[Stylo]

Drivers are bad everywhere. When there's more drivers (traffic, urban areas), the effect is multiplied. I've never been in a state and thought, wow, everyone here drives so well. Unless it's a rural area and there's barely any cars.

The only time I've ever been impressed with others' driving was in Germany.

It's a silly argument.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Drivers are bad everywhere. When there's more drivers (traffic, urban areas), the effect is multiplied. I've never been in a state and thought, wow, everyone here drives so well. Unless it's a rural area and there's barely any cars.

The only time I've ever been impressed with others' driving was in Germany.

It's a silly argument.

It's not silly. We live in a state that has the highest amount of reported incidents (per capita) of road rage in the country.

[DanBev]

Two speeds in CT,fast and stop,drivers going nowhere,crazy,run red lights and stop signs.Very rude in shopping area's As said by GetMeOutOfHere

[Vanderbiltgrad]

These are some of the reasons I left Boston for Nashville years ago, not big on paying half my salary to taxes.

[jax12479]

I don't think CT people are much different or any more rude than other areas of the east coast. Ive driven from Mass to the tip of FL, and bad driving can be found everywhere. The only place I've been where people are (to me) unusually nice is Suburban Chicago.

That said, I grew up here and I try to go out of my way to be kind and polite to others. I try to be the one to hold the door open for someone, smile at a passer by and say "good morning!" or bring brownies to a new neighbor. I find people in coastal Fairfield county to generally be happy people, and they reciprocate that friendliness, so try to be the one to smile first and make the effort. It's not Midwest friendly, but still...

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

It's not silly. We live in a state that has the highest amount of reported incidents (per capita) of road rage in the country.

Source?

Don't you think a lot of that is related to overcrowded roads and traffic?

[Tompho]

Seadoo, yeah, I've since experienced the last of our Midwestern friends leave the area and I've noticed that our native ct acquaintances really only engage with us when they need something. And frankly many of them are moving away also. There's been an exodus of the families in our neighborhood whose children have graduated from high school.

So, yeah, it's gotten 'bad' again. Back to square one, really. Our decade here has been like that -- mostly we're on our own and three we meet some folks who are really fun. Inevitably they're transplants and we hang out until they lose their jobs and move. Rinse. Repeat. Meanwhile the natives are gossiping over their drinks at us. And then ignoring us when we wave in their direction. Until they need something. We stay polite though. Becaus I'm always hopeful.

We aren't planning to retire in New England now. We're midwesterners at heart. We have a couple of years before we have both kids in college and then we can really make the decision, but it's looking like Wisconsin, Michigan or Iowa -- a college town.

We don't expect a going away party. ;-)

[WILWRadio]

^^^I think you can now better understand why so many people in New England just stick with friends they've had for a long time. You know what to expect and also have built a certain level of mutual trust that allows for a limited amount of friction in the relationship.

Most people in New England or at least most that I know in my social circle don't like drama in their lives. CT is known as the Land of Steady Habits. By sticking with long time friends you greatly reduce the chances of "nonsense" interfering with the relationship.

I know a guy that left RI 25 years ago due to the economy. Within a year of moving to the lower Midwest (Missouri) he told me how much different the people are. Women in particular. Wile he had the same girl friend for 10 years in RI and CT, upon his arrival in MO he ended up dating a lot and could not find someone suitable to stick with. Too much drama he said and that they seem to enjoy it and the friction it creates in the relationship. And most of his other friendships are more or less not as strong as they were back in New England with long time friends.

I concur that I've found this to be the case. As a result I just prefer the company of my long time friends and if that means driving hours to see them or family once in a while then so be it. I'd rather have quality time with long time friends vs. quantity time with fair weather friends.

Hope this helps you to better understand why it may be so difficult to find friends in the region.

[SeaDoo342]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

^^^I think you can now better understand why so many people in New England just stick with friends they've had for a long time. You know what to expect and also have built a certain level of mutual trust that allows for a limited amount of friction in the relationship.

Lmao... all this crap about "mutual trust" and "deep roots" are just excuses for being rude and snobby. It's sort of funny to see people trip over each other trying to make these excuses...

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by SeaDoo342

Lmao... all this crap about "mutual trust" and "deep roots" are just excuses for being rude and snobby. It's sort of funny to see people trip over each other trying to make these excuses...

Yup, I"m a snob. LOL I have friends from all walks of life and different socio economic strata. Some I've made in recent years and others date back to when I was 4 years old. What's wrong with preferring the company of long time friend? To each his own.

This is one of the major issues I have with the Midwest. People are generally unaccepting of others that don't share the same lifestyle of behavior as they do. I've spent enough time in the Midwest to know about it too. It all boils down to ego driven people that have to be the center of attention. If they get ignored they become unhinged and behave accordingly.

Not all of us have a desire to be overly popular or need a lot of friends. Personally, I not a man of the people like Mao, Hitler, Stalin and so on. I don't need to be the center of attention, demand that others give me attention or behave a certain way to accept them.

I experience the same kind of rude behavior in places like Indiana (mostly the Indy metro area) as well as places like Kansas City, St. Louis and so on. Many people that work in service positions do not say "Hello" or "Thank You" and I got over it years ago. I still greet them even if they don't greet me and leave it at that.