If it's the third week of January, it's time for media outlets to regurgitate Travel & Leisure's annual reader survey of America's "favorite" cities. Bite-size tabloid AM New York was quick to cough up a cover story today about how we're just not that friendly, and the Daily News also reports that "out-of-towners have ranked New York as the No. 1 city — in rudeness." But as we pointed out last time this bullshit survey resurfaced, the word "rude" isn't part of Travel & Leisure's survey, which ranks cities by how friendly its residents are. And just because you're not perceived as "friendly" doesn't mean you're rude! For instance, it might mean you're simply busy and don't have time to cheerfully pour iced tea for every needy hayseed tourist blocking the tourist lane.
"New York ultimately claimed the title of No. 1 rudest city," reports Travel & Leisure, once again misrepresenting their own stupid survey, just like last year and the year before that. According to their readers, New York City residents are the least friendly in America (last year these "readers" said LA locals were the most unfriendly). This time around, LA is the fourth least-friendly city, while Miami ranks second and D.C. third and blah blah blah click on the ads! Far be it from us to question Travel & Leisure's scientific rigor, but again: this meaningless survey is just a cheap way to get people to click through on a slideshow and remember—if only for a brief, exasperating moment—that Travel & Leisure is still a thing that exists. Enter NOW for a chance to win a DREAM VACATION to somewhere FRIENDLY! Like, say, New York City, tourists' favorite city in America.
Asked about the survey's legitimacy, Gothamist 2011 said, "Anybody who's ever visited NYC knows the old stereotype of the boorish, inconsiderate New Yorker is just a canard... Stop and ask a New Yorker for directions and others will immediately gather, competing to guide you. Fall onto the subway tracks and New Yorkers will risk their lives to save you. Hell, even our bank robbers are polite." But don't take our word for it, let's do a reader survey of our own!
