[New Englander]

Originally Posted by SeaDoo342

Yep... everyone from RI/MA tells me that once they hit Waterbury or New Haven on the highway.... they can feel the NYC influence. Not sure if it's how people drive or whatever, but that's been told to me numerous times..

I agree with this. I would say that New Haven and Hartford feel like NE cities. I am not too familiar with Waterbury and cannot comment there.

New England is a compact geographic region which includes MA, NH, RI, ME, VT, and parts of CT (Hartford, Middlesex, Windham, Tolland, and New London Counties for sure). One could argue that parts of Northern New York state (around lake Champlain) are New England influenced, however we would be getting into the same discussion as before.

If we speak in gradations, I think Fairfield County is for sure in NYC's influence. Litchfield and New Haven Counties are less so.

Boston is the de facto capital of New England, as people from the region consider it to be the focal point. Sure New York City is a city in close proximity, however it does not have the same regional influence as Boston.

[Henry10]

I don't see much Boston influence except a litle bit on CT's NE corner. Nothin compared to NYC' s influence.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by Henry10

I don't see much Boston influence except a litle bit on CT's NE corner. Nothin compared to NYC' s influence.

Should CT be kicked out of New England?

I am not sure about that. Folks in Greater Hartford area, the Shoreline would disagree with your assessment.

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by New Englander

I agree with this. I would say that New Haven and Hartford feel like NE cities. I am not too familiar with Waterbury and cannot comment there.

New England is a compact geographic region which includes MA, NH, RI, ME, VT, and parts of CT (Hartford, Middlesex, Windham, Tolland, and New London Counties for sure). One could argue that parts of Northern New York state (around lake Champlain) are New England influenced, however we would be getting into the same discussion as before.

If we speak in gradations, I think Fairfield County is for sure in NYC's influence. Litchfield and New Haven Counties are less so.

Boston is the de facto capital of New England, as people from the region consider it to be the focal point. Sure New York City is a city in close proximity, however it does not have the same regional influence as Boston.

Sorry, New Englander Boston got no influence on Connecticut maybe Rhode Island which is just smaller Massachusetts. Hartford area is on it own

[ProudFairfielder]

Originally Posted by JGBigGreen

Let me apologize for not making clear that the 101 person sample size and the 39.81% figures were for New Hampshire only. Having clarified that, I should say that 39.81% is not the plurality. Boston was chosen by 42.59% of respondents.

Then it's miscolored.

[mysticaltyger]

There's no "boundry" of influence, although there may be a boundary.

[ProudFairfielder]

Okay, this is my Last time posting on this thread. It's really hard to have a debate on influence and to even define what it means. As a result I will start a new thread that is similar but with a slightly different question that is far easier to debate.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by Henry10

I don't see much Boston influence except a litle bit on CT's NE corner. Nothin compared to NYC' s influence.

From what I know of Hartford and my times there (for example I lived in the area for 3 months on a temporary assignment 7 years ago and have a lot of friends there), I would consider it a "hybrid" or more like the NYC vs. Boston/NE "fault line" and even where the northern and eastern parts of the area were more "Boston" and the southern and western parts of the area more "NY".

The media emphasizes both NY and Boston sports teams (though I noticed with NY they emphasize the Yankees more than the Mets, perhaps geography since Yankees always had the northern suburbs of NYC and Mets were more prevalent in Long Island) as a good example. My assignment involved schools and one place I was in the Principal had lots and lots of Red Sox and Patriots gear all over his office where the assistant principal had Yankees and Giants all over hers. A phenomenon you don't see much of in FFC for example.

[Ollie4]

New York State shares a border with MA as well as CT. VT, too.

Western Mass is said to have magic. "Here be dragons," says unofficial map.

New England starts at CT... and I never much liked NYC, and I am from NY State (Upstate NY is anything not NYC which is grossly unfair.) Boston is a nice city with increasingly NY-like drivers, traffic enforcement seemingly only at night, and no parking.

I like Boston better, I had to be in Boston to change my view of NYC. NYC is congested, busy, and good luck using subway. Most cryptic thing I EVER saw.

Oh, and NYC Mayor is from Mass. So.

[dazzleman]

Originally Posted by Ollie4

New York State shares a border with MA as well as CT. VT, too.

Western Mass is said to have magic. "Here be dragons," says unofficial map.

New England starts at CT... and I never much liked NYC, and I am from NY State (Upstate NY is anything not NYC which is grossly unfair.) Boston is a nice city with increasingly NY-like drivers, traffic enforcement seemingly only at night, and no parking.

I like Boston better, I had to be in Boston to change my view of NYC. NYC is congested, busy, and good luck using subway. Most cryptic thing I EVER saw.

Oh, and NYC Mayor is from Mass. So.

I am from New York and work in New York, but I prefer Boston.