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1) The weather. Four seasons? Psssh. The only time it's truly nice is May and mid-June. September & October can be ok for the fall colors if it doesn't rain too much.
Late June through August is hot and muggy and November through April is dark, cloudy, damp and cold. The snow is nice and pretty when it first falls, but it turns into a gray slush real quick. Then you realize that your commute time is doubled because of it.
Oh but winter sports right? Wrong. It's not the nice mountain snow you get in other parts of the country. It's slushy, and gross. Plus the temperature tends to fluctuate above and below freezing during winter, so you get flooded streets and muddy swamps, followed by 8 inches of snow. If you work a 9 to 5, you can't reliably get good ski weather every weekend (It's also a 45 minute drive to nearest slopes, longer if you want something of decent length).
2) Lousy airport service. Back in the 1990's, some dumbasses decided to make Buffalo's airport smaller. Well now it's acting as a growth inhibitor. If you want to go anywhere west you're going to have to go east first. It also means having to book flights at 5 am and get there at 3 am. Ridiculous.
3) Drunks. There's a general trashiness to the culture and people get way out of control with binge drinking and it's not uncommon to see weekly brawls on Allen street at 4:30 am. I guess if you're young and like the party scene, this is a good place. But there's waayy too many drunk drivers on the road. Don't even get me started on the wretched behavior of degenerates on St. Patrick's day or at any Bills game.
4) Racism. Buffalo was ranked as the 5th most segregated city in America by a recent Business Insider study. There was also a documentary project called "The Whiteness Project" where the guy was trying to get interviews with white people and see how racist they were. He went to three different cities and couldn't find racist enough people until he got to Buffalo, NY. This is just a recent example, but I've experienced more racism in Buffalo than anywhere else in the country. This is the area where people overwhelmingly supported Carl Paladino for governor, after he said inner city blacks should be moved to old prisons, far from the city.
5) Insular culture. In most places you here people ask "what do you do?" In Buffalo, it's "where did you go to school?" They're not talking about college. It doesn't matter if you're 50 years old, people in Buffalo place way too high a value on where someone went to high school or even middle school. It's part of the insular culture here and why so many transplants have a tough time breaking into the local community here. This leads to a culture of nepotism which permeates everything. You can't get a job here unless you know the right person. Even in lefty activists non-profits, it's all very in-group. It's ten times worse in government. The entire political machine is one big system of nepotism and patronage jobs.
6) Sports-obsessed. For some people this is a positive, but I hate it. There other sports obsessed cities, but I avoid them. You can't go to any bar and not talk about the Bills or Sabres. If you don't follow football and hockey, people think you're weird. I was never into professional sports and never will be. Going to a game can be a fun experience, but I don't get caught up in the fandom and know every players name (let alone league standings and stats). There are a million things to talk about, but most Buffalonians can only speak Bills or Sabres, even though the majority of them are fat, out of shape slobs who can't even run 10 feet without stopping for breath. There's a small clique of artsy people, but that goes back to the insular problem.
1) The weather. Four seasons? Psssh. The only time it's truly nice is May and mid-June. September & October can be ok for the fall colors if it doesn't rain too much.
Late June through August is hot and muggy and November through April is dark, cloudy, damp and cold. The snow is nice and pretty when it first falls, but it turns into a gray slush real quick. Then you realize that your commute time is doubled because of it.
Oh but winter sports right? Wrong. It's not the nice mountain snow you get in other parts of the country. It's slushy, and gross. Plus the temperature tends to fluctuate above and below freezing during winter, so you get flooded streets and muddy swamps, followed by 8 inches of snow. If you work a 9 to 5, you can't reliably get good ski weather every weekend (It's also a 45 minute drive to nearest slopes, longer if you want something of decent length).
2) Lousy airport service. Back in the 1990's, some dumbasses decided to make Buffalo's airport smaller. Well now it's acting as a growth inhibitor. If you want to go anywhere west you're going to have to go east first. It also means having to book flights at 5 am and get there at 3 am. Ridiculous.
