Does anyone remember Bill Bryson's TV version of "Notes from a small island" and the "Malham Wave"? Same thing as BWL describes, except done in Yorkshire (and usually by farmers driving Landies).

Shop-owners are professionally courteous, but don't expect them to remember you unless you've done something particularly distinctive.

I personally try not to chat too much to our neighbours. They're nice enough but mostly they're thick as two short planks, and one woman in particular is *very* hard to shake off once she's started talking.

Graham.