I have reluctantly come to the conclusion it is partly due to lack of respect. In the UK I had conversations with people, not conscious of their gender. Here, if I catch someone's eye at the bus stop by complete accident, he thinks it is reasonable to expect me to put his number in my phone. I am married but even so have had these situations that have made my flesh crawl. I don't agree that its the same the world over, it is not so in the west. Gypsy, I share your frustrations, it IS weird!