u/Obviousi

I’ve always believed in "being the change you want to see," and I make a point to treat every new interaction in this city with a clean slate. But after eight months of commuting and walking my dog, I have to speak up about a toxic pattern I'm seeing every single day.
Here are just a couple of everyday observations:

-The Door Holding: The other day, I held the lobby door open for someone living in my own building. Instead of a quick "thanks" or even a nod, they just breezed right past me without a single word of acknowledgment, instantly transitioning into enthusiastically greeting the friends who were waiting for them outside.

-The Sidewalk Chicken: My girlfriend, our dog, and I are out for a walk. We see another couple approaching, so we respectfully drop into single-file, tucking the dog onto the grass to make plenty of room. The approaching couple makes eye contact and.. doesn't budge. They don't yield an inch. Sometimes they even spread out and take up more space, often brushing shoulders with one of us.

When I first moved here, I was genuinely culture-shocked by the complete lack of basic pleasantries. I used to try to break the ice, like offering a nod or a quick "good morning," but even when they make eye contact, they usually just quickly look away.
Eight months in, my standards have hit rock bottom. I don't even expect pleasantries anymore; I’d just be thrilled if people had the bare minimum courtesy to reciprocate making space for others.
People always defend this city by saying Vancouverites just "keep to themselves." But there is a massive difference between being introverted and being entitled. Asserting dominance over a sidewalk isn't keeping to yourself, it’s actively imposing on others.

As someone who genuinely values community, it's exhausting. It makes me want to just put my head down, keep to myself, and avoid everyone just so I don't have to play sidewalk chicken when I’m already walking nicely on my side of the path.
This behavior is completely backwards and nobody seems to call it out. I know I’m not the only one feeling this way. Who else is exhausted by this, and how do you deal with it?

Has anyone tried both the megamat duo vs higher end knockoffs like lost horizon, acacia, and hikenture equivalents and can confirm that the quality and feel (and warranty) justifies the 2-3x cost difference? Cheers!