Why don't new neighbours introduce themselves anymore ???

Geenie

I think it is very sad that neighbours can't make some sort of contact. It is a sign of the times. People being found dead after weeks, and no one noticing.

You don't have to be in each others pockets. I grew up as a child in the 60's. The whole street knew each other in some way. Certain people were more friendly then others, and those that wanted to keep a bit of distance were allowed, but everyone knew who lived next door.

There was a sense of space, but also looking out for each other, which has continued to this day in the same street. My mother in her 80's has still many friends via her neighbours. Their offspring, who I grew up with, still call on her to this day.

It is the younger people in her street who don't talk to their neighbours. They have everything, yet can't be bothered to converse or even see who is living next door. Interiors are what matter to them, not people.

The problem is, one day they will also be old.

GothicStirling

I live in an old Scottish tenament building, there are six flats.

We all know each other, two of the flats are student properties so they come and go. We have two B&B's on the street, so we know the owners. One neighbour we know from an incident. I came out the front door to see the neighbor had parked on double yellow lines and had attracted the interest of a parking warden. I was asked 'is this yours?' I replied 'no' and pointed to the neighbours house just as he came through the front door.

Kara_P

We moved into our first house a couple of months ago and introduced ourselves to our immediate neighbours after the first day or two. One is an older gentleman and over the Christmas period we got some of his shopping and took out his bins in the ice/snow etc. We have also introduced ourselves briefly to any neighbours we pass.

We have found out that most people know each other and it seems like a really nice street. Poeple seemed to appreciate us saying hello as well. It is a shame that not all people/streets are like that but then I suppose some people just like keeping to themselves (and some people are just not worth knowing!).

Shelldean

I'm friendly with most of my neighbours, however the new ones next door aren't going to be much fun I fear. As they seem to think it's ok to START drilling at 10.30pm on a Saturday evening ( banged on wall and heard them laughing!!!) Then to START at 11.20pm on a Wens night. This resulted in OH going round and saying can you please not drill, you're waking the kids. Response was OH are we distrubing you? ( Laugh laugh) Didn't realise you could hear us?
Now bearing in mind we can hear them talk and even sneeze am pretty sure they are aware how thin these walls are. But despite that who in their right mind starts drilling at that time of night!!

But everyone else knows every one business here

Blitz01

tiff wrote: »

I wish we were more like the Americans. They are generally welcoming and quite often will bring over something home made as a gift. We lived there for a while and were given a home made cake from a neighbour a few doors down, our retired next door neighbour offered our guests the use of his boat, and all near neighbours came over to introduce themselves.

We used to have a house in Turkey and our Turkish neighbours always used to offer us a plate of food, sometimes fresh fruit cut up or something they had made. The idea was to never return an empty plate, so it could go on for ever!

That is a myth about the Americans.
I used to live in Naperville Illinois, and it is probably the most affluent place to live in the Chicago area.
The neighbours would say hi when they saw you, but they are very very private people.

duchy

I grew up next door to the neighbours from hell. The husband had mental problems and was nothing short of evil. He accused people of all kinds of mad things like poisoning his plants, training cats to pooh on his pansies and some did quite dangerous things like blocking the road with planks and buckets and putting wire across a ladder whilst a neighbour was up it (that neighbour was my Dad-the quietest most mild mannered man in the world and it was the only time he's ever physically gone for someone-with the paintbrush he had in his hand-didn't even hit him just coloured him in LOL). Got to the point the police knew him so well (was all the neighbours not just us) they used to send the rookies round whenever there was a complaint .

Means I really value good neighbours. Over the years I've had all sorts from the ones who are forever popping in and have transitted from neighbours to friends-to those who simply smile or nod when they see you. I do think it's nice to break the ice and say hello to new neighbours-just good manners really. I normally let mine know the hours of the corner shop opposite- as it's handy to know when you've just moved. I'm on speaking terms with all my neighbours-some just to say hello -some are closer to friends . My imediate neighbours have a somewhat um volitile relationship and it gets a bit loud at times but I know them well enough to be able to knock on the door and ask them to keep it down without it getting nasty (I work from home) far better than just seething at the noise and getting stressed. The other side work nights and I see less of them but they are always friendly. If I had a problem there are probably at least four or five doors I could comfortably knock on for help even at silly o clock in an emergency.

Good relationships with neighbours just makes life a little more pleasent-something that escapes the more insular-They don't need to be your best friends just aquaintances -anything more is a bonus.

Gwhiz

Blitz01 wrote: »

That is a myth about the Americans.
I used to live in Naperville Illinois, and it is probably the most affluent place to live in the Chicago area.
The neighbours would say hi when they saw you, but they are very very private people.

I think your experience was probably/maybe due to it being such an affluent area! Maybe people too busy or felt they were too important?

I've lived in a fair few places in the US (my ex wife was a US citizen) and they are typically very hospitable when new people move in.

first78

My partner and I have lived in our current house for 7 years. As a lesbian couple I was worried when we moved into our first house that we wouldn't be accepted by the community...sadly I was pretty correct as most people saw 2 women living together and pretty much ignored us. Our neighbours on one side had teenage kids who occasionally shouted abuse at us! Thankfully the couple of live in the house on the other side have been very accepting of us, they have helped us fix the garden fence, put our bin out when we forget etc.

We're moving house next week and really I'm again quite aprehensive. I do think it's down to the exisiting to neighbours to come and introduce themselves, having said that if I see anyone in the street when we've moved I'm more than happy to say hello. I think it's a shame that there is so little community spirit in some places. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that we've chosen a nice street to move to with people who will get to know us before judging us.

themull1

I bought my house off a lovely lesbian couple, i wish there wasn't prejudice about it. I wouldn't mind in the slightest who my neighbours were as long as they were nice!!:rotfl:

first78

themull1 wrote: »

I bought my house off a lovely lesbian couple, i wish there wasn't prejudice about it. I wouldn't mind in the slightest who my neighbours were as long as they were nice!!:rotfl:

I wish more people felt this way. My move date has been put back til next week so we're still waiting to see what our new neighbour's will be like.