Do Your Research Before You Move To Columbus, Ohio (Ney: best city, real estate)

[greytercel]

I have lived in Columbus, Ohio for 13 years. This is not the normal world. About 50% of the people here, usually the natives, are rude to the point that at times it is surreal. Don't believe me? The best example of this (but certainly not the only one) is the government employees here. I urge anyone considering a move here to get a hold of the phone listings for city, county and state government offices here and spend three or four hours calling some of them and posing as someone looking for help or information from these entities. Get ready to be tormented, humiliated for no reason, bullied, and the like--these people have psychological bullying down to a fine art form ....and there are an inordinate number of that type here..A lot of people here have very low self-esteem, are very self-absorbed and lack the ability to relate to others that mainstream America has. Think long and hard before you move to this area. When you complain about how sharp-tongued and hateful people are here, a lot of people come back with "It's like this everywhere." I've done my share of traveling and living other places and I can tell you--it's not. This is definitely one of the rudest, most backwards areas in the US---try the above and see for yourself.

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by greytercel

I have lived in Columbus, Ohio for 13 years. This is not the normal world. About 50% of the people here, usually the natives, are rude to the point that at times it is surreal. Don't believe me? The best example of this (but certainly not the only one) is the government employees here. I urge anyone considering a move here to get a hold of the phone listings for city, county and state government offices here and spend three or four hours calling some of them and posing as someone looking for help or information from these entities. Get ready to be tormented, humiliated for no reason, bullied, and the like--these people have psychological bullying down to a fine art form ....and there are an inordinate number of that type here..A lot of people here have very low self-esteem, are very self-absorbed and lack the ability to relate to others that mainstream America has. Think long and hard before you move to this area. When you complain about how sharp-tongued and hateful people are here, a lot of people come back with "It's like this everywhere." I've done my share of traveling and living other places and I can tell you--it's not. This is definitely one of the rudest, most backwards areas in the US---try the above and see for yourself.

Well, I lived in the Columbus, OH area for 14 years, and found it to be very pleasant and polite. I too have lived in multiple areas, and Columbus folks have generally been friendly and curteous.

Posing as someone and calling offices seems a bit counterproductive to me. Every situation has unique attributes, and perhaps the problems you experienced were due to the nature of your problem. Stating that the folks in Columbus have low self esteem and are self absorbed is really a reach, any area with over 1.5 million folks is going to have a lot of varied personalities.

While all large metro areas have some problems, I found Columbus to be comparitively civil, clean and polite. Unlike most major metro areas, I really have difficulty finding much in the way of areas that I would advise folks to avoid, which is a very commendable attribute to the folks in Columbus. I never really felt uncomfortable anywhere, and I was all over the metro area.

[2006Buckeye]

Are government employees polite anywhere?!?

If it helps, many services are available online. I renew vehicle registrations on the internet and only have to make a trip to the dreaded BMV once every five years for license renewal. It's really pretty convenient.

I wouldn't waste 3-4 hours of my time calling government offices, and I would imagine our tax dollars could be better spent by not wasting the time of government employees (they waste enough time on their own).

If you do have to contact gov't employees, calling during off-times might also be more productive. But first check the websites to see if the information you seek is readily available without having to deal with people (or waste 3-4 hours for no apparent reason).

I second NewToCA's statement about courtesy and friendliness, although I have only lived in Columbus for 6-7 years.

[SKandM]

As someone who has lived in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and the DC Metro area I have a differing view. Granted my interaction with government agencies has been fairly limited (been to the BMV three times spoken with the lead abatement program twice, dealt with city inspectors a few times) but compared to major metropolitan areas the people I have dealt with have all been extremely polite and generally helpful. My time at the BMV has been the quickest anywhere I have lived in the country. In no way have I felt that people have been rude or even incompetant. But that is just my experience in the year I have lived here.

