I don't think so. Often I see people in the UK breaking rules like that and it's almost never mentioned.
But it wasn't just that he mentioned it. It was the way he mentioned it. That the only possible reason for us to not be following the rules was that we must not know them.
That's a possible interpretation as well. But having travelled extensively (and I'm not the rule breaker in most cases), there are very very different approaches to rules and laws even within Europe.
There is a section of Europe where following the rules is what you do (to be clear it's not just Germany[0]). It's assumed that you're going to follow the rules. Adults don't need to be policed in this way. The rules are there for a reason (second order thinking).
Then there are large parts of Europe where there are rules but if they're not enforced then people will by and large not obey them. See, for example, the UK putting in smart motorways (aka, average speed cameras), because before that people would fly up the motor way well above the speed limit.
The Autobahn might have areas with no speed limit, but on the sections that HAVE speed limits you'd be hard pressed to find someone breaking those limits.
I grew up in Australia where it's somewhere between the two. The enforcement of the rules is strict. I once got a jaywalking ticket for crossing an empty road in Melbourne (long story, but it's also one of my stupider moments because it wasn't like the police were behind a bush, they hopped off the same tram I did).
I haven't had a speeding or parking ticket since I left Australia.
Though, circling back to my Stuttgart story, if someone approached you about rule breaking in Australia you can almost guarantee that you'd have pissed them off to the point it would not have been polite. In Paris, as well, I have been yelled at (in French) for dog poop on a sidewalk that wasn't even my dogs -- yes, I do always pick up after my dog.
[0]: Even within Germany I'm sure there are variations on this.
This is simply not true. Most people in New York would not say anything, regardless of whether they support the law or not. I saw people without masks on the subway every day while they were required and nobody ever said anything to them.
I'd imagine that comes partially from risk assessment. Is the risk of a highly negative interaction worth highlighting the rules infraction? AKA, is it potentially worth my life to tell someone they aren't following the rules.
This doesn’t change my point. There are a lot of people who were for mask mandates (whether you agree with them or not), and where I live, they typically didn’t confront people who were disobeying.
I don't think so. Often I see people in the UK breaking rules like that and it's almost never mentioned.
But it wasn't just that he mentioned it. It was the way he mentioned it. That the only possible reason for us to not be following the rules was that we must not know them.
I live in Germany. Our park has a daily meet up of dog owners letting their dogs roam.
The rule says they should be on the leash.
Nobody follows it.
Your anecdote is stronger than my anecdote :)
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Wasn't it just being polite?
That's a possible interpretation as well. But having travelled extensively (and I'm not the rule breaker in most cases), there are very very different approaches to rules and laws even within Europe.
There is a section of Europe where following the rules is what you do (to be clear it's not just Germany[0]). It's assumed that you're going to follow the rules. Adults don't need to be policed in this way. The rules are there for a reason (second order thinking).
Then there are large parts of Europe where there are rules but if they're not enforced then people will by and large not obey them. See, for example, the UK putting in smart motorways (aka, average speed cameras), because before that people would fly up the motor way well above the speed limit.
The Autobahn might have areas with no speed limit, but on the sections that HAVE speed limits you'd be hard pressed to find someone breaking those limits.
I grew up in Australia where it's somewhere between the two. The enforcement of the rules is strict. I once got a jaywalking ticket for crossing an empty road in Melbourne (long story, but it's also one of my stupider moments because it wasn't like the police were behind a bush, they hopped off the same tram I did).
I haven't had a speeding or parking ticket since I left Australia.
Though, circling back to my Stuttgart story, if someone approached you about rule breaking in Australia you can almost guarantee that you'd have pissed them off to the point it would not have been polite. In Paris, as well, I have been yelled at (in French) for dog poop on a sidewalk that wasn't even my dogs -- yes, I do always pick up after my dog.
[0]: Even within Germany I'm sure there are variations on this.
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> Often I see people in the UK breaking rules like that and it's almost never mentioned.
Because UK people generally don't care about breaking the rules of no-BBQ in the park. What happens though when someone jumps a queue?
This is simply not true. Most people in New York would not say anything, regardless of whether they support the law or not. I saw people without masks on the subway every day while they were required and nobody ever said anything to them.
I'd imagine that comes partially from risk assessment. Is the risk of a highly negative interaction worth highlighting the rules infraction? AKA, is it potentially worth my life to tell someone they aren't following the rules.
It is partly that, and partly because so many people are breaking rules constantly that it just seems normal.
America: where you get shot asking someone to pick up their dog's poop.
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Good.
Mask mandates are an extremely unskilled method of encouraging a behaviour.
The mandate resulted in many people putting any old piece of cloth over their faces.
Mask mandates enabled the topic to become a political issue.
Therefore, the refusal of many to comply is the more correct decisions.
Stupid rules should be broken, and the rule makers ridiculed and removed from office.
If your response to a crisis to become a tyrant, you are not fit to lead.
> Mask mandates are an extremely unskilled method of encouraging a behaviour.
Not where I live.
> The mandate resulted in many people putting any old piece of cloth over their faces.
Not where I live.
> Mask mandates enabled the topic to become a political issue.
Not where I live.
> Therefore, the refusal of many to comply is the more correct decisions.
No, it's actually, how did you put it?, “an extremely unskilled” response.
> Stupid rules should be broken
Agreed, but a rule isn't automatically stupid just because you don't like it.
This doesn’t change my point. There are a lot of people who were for mask mandates (whether you agree with them or not), and where I live, they typically didn’t confront people who were disobeying.