Have you ever experienced southern hospitality? Instead of rattling off a bunch of cities lets stick to the "Chars;" Charlotte, NC, Charlottesville, VA, Charleston, SC?
You were "suspicious"? So what, do you think I'm lying?
Anyway, I didn't say "NYC in 1989 was all rainbows and smiles," I said people were outgoing, sociable, and friendly. That certainly doesn't mean there wasn't any crime, or that there weren't social problems, but those things are not the same as an unfriendly populace.
My impression of NYC is probably more influenced by later visits, but I certainly don't recall any particular difference in people's overall demeanor in 1989 (and that would have been surprising; such things don't change quickly).
As a visitor I no doubt avoided the nastiest areas of the city, but spent quite a bit of time walking around in Manhattan (though the farthest north I ever got was just north of Columbia). And yeah, people were friendly. In 1989. In 1991. In 1994. ...etc...
Maybe you have a different opinion, but I very much stand by what I wrote.
That was so blatantly obvious that it is a little weird that you thought you needed to mention it.
I think its mind blowing that someone could think that the general vibe in NYC (let alone friendliest city in US) was the same in 89, 97, 01-02, 06, 09? If you dont like years that is crack epidemic, Giuliani crime cleanup, pre/post 9/11, bull market, and housing crash.
I dunno; the first time I visited NYC was in 1989, the last time a few years ago. Details always vary of course, but the general vibe always seemed pretty much the same to me.
[By reputation, the 1970s were sort of a low point for NYC in general, but I don't know how that was reflected in peoples' behavior...]