Skandm

[greytercel]

No, it is not counterproductive as one response said, or wasting 3-4 hours for no apparent reason as another said (talk about twisting someone's words) for people who are considering moving to any area to take a good long look at what they're getting into before they make such an important decision, i.e., seeing what everyday life is like here by posing as an everyday citizen in need of information or services as opposed to just coming here as a tourist or someone looking at real estate or rentals with money in their hands, when, of course, you are going to be treated a lot differently than you are as a resident here on a day-to-day basis. And,again, I encourage anyone considering moving here to do as I suggested in my "Do your research" post. COLUMBUS IS INORDINATELY RUDE, BULLYING AND DISHONEST.

I did not say all of the people here are like that; I said alot are. Don't twist my words. And I stand by what I said. And there are other posts on here that state the same, here and there, between what I would imagine are a lot of posts of people who own businesses here, work at the chamber of commerce, are worried about their property values going down, etc. claiming that Columbus is oh, just so woooonderful....you can hear how manufactured some of them are......

How is it a waste of time to pose as an everyday citizen, make some calls and get a good feel for the people and what they are like before you move to an area---------I think it is the smartest thing one could ever do when contemplating a move. Spare me the Columbus hustler double talk.

[Traveler87]

Columbus is voted one of the most livable cities in the U.S. Home to large fortune 500 companies, a growing city, growing suburbs, growing metro. People are attracted to this area. Don't judge a metro of over 1.7 million on just YOUR views. Sorry that you feel this way, but I have traveled many to other areas, and I have seen worse, much worse.

[greytercel]

voted by whom?

[Traveler87]

MONEY Magazine: Best places to live 2006: 10 Best Big Cities

The Columbus Dispatch : Columbus is magazine's No. 9 best city for blacks

[Traveler87]

Just because you don't like it here, many people are attracted to this area. 1.7 million and growing. It offers a lot. Large, growing, young city with a growing economy. Lots of fortune 500 companies.

[2006Buckeye]

Originally Posted by greytercel

I have lived in Columbus, Ohio for 13 years. This is not the normal world. About 50% of the people here, usually the natives, are rude to the point that at times it is surreal. Don't believe me? The best example of this (but certainly not the only one) is the government employees here. I urge anyone considering a move here to get a hold of the phone listings for city, county and state government offices here and spend three or four hours calling some of them and posing as someone looking for help or information from these entities. Get ready to be tormented, humiliated for no reason, bullied, and the like--these people have psychological bullying down to a fine art form ....and there are an inordinate number of that type here..A lot of people here have very low self-esteem, are very self-absorbed and lack the ability to relate to others that mainstream America has. Think long and hard before you move to this area. When you complain about how sharp-tongued and hateful people are here, a lot of people come back with "It's like this everywhere." I've done my share of traveling and living other places and I can tell you--it's not. This is definitely one of the rudest, most backwards areas in the US---try the above and see for yourself.

Please refer to your original post.

You urged people to spend 3-4 hours "posing" as someone looking for info, so I know I didn't twist your words. Unlike you, I would urge anyone considering a move to Columbus to visit the city, not spend time "playing pretend" on the phone. What a waste of time. No wonder Joe Testa's line was busy from 8am -4pm one day last week!

I don't think anyone has argued that no one in Columbus is ever rude. As previously stated, I haven't experienced the hateful bullies that seem to be picking on you. However, I don't really care if every person I pass in the grocery store asks about my day, and I don't get easily bent out of shape about little things.

When I tried to share helpful tips about getting information online and contacting government offices during off hours, you responded in a "sharp-tongued and hateful manner". I was only trying to be helpful

If this is how you treat others, it's no wonder you hate it here. I happen to like Columbus a lot. I'm not trying to argue it's the best city in the country, but surely out of the 1.7 million people, not everyone with whom you have contact can belittle and upset you. But then again, it could just be my "Hustler double talk."

(Maybe you could clarify something? When you mention government offices, are you talking about welfare offices? I just get the feeling there might be more than just the average citizen asking about trash pick up days... Incidentally, the refuse collection schedule is also available online!)