Crazy Angry people in New Hampshire (Concord, Conway: transplants, find a job, tax)

[LRanzolin]

I'm considering a move to the lake region of New Hampshire. I visited twice several years back and on both occasions got yelled at (honking the horn, yelling, etc) while pulling off the road to take pictures... once in the summer time, another during winter. I always exercise good judgement when pulling over. I've travelled all over the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe and never had anyone do that.

Is it illegal to pull off the road and take pictures in New Hampshire? Or are the locals just nuts? Or are they nice and I just encountered the only two crazy people in the whole state (maybe it was the same guy... who knows).

I love the politics of New Hampshire, as well as the scenery. I love the libertarian mentality in the northern part of the state. I like independent people, but I don't want to live around angry people. My wife and I are fiercely independent, but we aren't ornery... so I know the two don't necessarily go together.

The bottom line: I'm going to be a dad in two months and don't want my son to grow up around a bunch of bad tempered people and pick up their bad habits. I'm sure I don't need to tell you every area is defined by its people, not its topography. So what's the verdict on the people in the northern part of the state? Are they an angry bunch? Or was I just unlucky on my two visits?

[DareToDream]

We don't live in the lakes region - we are north of there and are new to the area, having moved here this past April. I can honestly say we have only encountered friendly people and courteous drivers - we have pulled over to take pictures and nobody got upset with us...Again, I can't speak for anyone in the lakes region - we live in Littleton, have been to Franconia, Bethlehem, Lisbon, Woodsville, North Conway, have taken pictures along the way, shopped/eaten in local establishments along the way and have not encountered anyone who was angry or crazy (driving or otherwise)...Some are "quirky", but I like that in people

[LRanzolin]

Thanks Windchimes... that was encouraging. My wife and I have wondered for years if we just had a case of bad luck during our two visits. It's sad when something like that happens... for some reason it always seems easier to remember the bad stuff. I'm glad you're enjoying New Hampshire so far- it's an awesome state!

I sure would appreciate hearing more comments from people living North of Concord... hopefully they are mostly positive.

[mlynnsoucy]

LRanzolin:
It was probably a tourist(s) from Mass!!! We typically don't use our horns, or give siteseers a hard time. Usually when someone honks at me for pulling off the road, they have Mass plates

[nhyrnut]

Originally Posted by mlynnsoucy

LRanzolin:
It was probably a tourist(s) from Mass!!! We typically don't use our horns, or give siteseers a hard time. Usually when someone honks at me for pulling off the road, they have Mass plates

This is so true. 99.9% of the time it is out of staters. We do get some locals like that but usually it is not true locals but new to the state andd haven't learned to calm themselves yet. In genral we are very relaxed here. We are not VT relaxed lol, They get it done when ever they get around to it there. We still get things done just without the stress here. And we love our politics lol.

[LRanzolin]

Thanks again for the encouraging comments. Somebody in another thread joked around about putting up a southern border between New Hampshire and Mass... I guess that's why. It's really too bad. Hopefully these transplants will eventually calm themselves.

This is changing the topic a bit but it's still about people: I currently live in the Roanoke, Virginia area. One of the reasons I'm looking to move to NH is because I've been looking for work and can't find any (can barely get an interview). I can usually find a job in a week or two. I've been looking now for 8 months. I've discovered if you're not a southern "good 'ol boy" they discriminate against you. Do they discriminate like that in New Hampshire? I'm originally from Maryland, so I'm not Southern or Yankee (trust me, forget whatever you've been told about the mason-dixon line between Pennsylvania and Maryland... the south starts in Virginia ). It seems pointless for me to go up there only to experience the Yankee version of the "good 'ol boy" syndrome (assuming it even exists).

[Yankeehombre]

Were you driving really slow while looking for a place to pull over?

[LRanzolin]

I can't remember the first time (during the summer) whether I was driving slow or not. It doesn't matter, I know I'm one of those people where if a couple of cars start pilling up behind me I pull over to let them pass. If anything I'm conscientious to a fault.

In the winter I pulled over in the Wolfeboro area after a big snow storm to take pictures and there was no one around. Then this guy comes up and starts to honk and yell because he has to go around me a little bit. There was absolutely no oncoming traffic, the road was straight, and he approached me going about 10 miles per hour. The roads had been plowed, it was not icy, so I don't know what his problem was. Let me tell you, it's pretty weird having someone approach you so slowly and honk and yell as they practically crawl past you. Who knows, maybe it was some guy from Atlanta that's petrified of snow?

I know no place is perfect, but I just don't want to move to a place where impatience is the norm. Judging by the responses so far, it sounds like the natives are pretty friendly and relaxed.

[nhyrnut]

Originally Posted by LRanzolin

Thanks again for the encouraging comments. Somebody in another thread joked around about putting up a southern border between New Hampshire and Mass... I guess that's why. It's really too bad. Hopefully these transplants will eventually calm themselves.

This is changing the topic a bit but it's still about people: I currently live in the Roanoke, Virginia area. One of the reasons I'm looking to move to NH is because I've been looking for work and can't find any (can barely get an interview). I can usually find a job in a week or two. I've been looking now for 8 months. I've discovered if you're not a southern "good 'ol boy" they discriminate against you. Do they discriminate like that in New Hampshire? I'm originally from Maryland, so I'm not Southern or Yankee (trust me, forget whatever you've been told about the mason-dixon line between Pennsylvania and Maryland... the south starts in Virginia ). It seems pointless for me to go up there only to experience the Yankee version of the "good 'ol boy" syndrome (assuming it even exists).

Ya we are not going to hire no Flat lander up here are you nuts? NO we don't care as long as you have what it takes, and Don't vote to waste our tax money. lol Work hard, play hard, have fun, LIVE FREE OF DIE.

[DareToDream]

Nhyrnut - I had to laugh at the first sentence in your reply about flat landers As anyone who reads this board knows, we are "transplanted flat landers" and we have had no problems with anyone we have been fortunate to meet or come in contact with and we've been accepted by all.....I honestly think it has to do with the rest of what you wrote and have written before - We moved here with no hidden agenda, we came looking for a small town (and yes, to us, Littleton is a small town even though it has grown and is growing) with friendly people and that is what we have found. We did not have any expectations of changing things to make it more like from whence we came (why would we, when that is what we wanted to leave??), all we wanted was a place to feel comfortable in, to feel relaxed and less "harried" and we found it here. New Hampshire has made us feel welcome everywhere we've been so far (granted, we haven't ventured much to the south of us - other than a few years ago to visit my husband's daughter at UNH), but the places we have been to have had great people!