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Old 03-02-2013, 07:20 AM
 
Location: MD suburbs of DC
607 posts, read 1,365,334 times
Reputation: 455

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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry View Post
Yeah I have to admit the burbs area, such as Montgomery County, is a whole lot different than the midwest, or up here in Mt. Airy. Having grown up in Bethesda I never really noticed it until we moved out to the semi-country. A few weeks ago I was in Rockville helping a friend move. I had 2 dogs in my truck and a neighbor was walking a golden retriever. I made eye contact with him several times and he blew me off, not at all interested in conversing despite us both being dog owners. That just would not happen up here.
I'm quite surprised that happens up in Mt. Airy. On the I-270 portions of FredCo, anyone who would start a conversation for something as trivial as owning a dog would be passed off as a waste of their time. People who move from places such as Salisbury, Mt. Airy, Hagerstown, etc. notice the difference and sometimes those from rural portions of Frederick County don't like being associated with the city. Having lived in NYC, Bethesda, and now partially living in Gaithersburg (long story, I'd prefer to not start it), I view Frederick as somewhat slow.

In Maryland, there's a huge distinction in mindset between urban (Baltimore), inner suburban (Bethesda, Essex), outer suburban (Frederick, Germantown, Columbia) and rural (Western MD, all of Carroll County, parts of Frederick County outside of the I-270 beltway, and the Eastern Shore). Those who haven't resided here for a significant period of time can't judge the state unless you've been to all of those regions.
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Old 03-02-2013, 02:02 PM
 
Location: Mount Airy, Maryland
16,132 posts, read 10,271,710 times
Reputation: 27238
Quote:
Originally Posted by David_J View Post
I'm quite surprised that happens up in Mt. Airy. On the I-270 portions of FredCo, anyone who would start a conversation for something as trivial as owning a dog would be passed off as a waste of their time.
Just wondering if you had any idea how rude this comment read to a dog lover. If you own a dog, and have that dog with you, and you come across another dog owner who has his/her dog it's hardly considered a waste of time to stop and have a quick conversation. Especially in a neighborhood setting as I was in. In Mount Airy that situation would trigger at the minimum a smile if not a quick comment every single time.
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Old 03-02-2013, 02:12 PM
 
Location: MD suburbs of DC
607 posts, read 1,365,334 times
Reputation: 455
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry View Post
Just wondering if you had any idea how rude this comment read to a dog lover. If you own a dog, and have that dog with you, and you come across another dog owner who has his/her dog it's hardly considered a waste of time to stop and have a quick conversation. Especially in a neighborhood setting as I was in. In Mount Airy that situation would trigger at the minimum a smile if not a quick comment every single time.
Apologies if it came off that way. It's simply different cultures and different ways of thinking, I suppose.

@OP: It depends on which part of MD you go to. Rural portions are probably even more laid-back than people in the Midwest are.
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Old 03-02-2013, 03:47 PM
 
Location: Mount Airy, Maryland
16,132 posts, read 10,271,710 times
Reputation: 27238
No worries David, and thanks for the apology. I didn't mean to start a battle. I trust you aren't a dog owner so I guess you wouldn't understand how your comments would be taken by someone who is a dog owner.
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Old 03-04-2013, 11:14 AM
 
4 posts, read 7,514 times
Reputation: 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by molukai View Post
Midwesterners are not repressive. I also don't think they are reserved, which is the word I think is what you originally meant to say, federline.

Personally, my feelings about Marylanders in the DC capital region is about the same as anyone else in the DC capital region, and it isn't a very positive one. The 'rough' edge comes from the stresses of living in this environment, which makes people want to rush to get things done even if it is not done right. But mostimportantly, I find people in this area as generally rude, which I also attribute to the environment.
I agree with you that many people in the DC/MD area are just stressed out for many reasons. But that really is no excuse. I lived in Montgomery County, Germantown to be exact, and I've been to Baltimore, Garrett County, Frederick, PG, Howard. All parts of Maryland aren't the same but I can very well speak for the whole of Montgomery County.

I just feel people around here are socially inept. I've read that rough edge is just people getting things done. HAHAHA.. Getting what done? Outside of slaving hard to procure $ what do people get done around here. Things aren't even fast around here. In comparison to REAL East Coast cities and even cities Down South or out West, Montgomery County is terribly slow.

