Christmas shopping in southern Connecticut = nightmare. (New Haven, Fairfield: 2013, live, moving)
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Never experienced brusque before, except for the occasional a-hole driver on Route 1 - and some of the friendliest store/business owners I've ever encountered have been downtown.
Have had many a conversation with strangers at restaurants, stores, green events, etc. Very friendly and approachable people. Much more so than northern FFC where I came from and much more so than what I've experienced in Darien, Westport, etc.
Not really seeing what's fast paced about it?
By fast pace, I'm referring to how people drive, the pushy mannerisms in stores by customers, and the whole "me first" mentality that is alive and well there. I know Milford well and many people who live there. At many stop lights, the driver next to you thinks you're racing. Go downtown and try to cross from Daniel Street to the train station, and see how many motorists stop for you at the cross walk. I'd be willing to bet at least 10 cars will pass before someone stops. I've done it, and the only time I was able to cross was when traffic came to a stop because of the light. That, IMO, isn't friendly. I've also lived in Danbury, which is similarly rude, but Milford takes the cake because of the sheer congestion (which leads to short tempers) in the area of 95/1.
The problem for Milford is that it is such a destination for area residents that along with the good comes the bad: pushiness, me first, gotta run to Old Navy before heading back to Shelton so get the eff out of my way.
Sorry but Route 1 does not just have the "occasional a-hole driver". It's clear to me you avoid it.
Admittedly, I use an expletive almost every time I travel anywhere on Route 1 from the Post Mall to Orange, but I have not experienced the rudeness you describe downtown on the road or in stores regularly. It happens everywhere occasionally, but for the most part people seem to be pretty easy going in that vicinity. I've never had a problem crossing over Daniel Street by foot personally.
But yeah, generally - more traffic, more a-holes. Route 1 in Westport and Norwalk is just as bad iMO because you have these rich tennis moms in their giant SUV's just assuming that if they pull out in front of you, you'll recognize their center-of-the-universe status and stop. I've seen SO many close calls on that road (and have had a couple myself). It's incredible. And most of it is too narrow (even the lanes themselves).
Admittedly, I use an expletive almost every time I travel anywhere on Route 1 from the Post Mall to Orange, but I have not experienced the rudeness you describe downtown on the road or in stores regularly. It happens everywhere occasionally, but for the most part people seem to be pretty easy going in that vicinity. I've never had a problem crossing over Daniel Street by foot personally.
But yeah, generally - more traffic, more a-holes. Route 1 in Westport and Norwalk is just as bad iMO because you have these rich tennis moms in their giant SUV's just assuming that if they pull out in front of you, you'll recognize their center-of-the-universe status and stop. I've seen SO many close calls on that road (and have had a couple myself). It's incredible. And most of it is too narrow (even the lanes themselves).
I'm familiar with Norwalk but don't use Route 1 there regularly, so can't comment on that. I used to work off of Main Ave and it wasn't as bad there.
Don't want you to think I'm bashing Milford. It's mostly the people from out of town who feel the need to race around to run errands. Milford attracts people from Trumbull, Oxford, Bethany and out to Madison. That's a HUGE area. It definitely works against Milford in some ways. If they would raze all of the big boxes along the Post Road and start from scratch, Milford would be such a quaint little town.
Yeah I don't get that in Milford either, at least not in downtown and my neighborhood (and most neighborhoods). People are super friendly, down to earth, etc. The mall and the adjoining stretch of Post Road is a little crazy this time of year and many weekends, but that is a small part of town and many in-towners like myself avoid it. You get a lot of outsiders going to the mall.
It was actually pretty competitive up in northern FFC, and where I've been working in Norwalk/Stamford/Westport - forget about it. Even Fairfield has that feel to me. Very material and I'd-trip-your-mother-to-get-ahead.
You don't notice it because you live in it.
I used to think the same way, until moving away for almost a decade and now living in a much slower paced area of the state. I wasn't shell shocked heading back down last week, but it was pretty apparent how much it is different in that part of the state.
I used to think the same way, until moving away for almost a decade and now living in a much slower paced area of the state. I wasn't shell shocked heading back down last week, but it was pretty apparent how much it is different in that part of the state.
