
None of those examples have anything to do with the selfish behavior in Norway, but that doesn’t matter.
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u/kristine-kri 1d ago
The only thing I really recognize out of your points is people stopping wherever and blocking the path. The lack of awareness in some people can be staggering.
I can’t say I’ve ever had much problems with any of your other points. In fact, public transport etiquette is far better here than several other places I’ve been. (Though it isn’t the best I’ve seen either.)
If anything like what happens at Meny ever happens again, just speak up. Most Norwegians back down from potential conflicts the second they are confronted
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u/Kind_of_random 1d ago
There are, of course, bad apples here as there are everywhere, but if you see this problem everywhere then I am genuinely surprised.
I seldom have any problems with inpolite people in this country, then again; I always try to be polite myself as well ...
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u/Skiron83 1d ago
Better in some areas, worse in others. Traveling abroad I get the same so most likely more a youth problem? Btw.... I got compliments back in the 90's when I was a teen that I was uncommonly polite, so this is not a over night change.....
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u/justinhammerpants 1d ago
Are you describing literally every tourist in London because it sure sounds like it.
This is a universal experience, the general decline of awareness of those around you.
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u/unC0Rr 1d ago
I would like to add, there's lack of etiquette at snow slides in winter, mostly from adults. Had fun sliding down with your kid? Well, can as well just sit for a couple minutes right where the slide stopped and be angry at anyone who dares going for a ride. Someone is almost ready to start slide? Well, too bad, I'm smashing my sliding gear right in front of you and taking off. Resting at stop at the bottom included.
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u/IthertzWhenIp5G 1d ago
Some people are fucked. But you cant say this about every norwegian, it could very well be your problem. I never have trouble walking around people, because in my experience they move, if not, fucking push them out the way if that's what you need. And if someone is taking your self checkout, you tell the person doing it. Not reddit.
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u/Open_Put_7716 1d ago
Not sure it's just a Norwegian thing but amazed by the number of people who seem to be happy to step backwards into a cycle lane without looking. Bonus points for stepping out from behind a bus stop or pillar too it seems. Are they trying to pull some sort of insurance scam or do they just not understand risk? I have yet to kill one.
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u/hallothrow 1d ago
I'd agree with you, but most the people blocking my path that way these last few months are tourists so I don't think it's anything particularly Norwegian about it. To add to your list though, why do people always find the narrowest part of the sidewalk to stop and block while having a conversation?
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u/Holiday-Interview-83 1d ago
Same feeling in the mountains on trails and also road. I am always giving way and I dont understand why...
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u/ThePugnax 1d ago
It does seem to have been getting worse the last few years. People are getting more rude and entitled, im thinking its because no one gives them any pushback.
I had a similar experiene with self checkout at meny last weekend. I stand there scanning my stuff and an older lady plops her cart next to me and say "Can you move", I say "No, im scanning my stuff". she looks agast and walks back to stand in line. I was mid scanning, im not sure she assumed i was done or whatever. but the say she told me to move was in a really mean tone.
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u/dude_im_box 1d ago
We have a different idea of street etiquette and live differently?
Like, I've experienced people stoping up in the narrowest of streets, but also theres usually a non-busy road that I can use instead (hell sometimes its so rarely used I'll walk in the middle of it). As for "on the wrong side" in norway, there is many suburban and country roads that only has one curbside, so you have to navigate 1950s ass planning cause "its easier to build on this side here than it is continuing this side", so people when walking the city they just walk on any side of the curbs cause they live/lived or had parents that lived in these strangely curbed areas. As for people walking on the same side, thats just cause its better to walk and talk that way, you're also made to walk 2-by-2 in kindergarten on field trips if its not far from the school, maybr that has something to do with it. The public transport things is usually if theres people in front of them getting of (at least here in Vestland, dk about the rest of norway). As for the last part, thats just a shit person, or an exception, maybe she was running late? Maybe not, everything is a possibility.
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u/Kimolainen83 1d ago
Its not a norwegian thing lol, I experienced this when I livedi n the US and in Italy.
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u/rhubbarbidoo 1d ago
The fact that they never let the people in the bus out before getting in drives me nuts 😤
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u/FishingCats-77 1d ago
OT but I was just in Gdansk (where there are a lot of scandi tourists btw)
I got more and more furious each day as people walked like fuckin idiots, I was the one who did the most evading because I don't want to bump to anyone.
Somehow also at home (Fin) I feel like am I creeping silent walker as often people don't notice me and block my way. Don't know if it happens to anyone else.
