Thread: Usage of вы or ты?

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

... the best practice is to use вы all the time and not even think of asking Можно на ты? until your new Russian friend invites you to use it (The exception to this would be if you're a foreign adult speaking to young children, in which case you should speak to them на ты from the very beginning.)

This is a very suitable way to be polite in a Russian speaking place.