Minnesota: Unfriendly, with lots of bad drivers. (insurance, school districts)

[kayaklin]

I can't wait to get the heck out of Minnesota. Ever since I moved here, I've run into nothing but rude people who don't say "thank you" when you hold the door open and don't say "bless you" when you sneeze. Driving in Minnesota is terrible. Outside of the cities it seems like every road is two lanes. People here drive like complete jerks, constantly speeding and riding your tail even when you are driving 5-10 mph above the speed limit, and then passing on a shoulder or in the middle of a rural town as a little old lady attempts to cross the street.

Not sure if it is the water or the ridiculously long winters that make everyone so grumpy, but if you are considering moving to Minnesota, let me tell you... DON'T. People are friendlier in CALIFORNIA. If you want to fish, come up FOR A VISIT in the summer and then high-tail it back to the sweet land you came from. (Summer in MN is a natural phenomenon by the way and may only occur every third or fourth year for about a week in July. Spring barely began on June 1st this year and there is still no summer in sight.)

Other serious issues with Minnesota... Mosquitos might as well be the state bird... This last winter was 7 months long... There aren't even any mountains here to make the snow fun... And did I mention that practically everyone is unfriendly?




Disclaimer: The above post is 100% one person's opinion.

[aluminumpork]

We appreciate your opinion, and yes this year's summer is starting very slowly. We are well below average temperatures for this time of year.

[Bongopercylou]

Why not tell us how you REALLY feel? Sounds like it's not the place for you to live.

*sigh* More mass generalizations.

Here's one for you: I think ALL people who can't wait to get the heck out of Minnesota should. Maybe move to a red state where you can experience the joy of really low taxes and even lower quality of living. Where people sit out on the porch and drink Arnie Palmers and smoke PalMals. Somewhere when "howdy" means something and the quality of school districts don't. Somewhere there isn't much attention paid to litter in the streets and is perpetually brown and dusty...nothing "green" outside to water. Somewhere the average life span is 65 years. Somewhere you can really enrich your life with goods from WalMart and work there at the same time.

Good luck to you!

[kayaklin]

Originally Posted by Bongopercylou

Why not tell us how you REALLY feel? Sounds like it's not the place for you to live.

*sigh* More mass generalizations.

Here's one for you: I think ALL people who can't wait to get the heck out of Minnesota should. Maybe move to a red state where you can experience the joy of really low taxes and even lower quality of living. Where people sit out on the porch and drink Arnie Palmers and smoke PalMals. Somewhere when "howdy" means something and the quality of school districts don't. Somewhere there isn't much attention paid to litter in the streets and is perpetually brown and dusty...nothing "green" outside to water. Somewhere the average life span is 65 years. Somewhere you can really enrich your life with goods from WalMart and work there at the same time.

Good luck to you!

You sound like a pretty good representation of the people who live here. Mean and cynical as heck. No wonder everyone avoids saying hello to each other in the check-out lines. I guess the bad attitude is inevitable after living in a frozen wasteland like this for so long.

And I'd have to say Minnesota is the Wal-Mart capital of all the states I've ever lived in. Once you get out of the Twin Cities area, there is no shopping to be found EXCEPT Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart everywhere.

But I will say something nice about Minnesota. Now that it's finally starting to thaw out, there is an unusual amount of grass here, even in places you wouldn't normally expect grass, and it is very beautiful. Kinda wondering where the flowers are, though...

[roneb]

I'm truly sorry your experience in MN has been such a bad one. But rather than make generalizations and say everyone is like that, stick to your own specific experiences and let people judge for themselves. My experiences of the state have been quite the opposite. People were friendly, businesses went above and beyond typical polite service, drivers were considerate, etc. Maybe you've just been unlucky. Maybe it's the way you interact with others. Heck, I've been accused by my wife of having a continual scowl on my face and the people of MN were still very nice!

