Any Midwesterners who moved to Maryland agree the people have a "rough edge"? (Baltimore: real estate, house)

[Tom Lennox 70]

Oncesir, you should realize that the Eastern Shore is more like the typical America than Baltimore or DC. However, the "real America" - the land of crabcakes, seafood, Preakness and Orioles baseball - are Baltimore, Annapolis, and the areas around the Bay.

Montgomery County and Howard County are more like New Jersey, and Garrett, Washington, and Alleghany Counties are more like West Virginia (or Pennsylvania).

[oncesir]

Originally Posted by Terrapin2212

Oncesir, you should realize that the Eastern Shore is more like the typical America than Baltimore or DC.

I disagree. Having moved from a large midwestern city the Eastern Shore isnt more like America(at least I hope its not). Many of the "born and raised on the shore" residents have a close-minded almost backwoods attitude. The "lazy, it doesnt affect me" ideology comes to mind. This is just my general observation and Ive lived here for a total of 4 yrs.

[MDguySC]

I'm from Montgomery County and my grandparents are from Pennsylvania and around the Virginia / Tennessee state line areas, so none of my people are from the northeast. My girlfriend is from South Carolina and LOVES IT here! I do drive fast, but I'm polite and I let people merge, I let them out in traffic from a shopping center, and I try to be understanding that traffic can be hard to navigate at times. I take the time to get to know my neighbors, I have great relationships with my colleagues, we have great friends and I don't "sweat the small stuff". I think connecting the faster pace of the area to being some sort of aspect of the area's people is crazy. We are a one-income household and we live comfortably. We don't live on $250 bottles of wine every night and driving BMW's and Mercedes Benz's, but we live comfortably. We live responsibly and it's possible to live AND work in Montgomery County, to have a nice place to live with good schools and in a safe area and to be happy here... and to live without all of the stress. I think where people go wrong is when they think that they have to move to get out of the situation, partly because it's easier to blame the area, the people and the "pace of life" than for recognizing that it's you that needs to control how the stress impacts you. I don't stress out about traffic, I don't stress about the money, I don't stress about people cutting me off, I don't stress about other people's attitudes. I think it's time for people to realize that those other people don't have to impact you! It's the "live and let live" philosophy. I'm happy with my life so I don't have to live like that and I feel sorry for people who haven't been able to regulate themselves and to be able to manage the stress. It's sad but it happens a lot. Some people are more "high strung", which I consider myself to be, but I've learned to relax. That's the crucial thing. If it takes me 30 minutes in line at CVS to get my $4 medication, that's fine... those people behind the counter are dealing with a lot and the last thing that they need is someone else to needlessly @#$%^ and complain to them. They need people to be understanding and supportive and that's the only way that a change is going to come about. None the less, it is possible to live in the DC area and be relaxed, happy, have a low stress level (living with the same problems as everyone else) and to lead a good life. It is such a challenge figuring out how to do this, though!

I lived in South Carolina for 4 years and people took TOO MUCH time to get to know you, asking all about your health issues in an inappropriate way. I had one neighbor ask if my grandma, who they saw while they were visiting, was going to die from the cancer that she had (she didn't have any hair). While it was sweet of them to think about my grandmother, it just wasn't the greatest and most socially-appropriate way to ask. You'll have that anywhere, but it's more prominent there.

[GeekChick]

Are Baltimore and Frederick more laid back? A couple peopel here have also said that because I'm not white I will not reallyu be accepted in Carroll County but its one of the few places in Maryland I have a favorable opinion on. I'm very Americanized and socially and politically conservative (the type that still boycotts the DIxie Chicks and supports our military), not your typical minority

So you are an honarary K member or what!

While Nevada or Texas may not be as friendly as they used to be, at least down there its always sunny and the weather is better, unless here with our unbearable winters.

I currently stay in Texas and the weather is not better it's diabolical!

[Enzo_Guy]

Originally Posted by oncesir

If MD culture is like the Eastern Shore I pity anyone looking to get something done quickly. The good ol-boy network is alive and well and amazes me with its slow near snail pace and utter ignorant way of doing things.

That mentality is confined to the shore and the southern parts of the state, everywhere else here is possibly the worst place in America. I have been hit by a car in a parking lot outside of Annapolis, he was in such a hurry he didn't even stop!

I also recently crashed a motorcycle, only 2 people stopped to help me. One was a woman I worked with and the other was a very nice guy from Boston, the typical Marylander will tap the brakes to look and then keep going.

[oncesir]

Originally Posted by Enzo_Guy

That mentality is confined to the shore and the southern parts of the state, everywhere else here is possibly the worst place in America. I have been hit by a car in a parking lot outside of Annapolis, he was in such a hurry he didn't even stop!

I also recently crashed a motorcycle, only 2 people stopped to help me. One was a woman I worked with and the other was a very nice guy from Boston, the typical Marylander will tap the brakes to look and then keep going.

I prefer neither mentality. I just had a friend who was recently in a fender bender. It was the other persons fault but since they knew the cop my friend got totally screwed. Gotta love that good ol boy network. I can give you about a dozen or more examples of this that I see on a daily basis around here. Trust me I understand your frustration.

[msa76]

Germantown is my favorite city in Maryland (having grown up here - in Montgomery County, gasp! - I should know). I've also traveled quite a lot both overseas and within America, and lived in other states, and I couldn't wait to get back to the D.C. metro area. I think your statement is an overgeneralization. (You probably wouldn't like my opinion of midwestern and western states any more than I like yours of Maryland, FYI.) And no, we don't consider the extremely rural, lightly populated Eastern Shore to be representative of Maryland.

[oncesir]

Originally Posted by msa76

I think your statement is an overgeneralization. (You probably wouldn't like my opinion of midwestern and western states any more than I like yours of Maryland, FYI.) And no, we don't consider the extremely rural, lightly populated Eastern Shore to be representative of Maryland.

If you dont believe the E.S is representative of Maryland then my statement shouldnt offend you. I happen to like the Annapolis/Balto area and prefer anything there to anything here. I really dont think my observation is overgeneralized either. Come live here and I'll prove it to you.

[msa76]

Originally Posted by oncesir

If you dont believe the E.S is representative of Maryland then my statement shouldnt offend you. I happen to like the Annapolis/Balto area and prefer anything there to anything here. I really dont think my observation is overgeneralized either. Come live here and I'll prove it to you.

I already do.

[NJ2MDdude]

oncesir, how's the quality of medical care on the eastern shore? Are the hospitals good, or must one cross the Bay to obtain specialized advice/care?