Would you like a smile with that JAFA?

HERALD: Small businesses in Auckland have come out tops in a global survey of politeness. The Reader's Digest global courtesy survey of 35 cities around the world showed a 100 per cent strike rate in a selection of small shops in Auckland that thanked customers for making their purchase. The global average was 75 per cent.

By jillikers, we Aucklanders are polite -- or at least our small businessmen are. Big surprise here, I would have thought, was the city that came first in the "overall courtesy category": New York. Not exactly a city known worldwide for courtesy. Even Newsday was surprised.

In a city with a reputation for being rough 'n ready _ and, frankly, my dear, in-your-face residents seem to be expressing themselves with a new one-finger salute: a raised pinkie.

And the least courteous? The Asian continent apparently, with Mumbai, India, dead last. Anyway, perhaps the key words here are really "admittedly unscientific." File under 'interesting' and 'anecotal.'

LINK: Auckland stars in survey of politeness - NZ Herald
New Yorkers politest people in the world? Yes, says magazine - Newsday

TAGS: Auckland