cultural laws

In england you're not allowed to talk to people you don't know, even if they have a t-shirt on it that says "please talk to me". There needs to be some sort of unspoken request allow before any audible communication is permitted.

For instance, if you're wearing a cap that has the logo of a sports team on it, someone may want to tell you that they support the team too, so they might subtly nod. Your responses can be one of many:

• A nod combined with a half smirk, half smile smile combined with a short exhalation through the nose means "I see you support the team. While I appreciate that, I don't support them, I just like the cap. Don't talk to me"
  
  
• A nod and smile means "I support them too, but don't talk to me"
  
  
• A nod, grunt and smile means "I support them too. If you want to talk, you're now welcome" (The grunt simply initialises audible communication).
  

This incredibly english subtlety combined with understated gestures defines the culture, but is wholly and sorely misunderstood, nay, unnoticed, by others. Wearing a sports cap in the states, for instance, is a license to have people talk crap to at you.

When I move there I'm going to have to be forgiving. Bless their souls, they just don't get it.