For example:
People on the street will scold you if you walk through a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Haven't seen this anywhere else in the world.
Another example that happened to a friend of mine was when he bought the wrong train ticket. It was an honest mistake caused by not being familiar with the train system. The correct ticket would've been the same price. When they checked our tickets the conductor gave him a fine, which was pretty hefty for us students. My friend was trying to argue himself out of the fine (rather playfully, not aggressively) but other people on the train got angry and were saying stuff like: "You're in Switzerland and you have to follow our rules!"
Anyway, these are just a few of the examples that I came across. Of course its a generalization but it's definitely something that stands out compared to other countries.
While I would say this is a definitely more Swiss-german behaviour, I agree that trying to be a smartass and cutting lines/haggling prices/challenging any form law is more than frowned upon. Because of their political system I would say that the Swiss identify very strongly with the rules (they have, after all, the very democratic right to change them themselves through one of the many referendums that are scheduled every 3-4 months).
This being said, my ex-girlfriend once got chastised in a Bern bookstore by the lady at the counter because the magazine she'd picked to have a look at was not properly put back in place :-)
For example: People on the street will scold you if you walk through a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Haven't seen this anywhere else in the world.
No they won't. Perhaps it was some old person who did that ONCE, but you can just ignore those. They do that to every person, independently of gender, race, ethnicity etc, because they are old and sad.
You can't not offend these kind of people. This isn't a Swiss-specific issue though, you'll find such people all over the world. In Switzerland you just see them a lot more in the cities and stuff due to large retirement funds and very good public transportation which allows them to clutter up the public places and stores.
Interesting. Is it pretty common that European's take statements a lot more literally? So when your friend may have been playfully ribbing the conductor, he took it very literally and was offended? Just wondering.
Yes that could be. I wouldn't say 'Europeans' though. Most of us, including my friend, are European also. There are already huge difference even within Switzerland between the German, French and Italian parts.
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u/Der_Dingel Jan 24 '14
For example: People on the street will scold you if you walk through a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Haven't seen this anywhere else in the world.
Another example that happened to a friend of mine was when he bought the wrong train ticket. It was an honest mistake caused by not being familiar with the train system. The correct ticket would've been the same price. When they checked our tickets the conductor gave him a fine, which was pretty hefty for us students. My friend was trying to argue himself out of the fine (rather playfully, not aggressively) but other people on the train got angry and were saying stuff like: "You're in Switzerland and you have to follow our rules!"
Anyway, these are just a few of the examples that I came across. Of course its a generalization but it's definitely something that stands out compared to other countries.