Anyways sry about this, I just had common experiences, which apparently reddit algorithm knew :D
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u/AngryLinkhz 1d ago
Yes this is a problem, but not nearly as much of a problem than th the uk, france or spain.
Those places are publicle wild
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u/FineMaize5778 1d ago
I feel like people in norway is way way way better at this than other people. Since you feel the oposite.
The rational answer is that different cultures do things differently. Like in one place curtesy is to smile as you inconvience and another place standing in a certain part of the sidewalk is meant as a curtesy. And probably that all of us are worse because of smartphones
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u/Appropriate-Ad-4901 1d ago
I'm inclined to agree with you in the sense that it would be better if people didn't behave like that. But at some level we need to accept that a culture is what it is and cannot be changed overnight. This kind of behaviour seems to me a result of Norwegian individualism, though you'd except the principle of "You can do as you want as long as it doesn't limit others." to kick in in cases like this. But perhaps we just need to see it as people having a sort of natural limit to how many matters of etiquette they can absorb and how alert they can be to everything going on. Norwegians are generally quite rich, spoilt, busy and overstimulated, so you can't expect people to have the bandwidth to attend to everyone else's needs 24/7.
In short, it may be an expression of Norwegian liberal attitude. Usually it expresses itself as "Don't fuck with me. I'm doing what I want, not what you want me to do.". In this case it's instead "I'm allowed stop in the middle of the street if I want to. If it is helpful for me in some way, that justifies it.".
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u/nanuen 1d ago
In my experience it's an extremely regional thing. Sometimes you only have to travel one town over for it to be completely different.
I've lived in a lot of different places in Norway, and from my own (albeit limited ofc) experience; it's usually more polite outside of big cities.
Oslo is the absolute worst. But places with a lot of Oslo tourists are just as bad. I.e.: Sandefjord - people are rude, aggressive, self centered - both on foot and in cars. Whereas you only need to go to Larvik, one town over, and people are generally kind and give each other space (both on foot and in traffic), and rural Larvik even more so. But if you stray too close to Telemark it's back to aggressive self centeredness again.
Trondheim is quite decent for a big city, but the further out of it you get people are usually more gracious towards each other.
Bergen used to be pretty decent, but I've heard it's become worse and worse the last few years.
The trend seems to be: money goes up, politeness goes down.
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u/siddfincher 1d ago
Having visited Norway 4 times in the past 2 years, this is not the experience I’ve had at all. Every encounter in public places (train, bus, grocery store) has been very pleasant. If you think common courtesy has disappeared in Norway, try public transportation in a major US city and report back
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u/XxAbsurdumxX 1d ago
I sometimes get the same experience, but not always. I think it basically boils down to the fact that we aren’t that many people so our cities aren’t as heavily populated. That means we usually have quite a lot of room when we walk, so it doesn’t matter as much which way we go or how we do it.
In more densely populated areas elsewhere in the world, that become more important
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u/missknitty 1d ago
There are assholes all over the world. Including Norway. People be peopleing - society is very self-centered.
This is not only a Norwegian phenomenon.
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u/Fancy-Programmer-53 1d ago
Wait until you're reversing a car and they walk behind it because THEY'RE walking!
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u/Jabba_de_Hot 1d ago
In the last 6 months this has happened to me in Norway, Denmark and France. It's not unique to Norway. The only thing I find specific to Norway is the public transport etiquette, and that is fairly well explained by the permanent presence of people who rarely use public transport and therefore are oblivious to etiquette even if it is posted everywhere.
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u/Rambunctious-Rascal 1d ago
It's funny, isn't it, how any time somebody says they'll probably get downvoted, they wind up with all the upvotes. I'll probably be downvoted for saying this, but I downvoted your little post. Ask and ye shall receive.
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u/xTabaB0yx 1d ago
Thanks, buddy. Genuinely appreciate it. I'm not here looking for "likes" though. I just genuinely knew it was going to be a hot button issue that would cause controversy. Didn't think it would blow up the way it did, but just goes to show I'm not the only one who's experienced everything I described.
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u/imperiorr 22h ago
It's shit kidz who needs a shoulder bump or a kind verbal reminder.
Going on Meny next to two schools is a circus at lunchtime.
Its not always bad behavior. They are still kids. They will learn.
