Actually, that depends on the type of bar. At a Donnelly Group bar, absolutely.

But at the older not-quite-dive bars, often attached to a motel and frequented by truckers, good conversation between strangers can still be had.

Unfortunately, those bars are disappearing rapidly. 25 years ago, I lived across the street from one, and there were another two nearby. Maybe five or six in my neighbourhood. Now there is only one left, and it is struggling to stay open.