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I've had it.....not with Northern VA but with Washington DC! (how many of you thought I would've say NoVA). I know that I'm planning to move out to Arlington soon, but as for DC, every day I'm in the city, it gets less tolerable. For example, I'm not a person who likes staying inside, especially when the weather's good. But whenever I walk outside, it's usually comes at the cost of sharing the streets with snob yuppies, ghetto hoodlums, aggressive bums, and just plain inconsiderate pr*cks.
So if NoVA and DC are "so similar" and close to one another, someone please explain to me these things:
-Why are the drivers in less-pedestrian traffic NoVA more courteous to pedestrians than in a pedestrian-based city like DC?
-Why are the yuppies in Northern VA less rude and power hungry, and more open-minded and chilled-out than those in the District?
-Why do the people of my own race who live in NoVA makes me less ashamed of my skin color than those in DC (touchy, I know)?
-Why do I get more smiles (or at least less intimidating staredowns) from people while walking down the street in NoVA in comparison to DC?
-Why does the customer service I receive is overall better when in NoVA than when I'm in the district?
-Why is the Metrorail more efficient and frequent in NoVA than in DC?
and I guess this basically sums up what I'm trying to get:
-Why is NoVA more chill and laid back than DC.
Many will say "because it's a suburb," but between the density of NoVA and many others having complaints about NoVA that mirror my complaints about DC, I wonder why my experience in NoVA has been consistently more enjoyable and welcoming than my experience DC (or for that matter, most of Maryland as well). And you can also say that "I'm from here," but I haven't spent any significant amount of time in NoVA in over several years.
I know my complaints, even though they aren't towards NoVA, are getting a bit tedious nevertheless. But bear with me folks, I'm trying to find something good out of my circumstance
I understand this completely. I almost got run over by a Segway near a sidewalk on Franklin Square. I never thought I would have to worry about getting run over on a sidewalk.
I would recommend developing a gallows humor approach to DC and drink lots of coffee.
Your complaints are some of the reasons why I avoid working in DC if at all possible. I've actually turned down job offers and advancements because it would mean I'd have to work in DC on a regular basis. I don't need the extra stress, no matter the pay increase.
-Why are the drivers in less-pedestrian traffic NoVA more courteous to pedestrians than in a pedestrian-based city like DC?
First, drivers in DC are mostly commuters from MD and VA, mixed with tourists from New York and Pennsylvania mixed with taxis. But the reason they are more aggressive is because it's a city, it's more crowded and everyone is more aggressive, from the pedestrians to the drivers. That's pretty much the rule for every city. Partly it's because of the greater numbers that people feel more anonymous. And partly, it's just personal efficiency in a more populous area -- you have to be aggressive to get your own stuff done or people will walk right over you trying to get their stuff done.
-Why are the yuppies in Northern VA less rude and power hungry, and more open-minded and chilled-out than those in the District?
I'm not sure I know how to answer that, except to say that most of the "yuppies" I knew in the city commuted there from VA and MD. The people I knew in the city were pretty damn laid back. Then again, I lived in a pretty Bohemian area.
-Why do the people of my own race who live in NoVA makes me less ashamed of my skin color than those in DC (touchy, I know)?
I don't know your race, but if you are black, the black community in NoVA is no doubt much better off than the black community in DC. They've had a history of poor leadership and drug problems.
-Why do I get more smiles (or at least less intimidating staredowns) from people while walking down the street in NoVA in comparison to DC?
More people smile in VA, for sure.
-Why does the customer service I receive is overall better when in NoVA than when I'm in the district?
Less congestion = better customer service.
-Why is the Metrorail more efficient and frequent in NoVA than in DC?
It is not. Metro in VA often drives me nuts. Metro when I was in the city seemed better, maybe because it was only a few blocks between stops, so I didn't feel like I was riding for miles and miles... I guess because I wasn't.
and I guess this basically sums up what I'm trying to get:
-Why is NoVA more chill and laid back than DC.
Less people, more personal space. Quiet evenings. You can see the stars at night. No drunk people yelling outside your door. No sirens at all hours. No people peeing next to your car in the alley behind your house. No giant rats running by. Few worries about car theft or break ins. And these are things that happen in the nice parts of town. The bad parts, forget about it!
