I love Statistics Canada!

[electricland]

Rural Canadians are almost four times as likely to know more of their neighbours but are no more likely to help them than their urban compatriots (more details from the Globe)

Just as I always suspected.

Comments

[eniran.livejournal.com]

I can't say that I've done it in the last month really, as the only neighbours I've even seen since I've moved were moving in the same day. Actually, I did help them move some stuff off their truck, but that was only cause I wanted them to move so I could get out and get some food.

But... point is coming I promise... I did help the old neighbours often. The old lady next door got a few lifts to her bingo games... the woman upstairs got a lift to the gorcery store when they said that they didn't deliver after 5pm... and the girl before that got an ear and a beer when things went sour with her boi.

I guess I'm just living up to my "friendliest" title that I got in high school though.

[swestrup]

One of the many advantages to being married to a gregarious wife, is that taxlady is getting to know the neighbors.

I've lived in this place for 15 years, and I never even learned the names of the people I would meet every day as I went to work. Now, its not unusual for my wife to chat with them and tell me who's who, and what's going on.

[electricland.livejournal.com]

My dad is amazing that way, too. He knows EVERYBODY in my parents' neighbourhood (which can be embarrassing when I'm wandering along in my usual oblivion and six people greet me by name). I keep hoping that gene will kick in for me, but it hasn't so far.

[nellisir.livejournal.com]

I'm not Canadian, but.... I've found part of the difference to be a question of percentages. In the country, I knew all 8 or 10 of my neighbors. In the city, I know the same number of people, but that's only a little ways down the block. I imagine it'd be even worse in an apartment.

And I didn't always help my neighbors because I didn't see them that often. The opportunity wasn't presented.

Sorry. I always end up feeling defensive here. ;-)

[electricland.livejournal.com]

I think that makes complete sense (and one of the statisticians quoted in the second article makes the same point). It's much harder to know ALL your neighbours in the city, because there are so many more of them. Doesn't make us city-dwellers any nastier or less sociable. ;)