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A: Remember, the times of staying in the place you were born in is generations past. People move from place to place. I grew up on bases, lived for so long in the city, then moved out to the country. We are something of a nomadic people.
B: And I imagine.....so are the criminals, perhaps even more so.
C: I am reminded of the opening of a spy novel, I don't know the title or author, where the spy had retired to the hills of W.VA, had some white tigers (gifts from royalty for services rendered) there, environmental terrorists broke into his land and killed the tigers, and hence, he went back to work.
Nothing quite like that here but my credentials are built up on knowing how bad the world is (indeed, even of crimes in rural lands not often encountered in the city). Hence, I live here.....and I know.
I have an honest theory about this, I live in a city but drive and work in rural markets. City customers are desensitized to human interaction and are much more willing to converse and discuss with you. Rural customers are very sensitive as they do not interact on a daily basis. They hear a terrible story about a robbery and 1 assume it to be truth, and 2 don’t receive positive or daily human contact to disprove the idea. Simply put, rural customers are generally mich more sensitive and require more attention than most of my clients from the city.
After 23 years of living in the country (and being raised in the country before I lived in the city - different parts of the state when living rural), my experience couldn't be more different than yours. We chat with the propane guy (who always has dog biscuits for the dogs and will throw a ball for them while the propane tank is filling), the UPS or FedEx guy, anyone who comes up the quarter mile drive gets a conversation. We talk with our neighbors who are pretty much the same. We live on 55 acres out in the country but I'm always in the small town nearby working on the Library Board or meeting with the women in town and from surrounding communities for our monthly networking meetup or chatting at the little restaurant in town or talking with the grocery store clerk or . . . well, you get the picture.
Now, some city folk might come on a bit differently and might get a more cautious reaction as a result, but those that don't look down their noses or think the country is less just because it isn't the city or any of those usual stereotypes are treated just like anyone else. Around this state, at least.
I have an honest theory about this, I live in a city but drive and work in rural markets. City customers are desensitized to human interaction and are much more willing to converse and discuss with you. Rural customers are very sensitive as they do not interact on a daily basis. They hear a terrible story about a robbery and 1 assume it to be truth, and 2 don’t receive positive or daily human contact to disprove the idea. Simply put, rural customers are generally mich more sensitive and require more attention than most of my clients from the city.
A lot of the reaction you get may be because, in many areas, urbanistas come out to the rural area and start telling the residents what they "need" to do.
- When you escape inner city crimes against the person (robbery) and spread out into less populated areas, property crimes and crimes of opportunity began to take precedence. Theft and burglary come to mind.
- Different types of illegal substances that are very addictive drive theft to fund said addiction. Also rural areas have the chronically unemployed, underemployed, and people overall not in the best of health. Some steal so that they can have a Christmas, some to pay basic costs of living.
- "Leaving our doors unlocked" was a mere sign of the times. Not necessarily because it WAS that safe, but I speculate safety precautions and "night time checklists" were still on their way to being universally adopted for changing times.
- When you escape inner city crimes against the person (robbery) and spread out into less populated areas, property crimes and crimes of opportunity began to take precedence. Theft and burglary come to mind.
- Different types of illegal substances that are very addictive drive theft to fund said addiction. Also rural areas have the chronically unemployed, underemployed, and people overall not in the best of health. Some steal so that they can have a Christmas, some to pay basic costs of living.
- "Leaving our doors unlocked" was a mere sign of the times. Not necessarily because it WAS that safe, but I speculate safety precautions and "night time checklists" were still on their way to being universally adopted for changing times.
'' Also rural areas have the chronically unemployed, underemployed, and people overall not in the best of health.''
You couldnt be more wrong here. I myself and many more I know. Live here in rural areas out of town, and commute to work. Where the traffic, congestion and the MONEY is. In rural areas it can be as much as 50% cheaper to live. I dont see too many of these people you are talking about. Maybe you need some new friends.
Every small town can be a little different, but there are always those folks who grew up there, know lots of the locals and some of these types feel secure leaving their door unlocked. Then there are others who have security cameras, like several of my neighbors and I’m betting their doors are locked at night.
Meth and drugs have changed a lot of small towns and not for the better. There are also those who seek small towns and country life for raising hell, or they have dysfunctional kids. The area I live in, has it’s share of ne’er do wells, compare that to small towns like Covington or Fall City for instance, where homes are better kept, and the more expensive real estate probably keeps druggies from living somewhere in a bus or run down house. Every town is a little different.
Personally, big dogs and locked doors give a secure feeling, and there is no way I’d go to bed without checking all the doors. As someone mentioned in this thread, druggies steal. That’s reason enough to use the deadbolt.
I know plenty of people in small towns. A lot of them have this mentality where the hordes from the city will ravage their little town. Truthfully city people have absolutely no interest in living in Smallville.
I thought at one time I wanted to but by the time I retire I’ll want to be close to medical facilities, shops, stores etc.
I have some relatives who live in small towns. By 8 pm most of the town is shut down for the night. There is literally nothing to do. If that’s your lifestyle ok that’s fine. Most people simply don’t want that lifestyle.
... I have some relatives who live in small towns. By 8 pm most of the town is shut down for the night. There is literally nothing to do. If that’s your lifestyle ok that’s fine. Most
'city ' people simply don’t want that lifestyle.
Where I live it has been primarily retirees migrating here. These people worked in the cities, and when they were ready to retire they 'want' to live rural.
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