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New Jersey Notebook: Don’t bother me: Not everybody is willing to help you in America

US fans

Fans gather to watch the Group D Fifa World Cup match between the United States and Turkey at Pier 62 in Seattle on June 25, 2026.

Photo credit: Reuters

What you need to know:

  • No matter how polite you are when asking for direction or assistance in the streets and subways, you will likely be met with a frown.
  • In contrast to the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, the tournament here in the US is conspicuously lacking heavy police presence.

In New Jersey

After spending about two weeks on the roads, streets and buildings of New York and New Jersey and interacting with locals, I have come to the conclusion that the typical American does not like being bothered by strangers.