• Sweden edition
Society

'Norwegians bad at queuing': Swedish poll

Published: 3 Aug 12 07:05 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/42392/20120803/

In a show of neighbourly discord, a majority of Swedes polled by a tabloid Thursday said they thought Norwegians were poor at queueing amid a host of other gripes.


Of the more than 3,800 people who responded to the question "Are Norwegians bad at queuing?" on the Expressen web site, 59 percent said "yes, very", while only eight percent answered "no, they excel at it."

The poll comes after a sociological study from Karlstad university on Swedish border residents found Swedes to be increasingly annoyed with their wealthier neighbours.

"It's surprising how many negative things" Swedes have to say about Norwegians, the author of the study, Eva Olsson, told the Swedish news agency TT.

Swedes were once accustomed to saving pennies by buying their butter and cream across the border, but the tables have since turned, with Norway growing richer thanks to its oil and gas exports.

Swedes now feel flooded by Norwegians, Olsson said in an interview on Swedish public radio. She said she worried the antagonism in border areas would degenerate into a social crisis.

Poor queue etiquette aside, the Swedes also have other bones to pick with their neighbours.

They claim Norwegians "don't know how to drive at roundabouts, they park in
disabled areas... are immoral and buy lots of tobacco and alcohol," according to accounts from the study, quoted by Expressen.

In 2011, Norwegians spent 11.5 billion Norwegian kroner (1.6 billion euros, $1.9 billion) in Sweden in 2011, according to Swedish official data.

"We'd be poor were it not for the Norwegians," TT said.

AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.se)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

10:30 August 3, 2012 by Spuds MacKenzie
Umm, yeah: Swedes are soooo good at queing for the busses and tunnelbanna, huh?
11:44 August 3, 2012 by matona1
Please what happen to the comments section of this article (EDL in Stockholm for 'counter-jihad' meet)

Is this some kind of support for the EDL or what?why do you even write about it at all when you know you are going to deny people the of comments?
11:48 August 3, 2012 by heu
@Spuds MacKenzie: exactly my thoughts! Swedes can't queue either, they require a nummerlapp.
15:15 August 3, 2012 by jbkulp
Hmmm. Now Swedes know what the Norwegians felt like when they were flooding across their borders.
22:11 August 3, 2012 by bjorkon
#4 what do you mean they can't queue either. Swedes LOVE to queue. Every shop, school waiting list, chemist, systembolaget, boat parking place .. you name it, there is a huge queue. There is no respect to the precious resource of people's time. The fact people in Sweden (or Norway for that matter) put up with long queues for everything says just how dysfunctional life is here.

Sweden - please don't tolerate these queues. Go elsewhere (if you can) or find a way to cut-in to the front like the rest of the world !!
01:21 August 4, 2012 by Ian C. Purdie - Sydney
"are immoral and buy lots of tobacco and alcohol"

That's immoral? Crikey.
12:20 August 4, 2012 by HorstRadisch
Of course it's immoral, Ian. Haven't you ever been to Sweden? Nobody drinks alcohol or smokes tobacco here! It's a well-known fact that the Systembolaget has solved ALL of the alcohol problems in Sweden, and it's therefore only a matter of time before the rest of the world follows suit.

(In case any Americans are reading this, that was irony. Not very good irony, I admit, but irony nonetheless).
13:31 August 4, 2012 by Marc the Texan
Thanks for the parenthetical HorstRadisch. I'm now able to fully appreciate the full blossoming banality of your sense of irony. Looking forward to more helpful parenthetical notes.
13:03 August 5, 2012 by Camlon
I am really happy Norwegians don't like queing. That means there is less tolerance for long lines.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Frozen raspberries could spread vomiting bug

Frozen raspberries could spread vomiting bug

Imported frozen raspberries should be boiled before eaten according to new advice from Sweden's National Food Agency, which warns that the berries may carry the novo virus that is more known for causing winter vomiting disease. READ () »

Fashion Fix
Jeepers creepers, your shoes hurt my peepers

Jeepers creepers, your shoes hurt my peepers

In The Local's new Fashion Fix column on Swedish trends, Englishwoman Victoria Hussey gets up close and personal with shoes - namely "brothel creepers" from WWII that have been making a steady return to Stockholm pavements. READ () »

Body of lonely Swedish patient forgotten for days

Body of lonely Swedish patient forgotten for days

A deceased patient who had no relatives was left in a room for five days at the Örebro University Hospital before staff realized the body was still there. READ () »

Scab row as students disrupt bus strike

Scab row as students disrupt bus strike

Stockholm bus traffic was at a standstill Wednesday as drivers launched a major strike at midnight, but a group of Conservative youths disrupted the action by replacing a bus route between two of the city's major hospitals. READ () »

Tax bill for politician's ties to far-right site

Tax bill for politician's ties to far-right site

Sweden Democrat MP Kent Ekeroth has to pay tax for money sent to his bank account as donations to two far-right websites that he claims to have nothing to do with editorially. READ () »

Sweden to send 160 troops in Mali mission

Sweden to send 160 troops in Mali mission

Sweden's parliament has voted to send up to 160 troops to Mali in July in an effort to support peace and security in the west African nation. READ () »

The Local List
Top ten ways you know you've turned Swedish

Top ten ways you know you've turned Swedish

For some foreigners living in Sweden, a natural "inner Swede" can develop that often doesn't show its face until you're back home again. The Local's Patrick Reilly lists the top ten ways this inner-Swede can change your life. READ () »

Extreme-right sites beat political party pages

Extreme-right sites beat political party pages

Far-right websites in Sweden are receiving so much traffic they are seven times more popular than the established political parties' online portals. READ () »

More Society

 

RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER AND ALERTS
 

 

Highlights
Elodie Pradet/The Local WikiCommons Private/Scanpix Scanpix fastighetsbyrån.se Elodie Pradet/The Local File photo: AP File photo: Scanpix Private Göran Höglund/Flickr Finest.se Scanpix Ann Törnkvist Stefan Larsson Private DoToday Scanpix, C More The Local Finest.se Facebook The Local Scanpix Ann Törnkvist/The Local Henrik Montgomery/Scanpix CDC/Wikipedia (File) kristja/sxc.hu (File) Fastighetsbyrån Swedish expats use book club to survive London Finest.se Sergei Grits Silence/WikiCommons Oliver Gee Oliver Gee Scanpix veidekke/Flickr Eddie Gee David V. Hughes

 

Latest news from The Local in Germany

More news from Germany at thelocal.de

Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »


Blog Update: Stripes News

13 June 22:03

This weeks results..week 24/25 »

"A weekend full of surprises and LFC football. Results look like this: Div 5 Men won 4-2, K1 lost 5-0, K2 won 2-1, Vets lost 3-2, R1 lost 4-1. Korpen Ladies play Monday night and on the 26th the Div5 Men close the first half season with the last match before the summer kicks in. /LFC " READ »

Trade binary options
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Therapy in English
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Counseling in English
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now