[kayaklin]

Originally Posted by roneb

I'm truly sorry your experience in MN has been such a bad one. But rather than make generalizations and say everyone is like that, stick to your own specific experiences and let people judge for themselves. My experiences of the state have been quite the opposite. People were friendly, businesses went above and beyond typical polite service, drivers were considerate, etc. Maybe you've just been unlucky. Maybe it's the way you interact with others. Heck, I've been accused by my wife of having a continual scowl on my face and the people of MN were still very nice!

I am a very pleasant person, hence my overall disappointment. I realize not every single person from Minnesota is rude, and I didn't mean to say it that way. Just a vast majority are, especially while driving.

[aluminumpork]

Originally Posted by kayaklin

Just a vast majority are, especially while driving.

I never understand this. Driving through California and Florida was hell when I was there, maybe it's the difference in pure traffic volume for me, but driving in the Twin Cities was easy as cake in comparison. Also, no matter where you go you will encounter terrible, thoughtless drivers.

In fact a quick search of this forums return threads in practically every state forum complaining that their drivers are the "worst" or "terrible".

San Antonio, TX : http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-a...o-drivers.html

Milwaukee, WI : http://www.city-data.com/forum/milwa...a-drivers.html

Memphis, TN : http://www.city-data.com/forum/memph...s-drivers.html

In fact, (although your personal experience was obviously very different), Minnesota didn't even make AOL's "The Nation's Dumbest Drivers" top 10: The Nation's Dumbest Drivers by State - AOL Money & Finance

I'm just trying to point out that complaining about bad drivers is just about the most generic complaint anyone can make about anywhere. It's just so universal. Not only nationwide, but world wide. In fact, here's an interesting post by a French man comparing French drivers to California drivers: http://www.city-data.com/forum/calif...-end-myth.html

[kayaklin]

Originally Posted by aluminumpork

I never understand this. Driving through California and Florida was hell when I was there, maybe it's the difference in pure traffic volume for me, but driving in the Twin Cities was easy as cake in comparison. Also, no matter where you go you will encounter terrible, thoughtless drivers.

In fact a quick search of this forums returns threads in practically every state forum complaining that their drivers are the "worst" or "terrible".

San Antonio, TX : http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-a...o-drivers.html

Milwaukee, WI : http://www.city-data.com/forum/milwa...a-drivers.html

Memphis, TN : http://www.city-data.com/forum/memph...s-drivers.html

In fact, (although your personal experience was obviously very different), Minnesota didn't even make AOL's "The Nation's Dumbest Drivers" top 10.

I'm just trying to point out that complaining about bad drivers is just about the most generic complaint anyone can make about anywhere. It's just so universal. Not only nationwide, but world wide. In fact, here's an interesting post by a French man comparing French drivers to California drivers: http://www.city-data.com/forum/calif...-end-myth.html

I don't think driving in the Twin Cities area is that bad, actually. I live north of the cities, where four lane roads no longer exist and people start passing on the shoulders or using the turn lanes in small towns to zip by, completely disregarding the safety of everyone around them, especially pedestrians. It's incredible how many people with huge boats rigged to their huge trucks trying to get to the lake for the weekend will drive upwards of 80 mph on a 55 mph road and attempt to pass a line of 4 or 5 cars patiently driving behind a slower semi truck. Also, the majority of drivers refuse to leave any space between them and the car ahead of them, as if they are going to make it to the lake any faster by tailgating.

I realize bad driving complaints are fairly universal, but I've lived most of my life in CA and have a few years in WA, CO, OK and TX. This is by far the most annoying place I've ever had to drive. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that there are only two lane roads going to most recreational destinations.

[ozzie679]

You haven't lived until you driven in St Cloud.

[aluminumpork]

Originally Posted by kayaklin

I live north of the cities, where four lane roads no longer exist...

I too live north of the cities. I simply use the Twin Cities as reference point because it the closet metro area of significant size (although I do have full freeways here). I guess I'm not trying to prove that Minnesota drivers aren't bad, but rather, I'm trying to reinforce that drivers everywhere are bad and that I don't feel it's fair to pinpoint Minnesota on that sort of issue.