OAKLAND, Calif. – From talking on a speakerphone while in public to being impolite towards service workers, there are certain behaviors many consider socially disrespectful. A new analysis lists two Bay Area cities among the rudest in the U.S.
The survey by online language learning platform Preply found Oakland was the fifth-rudest city in America. San Francisco was ranked the 14th rudest.
“The United States is known to be home to many different cultures and a wide range of social behaviors, which reflect its diverse society,” researchers said. “Whether you encounter being ignored, loud shared spaces, or closed-off body language, depending on where you are in the country, you may experience social behaviors that seem questionable or even rude.”
With the use of mobile phones a social norm, it’s not surprising that many of the markers of rude behavior were linked to cell phone use.
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The survey looked at the largest cities across the country and focused on practices ranging from talking on a speakerphone in shared spaces to lack of self-awareness and being loud in public places.
Other behaviors considered impolite include watching videos or listening to music out loud in public, not acknowledging strangers, being absorbed by phones, and not acknowledging others.
“While some actions are considered rude no matter where you live, other acts can be subjective and come across as rude only to certain people,” Preply noted. “By analyzing the rudest actions people experience in public in America, we found that lack of care for others, being loud in shared spaces, and lack of self-awareness were the most common,” researchers explained.
And heightened emotions during election season may also come into play when it comes to rudeness.
“While various factors can impact social behaviors, with the upcoming presidential election, 1 in 2 say their city’s residents have become more rude,” researchers said.
The analysis found that in places including Oakland, those who lived in the city felt their fellow residents were ruder than those in any other city.
While Oakland ranked among the top 10 rudest, the East Bay city didn’t even make the list in Preply’s 2022 rankings.
San Francisco has become more polite since then, according to the survey. The City By the Bay was ranked the seventh rudest in America two years ago.
The other California cities that made the list were Long Beach (9), Sacramento (19), Los Angeles (25), San Jose, (39) and San Diego (44).
San Jose was among the top cities that improved most on rudeness, as it moved down from being 20th most rude in the previous ranking.
Miami took the top slot as the rudest in America, with Philadelphia, and Tampa following in second and third place respectively.
Residents in Omaha, Minneapolis, and San Diego were considered the least rude in the country.
Preply suggested people can practice ways to avoid rudeness by remembering to be aware of those around them and being conscious of how they’re communicating.
“Even if you are not directly rude to someone, the things you do and say while around other people can still cause others to feel annoyed or even uncomfortable,” the language learning site said.
Researchers noted that when traveling, a person’s behavior can be taken as a reflection of how people act in their hometown or home country.
“So the next time you find yourself out in public, whether it is in the city you call home or while visiting somewhere else,” Preply advised, “try taking time to learn more about their language and cultural differences.”
Here’s a look at the top 25 rudest U.S. cities:
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Miami
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Philadelphia
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Tampa, Fla.
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Louisville, Ky.
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Oakland, Calif.
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Boston
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Memphis, Tenn.
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Las Vegas
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Long Beach, Calif.
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Charlotte, N.C.
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Albuquerque, N.M.
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Jacksonville, Fla.
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Houston
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San Francisco
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Tucson, Ariz.
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Austin, Texas
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Colorado Springs, Colo.
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Dallas
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Sacramento, Calif.
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Baltimore
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New York
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San Antonio, Texas
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Atlanta
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Chicago
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Los Angeles
