Out-of-state flaunters

[RedZin]

Originally Posted by NYer

Some people are so fully "New Yorkers" or "Southerners" or "gym rats" or "beach bums" or whatever that it is the first thing you notice about them. They make it the most obvious part of their personality. If such a person always leads with that in a conversation, or on a license plate, fine with me. I don't assume the person would rather be back... wherever. Yes, it is *rather boorish* but I don't take it as an affront.

Here is my pet peeve- the lettering on the back window that says "In memory of..." and lists a name, birth & death dates... like a tombstone!
Did the person pass away in the car?
Can't these people think of a better way to honor someone who has died?
I find it so random, and creepy!

Ugh. I don't like those either. Creepy.

[RedZin]

Originally Posted by Kids_Dentist

It's just pride. People instinctively are biased to where they grew up. Just as we have a rosy view of things as a child when the reality may be a little differnet. Just as people native to Raleigh have pride in their hometown and feel the need to 'protect' it from people moving here. In your example about you moving to Queens, I'd actually think "Gosh this gal seems to have a lot of pride in NC, I wonder if I'd like it that much"- Not "man she must hate it here"- That makes no sense. Regarding the bumper sticker...I'd also say there's no better place on earth than where my wife and I went on our honeymoon- But that doesn't mean we are uprooting the kids to move to an island. People are allowed to have interests and loyalty to places outside of the RTP, and....GASP....still love it here! Fortunately the sentiments and negativity that is so common here towards people moving in from the NE is not what I experienced when I moved here in 1997. I'm thankful than I've experienced nothing but warmth and acceptance from the locals in the last 15+ years-

BTW the license plate comment- I can see if this were another big city like Chicago, etc and someone had that plate, people finding it offensive. But no one would ever try to compare a Raleigh to a NYC- To many people across the globe, NYC is the best place on earth- There's not a single place that's like it. But that doesn't mean that they don't love living in Raleigh- Using your reasoning...if someone drove by with an "I'd rather be skiing" bumper sticker....you'd think, they must hate Raleigh, because there's not skiing here, and they'd rather be skiing...curse them for hating Raleigh. It's a freaking bumper sticker!!!

Nope. I don't have that impression of people who have license plates and bumper stickers announcing the wonder that is Paris or Tahiti or what have you.

I've no issue with transplants. I'm married to a guy from Michigan.

I think my irritation comes from people who come here and wanna turn this place into the one they left.

NYC may be the greatest place on earth to some people, but I'm kinda "eh" about it. I've been enough to know there's no way in hell I would ever wanna live there.

I always get this vibe that people who want to transform Cary wanna do it because their financial situation forced them outta Long Island and they wound up here. It's great and wow. Bigger house for less money. If only they could reorganize (insert whatever thing you choose) so it's like back home...


And I am fine with the way (whatever thing) was before this person moved here.

We aren't all rubes. Many of us are well traveled, speak more than one language, hold advanced degrees, etc.


We weren't sitting here waiting for some clever person to move here and educate us.


Mind you, this is NOT how I perceive about 90% of all transplants I encounter. It's the other 10% that I'd gladly send back who spoil the nice cultural vibe this area is developing.

[RedZin]

Originally Posted by jersey919

It's a state law -- no pumping gas. And BTW some of the lowest gas prices in the country.

FWIW this this thread is ridiculous. If you have nothing more in life to get upset about except the license plates or bumper stickers people have on their cars.....well gosh I don't know what to say. Re: sports teams - there are - in effect - no professional sports teams here so if I want to keep Giants license plate on my car try not to read too much into it. It doesn't necessarily mean I hate my life here or everything about the south. It means I still like the Giants....and the Devils.....and real bagels and Ny piazza and not
having to pump gas -- nothing more nothing less. Let's get upset about important things.

Nobody's upset. The OP is from your corner of the country.

It was just a sociological observation. That's how I see it, anyway.

Bagel away.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by lamishra

Are there seriously people with driver's licenses out there who don't know how to pump gas? Is that real?

If you were around before the 1980's, most service stations were full-service. There were attendants who pumped your gas for you. It was similar to how waitresses serve you food in restaurants. Then with the oil embargo in the late 70's and prices going through the roof, many stations started to offer self-serve as a way to cut costs. That was completely new for most people. I remember people complaining about it - the thought that you had to go out and pump your own gas was crazy and not seen as positive. For whatever reason, New Jersey never allowed that option (I'm thinking it was a health/safety concern).

For someone who lives in New Jersey and spends 90%+ of their time there, how would they know how to pump gas if they are not allowed to? Even if they live near a state line of DE/PA/NY, it is unlikely they would be pumping gas there since gas is much cheaper in New Jersey (one of the few things that is cheaper in NJ!). So unless they travel outside of the area, they are unlikely to have the opportunity to pump gas. So, yes there are seriously people with drivers' licenses who don't know how to pump gas, as most people did not before the late 70's.

People can rag on New Jersey for many things, but not being allowed to pump your own gas there should not be one of them. It is pleasant to have someone do it for you - you don't get your hands dirty and gasoline smelling, and you can stay in your warm car while someone else does the dirty work.

For the record, it is also illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon.

[lovebrentwood]

Originally Posted by meh_whatever

It would take a more thorough grasp of US History to see why this is really so.

It's not as simple as it seems.

I do have a more-thorough grasp of U.S. history. I know it is not as simple as it seems.

But this is not the place to discuss it and to start a firestorm.

[jersey919]

It dates back to the 50s when it was deemed too dangerous for people to pump gas (no Jersey jokes - think of all those people getting out of their cars w/cigarettes hanging from their mouths). Any subsequent attempts to change this have been voted down by people smart enough to enjoy sitting in their cars while getting tanks filled -- and yes maybe even getting your windshield washed.

Jersey's Bergen County is also home of 'blue laws' which means you can't go to the mall on Sunday--kind of nice actually.

[mdw87]

On Long Island it is illegal to pump your own gas, I thought I'd never be able to pump gas when we moved here--so ridiculous now. Ironically when I go back north now it irritates me to wait for someone to do it. As a matter of fact often you say give me 20 dollars worth of gas rather than saying fill it up. If you say fill it up the gas attendant will leave you sitting there while they help others and you can sit there FOREVER waiting for them to come back!