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u/Dealmaker60 21h ago
Funny story as I just got back from Norway and I felt the people were a bit rude but after talking to family there, they are just a pretty private group and just keep moving on. As we were sightseeing in Olso, I as the tourist is looking all over and even in the grocery store I would bump into someone and as an American, I would say “excuse me or I’m sorry” but nothing was ever said back. I said to my niece, what’s the problem here with people not acknowledging my politeness, she said, that’s Norwegians, they just keep moving forward and as Americans maybe we make a bigger deal of simple mistakes and we are wrong… anyway, overall I believe if I slammed into someone where someone got knocked over, it would be different, anyway that’s my Norwegian story
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u/audionoobi 18h ago
we have a terrible ego driven culture.
i usually just push people away and tell people to maybe not block the way for everybody else, maybe they learn… in time…
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u/Mattias89SE 18h ago
Haha spot on! The classic Norwegian arrogance. First me, then me, and me after me, then it’s me again.
I went to Sweden 2 months ago, and it was like traveling into the future. People are so polite, helpful and service minded. Took me less than 10 mins and I was sold - again 😂
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u/NotoriousMOT 16h ago edited 16h ago
Yes to all this, especially the checkout Karens* AND adding the “fvcking put your hand in front of your mouth when you yawn, sneeze or cough in public transportation.”
- *One especially braindead one in Fornebu (yes, I remember you Equinor Karen) had the temerity to lecture me on the benefits of multi-tasking when I told her the register was still busy.
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u/MishcaPerkele 15h ago
There is common courtesy around. In my family and the most of our friends are polite and know how to behave. But it is common to see all around that people just stops in the middle of an isle in the grocery store to talk oblivious to other people and so on. I always walk up to the and say, quite loud, UNSKYLD like in excuse me but could you pretty please with a cherry on top move your butt out of the way.
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u/thorvarhund 15h ago
At least Norway has public transport and people walk! In the USA everyone is mostly polite at the store and then hit the streets in their cars where it’s everyone for themself.
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u/pbCleaRed 14h ago
Norwegian here. I agree, but I also think that all of us that care gets kind of invisible, because of all the egoists.
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u/SnooRobots6723 14h ago
Where are you from, if I may ask? Must be a very elegant and well organized country for you to speak about «Norwegians» in that way
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u/not_always_gone 8h ago
I wonder if this is more city based. I frequent more northern parts of Norway when I visit home there, and then travel to Denmark later in the visits to visit my family there.
I only really notice large amounts of stopping in the larger cities where people seem to be mostly focused on their own routines.
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u/Smoldervan 6h ago
I've noticed an uptick over the years in Norway of people walking slowly or stopping while taking up the majority of a path, leaving me with three options; 1. Saying "excuse me, i want to get through" or "get your ass out of the way" 2. Slow down to whatever snail-pace the others move at while looking for an opening. 3. Barge through and ignore the slowpoke like they ignore their surroundings.
However, I've not been able to see a specific age group for this, which is confusing me somewhat...
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u/DisciplineOk9866 6h ago
There's this word "Unnskyld" that can be used as you claim your space if people are in your way. Or just stand still and look at them.
People generally don't intend to be rude, even though that's what it looks like.
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u/El3m3nTor7 5h ago
It's better out of Oslo, it's Lillehammer for me and I really let people know if they act like morons on the street and I'm a taxi driver
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u/Medium-Bake-4782 3h ago
Interesting to read and learn this because Danish people are exactly the same. I now wonder if Swedish are too and this is a Scandinavian standard.
No common courtesy, basic or civic manners. Very very few people seem to even know what these are tbh
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u/OddDistribution2146 2h ago
One incident that happened to me at work that made me go insane was when I was walking with a full tray in hand,and not the normal one that restaurants typically use,but the bigger one,and there was an elderly individual that was infront of me.I waited a bit until he saw me and heard me,but not only did he not care about me being behind me,but as soon as he saw me he had the same reaction ‘Oh Ja’
After that I understood that this country has some really rude people
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u/Stunning_Strength_49 2h ago
From the text alone I know you live in Oslo.
As a guy from not Oslo, I am as shocked as you are every time I visit the capital.
People not respecting boundaries, people sycle straight through your group etc
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u/gomslork 1d ago
It's terrible here. Nobody knows how to act in public. It's always very frustrating to come back to Norway after spending time in central Europe, where everyone walks on the right, and waits for the people on the bus/train to exit before trying to enter.
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u/BattledroidE 1d ago
The one thing I notice is that we never adopted the "keep right" system that is widely used. Sidewalks, shopping malls, escalators, they're all designed with that in mind. Yet, you have to zigzag around people coming in both directions all over the place. There was a little bit of order during covid, but as soon as the signs were taken down, it collapsed again.