Newcomers vs. Natives (Reston, Fairfax, Vienna: transplants, how much, attorney)

[SteelCityRising]

This is intended to be an off-topic thread that I hope Tone509 will leave open for just a short while. Obviously several other prospective new residents and/or new transplants along with myself have been ruffling quite a few feathers recently with natives and/or long-standing transplants. To me this is analogous to my own area where some people are becoming irritated by the influx of transplants from NYC and NJ who are trying to change things for the better but come off as being arrogant or "know-it-alls." Obviously some sort of "middle ground" has to be met. Several whom I spoke with who already lived in Virginia cried foul over the traffic congestion, lack of sidewalks, and lack of accessibility to the city via mass transit, hence why I don't understand why some of you are making this out to be a "transplant" issue when some of your very own NATIVES are also bringing this to light as a legitimate grievance that must be aired.

To avoid these flame wars from erupting continuously in thread after thread between the same half-dozen posters (myself included so as not to make it seem like I'm passing the buck here), I would hope this thread will become the one-stop outlet for everyone to settle their differences amicably and with civility. I just had one other member imply that I beat up children and small animals and another two say that I apparently make it a habit to "stomp on flowers" when all I said was that I would not hesitate to run through front yards, regardless of landscaping/flower beds, if that particular homeowner did not pay to have sidewalks installed along the roadside for pedestrian usage, and the road was busy enough to make one feel uneasy sharing it with vehicles. That's a matter of principle, and I'll explain that now.

I've clashed with people here in suburban Scranton as well when I've run across their "front lawns" to get out of the way of traffic while running along sidewalk-less roadsides. I'm assuming Virginia is the same way as it is here, so let me clear the air and say that the municipality, county, state, or whomever has legal ownership of the strip of "your yard" that runs adjacent to a public roadway (I believe up to one foot in from the edge of the roadway, but that might vary state to state). If you should happen to choose to plant flowers immediately along the roadside within that right-of-way, then don't complain if a utility company comes around and digs them up to do public works projects or if a pedestrian has to walk/run through them to get out of the way of traffic as that was YOUR choice to infringe upon a public right-of-way. I tell the same thing to locals who have yelled at me for running through "their yards" immediately adjacent to the public roadway (within one foot), and I retort that it is town property. Here in Pennsylvania if you have a sidewalk running along the street, it is common knowledge that the community has ownership of the sidewalk (but that you are responsible for maintenance/liability/snow removal), and that the small strip of grass/tree lawn between that sidewalk and the curb is also town property, even though some DO choose to landscape it (and then complain when it is messed up by the town). Why on Earth would you think you own right up to the edge of the street? I'm going to continue to run directly BESIDE the edge of busier streets, landscaping or not, if sidewalks are unavailable.

According to this link, the right-of-way in the state of Virginia generally ranges from 25-150 feet from the center line of the adjacent roadway.

http://virginiadot.org/VDOT/Business/asset_upload_file608_3536.pdf (broken link)

If you don't install and maintain a sidewalk for pedestrians, then anything along the immediate roadside is considered fair game for public access. I don't even know why so many of you are arguing that one with me by telling me to just run on the trails instead if I have a legal ability to run beside the road.

[Samara11]

Paul, IMO you're totally addicted to city-data
Me thinks you find it fun arguing with people

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Samara11

Paul, IMO you're totally addicted to city-data
Me thinks you find it fun arguing with people

It's not really my intention to argue though. In real life I AM a nice person, and I do NOT bite! However, one particular member continues to hassle me about how I should not be running BESIDE busy streets because I'm intruding upon people's "yards." I will not surrender on a principle just to make someone else happy---I suppose that's my inner attorney rearing its ugly head for better or for worse. I've been involved in a couple of property boundary conflicts up here in PA as well, and you do NOT "own" directly beside a public roadway, as that is considered a public right-of-way. We have our yard landscape several feet IN from the edge of the road to account for this in case the community ever decides to take back that easement to widen the roadways or something. The developer never completed our community with sidewalks, but there is a home around the corner from me with a sidewalk coming out from the front door that stops abruptly several feet IN from the roadway, where it would have linked up to the road-side sidewalk. Criminalizing me for my RIGHT to walk beside a public roadway in lieu of sidewalks is just an argument that I'm not going to concede.

[SteelCityRising]

Storm Drainage Easements*- Fairfax County, Virginia

How much more do I have to beat a dead horse?!

[Samara11]

Actually that Vienna thread was already getting heated up and you posting those particular comments there was just like adding fuel to the flame. I understand your energy and enthusiasm, you're young and starting a career so probably have a lot of excitement but in some cases, its better to read/listen and observe and let things cool down than jump in with your opinions. People will just take up a few words (like they did about walking in the yards) and start arguing.

Words of wisdom "The wise man has long ears, big eyes and a short tongue."

Now everyone on the NoVA forum.... please take a chill pill. Its getting too hostile here.

[becwells]

Heh. I'm suddenly reminded of this cartoon...

[normie]

Originally Posted by Samara11

Me thinks you find it fun arguing with people

My opinion, exactly. To me, it's a turn off. I'm tired of you, Scran. I never thought I would put someone on the ignore list, but I just can't take your intensity anymore. I'm just glad you're not moving to my neighborhood. You can add me to the list of people who think you have problems with aggression.

[stuntmonkey123]

In my ten years of living in Northern Virginia, I have never encountered any conflict between people who grew up here and people who have moved her as adults. It's a non-issue.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by normie

My opinion, exactly. To me, it's a turn off. I'm tired of you, Scran. I never thought I would put someone on the ignore list, but I just can't take your intensity anymore. I'm just glad you're not moving to my neighborhood. You can add me to the list of people who think you have problems with aggression.

If that's your prerogative, then good-bye! I'm not backing down from my convictions about sidewalks, land usage policies, environmentalism, gay rights, or anything else that may not be popular to discuss in NoVA just to make people feel better about themselves.

[fdeitz]

Originally Posted by stuntmonkey123

In my ten years of living in Northern Virginia, I have never encountered any conflict between people who grew up here and people who have moved her as adults. It's a non-issue.

Totally agree with the above. Anyone who does move here and has conflict with people already living here probably would have conflict anywhere they moved. Not only that, this area has a high amount of transplants from other areas. No one here cares what other city someone has come from or whether they are a newcomer or not. At least no one that I know. I see a lot of painting of people in this area with a broad brush in these posts and generalizing. That is not a good thing and WILL make some people unhappy. All the posts about fancy cars, posers, etc. Sure those people exist, but they are not the majority in any area, even not in the Reston Town Center which is near where I work and I've been to on Friday nights and not observed that in large numbers.