Exactly. My wife grew up in Simsbury and spent most of her life in Hartford and Tolland County. When she moved down here with me, she always said "life is so much more stressful down here than it is in Hartford". At first, I was like "great, another Fairfield County hater " but then we moved around a bit. We spent 2 months living at her parents house while we were in between places and I began to say "it seems so relaxed up here". Now that's not to say that Hartford wouldn't be considered a rat-race to someone from Minnesota or Maine.
You really have to move out of it, and move back to understand. I used to be a CT cheerleader until I moved away, realized its faults were really bad, but also realized its strong points were pretty good. I was happy to come back, and now feel I can make more accurate comparisons between places. But to be honest, if we didn't have kids, we would be out of here.
Someone who has lived in Southern CT longer than 10 years could correct me if I'm wrong but Im thinking the influx of people moving into the area from NY has created this type of fast paced, disrespectful lifestyle. Just for me even a few years ago any part of CT was known to be peaceful and relaxing but now its a stressfull and fast pace enviroment.
Best way to put this is... Southern CT used to be like how Northern CT is today.
I could be wrong, but I feel that it might have to do with an overall increase in "entitlement syndrome" than increase in raw population or influx from certain areas. I've seen similar issues in my hometown back in TX (which, in fairness, is populated at least as much by northerners as Texans).
Exactly. My wife grew up in Simsbury and spent most of her life in Hartford and Tolland County. When she moved down here with me, she always said "life is so much more stressful down here than it is in Hartford". At first, I was like "great, another Fairfield County hater " but then we moved around a bit. We spent 2 months living at her parents house while we were in between places and I began to say "it seems so relaxed up here". Now that's not to say that Hartford wouldn't be considered a rat-race to someone from Minnesota or Maine.
Yep. I can totally see how someone from NYC can move up here and be like "wow paradise" while others are like "get me out of here".
Quote:
Originally Posted by kidyankee764
You really have to move out of it, and move back to understand. I used to be a CT cheerleader until I moved away, realized its faults were really bad, but also realized its strong points were pretty good. I was happy to come back, and now feel I can make more accurate comparisons between places. But to be honest, if we didn't have kids, we would be out of here.
Totally. This state literally tortures me sometimes. I want out soooo bad for some reasons, but love it for others.
I think the heyday of living here was the late 80's. It's been downhill since IMHO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cambium
Someone who has lived in Southern CT longer than 10 years could correct me if I'm wrong but Im thinking the influx of people moving into the area from NY has created this type of fast paced, disrespectful lifestyle. Just for me even a few years ago any part of CT was known to be peaceful and relaxing but now its a stressfull and fast pace enviroment.
Best way to put this is... Southern CT used to be like how Northern CT is today.
And Then there's this.
Well, I lived and worked there 15 years ago and it was still pretty crazy. I can recall just going out for dinner with a pretty blonde co-worker if I was going to be out past 4pm rather than sit in traffic and get home the same time. Not a hard choice to make.
I could be wrong, but I feel that it might have to do with an overall increase in "entitlement syndrome" than increase in raw population or influx from certain areas. I've seen similar issues in my hometown back in TX (which, in fairness, is populated at least as much by northerners as Texans).
Absolutely. I wouldn't blame NYers because the area we're discussing is less than an hour to Westchester County, Long Island and New York City. The "NY attitude" doesn't cease at the state line, and never did. As far as I'm concerned, people living in lower FFC are New Yorkers too.
It has everything to do with entitlement and even materialism (the 'gotta have it' syndrome). Rat-race is not only physical (fast, aggressive driving, pushy attitude), it's very much due to psychological factors (stress, feeling left behind - keeping up with the Joneses). I'll admit, I'm just as much a part of the rat-race as everyone else, with my desire to live in a nice suburb and drive a nice car (we were already due for one car, might be trading in the Pilot now - anyone know of buy one get one deals?).
Someone who has lived in Southern CT longer than 10 years could correct me if I'm wrong but Im thinking the influx of people moving into the area from NY has created this type of fast paced, disrespectful lifestyle. Just for me even a few years ago any part of CT was known to be peaceful and relaxing but now its a stressfull and fast pace enviroment.
Best way to put this is... Southern CT used to be like how Northern CT is today.
And Then there's this.
Cambium should run for office with his "set up border between CT and NY" idea!
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" but then we moved around a bit. We spent 2 months living at her parents house while we were in between places and I began to say "it seems so relaxed up here". Now that's not to say that Hartford wouldn't be considered a rat-race to someone from Minnesota or Maine.
