Helpful in Auckland

Auckland one of world's most helpful cities
20 June 2006 ?

Jafa reputations aside, Auckland has been ranked one of the most courteous cities in the world.

A Reader's Digest survey conducted in 35 various cities across the globe analysed and tested the politeness and helpfulness of people in each urban centre. More than 2000 separate tests of behaviour were conducted to try and find the world's most courteous place.

New York City topped the list and was closely followed by Zurich, Toronto and Berlin. Auckland ranked seventh.

Researchers awarded the cities points for various tests such as holding doors open for other people, assisting in picking up dropped documents and whether shop assistants said 'Thank you' to customers after they paid.

Auckland gained a 97 per cent pass rate in the shop assistant test but only 45 per cent of people held the door open for some one else.

Asian cities featured highly on the survey's least courteous list. Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Bangkok and Seoul were all ranked in the bottom ten. Other unhelpful cities included Sydney, Moscow, Milan and Amsterdam.

The Most Courteous Cities
1 New York, USA 80 per cent
2 Zurich, Switzerland 77 per cent
3 Toronto, Canada 70 per cent
4 Berlin, Germany 68 per cent
5 San Paulo, Brazil 68 per cent
6 Zagreb, Croatia 68 per cent
7 Auckland, New Zealand 67 per cent
8 Warsaw, Poland 67 per cent
9 Mexico City, Mexico 65 per cent
10 Stockholm, Sweden 63 per cent
11 Budapest, Hungary 60 per cent
12 Madrid, Spain 60 per cent
13 Prague, Czech Republic 60 per cent
14 Vienna, Austria 60 per cent
15 Buenos Aires, Argentina 57 per cent
16 Johannesburg, SA 57 per cent
17 Lisbon, Portugal 57 per cent
18 London, UK 57 per cent
19 Paris, France 57 per cent

The Least Courteous Cities
20 Amsterdam, Netherlands 52 per cent
21 Helsinki, Finland 48 per cent
22 Manila, Philippines 48 per cent
23 Milan, Italy 47 per cent
24 Sydney, Australia 47 per cent
25 Bangkok, Thailand 45 per cent
26 Hong Kong 45 per cent
27 Ljubljana, Slovenia 45 per cent
28 Jakarta, Indonesia 43 per cent
29 Taipei, Taiwan 43 per cent
30 Moscow, Russia 42 per cent
31 Singapore 42 per cent
32 Seoul, South Korea 40 per cent
33 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 37 per cent
34 Bucharest, Romania 35 per cent
35 Mumbai, India 32 per cent

From Stuff.co.nz

I'm pretty sure they have the list backward ... NYC as the most helpful city?!? :118: I wonder if they walked around anywhere other than the Upper East Side.