For some people, no good deed goes unpunished. Ignore the rudeness, get what you need from them and move along. It's their problem, not yours.

When you give people things such as respect and kindness they feel entitled to it. The same is also true if you let people walk on you.
I do not commerce with such people. They generally avoid me as well, or soon learn to.
Being rude can be a positive benefit in a world of stooges.
Being a human doormat is often the greater handicap.

May be because people associates "nice with easy to manipulate"?

If I get grief from anyone I just walk away - quite often, its in a shop and athey will run after me sometimes especially if it was seen by a manager. I find walkig away the easiest way to deal with most abuse. I dot think it counts as a mental handicap as people can learn to be civil and respectful to others.

I am reminded of something I heard about " the bonzo dog doo-dar band ". If you don`t know of them they were a kind of alter ogo to the Beatles. Anyway they were travilng across the US in a large car when they were pulled over by a state trouper. He took a look at their long hair and asked " Do you have any drugs? "
" No " said Vivian Stanshall, the band leader.
" Any guns? "
" No " Vivian replied again.
" How do propose to protect yourself then? " the trouper asked.
" With good manors " said Stanshall with perfect English aplomb.

Most people are assholes but do it for you, not them.

I've been working with the public for 40 years. I find that if you are nice to the rude people they often calm down. Because really, unhappy people are rude or mean to get a rise out of you. If you don't react the way they expect you to it throws them off.

I just wasn't raised to be rude.
I'd have to really work at it and I prefer not to.

There's nothing wrong with trying to be decent and kind. As long as it doesn't allow people to walk all over you.

I'll set limits with friends and have with co-workers.

With strangers being nice only seems to improve their day.

Of course I've reached that magical age when all the arseholes see me as "Mom or Auntie". They wouldn't Dare!

What pisses me off is when I am walking in a store somewhere (I'm a fast walker) and I come behind somebody that is walking wayyy slowly. I walk around them and they look at me as if I'm a jerk.

sometimes you, yourself need to be the asshole.

A'holes, the world is full of them, any interaction with them is an opportunity for them to be mean, if you seem nice, means you seem vulnerable, they are bullies, they pick on vulnerable people.
If I am in a bit of a nasty mood, I will feign weakness or uncertainty, lack of knowledge in a subject or lack of general intelligence just to draw them into attacking me. OK, I can be an A'hole too but it is so very satisfying.

By the way, this is also how to get a male love interest to disrespect you also..being submissive, fanatically loyal, and forgiving disrespect, allowing him walk all over you and increase dangerous behaviors.

Normal cis females with high percentages of female traits instinctively know how to manage male love interests..by withdrawing attention the instant he crosses them. First, she becomes distracted, too busy, then if he continues, she's sorry but she has other plans, then she leaves, or kicks him out if he doesnt change his ways.

No. I don't believe it makes a situation worse. It may or may not make it any better, but it doesn't make it worse...And yes, nice people do often get taken advantage of and treated like crap. The obnoxious squeeky wheel gets the grease. Stay nice but learn to say no. I always do way more than what is asked or expected of me so when I say no,(which is not often), they have to respect that. If not, screw them.

There are rude people everywhere, & the problem is theirs'! Continue to be civil & as nice as you feel you can be, or as the situation warrants, & be secure in the knowledge that you are the better person. Let the a-holes run up their own blood pressure & screw up their own psyches. You be you & "nolite te bastardes carborundorum"!

I was always very nice with people and it came back to bite me too many times to count. I've since withdrawn from most random social interactions and just give people a blank stare when they're being blatantly rude. There's no reason to indulge their nastiness with kindness and life is far more satisfying when someone is being a jerk and you just shrug and walk away. Just keep being true to yourself and those worth the energy will make themselves known.

It's not the other people; you have to think well of yourself, be calm, have a bold, direct gaze, give off signals of high self esteem.

If you are cringing, apologetic, act submissive, don't speak up for yourself, etc., both people and animals will walk all over you.
Always.

I actually got so tired of how nice the Buddhist Thai are here in Thailand that it felt good to travel in Malaysia where people can be so rude that vendors will yell at you for bothering them to buy something. It only tickles me, making me miss New York City.

My favorite US T-shirt was one I bought in Central Park..the writing on the front said, "Fuck you, you fucking fuck!"

I live in NJ. We're used to rude here, lol. I think people who are too nice are perceived to be weak by more aggressive people, so they make you their punching bag.