Dude, L.A.'s not that rude

Not to be rude or anything, but at some point a bunch of vacationing New Yorkers must have had their fill of sunshine, beach sand, hiking trails and happiness, and gone home. We figure that's the reason New York reclaimed its title of the nation's rudest city in this year's Travel + Leisure survey — and the reason Los Angeles gave up its three-year reign in the top spot and dropped to No. 4.

Not that Los Angeles really deserves that position either. As cities go, we're pretty nice. Really. Next time you get cut off in traffic, check the plates of the offending vehicle. Surely they're not white with blue lettering.

And the reason we don't stop on the street to cheerfully give directions? No, it's not just because we're in our cars instead of on the sidewalk. Or even because we're absorbed in the sunshine and the moment, or making deals on our smartphones. The fact is, this is not a little island. It's a big city. We simply don't know how many blocks it is from Alvarado to Alameda.

There may be something else at work in these surveys as well — some L.A. envy, or some subtle pro-New York prejudice among magazine writers. Check out, for example, the online photo accompanying the story in which the Big Apple reclaims the dubious crown. It's a shouting woman in sunglasses at the wheel of a convertible. Hey, we're No. 4! Where's the photo of the snarling cabbie or the grouchy subway rider?

New York actually gets props in the magazine for its attitude. See, a New York "manners expert" explains, New Yorkers are busy; they have places to go, people to see, things to do. And they're expected to be rude. It's part of their charm.

Should we make a big deal about that double standard? Should we push back a bit? Should we complain that we can't be victims of the stereotype that we're too laid back at the same time we're being called too grumpy?

We could say something. But we won't. That would be rude.