3) Drunks. There's a general trashiness to the culture and people get way out of control with binge drinking and it's not uncommon to see weekly brawls on Allen street at 4:30 am. I guess if you're young and like the party scene, this is a good place. But there's waayy too many drunk drivers on the road. Don't even get me started on the wretched behavior of degenerates on St. Patrick's day or at any Bills game.
4) Racism. Buffalo was ranked as the 5th most segregated city in America by a recent Business Insider study. There was also a documentary project called "The Whiteness Project" where the guy was trying to get interviews with white people and see how racist they were. He went to three different cities and couldn't find racist enough people until he got to Buffalo, NY. This is just a recent example, but I've experienced more racism in Buffalo than anywhere else in the country. This is the area where people overwhelmingly supported Carl Paladino for governor, after he said inner city blacks should be moved to old prisons, far from the city.
5) Insular culture. In most places you here people ask "what do you do?" In Buffalo, it's "where did you go to school?" They're not talking about college. It doesn't matter if you're 50 years old, people in Buffalo place way too high a value on where someone went to high school or even middle school. It's part of the insular culture here and why so many transplants have a tough time breaking into the local community here. This leads to a culture of nepotism which permeates everything. You can't get a job here unless you know the right person. Even in lefty activists non-profits, it's all very in-group. It's ten times worse in government. The entire political machine is one big system of nepotism and patronage jobs.
6) Sports-obsessed. For some people this is a positive, but I hate it. There other sports obsessed cities, but I avoid them. You can't go to any bar and not talk about the Bills or Sabres. If you don't follow football and hockey, people think you're weird. I was never into professional sports and never will be. Going to a game can be a fun experience, but I don't get caught up in the fandom and know every players name (let alone league standings and stats). There are a million things to talk about, but most Buffalonians can only speak Bills or Sabres, even though the majority of them are fat, out of shape slobs who can't even run 10 feet without stopping for breath. There's a small clique of artsy people, but that goes back to the insular problem.
1) The weather. Four seasons? Psssh. The only time it's truly nice is May and mid-June. September & October can be ok for the fall colors if it doesn't rain too much.
Late June through August is hot and muggy and November through April is dark, cloudy, damp and cold. The snow is nice and pretty when it first falls, but it turns into a gray slush real quick. Then you realize that your commute time is doubled because of it.
Oh but winter sports right? Wrong. It's not the nice mountain snow you get in other parts of the country. It's slushy, and gross. Plus the temperature tends to fluctuate above and below freezing during winter, so you get flooded streets and muddy swamps, followed by 8 inches of snow. If you work a 9 to 5, you can't reliably get good ski weather every weekend (It's also a 45 minute drive to nearest slopes, longer if you want something of decent length).
2) Lousy airport service. Back in the 1990's, some dumbasses decided to make Buffalo's airport smaller. Well now it's acting as a growth inhibitor. If you want to go anywhere west you're going to have to go east first. It also means having to book flights at 5 am and get there at 3 am. Ridiculous.
3) Drunks. There's a general trashiness to the culture and people get way out of control with binge drinking and it's not uncommon to see weekly brawls on Allen street at 4:30 am. I guess if you're young and like the party scene, this is a good place. But there's waayy too many drunk drivers on the road. Don't even get me started on the wretched behavior of degenerates on St. Patrick's day or at any Bills game.
4) Racism. Buffalo was ranked as the 5th most segregated city in America by a recent Business Insider study. There was also a documentary project called "The Whiteness Project" where the guy was trying to get interviews with white people and see how racist they were. He went to three different cities and couldn't find racist enough people until he got to Buffalo, NY. This is just a recent example, but I've experienced more racism in Buffalo than anywhere else in the country. This is the area where people overwhelmingly supported Carl Paladino for governor, after he said inner city blacks should be moved to old prisons, far from the city.
