What do people in western mass think of people in eastern mass (Boston: live in, mall)

[Boston_Burbs]

One thing about driving out west is that its pretty easy. Wide open straight highways, even the lesser roads have speed limits of 50+ are were designed to bypass town centers. Plus you are required to drive a SUV for pickup so its just that much more comfortable too.

[tamajane]

Originally Posted by lrfox

You don't have to go that far to experience this. Just up to Northern New England where 1+ hours to go to the movies is normal. One of my biggest adjustments in college Western Maine was the drive times. 1.5 hours to work a retail job or go get dinner (at an average place)? Normal. I think it's common for people in the Bos-Wash corridor to shudder at driving more than 1/2 hour for anything "normal." Beyond that, it's a real drive. I remember driving from my home town (Assonet, near Fall River) to Newport with my girlfriend in high school and she called it a "road trip." I think for most of the country, this is unusual.

That is annoying. I know people who make a big deal about driving an hour even for special events, and it is irritating. Then there are those from the outskirts who are afraid to drive to Boston. We are lucky to have such easy access to so many different things in all directions.

[BSB1]

Originally Posted by lrfox

You don't have to go that far to experience this. Just up to Northern New England where 1+ hours to go to the movies is normal. One of my biggest adjustments in college Western Maine was the drive times. 1.5 hours to work a retail job or go get dinner (at an average place)? Normal. I think it's common for people in the Bos-Wash corridor to shudder at driving more than 1/2 hour for anything "normal." Beyond that, it's a real drive. I remember driving from my home town (Assonet, near Fall River) to Newport with my girlfriend in high school and she called it a "road trip." I think for most of the country, this is unusual.

True enough. You're paying for access in a major metropolitan area, and over a life time you can pay a lot for it. And not just $. I've spent a lot of time thinking about, and expressing, that the reason I stayed in Boston is primarily the access to superior healthcare. But to be honest, knock on wood, no one in the family needed it. I could have lived in Dover-Foxcroft Me. in that regard.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

We who have lived in southern New England for most of our lives are basically allergic to having to drive more than an hour to somewhere else, basically. Everything is here in a relatively small geographical area, so why would we have to?

Unfortunately that particular attitude also reeks of provincialism, but that's a whole other topic.

[johngolf]

The majority of people in MA live within a 60-mile radius of the MA State House.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by johngolf

The majority of people in MA live within a 60-mile radius of the MA State House.

Which is why that area is so crowded and congested. People ask what we think of people in eastern MA?

(While we sometimes resent being treated like a remote colony of Boston, we do not envy their lifestyle.)

[FCMA]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Which is why that area is so crowded and congested. People ask what we think of people in eastern MA?

(While we sometimes resent being treated like a remote colony of Boston, we do not envy their lifestyle.)

There are more people in our tiny state than most Scandinavian countries. And most of those are located from Worcester and east. I find that kind of density a little creepy but in the grand scheme of things I guess we're no India.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by FCMA

There are more people in our tiny state than most Scandinavian countries. And most of those are located from Worcester and east. I find that kind of density a little creepy but in the grand scheme of things I guess we're no India.

My dad worked in Hong Kong for a while and once met me in NYC on a business trip back to the US. Walking around Manhattan he kept remarking how spacious and empty the city felt. It's all a matter of perspective.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by Boston_Burbs

One thing about driving out west is that its pretty easy. Wide open straight highways, even the lesser roads have speed limits of 50+ are were designed to bypass town centers. Plus you are required to drive a SUV for pickup so its just that much more comfortable too.

Eh younger people aren't that big on driving. The pike is easy but a bit long. Pretty boring if you ask me although by the time I see Friendly's I know I'm closer to home.

I don't know if you are required to have a SUV. There's a fair amount of smaller cars here. From Amherst on up to Vermont you'll see quite a bit of older cars. Ford Fiestas from 1980 maybe some long running volvos

Rt 2 on the other hand takes longer but there is much more scenery.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Shrewsburried

I personally can tolerate it even less than those who insist on differentiating between Cambridge and Boston when in conversation some 30 miles west of either city - just let them be 'right'.

Even that is legit. Boston and Cambridge are separate and unique cities, always have been. Now if you are talking in the context of Greater Boston, I would agree.

This whole Western Mass. purity test would be more similar to when some people in Greater Boston imply that "Massachusetts" does not exist outside of say 495. When I first started working in Franklin many years ago, I cannot tell you how many people from my area of Boston would say "oh that's not really Massachusetts". I think the boundaries have expanded by now, to maybe 10 miles outside 495. Mendon/Upton is part of the elite Mass. club, but Uxbridge is still a stretch. LOL.

Originally Posted by WillRunForBeer

As a native of Pittsfield, I (and everyone else I know who grew up there) would describe myself as being from Western Mass. Other than on this site, I've never heard of Western Mass stopping at the Berkshire County line.

Yeah and come to think of it, I also had a college friend from North Adams who would always say he was from out in 'Western Mass.". Never "the Berkshires". But again I guess let the folks from Springfield/Holyoke, etc. define it for everybody else.

Originally Posted by WillRunForBeer

Also, WWLP (22 News) and WGGB (News 40) dub themselves "Western, MA News" yet don't have a bureau on Berkshire county and I think are not on their cable

Maybe that's just the media market they serve? Does Pittsfield have it's own stations? Or do they feed off Albany? That would be my guess.

Originally Posted by lrfox

You don't have to go that far to experience this. Just up to Northern New England where 1+ hours to go to the movies is normal. One of my biggest adjustments in college Western Maine was the drive times. 1.5 hours to work a retail job or go get dinner (at an average place)? Normal. I think it's common for people in the Bos-Wash corridor to shudder at driving more than 1/2 hour for anything "normal."

Where I live it's 120 miles to go for major shopping, medical care, etc. That's actually further than from Springfield to Boston, although most of the way the speed limit is 75 and never any traffic (meaning you can hold 80-85 the entire way, which is unheard of on any road in Mass. outside of 2 a.m. ), so it actually "feels" a lot closer. But people do it all the time and don't think anything of it.

But even when I lived in Worcester County, there was rarely anywhere to go that was more than an hour away. Boston, Providence, Gillette Stadium, Xfinity Center, Salisbury/Hampton, Wachusett... The beaches of RI/SE Mass are probably the only exception, they are just over an hour. The Cape was typically an overnighter anyway, same thing with NH/ME. So between having most everything you could want/need that close anyway, and driving in MA being a lot more stressful in general...it's totally understandable.