Hey, I know your post was tongue in cheek. But I had to stick up for our city a bit. If it weren't for DC, there would be no NoVA.
I've had it.....not with Northern VA but with Washington DC! (how many of you thought I would've say NoVA). I know that I'm planning to move out to Arlington soon, but as for DC, every day I'm in the city, it gets less tolerable. For example, I'm not a person who likes staying inside, especially when the weather's good. But whenever I walk outside, it's usually comes at the cost of sharing the streets with snob yuppies, ghetto hoodlums, aggressive bums, and just plain inconsiderate pr*cks.
I lived in DC and now in NoVa. Between the two, I run into fewer panhandlers or homeless than I did in DC, and I can't say I really ran into hoodlums in either (I lived in NW), and didn't notice the snobbishness of yuppies in either. Plenty of inconsiderate people in NoVa, too, just search this forum.
So if NoVA and DC are "so similar" and close to one another, someone please explain to me these things:
-Why are the drivers in less-pedestrian traffic NoVA more courteous to pedestrians than in a pedestrian-based city like DC?
As a frequent pedestrian, I can't say I've noticed much courtesy from drivers in NoVa. I especially hate crossing with the light when drivers facing me are turning right on red (even in places where that is posted as 'No Right Turn on Red') and creating a game of chicken between me and a car. Drivers are in a rush everywhere. There is a thread here from a driver's perspective complaining about inconsiderate pedestrians crossing streets in Rosslyn.
-Why are the yuppies in Northern VA less rude and power hungry, and more open-minded and chilled-out than those in the District?
How do you know how power-hungry people are?
-Why do the people of my own race who live in NoVA makes me less ashamed of my skin color than those in DC (touchy, I know)?
I can't say much about that as I'm white. But as another poster stated, DC is home to more low-income African Americans and more are involved in behavior you could feel embarrassed by, than in NoVa. Not to say NoVa doesn't have some of that, too.
-Why do I get more smiles (or at least less intimidating staredowns) from people while walking down the street in NoVA in comparison to DC?
There are frequent threads here about the averting-eye behavior in NoVa and threads claiming that NoVa is the most unfriendly place on earth (but I don't agree with the latter). I only get smiles from people in my neighborhood, usually only from ones who know me. Not when I'm walking through Old Town Alexandria or other parts of NoVa where I'm not recognized. The standard behavior is to pass people without greeting or acknowledgement, in my experience (and judging from C-D posts, in others' experience as well).
Funny thing is, my BIL is African American, and whenever he visits and we walk somewhere (Del Ray, the Braddock Rd 7-11, etc), it seems every African American person we encounter greets him in a friendly way, contrary to the stereotype that NoVa people avoid each other. So maybe for you, it would be more "chill" and welcoming, I don't know.
-Why does the customer service I receive is overall better when in NoVA than when I'm in the district?
-Why is the Metrorail more efficient and frequent in NoVA than in DC?
Like the time I had to get to National Airport for a flight, and the Braddock Rd Metro was down due to a problem on the tracks, and they had to bus us to the airport?
Or the many times when I took Orange Line home to Arlington and the train would stop and wait in the tunnel multiple times?
Or the long waits between trains, especially non-rush-hour?
Metrorail is Metrorail. It is not more efficient or frequent in NoVa than in DC.
and I guess this basically sums up what I'm trying to get:
-Why is NoVA more chill and laid back than DC.
Many will say "because it's a suburb," but between the density of NoVA and many others having complaints about NoVA that mirror my complaints about DC, I wonder why my experience in NoVA has been consistently more enjoyable and welcoming than my experience DC (or for that matter, most of Maryland as well). And you can also say that "I'm from here," but I haven't spent any significant amount of time in NoVA in over several years.
Since I don't know where you lived/have lived in DC, I can't tell how much different Arlington would really be. In my opinion, it's not significantly more relaxed or friendly than the parts of DC I lived in or frequented or worked. If you were comparing to Reston or Loudoun, then yes, I say NoVa (by those standards) is more laid-back. But anywhere it's crowded with people and cars is going to create situations of pushiness, rudeness, "me-first" attitudes, and cranky customer service.
