Then be prepared to run fast.

Aside from the behavior of drivers on the road which you have already discussed long ago on this blog, I also immediately think of the behavior by skiers in lift lines. I can still remember in Austria how European nationals coming off the slope with residual speed would unhesitatingly cut right in front of those already in line waiting for the lift, to include unhesitatingly scraping right over your skis without even a backwards glance.

I saw similar things in Saudi Arabia, for example at an airport terminal desk when checking in for a flight to get a boarding pass. No such thing as a line or a cordon of movable rope barriers; I suppose the airlines must have given up on the idea long ago. Saudis (males only naturally) would just converge from all directions and go right up to the agents.

I learned to get to the terminal early. One time I decided to just stand back for a while and watch to see how long it took me. Finally one of the ticket agents noticed me, inferred what I was doing, and waved me over. Even as he did so, he literally had to hold out his hand and wave off others who kept barging right up to him while I approached.

I suppose it has to do with learned behavior in the public space from an early age. I guess people in most foreign countries learn to compartmentalize, to "zone out" others as just so many inanimate objects.

A fascinating insight into sociology. Especially with the Saudis, because when they do engage on a personal level they go to the opposite extreme — traditional Bedouin courtesy extended to visiting strangers makes it mandatory that time be taken for personal conversation and that coffee and tea be served to visitors.

Americans are the best in the world in their public behavior from what I have seen and read, an ironic thing indeed given our reputation. At a personal level we can be brusque — if someone stopped us in the street for directions most would try to give a quick and helpful answer, but would never dream of stopping what they are doing to take time for a coffee break.

I suppose all are products of their respective national cultures. I suppose ours is a product of our own national traditions of both "self-reliance" and "fair play", which I definitely prefer over the type of public rudeness you so eloquently describe in this example. I suppose a lot of other people do too, and that helps to account for the net trend of immigration/emigration (ie a lot more people trying to get into the USA rather than out!).

I was particularly interested in your personal treatment by the various cops. I suspect it has to do with "face"; presumably no ROK policeman would dare to risk being perceived as taking the side of a clearly American caucasian soldier, in front of a crowd of his fellow citizens? It's anecdotes like this that confirm me in my belief that it's long past time for us to bring the troops home.