Are people really more unfriendly in Northern VA than other large US suburban areas? (Arlington: credit, how much)

[DavidS827]

Originally Posted by Moth

Again, that is hardly particular to the DC area. People ask that, they ask whether you rent or own, what car you drive, etc in order to gauge your economic status. Its everywhere, but the worst I have experienced was in Dallas.




Try New York sometime.

Oh, I don't think it is particular to this area, I just think that it's worse here.....I haven't ever been to Dallas though.....but they're Cowboy fans, so they're just bad people as it is

I have been to NY a million times and they certainly do rival DC in the hours worked brag sessions.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Most people in NOVA are from NY and NJ. I am from NJ and do notice people are standoffish because most people have moved here for jobs and might move again.

[Mmarissa]

I totally agree with you! We moved to NOVA a year ago from Houston, and I am miserable. People are either foreign or cold snobs. Clerks in the stores are very rude! The only saving grace are my immediate neighbors and the ones who are nice are from someplace else. I am counting the days until we can leave this place!!!!!

[Mmarissa]

Okay, NOVA is friendly compared to the rest of the Northeast. But that's like saying spoiled milk is good because its not as bad as spoiled chicken. They both make you sick.

[roanoker 4]

People are not as friendly anywhere anymore! With increasing population everywhere, cable tv, the internet and little social interaction, who needs to be friendly? As NoVa has evolved into a world class capital with many immigrants, I think that factor has also
contributed to less social integration.

[dwaine99]

Most Virginians I've met are friendly. In general, people here are unfriendly. I moved here 12 yrs ago and discovered many of my neighbors were from Maine, NY, NJ and most have moved on and more outsiders move in... The best way to survive here is to give the finger to whoever looks at you wrong, fly past everyone in the merge lanes, never hold a door for someone especially when you see them just a few steps behind you.. You want a culture shock? Walk the streets of downtown Charleston, SC and experience a total stranger say hello or good morning as you walk past them. Northern VA has been a great place to work and raise my kids but I can't wait until 2011....going back south.

[normie]

Are people in VA more unfriendly than people in other large US suburban areas?

Interesting question. Right now I live in Loudoun County. I've also lived in Cleveland, Chicago, Miami, Denver, Los Angeles, Houston, and Asheville. I also have a lot of family in Arkansas and New York. I'll try to compare the friendliness factor to each of these places.

Loudoun vs. Cleveland. People in Loudoun wave to everyone who passes by, even if they don't know them. It really threw me when I first moved here. Now I do it too--I wave to everyone I see, making my visitors ask "do you know that person?" People in Cleveland do not wave. Thye do not hug or talk in "touchy feely" words. They tend to keep to themselves. So in that way they are less friendly than people in VA. OTOH, Clevelanders live in neighborhoods for years, sometimes generations. They watch out for their neighbors. Loudoun is an extremely transitional place. I wave to people I don't know... because I don't know a lot of my neighbors.

Loudoun vs. Chicago. Chicago is about the same as Cleveland, except the traffic is much more aggressive. But Chicago traffic can't hold a candle to VA traffic. VA traffic brings out a very aggressive, nasty edge in people. VA is definitely much less friendly in this area.

Loudoun vs. Miami. Miami and VA are two places where family is very important. People spend all their time with their families and with their jobs, which may make them seem unfriendly. People in Miami are more likely to invite strangers to family events, and in that way VA is less friendly. People in Miami are also more likely to shoot you and/or get into a fight with you. In that way, VA is more friendly.

Loudoun vs. Denver. The first month I lived in Denver, my neighbors invited me to join them for skiing. Something like that has never happened in Virginia--in fact, if I were to ask a new neigbor to join me on an excursion they would think I was weird. Hands down, denver is friendlier.

Loudoun vs. Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the friendliest place I've ever lived. Of course, you still have to be careful, some people pretend to be your friend and take advantage of you. Despite this, if you move to VA from LA you will feel VA is very cold, aggressive, surly, and defintely unfriendly.

Loudoun vs. Houston. Actually, my experience of VA and Houston have been about the same. VA might be just a bit more into power trips (I think it comes from being so cose to D.C.)

Loudoun vs. Asheville. Asheville is a little stuck up, but if you can say the "right things" you will find the people are very friendly. Loudoun is a little less stuck up, but also lacks the warm family feeling of community that you'll find in Asheville (once people decide you're ok).

Loudoun vs. Arkansas. People in Arkansas are very friendly and gracious, and have absolutely charming manners. Virginians could learn a lot from them.

Loudoun vs. New York City. The two places are more or less the same. IMO, Viriniga is more transitional and that probably makes it a little bit less friendly. But New Yorkers don't wave or say hello, and Virginians do. In both places people can be very abrasive, and then bend over backwards to do comething nice for you. These two towns believe that you can be very rude and still be considered friendly--if you go along with that then you will find these to be friendly placs indeed.

[Flamingo13]

I am surprised at the answers... I am from Pa. originally, been in this area for over 20 yrs. - I talk to everyone and seldom come across rude people. Maybe it's how you present yourself? I can stroll Old Town, any mall, a random store in the area (Alex., Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, etc.) - and something will make me decide to talk to someone - be it a hair style, clothing, cute baby - whatever.... I've always had a good response from folks. Maybe some folks have a "defensive" aura that they project? Would be interesting to hear. Some of my best friends are originally from Boston natives and also native DC'ers (as well as transplants from NY and Miss.)

[seldomseen]

I've had the opporunity to live in several major metro areas...and I've never found the attitude in NoVa to be "rude", I personally found that Jersey, NYC, Philly, and Boston to better defined as rude. It's pretty known that cities further north east are known to have more attitude, and "rudeness"!! lol

[saganista]

The actual difference in the DC area may lie as much in the degree of assumption that people in public places are automatically available for chit-chat and general conversation. People here have 9-to-5, punch a time-clock type jobs to a lesser degree than in many other areas. A lot of people here may actually be hard at work upstairs even when they appear to be putting a bag of lima beans into the grocery cart. From this perspective, it may be a simple sign of courtesy to refrain from interupting others as a matter of general course. But if you do have an opportunity to engage others at an appropriate moment, you'll likely find that most are as friendly, chatty, and gregarious as anywhere else. The major industry in town involves networking, negotiating, and working in concert with other people. It isn't like it's all a bunch of withdrawn recluses, hermits, and misanthropes walking the streets out there...