I was in my thirties when I started being called sir. The first time was when I had to go speak to my neighbors, college kids, who had a party the previous night and my yard was trashed. I wasn’t expecting a positive response from them, but they apologized profusely, offered to clean up the yard, and kept calling me sir. They turned out to be one of my better neighbors and ended up buying my 1996 Saturn SL-1.
I had something of a different experience the other day. I was having blood drawn and the tech said “you really don’t look your age - well, I mean, not that you’re old”. I’m 71. I laughed and said that was nice of her to say.
In my youth (35) I was at a restaurant waiting on a take out order. I was 15 feet from the cash register when the maker-of-food teenager came out and asked the cashier: “what’s old dude waiting on”. I did a 360 and found myself the only person in the restaurant.
If someone asked me if I needed help cutting my food I think I’d decline but I might need help calculating the tip.
This.
It’s not when the police all start looking like teenagers, nor when they call you “sir” - it’s when you take it for granted that they damn well should call you “sir”….
Or this:
The first time i was called “ma’am” i was 18. I had recently gotten my driver’s license, and my father asked me to drive a diseased tomato leaf to the local ag station to find out what was wrong with his plants. The person who worked there, who looked to be about 18, too, called me “ma’am”. It was the first time I’d been unambiguously treated as an adult in that kind of situation. It felt weird, but also flattering.
Preferring “dude” to “sir” just sounds really strange to me.
Bear in mind that when I say “dude” or “sir”, I’m translating. I don’t live in an English-speaking country, so I’m sure that linguistic and cultural differences are also a major factor. The Hebrew word for dude is Achi, which literally means “my brother”, while the word for sir is Adoni, which literally means “my lord” (also note that it’s the civilian “sir” - the military “sir” is a completely different word). “Sir”, to me, is a distancing word - you’d never call someone you actually care about “sir”, whereas addressing someone as your brother implies a certain amount of genuine concern, even if you’re just being polite.
I’ve lived on the edge of a mixed and somewhat sketchy neighborhood for almost 40 years, and it warms my heart now that the brothers finally call me ‘bro’.
Ah, whereas i think of both “sir” and “ma’am” as a generic “respectful way to address an adult you don’t know”.
Same here. “Can I help you, sir?” is better than “Whaddya want, asshole?”
See, and I prefer a “Hi there!” or “Morning!” or “How ya doin’!”
AH! LOL
So, we could carry this further. After the slicing/dicing of the sausage was complete, one could, with a puppy dog look, ask if he would feed you because, you know, your arthritis at the present moment was extremely painful. 
My wife, back 20 years ago was asked if she wanted a senior discount by a McDonalds employee. She was 45 and looked young for her age. She still does. At the time she was an IronMan athlete. Could have run circles around the kid.
She still is an IronMan as far as I’m concerned sort of like you are always a Marine.
I tried that at my synagogue this past Rosh Hashanah, but I just got funny looks.
I would piss you off. I address lots of people as “sir” or “ma’am” . The hotel concierge who i asked for restaurant recommendations, the subway clerk who helped when my card hiccuped, basically anyone i have a protracted conversation with whom i don’t know and will never see again.
The usual greeting in Klingon is “nuqneH”, which literally means “what do you want?”. It seems appropriate for Klingon culture.
I’ve found that a warm and friendly smile, please and thank you are enough to get me anything I need from people, without resorting to honorifics.
Well, i managed just fine with only those tools in Japan. But having something to say to attract someone’s attention is helpful, and “excuse me, sir” is nicer than “hey!”
Anyway, i don’t feel that I’m “resorting to honorifics”, just that I’m using polite and respectful language.
Even if you were in an old folks home that might be viewed as a somewhat tactless suggestion. I know because I offered to help someone dining at an assisted living home with opening up an ice cream treat. It was maddening to me watching them on the struggle bus trying to get into it so I spoke up. Hoo boy did I get the killer glare. Must’ve sparked something cause she then ripped that lid right off.
It was flattering and somewhat funny when they carded me buying beer at a baseball game. I Was in my late thirties at the time. It turned out to be a tactic they used to cut down on large crowds of drunken fans.