Toronto Public Space Renaissance?

[ganjavih]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

Torotonians aren't rude but they tend to be cold and reserved. I hardly ever have a random conversation with anyone on the street in Toronto but it often seems to happen in other cities in Canada and the US... particularly in the US. Americans are a friendlier and chattier bunch. I often meet newcomers to the city and many of them find the "coldness" one of the most difficult things to adjust to.

 

[bizorky]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

Still, maybe we should blame ourselves too for not expecting and demanding more.

Always true. That's why my hat is off to those forumers who take the time to make a contribution to improving the city in so many different ways. Even a small effort is an effort.


Things would clean up very quickly if we armed fiendish.

 

[SD2]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

Torotonians aren't rude but they tend to be cold and reserved. I hardly ever have a random conversation with anyone on the street in Toronto but it often seems to happen in other cities in Canada and the US... particularly in the US. Americans are a friendlier and chattier bunch. I often meet newcomers to the city and many of them find the "coldness" one of the most difficult things to adjust to.

I'd say many can be reserved, but cold is a little harsh, IMO. I find most people will give at least a slight smile or nod if you're walking past them and they make eye contact, though spontaneous chats are less common.

 

[shawnmicallef]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

Whenever I've made the effort to engage somebody on the street, people generally respond well, and it's where my "friendly" idea of Toronto comes from. It's two ways though, can't expect people to be chatting if you're not chatty. It's the terrible vestiges of the uptight Presbetyrians that we've almost shaken off....but the image persists.

I'm also from Windsor, where people are cocooned in cars all the time, so any human interaction still stands out to me, even after 6 years.

 

[andreapalladio]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

Service, especially in stores, is abysmal in Toronto, that is, when you can find someone to help you at all.

 

[tudararms]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

I think where although we may have lacked for 'warmth' so to speak, at least in comparison to our Yankee neighbours, we made up for it with civility. Holding the door open for somebody was something that you just did, or helping somebody who needed it onto a streetcar, or waiting your turn in line, and so on.

 

[SD2]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

Service, especially in stores, is abysmal in Toronto, that is, when you can find someone to help you at all.

I agree. Canadian customer service, in general, is years behind their US counterparts. In many stores they make it seem as if they're doing you this huge favour just by acknowledging you. It's as if they have so much better things to be doing...

 

[bizorky]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

I think we are walking into the land if big time generalizations here, are we not? As Torontonians, is this how you view yourselves and your attitude towards other people?

 

[miketoronto]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

I agree that many Toronto residents are reserved and not very social.

Actually you notice it really well on our public transit. Sit on the Toronto subway in rush hour or on the GO TRAIN, and everyone sits there and hardly talks, etc. I have been on a GO TRAIN where not one person talked for the entire 30min trip. They all just sit there like their life sucks.

In Detroit for example, the transit riders on the bus where much more social, chatting, etc. Even Jon and I started talking with some of them, and it was nice.
Same goes in other cities I have been to.
In Buffalo I had ladies coming up to me downtown and asking me where I bought my sandles, because they loved them.

You don't get that in Toronto much. People are reserved here. A Toronto resident would have a heart attack if a stanger went up to them and asked them where they got their shoes

And don't get me started on customer service. In American stores they treat you like a king. In Toronto, the store clerks are not very good at all. Today my friend was in a store, and the store clerk was acting like it was such a chore to friggen bag a shirt and ring it up on the cash. She had such a frown on her face, and did not say "hi" or anything.
That happens alot in Toronto I have to say.

I am very big on customer service. And I remember when I had a part-time job during school at THE BAY. I had customers who would shop on days I was working, because I was the only one who gave a crap about service, and treated them well and helped them. Same goes for my other part-time job I had during school. I had a whole following of customers who would shun the store unless I was on duty

Toronto needs massive customer service training.

I have noticed that Toronto residents as a whole are also getting more rude. 5 years ago people would wait on each side of the subway door to let crowds off. Now everyone charges the doors, not waiting for anyone to get off. And other little things like that you never saw in Toronto before.

 

[gboykovekin]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

I don't think Torontonians are neccessarily rude, in fact, they're quite friendly (in a no-nonsense, non-nosey kind of way). However, it's best to lead by example and actually initiate conversation or have receptive body-language (head held high not looking down at the ground, smile, open hands, etc.). when interacting with people on the street or in public buildings.

 

[ahrvojic]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

Toronto only has poor customer service if you consider Wal-Mart greeters, fake smiles and empty chit-chat to be its shining standard. By that metric, American customer service is unparalleled.

And if you think this city's cold, don't even think about shopping in Europe

 

[miketoronto]

Re: Blowing smoke on the water

I know. My mom had tons of trouble in Italy when shopping. She said the store clerks treat you like you are ready to bring everything or steal. She never had such bad service like in Italy.

While not the worst, Toronto people could be a little more open and friendly though.

One bad mark on us is what happened one day on the subway when my sister was going to work. This lady fainted, and someone yelled to push the "alarm strip", and no one wanted to do it, and one guy actually yelled "can you not push that till we get to my stop, I don't want to be delayed". Anyway my sister told him that was rude, and pushed the alarm.

But things like that should not be happening in any city.

 

[FutureMayor]

Social Toronto and Customer Service

Mike,

You have got to understand the you cannot compare GO Train commuters with TTC commuters.

I actually like the fact that it's quite on the GO Train during the entire trip. After a long day at work and school, the last thing people want to hear is more conversation and noise. Hell I've known friends who are afraid to answer their cell phones while on the GO Train.

As for the TTC, I think commuters are very social. I love the spontanious conversations you can have with people. Just thinking back recently, I had a conversation with a group of Yankee Fans on their way to the game, and I got into a conversation with these two girls who wanted to try that Proactive stuff. I told them it was a waste of money and told them about several of my friends used the product. I also share newspapers with others.

That's why I'm such a strong advocate of keeping the "L" shaped seats on our subway cars. I believe it encourage spontanious conversations with fellow riders because it forces you to face each other. The proposed seating design in the new cars would eleminate this intimate setting.

Customer Service

I don't know why everyone complains about customer servicein Toronto. I believe we are on par with other American cities.

I believe customer service runs both ways, if you come across as being a pain in the ass right from the beginning, what does one expect?

When I think about it, I haven't had a bad experience in a while, from waitress at one of my favorite restaurants, to the girl helping my friend and I out in the H & M changeroom, to the GO Bus driver who makes these flight attendent style annoucements, generally speaking customer service in Toronto is good.

Louroz

 

[scarberiankhatru]

"I believe it encourage spontanious conversations with fellow riders because it forces you to face each other."

Maybe one in every ten thousand random pairings actually results in spontaneous conversation.

 

[samsonyuen]

Whenever I visit family and friends in Toronto, the thing I think of is that people are so friendly! I guess it's because Londoners aren't known for their friendliness. I've always thought for a big city, Torontonians are kind.

On another point, I think it's great that there are so many park projects around the city. I'd still like to have a few parkettes right in the middle of the city though.