Top 10 Most Annoying NoVA Complaints/Whines (Arlington, Hampton: townhome, neighborhoods, buy)

[EuroExpat]

Originally Posted by ecnorton

I got a chuckle out of the list.

Me too. I am guilty of some of those.

[phrekyos]

Originally Posted by IndiaLimaDelta

This is MY particular list. Feel free to add yours!

1. "Real estate is over-priced here!" And it's corollary "Why can't I afford a SFH in Great Falls with my first job out of college?"

Because homes are affordable in NYC, Boston, LA, San Diego, the Hamptons, Boulder, Paris, London, Tokyo, Lake Como, etc.

NoVA is not comparable to those areas. I'm not expecting to have an apartment for $600 again, but real estate really is way overpriced here.

Originally Posted by IndiaLimaDelta

6. "Why doesn't everyone else in NoVA like urban living like I do? It's all a gigantic suburb!"

Usually from DC or NYC people who are apparently forced to be here.

Yeah, this is a strange complaint. There are plenty of places where you can get that lovely "urban" experience of umm... no parking anywhere ever, or whatever it is people like about urban areas. Alexandria is one.

To be fair, there are some people who are "forced" to live here, though. My job only exists here. Right here. I couldn't live in a rural area because any rural area I can think of would be too far away. The commute is excruciating just coming from Fairfax suburbs.

[roninsedge]

Nice post ILD. Nothing like a little light hearted complaining about complaining to lighten up a Friday. Or to quote Yosemite Sam "I hates hating."

[Fern435]

Originally Posted by IndiaLimaDelta

Thank you. I aim to amuse. I thought at least some of us might get a chuckle or two.

In any case, do you have a few funny ones (even darkly funny) you can add to the list? I think we all agree a little laughter is good for reducing tension at the least.

You may enjoy this thread (not exactly the same as your topic, but similar and humorous):

Posts We Need More Of

Perhaps I'll think of something later. My husband is teleworking today, and right now I get to experience all the fun of his day.

[beatlecrazy]

I also liked this thread, gave me a good laugh

[khuntrevor]

Lots of complaints about the heat, when it really isn't that hot. Then there's all the complaints about labor rates for repairs, babysitters, etc. from people who are paid by the taxpayers to do virtually nothing, and have never, could never, and will never work in the private sector.

[Kembek]

Originally Posted by khuntrevor

Lots of complaints about the heat, when it really isn't that hot. Then there's all the complaints about labor rates for repairs, babysitters, etc. from people who are paid by the taxpayers to do virtually nothing, and have never, could never, and will never work in the private sector.

That reminds me: I'm sick to death of hearing people berate, complain, and whine about civil servants.

[Alicia Bradley]

Originally Posted by IndiaLimaDelta

This is MY particular list. Feel free to add yours!


6. "Why doesn't everyone else in NoVA like urban living like I do? It's all a gigantic suburb!"

Usually from DC or NYC people who are apparently forced to be here.

One of the things that bugs a lot of suburbanites from other cities (particularly Northern ones) who move to NoVA is that our inner suburbs for the most part lack charming historic cores. My own personal experience in this regard is mostly with the western and northern suburbs of Chicago, most of which started out (in the 19th c.) as small towns with little (19th c.) business districts of their own - these have largely become little community gathering places with both pedestrian (heh.. meaning both 'utilitarian' and 'you can walk there from some older residential neighborhoods') and upscale-ish retail and dining. These older communities also tend to have a grid layout of streets and wide bypasses for people who are just traversing the area and want to do so quickly. That's not to say that McMansions and such don't exist in suburban Chicago - but they tend to spring up in areas between the historic suburbs' cores (and also in the most far-flung spots, a la Loudoun -oh, and there's always some 'infill,' of course ). On the other hand, NoVA's few close-in historic (19th c. and prior) communities were very, very small.. basically, pit stops on country roads. Said country roads have now become NoVA's infamous semi-highways-as-parking-lots with strip malls that sprouted like weeds (as well as actual weeds, including in the medians! - that situation seems to be a little better this year than last, though) in the '60s-'80s (roughly speaking).

Add: in my previous paragraph, I'm obviously not talking about Alexandria, which is/was a *city* in its own right. I'm talking about small towns which have become suburbs.

[ChristineVA]

One of my favorite opening lines is:

I just got a job in NoVA and I'm moving from Pennsylvania. I'd like to move very close to the Metro and my rent budget is about $1000 a month...

It always seems to be the Pennsylvanians that get the biggest sticker shock.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by Alicia Bradley

One of the things that bugs a lot of suburbanites from other cities (particularly Northern ones) who move to NoVA is that our inner suburbs for the most part lack charming historic cores. My own personal experience in this regard is mostly with the western and northern suburbs of Chicago, most of which started out (in the 19th c.) as small towns with little (19th c.) business districts of their own - these have largely become little community gathering places with both pedestrian (heh.. meaning both 'utilitarian' and 'you can walk there from some older residential neighborhoods') and upscale-ish retail and dining. These older communities also tend to have a grid layout of streets and wide bypasses for people who are just traversing the area and want to do so quickly. That's not to say that McMansions and such don't exist in suburban Chicago - but they tend to spring up in areas between the historic suburbs' cores (and also in the most far-flung spots, a la Loudoun -oh, and there's always some 'infill,' of course ). On the other hand, NoVA's few close-in historic (19th c. and prior) communities were very, very small.. basically, pit stops on country roads. Said country roads have now become NoVA's infamous semi-highways-as-parking-lots with strip malls that sprouted like weeds (as well as actual weeds, including in the medians! - that situation seems to be a little better this year than last, though) in the '60s-'80s (roughly speaking).

Add: in my previous paragraph, I'm obviously not talking about Alexandria, which is/was a *city* in its own right. I'm talking about small towns which have become suburbs.

absolutely. One of the annoying things around here (oops this is a complaint) is that almost ANY criticism of the prevailing forms of suburban development is seen by some as some hipsterish call for universal urban living, or a "war on the automobile" or whatever, instead of just asking for some change (and in our opinions, at least, improvement) in the forms of SUBURBAN development.