Also it has nothing to do with transplants. The people that I actually know to be from New Jersey, New York or other Northeast states are actually way easier to interact with than the locals. I've been here for 11 years and most of the people are born and raised in either Montgomery County, or were born in DC and moved to the county at a young age.

I guess it's the small state mentality. It's almost as if people don't know any better when it comes to social interactions. But if you were born and raised in such a small, insignificant state that really lacks any traces of culture in the inner suburbs, I don't know how I'd expect people to act. It's just many things about Maryland that rubs me the wrong way.
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Old 03-04-2013, 11:28 AM
 
4 posts, read 7,514 times
Reputation: 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by oncesir View Post
Its funny reading this thread. I was raised in the midwest (St. Louis) and the "edge" there was just how Richard describes it. Things got done, problems were dealt with and the general public had a good amount of integrity to abide by rules that were set. Here on the shore (Delmarva/Salisbury area) its THE EXACT OPPOSITE. Most of the population that were raised here have no work ethic and are more interested in gossiping than doing work. The same problems happen daily, no discussion, no teamwork, just rebuttal that you are negative and a miserable individual when you bring these subjects up. I think the worst part is that most of the issues are easily solved problems but most people here just dont care. If you want nearly anything done here be ready to be inconvenienced or frustrated. Nearly everyone is on their own time and most just don't seem to care. Nearly 8 years of living here and the area as a whole is very overrated.
Thats funny. Everything you've said about the shore is exactly how I see Montgomery County. No teamwork, close mindedness, not progressive at all. This county has a facade of decadence or progression but you can't fool me! Good luck trying to get much down out here outside working your 9-5.

The funny thing is that my parents each make around six figures and have a 500k home but Im not stuck up and seemingly self centered like the rest of the population. I've socialized with people that lived in HOC or had Sec. 8 vouchers, to hispanic immigrants, to "hoodlums" from the inner city, to the well to do and I still get this vibe that the Maryland area is very anti-progressive and many of the natives are extremely narrow minded.
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Old 04-02-2013, 03:08 PM
 
129 posts, read 163,494 times
Reputation: 164
Lol....this thread cracks me up.... Ha...

I'm a MD native, born and raised practically my whole entire life. While SOME statements are indeed generalizations, I can attest that unfortunately I too have noticed a general decline in manners and just out right blatant RUDENESS that has seemed to permeate the MD/DC/VA area for the past 10 years. Each year it gets worse imo. :-/

I grew up in Montgomery County, but have also lived in Prince George's county. Ha....if you think Montgomery County is tough, come to Prince George's county. I find people to be FAR more rude and "rushed" here in Prince George's than Montogomery County. In fact, now when I go back to my roots in M. County, I find it to be very "Slow" compared to "PG" lol. You're likely to get killed on the road just driving here in this area.

I find it sad too because MD or the DMV area wasn't always like this. 10+ years ago MD USED to be very polite, fairly easy-going (for an East coast state), and generally stress-free. NOW days, I don't know what it is (more immigration, stressful lifestyle, the economy or what) it seems that people here in the DC/MD area especially are just a lot more aggressive, especially in driving on the road. I sometimes toy w/the idea of relocating to an area that is a little more laid back because of some of the things I experience here.

But overall, MD will always still be "home", but I definitely agree that SOMETHING has changed here in the metropolitan area. It's crazy. DC is even worse if you ask me. I can understand DC since it's a big city, and ANY city in any country is probably going to be filled with your typical rushed and rude people. But I never expected MD to be like this. VA is slightly better, at least the people don't drive AS fast/rudely. Idk...maybe it's all subjective though.

Go figure! lol!
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Old 04-03-2013, 02:25 PM
 
23,838 posts, read 23,046,270 times
Reputation: 9407
An "edge?" That's an understatement.

