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Have you seen the latest survey of cities on Travel and Leisure? As usual Washington DC is rated as a very unfriendly city. Why would this be true? The City is in the south, beautiful, there is lots to see, economy is pretty good and nearly everyone is from outside the area and are looking for friends.
You would think Washington DC and the metro area would be one of the nicest friendliest places in America.
Because people in DC are obnoxiously rude for entirely no reason. Screw DC, they can root in their own negative self-pittying cesspool. I prefer to be in a place where there are normal people.
I meet a lot of friendly people here and they don't fit any one caricature - restaurant owners, bar tenders, professionals, parents. You all either had a bad experience when you visited or run in the wrong circles. I'd imagine if you spend your time at clubs and with lobbyists it would give you the impression people are mean just like New York would seem like douchebag central if you immersed yourself in the Wall Street crowd.
Maybe people come off a little rude on the street, but that's true in any denser city. They're not going to smile at thousands of people everyday, but I find most people are generally nice or at least not hostile when they do engage.
...And, not to kick this dead horse again, but DC ain't in the South. Ask any Southerner.
Yeah the idea that everyone in this town is a lobbyist or a lawyer is just absurd. Who works at our restaurants, bars, car repair shops, schools, nonprofits, a million other types of everyday business? It's normal people.
Yes DC has its share of jerks in the lobbyist/lawyer element, but every city has a group of people like this. In New York it's the high rolling finance guys, in LA it's the wannabe celebs, etc.
I think the reputation is based on the metro and the lack of small talk with strangers. In a lot of cities, the tourists do not regularly use the main commuter transportation methods to get around like they do in DC.
The etiquette on the metro during rush hours, i.e. commuter zombies, is very common in a bunch of major cities I have been in Chicago, London, NYC, Boston, SF, etc. However, when I was a tourist in those towns, I never really used the main commuter trains, subways or buses, but in DC tourists heavily use the metro. So in DC, the locals seem more standoffish.
Even so, I've noticed that DC folks are usually pretty busy and don't do a lot of idle chit chat either.
I guess I've also noticed that we have way more security (metro, union station, government buildings, museums, etc.) than your typical tourist location. Many of those people are pretty rude at places you would think everyone would be nice (i.e. like a museum that caters to children) because they think they are fighting terrorism by searching bags and confiscating bottles of water and feel no need to provide friendly customer service. I went the botantical gardens once and they have 4 doors, but you were supposed to use the 2 on the left. I tried to open the wrong door, and boy was I treated like I was a thief. Stuff like that definitely leaves a sour taste in your mouth when you are on vacation.
people are like cattle in washington. no one really matters. everyone is
just being herded along, but you wouldn't know it if dc is all you've
ever known.
at least dc people aren't nosy tho.
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