However I figure I should ask for a sanity-check on whether
what's SOP at home is regarded as inappropriate or rude
elsewhere.

With three (well, okay, six) runways to choose from here at IOW, I always
try to follow the "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" rule of runway
selection, and I appreciate it when everyone else does, too.

This isn't a perfect strategy either, of course. For example, the wind can
change, and suddenly everyone is stuck using the "wrong" runway, simply due
to inertia. (This can make for some interesting plane watching -- not
everyone's cross-wind technique is as sharp as it could be! :-)

But having everyone on the same runway makes the pattern work the
smoothest -- which, ultimately, helps keep us all safe.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"