Montgomery County has without a doubt seen its peak and is now on the downhill slide. Except for the few pockets of rich neighborhoods, the county is becoming more and more infested with the lowest common denominator from other states and countries. They've heard about Montgomery County, have specifically sought it out to live when they came to the US, but did not leave behind their dastardly cultures. Zero loyalty to the United States. English is an afterthought. (Ask me how many times i've seen the "Trinidad Is My Land" bumper sticker). And for that reason (mark my words) Montgomery County will continue to slide into the abyss of an overpopulated cultural cesspool of wannabe's and takers. White Flight has taken root in MontCo and it wont' stop until the County is PG's bastardized cousin. Bet on it.
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Old 04-03-2013, 05:02 PM
 
Location: MD suburbs of DC
607 posts, read 1,365,334 times
Reputation: 455
Quote:
Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC View Post
An "edge?" That's an understatement.

Montgomery County has without a doubt seen its peak and is now on the downhill slide. Except for the few pockets of rich neighborhoods, the county is becoming more and more infested with the lowest common denominator from other states and countries. They've heard about Montgomery County, have specifically sought it out to live when they came to the US, but did not leave behind their dastardly cultures. Zero loyalty to the United States. English is an afterthought. (Ask me how many times i've seen the "Trinidad Is My Land" bumper sticker). And for that reason (mark my words) Montgomery County will continue to slide into the abyss of an overpopulated cultural cesspool of wannabe's and takers. White Flight has taken root in MontCo and it wont' stop until the County is PG's bastardized cousin. Bet on it.
I'm not going to go and just call you flat out racist, but do you really have no respect for other cultures? Yes, I do think that minorities should assimilate more, but that's not to say other cultures shouldn't just be thrown away. In particular, Bethesda, Potomac, etc. - all with fairly high Asian populations and a growing number of other immigrants - are thriving. Newer communities such as Germantown and Clarksburg are doing pretty well. Even places like Wheaton are getting gentrified, in fact. Montgomery County will certainly remain a major benefit to Maryland's economy and overall status for a long time, and it's not going to change because of "new cultures" being brought into the area. I myself am an Asian American immigrant (though to be fair, I moved at the age of two) who has lived in New York City in the past, has lived in Montgomery County for several years, and my family has been above average in terms of income and is open-minded when it comes to politics.

Drive around I-270 and if anything, MontCo's been getting better in that region.
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Old 04-07-2013, 09:12 PM
 
Location: USA
299 posts, read 553,117 times
Reputation: 372
Heh.... I have to agree with David_J here.

I haven't even lived here that long yet myself (also a native St. Louisan who moved up here), but I haven't seen anything negative stemming from the fairly large Asian population? In St. Louis, Asians are relatively few and far between. (There's actually a part of town that serves as sort of an unofficial "Chinatown". For those familiar with St. Louis, MO - I'm referring to an area just east of Hwy. 170, basically along both Olive St. and Page Blvd.) But here, things are much more "assimilated" than that.

If anything, I'd say the most negative impression I've gotten since I moved here is of the stereotypical "older, rich white folks" of Potomac, who constantly seem unhappy with the world around them. Apparently, just because you have enough money to drive luxury cars and live in a multi-million dollar Potomac property, it doesn't equate to happiness. Countless times, I've stopped by one of the stores along the River Road in Potomac and run across some angry old person yelling or blaring their car horn at someone else, or just generally acting grumpy and annoyed with the people around them.

Overall though? I've seen so much poor driving in the St. Louis area my whole life, I don't find drivers around here to really be that much more aggressive or worse? I see my share of idiots in downtown Bethesda honking impatiently at the car in front of them that stopped to let a person finish crossing the street .... that sort of thing. But that's going to be everywhere in a big city. I was warned I wouldn't find the Bethesda area folks friendly at all -- but again, that's not really been my experience. Because so many ARE transplants from all over, you get a random mix of behaviors, I think. I've had nice conversations with random strangers while waiting for the elevator in parking garages and even with the African guy who set up my checking account at my bank. A lot of people just walk by and don't acknowledge you as you pass, but so what? Is there some unwritten rule that they must? The people who'd have some actual reason to interact with me have been pleasant 9 times out of 10.

If the area is, indeed, on some sort of "downhill slide", I'd suggest that may have more to do with rich elitists getting upset that others are managing to become gainfully employed here, and earn enough to make it, despite not earning enough to be part of their elite class? Sorry, but I don't side with the snobby rich on that one .... Bring on the downhill slide.
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