I know my complaints, even though they aren't towards NoVA, are getting a bit tedious nevertheless. But bear with me folks, I'm trying to find something good out of my circumstance
No offense, but since you're planning to move to Arlington, I don't see the purpose of your post. Is it for "misery loves company" reasons?
Your complaints are some of the reasons why I avoid working in DC if at all possible. I've actually turned down job offers and advancements because it would mean I'd have to work in DC on a regular basis. I don't need the extra stress, no matter the pay increase.
Me too! I turned down a couple of jobs when I moved here. That was back when most of the jobs were closer to DC, so it was a bit of a gamble but I've never regretted holding out for a job out in the burbs, and never regretted moving out here either. Of course, living in DC has its appeal, too. Different strokes for different folks as they say.
I've had it.....not with Northern VA but with Washington DC! (how many of you thought I would've say NoVA). I know that I'm planning to move out to Arlington soon, but as for DC, every day I'm in the city, it gets less tolerable. For example, I'm not a person who likes staying inside, especially when the weather's good. But whenever I walk outside, it's usually comes at the cost of sharing the streets with snob yuppies, ghetto hoodlums, aggressive bums, and just plain inconsiderate people.
So if NoVA and DC are "so similar" and close to one another, someone please explain to me these things:
-Why are the drivers in less-pedestrian traffic NoVA more courteous to pedestrians than in a pedestrian-based city like DC?
In cities not many people drive and when they do they usually drive with the mentallity of get out of my way or get hit...this is usually true for all cities, most times they have nice cars btw lol
-Why are the yuppies in Northern VA less rude and power hungry, and more open-minded and chilled-out than those in the District?
Yuppies and open - minded people who love in DC are usually ALOT more wealthier than those who live in NOVA. To live in DC it cost ALOT of money the further you live from DC the cheaper it cost, thats why some people live all the way in Norfolk but commute to NOVA so that there rent is $600 a month compared to $1200 So the rich in DC usually are very afluent and snobish not all but most i hear
-Why do the people of my own race who live in NoVA makes me less ashamed of my skin color than those in DC (touchy, I know)?
I can agree with this and i say that most youth in the city are urban, i think personally becasue in cities it cost so much to live there that the youths parents are working and cant spend time or supervise there children and children get into trouble when left alone or there not given constructive things to do....also there is a high amount of people in a small area so the youth ban together....in NOVA parents are home by 3:00 most times the same time the youth get out of school
-Why do I get more smiles (or at least less intimidating staredowns) from people while walking down the street in NoVA in comparison to DC?
I cant say anything for this one i live in Woodbridge, VA and have never gotten a random smile from a person unless they think im cute haha
-Why does the customer service I receive is overall better when in NoVA than when I'm in the district?
Customer service will always be better in NOVA or any rural area other then a city, customer service people in cities deal with so many people throughout the day the kinda become "numb" not being nice not being mean just average, or there just mean to protect themseleves from other mean people in the city....if your too nice people will take advantage of you :0 a friend told me that once
-Why is the Metrorail more efficient and frequent in NoVA than in DC?
The metro is way more crowded in DC therefore it is going to have more issues due to wear and tear etc.
My explain is because it is a city you have to deal with ALOT more then in suburbs. All citys on forums have had the same common complaints....ALOT of people want to live in cities because thats where the most jobs are, nightlife is good, and you dont need a car. The cons are with alot of jobs comes successful people who are snobbish, nightlife brings youth who are crazy and rude, and not that many cars means the few who drive on the road think they own it I really hope you know find a good place to live, and cities are not for everyone, personally i love cities there not the safest places in the world but one of the most convient
Last edited by FindingZen; 05-23-2011 at 11:33 AM..
Reason: watch the language...
Yesterday there was some kind ofbicycle race going on in DC, it was unannounced, didn't see it in the news, the papers, nothing, just drove into DC and there they were, blocking off street after street, which meant I had to wander around the streets of DC aimlessly looking for a way to dupont circle
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). I know that I'm planning to move out to Arlington soon, but as for DC, every day I'm in the city, it gets less tolerable. For example, I'm not a person who likes staying inside, especially when the weather's good. But whenever I walk outside, it's usually comes at the cost of sharing the streets with snob yuppies, ghetto hoodlums, aggressive bums, and just plain inconsiderate pr*cks. 
So the rich in DC usually are very afluent and snobish not all but most i hear