5) Insular culture. In most places you here people ask "what do you do?" In Buffalo, it's "where did you go to school?" They're not talking about college. It doesn't matter if you're 50 years old, people in Buffalo place way too high a value on where someone went to high school or even middle school. It's part of the insular culture here and why so many transplants have a tough time breaking into the local community here. This leads to a culture of nepotism which permeates everything. You can't get a job here unless you know the right person. Even in lefty activists non-profits, it's all very in-group. It's ten times worse in government. The entire political machine is one big system of nepotism and patronage jobs.
6) Sports-obsessed. For some people this is a positive, but I hate it. There other sports obsessed cities, but I avoid them. You can't go to any bar and not talk about the Bills or Sabres. If you don't follow football and hockey, people think you're weird. I was never into professional sports and never will be. Going to a game can be a fun experience, but I don't get caught up in the fandom and know every players name (let alone league standings and stats). There are a million things to talk about, but most Buffalonians can only speak Bills or Sabres, even though the majority of them are fat, out of shape slobs who can't even run 10 feet without stopping for breath. There's a small clique of artsy people, but that goes back to the insular problem.
I used to feel the same way many years ago and that is why I left Buffalo. However, now that I am older I look at all this differently. The sports teams reflect the strong sense of community in WNY. It's something that everyone has in common to talk about, it brings people together. In other places only people that are interested in sports really follow local teams, but in WNY it is a key part of the culture. WNY is unique in a world that is increasingly homogeneous, that is a good thing in my book.
And this stupid divide between the Elmwood hipsters and the suburban folks. It is so ridiculous! I enjoy both cultures and both are very much part of WNY. It shouldn't be an either/or thing. You can root for the Bills and go the Albright Knox, I see no contradiction in it and neither should anyone!
I agree that the racism thing in the area is ugly, but it will improve over time as the suburbs get more diverse, this is just a matter of time.
In rergards to transplants not fitting in: In WNY you are not anonymous like in other cities like New York City. People want to know and trust you before they want to commit to you. But once you're in, you're in and people will be very loyal to you in WNY.
This is the way WNY works. No place is perfect. In other places you will deal with problems that would never cross your mind in WNY. So, my advise is to find a place that irks you the least and go and be happy there, but no place will be perfect, I guarentee that.
The racism here is real. Every city in the US has some sort of race/class divide, but the attitudes of people in Buffalo are really backwards. I was surprised how many interracial couples I saw here in South Florida, despite everything I heard. In Buffalo a lot of people still have a problem with it. Just because there's a little diversity in the West Side and in certain parts of North Buffalo, doesn't change the overall segregation of the city. I've driven around south Buffalo and seen numerous confederate flags and nooses hanging in windows. ****, I've seen more confederate flags in Western New York than I have anywhere in the South. The rednecks in the suburbs and exurbs of Buffalo are some of the most racist people in the country.
The racism here is real. Every city in the US has some sort of race/class divide, but the attitudes of people in Buffalo are really backwards. I was surprised how many interracial couples I saw here in South Florida, despite everything I heard. In Buffalo a lot of people still have a problem with it. Just because there's a little diversity in the West Side and in certain parts of North Buffalo, doesn't change the overall segregation of the city. I've driven around south Buffalo and seen numerous confederate flags and nooses hanging in windows. ****, I've seen more confederate flags in Western New York than I have anywhere in the South. The rednecks in the suburbs and exurbs of Buffalo are some of the most racist people in the country.
Many of the suburbs have changed and have become more diverse as well. What is interesting is that the Black/White per capita income gap is smaller in the Buffalo area than many South Florida metros: Study finds broad income inequality - Buffalo - Buffalo Business First That article is a bit old, but things can vary in terms of degree and manifest themselves in different ways.
A lot of the interracial relationships you may see in FL are probably Black/Hispanic couples, Hispanics of different races/complexions or even transplants.
