I know New York City got very high marks across the board from tourists, shocked that the people who worked the front desk at the Manhattan HoJo were just so darn nice. Well, for $350 per bed per night, somebody had better smile.
But the case, I am sad to say, for those of us who reside in the Grande Apple, is not so sweet. New York City suffers from an extreme case of bad manners. No one, with few exceptions, says please, thank-you, excuse me or any other of the social courtesies that make life a tad easier to live. 
This is fueled by many things. First, I think it is the anonymity of the City. When you live in Clearwater, Florida or Decatur, Illinois, people know people. If you steal Mrs. Marchman's parking spot, your mother will probably know about it in a few hours. But here, there is very little of that sort of structure. You can shove your way down the street, act like a total ass every step of the way and likely never see any of the people you offended ever again.
There is also a belief most New Yorkers have that they don't have time for such niceties. "This is the big city," they say, "and everyone just goes about their business. We ain't got time for all that stuff." I disagree. I think because there are far more people living here than there is space, we need the social lubrication of manners more than anyone.
And I have seen New Yorkers be polite. In those dark days after 9/11, people talked, made eye contact, and helped one another. I have never seen so many disparate people pull together as I did in the weeks that followed. But once the smoke clear and that burnt plastic smell finally faded away, so did most people's good behavior.
I know we can do it. Why we don't is the question that is bugging me.
