Every time I go to Russia by car I notice one interesting behavior. When I ask to merge or turn, most of the drivers give me the way almost instantaneously, no one’s honking if it took me some time on the traffic light to start the movement, and overall people on the road are nice and friendly.
But everyone who lived in Russia or any other post-Soviet country for a few years knows how people actually drive there. Drivers are rude, impatient, and rarely would be sympathetic to others… except foreigners.
The reason here is probably due to our double standards. We think foreigners aren’t a threat for us since you don’t have to compete with them for a better living. That’s why they receive our best treatment. And people surrounding us each day are our ‘fierce competitors’, even though we’re essentially in the same boat with them unlike with those who come to us for a short visit.
I can only imagine how much better world we would be living in when we could give to people surrounding us the same amount of kindness as to foreigners.