Whether it’s people being rude to restaurant staff, commuters not letting people off their carriage on the tube, or bus passengers blaring music out of their phone, mounting anecdotal evidence suggests London is getting ruder.
According to a study in 2022, rudeness has been on the rise globally for years, with 76 per cent of people experiencing incivility at least once a month, compared with just 55 per cent in 2011.
A 2023 survey revealed 90 per cent of theatre staff reported having directly experienced or witnessed poor audience behaviour, with 50 per cent considering quitting as a result.
Stats from the travel sector also show growing signs of civil rudeness; the most recent TfL figures suggest that public transport-based crime and anti-social behaviour are up by 30 per cent compared to the same period a year before.
Network Rail has also published statistics, showing that nine out of 10 of its workers in the biggest stations in its Southern Region, which includes the SWR network, have suffered abuse, including verbal abuse and physical assaults.
In this episode of The Standard podcast, features journalist Maddy Mussen explains her research into the growing levels of rudeness in the capital.
Maddy also explains what rudeness experts believe is the cause of this drop in public politeness, and describes what she believes needs to change to reverse this trend of poor etiquette in the capital.
You can listen to the full episode of The Standard podcast above, find us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you stream your podcasts.
