Providence and Boston Make Rudest Cities List
If it is meant as an insult, the cities of Providence and Boston are in the company of some other great cities here in the U.S. Both made the "Top 30 Rudest Cities list. However, some very nice other cities including Phoenix, San Diego, Charlotte, Dallas and New Haven also share that distinction.
The "rudest" list was recently published on the MSN.com website, and comes from Travel and Leisure magazine. The article says it's readers ranked Providence as America's 13th most-rude city because residents are "aloof" when it comes to manners and politeness. I have not spent enough time in Providence to have noticed that.
As far as Boston goes, it comes in at number 7 on the list. No specific reason is given by the publication other than it's a big city. They also suggest that if visitors to Beantown don't mock the Red Sox or Patriots, they should be fine.