Laurel - Most unfriendly place I have ever seen!! (Baltimore: transplants, DMV)

[chudson1942]

I moved here in February from California. I thought California was a "cold shoulder state" until I moved here. Now I find myself among the most unfriendly people on the planet. The only folks who will even make eye contact with you are paid to do so: i.e. checkout folks in fast food or grocery stores. Even in a grocery store, you cannot get a smile returned or a greeting from ANYONE!! I am so depressed to find this the most unfriendly place I have ever lived in. Ready to go back to California! Maryland hospitality sucks!!

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by chudson1942

I moved here in February from California. I thought California was a "cold shoulder state" until I moved here. Now I find myself among the most unfriendly people on the planet. The only folks who will even make eye contact with you are paid to do so: i.e. checkout folks in fast food or grocery stores. Even in a grocery store, you cannot get a smile returned or a greeting from ANYONE!! I am so depressed to find this the most unfriendly place I have ever lived in. Ready to go back to California! Maryland hospitality sucks!!

Hate to break this to you, but just about every state north of Virginia is not very hospitable. You go south to Virginia, NC, SC, everyone speaks and greets you as if you've lived there all your life. So, it's not just Maryland. Try NYC and NJ. You may think Maryland is the most friendliest state on the east coast. :-)

[westsideboy]

Not all of Maryland is like the 'burbs. There are still some "down home" places where politeness and courtesy to others are the norm.

[jifie]

Coming from MD and now in CA I agree with you to an extent. You are going to have rude people anytime you have bustling go-getter areas. Any major metro area is going to be mainly comprised of people who just care about themselves, and as a delphi said, the further north you go the less southern hospitality you get...maybe that's why they call it southern hospitality. But, like westside said too, it's not all of md. You get out to the Eastern shore or out west to the mountains, people get much friendlier. Personally I haven't noticed CA being much friendlier though, but maybe that's because I'm the rude one since I'm from MD.

Was there a specific incident that happened, or are you just upset because none of the strangers you've met shares your zest for life on a daily basis?

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by jifie

Personally I haven't noticed CA being much friendlier though

I can't compare CA with MD, but I can compare to NY with CA.

I hated the way Californians talked to people. The superficial 'have a nice day'..and other inauthentic ways of interacting with people. Just seemed phoney, not friendly, but just phoney.

I always liked the NYer style of being direct to the point, helping people without questions when needed or asked, etc. Just seemed very authentic, real, honest, etc. Southerners seem equally authentic, real, honest, just not to the point But still good!

I always got the feeling that a Californian might politely yell 'have a nice day' at you as you leave, but the minute the door closes, have a 50/50 shot of saying something negative about you just to make a good story.

[ATL_II_DMV]

lol, you sure you aren't referring to New Yorkers with the fakeness and talking behind people's back?

New Yorkers are very direct/blunt, but also some of the most phony/backstabbers as well.

It's true that hospitality in MD sucks, but you'd be surprised how helpful people in Baltimore are.

Surprising because of Baltimore's reputation, but people will stop and talk to you, help you out, etc in B More.

[jonjj]

Originally Posted by ATL_II_DMV

lol, you sure you aren't referring to New Yorkers with the fakeness and talking behind people's back?

New Yorkers are very direct/blunt, but also some of the most phony/backstabbers as well.

It's true that hospitality in MD sucks, but you'd be surprised how helpful people in Baltimore are.

Surprising because of Baltimore's reputation, but people will stop and talk to you, help you out, etc in B More.

I agree with you and I honestly can't think of a logical reason why that is. I find the people in Baltimore and the surrounding burbs to be pretty genuine and generally friendly and the opposite once you get in the DC environs. Maybe it's the transplants or just a more hurried lifestyle but to be truthful, I actually find the people north of Baltimore in the Philly, NYC, and Boston areas to be more friendly than the DC area.

If anyone has an explanation of this phenomina, I would love to read it. I still haven't figured it out and I've been living in MD for quite a few years.

[westsideboy]

My quick theory would be that alot of people that relocate to the DC area don't really want to be there. They only move there because of the opportunity to make coin working for the Federal Government or its many private contracties. They don't want to set down roots, just move up the economic ladder.

The other cities you mentioned attract a more.....motivated populous. I don't know how many people wake up one morning and say "Hey, I am going to move to Baltimore, MD!" There would have to be something you liked about the place first, which is going to make the person more likely to be a good neighbor.

But that's just my best guess.

[adelphi_sky]

I think it's extremely hard to gauge how friendly a place is. Different people have different sensitivities and personality types. We all feel things differently. What one person says about D.C. being cold and rude, another person may feel perfectly at home. People from NYC say we're slow. I think NYC is too fast. I think NYC smells like beer and pee. Whereas a New Yorker may be so used to it, they don't think it smells at all.

[kjg1963]

From the title, I thought you were saying Laurel is the most unfriendly place. I was feeling a little offended since I live there and I'm a very friendly person, lol. I can understand the opinions you have on Maryland. I was born and raised here and I can see the change in atmosphere in the central part of the state (metro area) due to possibly transplants and in the cost of living in the area. However, as stated before, we are not all mean and grouchy and I am sure at some time since you've been here, someone, somewhere has said "hello" with a smile.