Whenever I come back up to WNY (a handful of times a year) it is noticeable how much more standoffish people are relative to the south. In Texas people are over the top "nice" to strangers and regularly strike up conversation, even when I'm trying my hardest to look like a miserable ####### (not very hard for me). It strikes me as saccharine and artificial but that is the outward presentation to the world. They may not be very nice people at all if I got to know them. WNY is a smaller community so people stay in their circles or cliques and generally leave strangers alone in most contexts. They may be the most generous or kindest people on earth but that is not the first impression you get.