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I don't think I can do better than that for a title and keep it short.
Right now my wife and I live in northeast Ohio. While it has its perks, we have reached the point of being so disgusted with the way the local people operate, in general, that we want to find another place to live.
The big points to consider are the following:
-It seems like, around here, EVERYBODY smokes cigarettes. Okay, so I'm exaggerating, but I would bet money on more than half of the people aged 18 through 60 in this general vicinity being at least occasional smokers. That wouldn't bug me so much but for how they will callously light up next to you without asking your permission to pollute your breathing air, and/or walk around in public places puffing away with complete disregard for who might smell it. And then, if you say anything to them about it, they get all jerky with you 9 times out of 10. A more certain demonstration of complete inconsideration for other people I would be hard-pressed to describe. We can't go to any public place to enjoy ourselves without our noses being constantly assaulted with cigarette smoke. I know why people who smoke have such callous disregard for others - after all, they don't even care about THEMSELVES if they smoke, so why would they care about others? (This is why I put the smoking thing in the title. There's nothing which more certainly marks a person as stupid, inconsiderate, and rude than smoking. Stupid for starting and not quitting, inconsiderate for smoking where non-smokers can see them (which means also smell them), and probably rude because nearly all of them are when you confront them about being displeased in some way with the smoke they're producing.)
-People drive like maniacs in this area... and it seems like there are so many of them. We have to drive for a living since we're musical performers, so we are more exposed to this than average people. Speeding, changing lanes or making turns without signaling, texting while driving, tailgating... it's stupefying how often this happens and we feel like sooner or later we're going to be killed in an accident due to these people. (Plus, we have the added perk of the area being overrun with deer and raccoons, such that collisions with animals are also a common hazard. We had THREE animal collisions last year!)
The summary of the above two problems is basically that this area is full of low-class people. Again, we wouldn't mind that... we're not exactly "high class" ourselves... but the poor people around here generally operate like trash. I wouldn't care if they only LIVED like trash... I don't mind seeing old mobile homes with foot-tall grass and six rusty immobile vehicles strewn about the property... but they OPERATE like trash.
Here is a perfect illustrative example of how people in this area tend to operate. Just last night we went to a 4th of July fireworks display... and the people about ten feet behind us (who got there later than did we and the people around us) started setting off smoke bombs. It was a pair of grandparents and their two grandchildren (who looked to be no older than 7). This naturally produced huge clouds of smoke that blew toward everyone else around them, and when nearby people complained about the smoke, they went full-on "trash mode" toward people, even going so far as to say that they had the right to set off smoke bombs and if we didn't like it, we could leave. They made this huge scene in front of their grandchildren, whose somewhat worried facial expressions showed that they had no idea what to do with what was going on. (This is how the cycle of "trash people" perpetuates itself. Those children are being taught to be rude and inconsiderate. They're going to grow up to be just like their trashy grandparents, and they'll become trashy parents and grandparents themselves if they don't smoke, drink, drug, or crash themselves to death beforehand.) On top of that, most of the people around us were smoking, such that we couldn't even enjoy the smell of the outside air. This when we got there first! A family ended up moving next to us because the people who sat down beside them started smoking without asking if it was okay, and their granddaughter had severe asthma such that she couldn't be around smoke. Then as we were leaving, the occupants in two vehicles in front of us almost got into a fight due to wanting to merge into the exiting line of cars at the same time, and one of those cars ended up cutting to the left of the line, zooming to the front in the "oncoming traffic" lane (which fortunately was empty), and then making a turn at the stop sign so as to cut in front of everyone. This experience, in a nutshell, summarizes what it's like living around here and what we want to avoid in our next "home area". Given that we have our first child on the way, I don't want to be raising that child (and any siblings he/she may get) in such an environment. This area has some good things going for it - we wouldn't have moved here if it didn't, and we have met some good people we'd really miss if we left... but I believe our minds are set.
One more thing. I classify myself as a hippie. I am not religious and as such I don't like being constantly Bible-thumped by people who start talking about about "God this", "Jesus that", "Christ something else" when I get involved in conversation with strangers. It seems that that happens quite frequently around here... ironically enough, sometimes by the very same trashy people who smoke like chimneys. But, we do like getting involved in conversations with strangers. We are friendly people. (And, in spite of being a hippie, I am a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment... there is some red on my neck... I know, quite the dichotomy...)
I have some ideas in mind for places where we could go. I know that Oregon tends to be a "hippie haven", and having lived there once, I do recall being stunned by how people were much more considerate of others than I was used to them being. But, I imagine it's quite expensive to live in the more temperate parts of the state. I'm also thinking about northeast Tennessee, but I'm concerned about how many Bible-thumpers we'll find there. Last night I told my wife that we should move to Utah, as I know that that is the state with the least smokers, but when it comes to Bible-thumpers, I have a feeling that they're all over that state. Who knows. We may even choose to become full-time RVers (again) and split our time between many areas. This is why I'm asking for advice. Other people who live elsewhere will know more about their areas than I do. So, let's rock!
So North Carolina has a corner on the market for considerate people and a "vibe" that'd work for us, eh? That's cool. I will investigate those areas and see what I come up with. I'm still open to more suggestions, however.
An island where you are alone.....
There more than likely is not one place on this planet that has all three of your requirements. All types of people are everywhere, you just need to choose which is the most important of your requirements.
My experience with Colorado is very limited, but people seemed to be decent drivers who didn't insist on going 10-20 over the limit in every situation no matter what; as is the norm in much of the south and midwest. They seemed less likely to tailgate for no reason, and didn't notice a lot of smoking either.
Either I'm getting old and grumpy or the country has gotten increasingly crass and crude in the last 25-30 years.
You seem more like a libertarian so you might like Nevada, Colorado or Arizona, it is a live and let live vibe out west. Not many places like that in the East except for Asheville NC.
You seem more like a libertarian so you might like Nevada, Colorado or Arizona, it is a live and let live vibe out west. Not many places like that in the East except for Asheville NC.
There others in the East. There other cities similar to Asheville like Ithaca NY, Burlington VT and the Amherst/Northampton area of MA, among some others.
I don't think that this is a question of geography as much as a question of socioeconomic class. After all, there are bad drivers and inconsiderate smokers anywhere you go. (And NC, if you haven't heard, is still a big tobacco state, though it has instituted some limits now on public smoking.) But crass public behavior about almost anything tends to diminish the further up the socio-economic scale you go, and that's true in every state.
So I'd tell you to find the area of the country you like (for its job or school opportunities, weather, proximity to family, public school quality, and preferred suburban or city or rural character) and just look for housing in the most upscale neighborhood you can afford. In most such neighborhoods people won't blow smoke in your face, preach the Bible to you, or give a damn about your alternative lifestyle. And even in politically liberal urban and suburban areas you'll find more gun owners than you might suspect. (That's been my experience anyway).
But you need to bend a little too IMO. Smoking in many public places IS allowed and when it is you can't freak out because somebody is actually obeying the law. Nor should you get bent out of shape if someone tells you "Have a blessed day" or invites you to their church. There are ways to politely handle such things and if you don't know what they are it's time to learn.
As to the bad drivers, I think that's just a universal American complaint no matter where people live because they'll always notice the bad ones more than the good ones.
Not many places like that in the East except for Asheville NC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckhthankgod
There others in the East. There other cities similar to Asheville like Ithaca NY, Burlington VT and the Amherst/Northampton area of MA, among some others.
Yes, there are quite a number of places like that in the East and it's not limited to small towns. NYC-Manhattan, Boston, DC, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Charlottesville are cities I know of.
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