A lot of the interracial relationships you may see in FL are probably Black/Hispanic couples, Hispanics of different races/complexions or even transplants.
No, they're white/black/asian/latino whatever, but they're American. The difference is the response of people. Here, no one really cares or comments on it. In Buffalo, people still have to comment on it. Last time I was at resurgecne some dumbass hipster guys where haranguing their pretty blonde female friend "Don't drink too much, last time you got drunk you made out with some black guy." "A black guy? Man that's messed up." Oh, but they're young and progressive right? Nope.
No, they're white/black/asian/latino whatever, but they're American. The difference is the response of people. Here, no one really cares or comments on it. In Buffalo, people still have to comment on it. Last time I was at resurgecne some dumbass hipster guys where haranguing their pretty blonde female friend "Don't drink too much, last time you got drunk you made out with some black guy." "A black guy? Man that's messed up." Oh, but they're young and progressive right? Nope.
You can be Hispanic/Latino and be of any race/complexion and be American as well.
It may be a matter of circles and where you live in the area, as I've met people in the area that have dated interracially. So, it seems like attitudes can vary.
You can be Hispanic/Latino and be of any race/complexion and be American as well.
It may be a matter of circles and where you live in the area, as I've met people in the area that have dated interracially. So, it seems like attitudes can vary.
Down here it's everywhere and it's no big deal. In Buffalo, people still seem to have an issue with it and it's still uncommon.
The OP had got a good picture of Buffalo. I laugh because it is the same Buffalo, I left over about 45 years ago.
Racism was so Bad and I grew up in Cheektowaga, right Near the Town Park. It is nice to see that Cheektowaga is getting people of Color--I relish the thought that it annoys those insular racist in that town. We will see the day when the Cheektowaga Town Park is known for its Martin Luther King Celebration and Cesar Chavez Day with the diminishing Polish festivals as just a remembrance of a time long past.
The sports obsessed are ridiculous. The area is very poor and they cannot get their priorities straight. They will spend all this money on football and the rest of WNY just roots and decays. They will buy a new stadium for the rich owner and then ignore the other needs of the area.
I worked in NYC for a Jewish Businessman. He did those baseball clothes for the fans. He told me how he bought them in China, had them imprinted and a big cost was the licensing fee. He was constantly surprised that these fans would buy this garbage at those prices. He always said "You Gentiles are so stupid" and he laughed all the way to the bank. I loved that man, who survived the holocaust, as he taught me much about life.
Here in Denver, it is no different with these sports fanatics. However, there is one BIG difference; Denver is a wealthy city and can afford all these new sports venues. Other needs are also well meet and the area is not in decay. Denver is a thriving metropolis that is considered one of the best cities to live. I also have no interest in the sports fanaticism. However, in Denver, it is much easier to avoid that annoyance because this area has more diverse cultural activities with a much more educated populace.
I did notice when I moved to Denver many decades ago that there was much less racial tension than the Buffalo area. We have a substantial diversity with a predominance of the Latino culture. Denver does not have the strong delimited neighborhoods of the race, as you see in the older Eastern Cities. It has neighborhood that have more blacks and Latinos but these area are not so well defined and insulated as the areas in Buffalo that I knew. Now we are attracting more from Asia, the Middle East and Europe and it all melds well together in this city.
It is really funny to hear that people brag about what high school they attended. I never realized until now that was very evident when I grew up. It is really more of characteristic of those less educated. They brags and boasts including their stories of the Army days. They sit in those bars, belching over their fat bellies. I remember now when I worked at the Ford Stamping Plan after the Army and on my way back to college. There were those bars in Lackawanna with the blowhards in their bowling and union shirts slobbering their opinions. Believe me, the same characters are found here and everywhere, not just Buffalo. However, I do not see those bowling and union shirts in Denver as bowling is not such a big activity and unions are not dominate.
Livecontent
Last edited by livecontent; 10-28-2014 at 02:45 PM..
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