A new Rough Guide to England has just been published, and understandably it does not mince its words, saying that talking to strangers, especially in London, “can be seen as tantamount to physical assault“. As a resident of London that strikes me as very close to the truth! I have helped my share of tourists to find their way, but then again I am not born and bred here… I do wish visitors would not block the escalators in the Underground with bags though! The guide also says that the English are “overweight, alcopop-swilling, sex-and-celebrity obsessed television addicts“. No comment on that one. Anyway, this article from The Sun and this from the BBC give some more information.