On the one hand, to varying extent we’ve got that Anglo-Saxon polite reserve going. And given our multicultural history, we’re very ‘smile forward’, which is something many foreigners grumble about. But on the other hand, we sometimes have to tell would-be visitors “don’t do X, Y, or Z like back home or you *might* get your ass kicked.” Some of us may be quicker to fight than they are elsewhere.
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It’s simply because we have room.
I’ve honestly never heard someone say “… or might get your ass kicked” to a stranger making an innocent mistake. Not once.
I tend to think that it’s a result of a multicultural society. We’re more explicit because there are fewer norms that can be safely presumed. So I think we tend to speak explicitly and smile to show that we aren’t a threat to others.
I think this also contributes to the “don’t do [whatever] or you’ll get your ass kicked” mindset. In reality it probably isn’t true. You could probably violate a lot of social norms without facing actual violence. But you *might* face violence. I think American culture tends to be cautious about actually trusting strangers, while being very open to interacting with strangers.