9 hours of non-stop rain

God knows how Jones is fairing , probably done herself in by now.

Why is it , that a shit June (and sometimes July as well) follows a fantastic spring?

2008 was a good example , great spring followed by headlines about BBQ summers and water shortage , but ends with two months of incessant rain

been pissing it down in london all w/end but stopped now, as long as i can get to the pub for 6 without getting wet, i don't mind

i've been wondering more recently, why people get so fecking wound up about the weather here, it really is a british thing

we have a temperate, inconsistent weather system and it's always been like that but people forever moan about it being too hot, too cold, too wet, too humid - why don't we just say "that's weather for you" and crack on?

i can't imagine people on the equator moaning about it being hot all the time or nips moaning that it's too earthquaky, they probably just get on with it

weather talk is just a form of opening a conversation or acknowledging a stranger on a safe subject Abdul. It could be any safe conversation subject really, but because of the issues you raised , the weather fits the bill nicely and has become common. IE , it always offers a a headline comment

so what would a converstation starter be in japan or the sahara then?

"nice camel mate, is that the sports version?"

"fancy sharing a whale kebab, luv?"

Abdul Kowalski wrote:so what would a converstation starter be in japan or the sahara then?

No idea , its a different culture in Japan (the sahara?)

In Mediterranean Countries , where the weather does not force the population into their houses for 8 months a year , people have developed far less clumsy, more open ways of socialising. The UK has an aggressive, private and suspicious population , rules are needed for simple social interaction to avoid misunderstandings etc. The weather is a perfect fir for it.

Kit wrote:

Abdul Kowalski wrote:so what would a converstation starter be in japan or the sahara then?

No idea , its a different culture in Japan (the sahara?)

In Mediterranean Countries , where the weather does not force the population into their houses for 8 months a year , people have developed far less clumsy, more open ways of socialising. The UK has an aggressive, private and suspicious population , rules are needed for simple social interaction to avoid misunderstandings etc. The weather is a perfect fir for it.

where I live it's understandable, you see someone on the street you think "is that a wrongun?" first of all, I can't imagine med countries have societies that are so dishonourable or dishonest as ours, as in you could go out without locking all windows, doors and putting the alarm on - leave something valuable in a pub and it's a goner, etc

i am going down the boozer shortly, i shall say nothing, get a beer and move to the smoking area and see what the conversation opener offered is: Grand Prix 6/4, weather 7/4, state of the pub 5/2, 10/1 Bar (not the bar)

Its different in a pub , there are more acceptable topics (as you listed) because the clientèle is similar.

Try going up a an old lady on a bus stop , smiling , then saying "Pishhh , that Hamilton hey , could have changed his tyres two laps earlier"

Or alternatively "Morning , raining again"

Funnily enough , it also runs alongside the question

"why do Mediterranean people beep their car horns at every opportunity , but its rare in the UK"

Same reasons as above posts.

Basically , do it in the UK , somebody will stab you/ drag you out of your car.

An Island race of people who are often violent and have poor undeveloped social skills, especially when involved in confrontation.

fucking raining again, i will now get wet

oh well, i'll be dry by the second pint

a further example is queueing in the UK, and the way people do it , with what foreigners see as quaint politeness lol

It has nothing to do with politeness , its simply another example of "weather talk" , we need rules in simple situations that everyone abides too , if people behaved like they do in a queue abroad like in Italy , it would not be accepted , there would be fights and killings on a daily basis.

Do not question the rules you live by, they have been established over hundreds of years for protection

Abdul Kowalski wrote:"nice camel mate, is that the sports version?"

"fancy sharing a whale kebab, luv?"

Kit wrote:Its different in a pub , there are more acceptable topics (as you listed) because the clientèle is similar.

Try going up a an old lady on a bus stop , smiling , then saying "Pishhh , that Hamilton hey , could have changed his tyres two laps earlier"

Or alternatively "Morning , raining again"

I always get talking to old people,I must have got a friendly face.but then again , everyone talks to one another here, its supposed to be the biggest village in england

rain fucked my day yesterday , put a bet on the tennis now im gonna have to try and watch it at work

Abdul Kowalski wrote:so what would a converstation starter be in japan or the sahara then?

Japan - "So, how about that Second World War, hey? You must have thought you had it wrapped up at one stage?"

Sahara - "So, have you ever seen a grown man naked?" or "Yes, it's true, the male mouth is identical to the female mouth in EVERY way"