Are Rhode Islanders rude or is it me? (Providence: legally, vs.)
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Not rude. We made instant friends here...almost everywhere we go. No rude experiences anywhere actually. That is why we chose to live here. We came from the south and that is fake nice (those people wear robs and light fires in your yard at night if they could). Sorry you are having such bad luck. Our customer service has for the most part be exceptional be it from the Clerks at the Registers, Car Dealers, Realtors, Churches, Choirs, Bowling Leagues, Offices we work at, driving (Try Texas folks...they are CRAZY!), fantastic restaurant experiences, CONTRACTORS who fixed our home from the massive ice dam damage last winter three days after we bought it, the Condo Association who fixed our place....South County Hospital, South County Internal Medacine, we love our Dentist in Wakefield.......the people are witty and most are very caring!
TRULY AWFUL. And I thought California was bad (haha, the "fake-nice" is spot on!).
At the register at Whole Foods, an older man behind me nearly tripped on an empty basket placed on the floor underneath the conveyor-belt-thing, got furious and kicked it hard, and started cussing loudly. I had two separate instances in the same week of rude comments (including profanity) directed against my ethnicity while waiting for the bus. Got scammed on two separate occasions by taxi drivers. Once my friend complained about this one local bank treating her astonishingly rudely... and drivers either like to fly right into pedestrians or resort to screaming angry things out their window for those exercising their right-of-way.
The funny thing is that I've gotten almost nothing but courtesy from people in the "hood" - although often it's more like catcalling. Looking at the friends I've made here (millennial generation), they're down-to-earth but I notice they seem to be tired of having known the same few faces for so long.
Sorry to hear about the bad experiences. At least they don't happen every day.
No it's NOT you! I'm actually from northern Massachusetts and have lots bed her for fourteen years and the people are so rude and it's so hard to make friends. It's the craziest and saddest thing I've ever seen. I've actually met people from other states and we all agreed and make a point to stick together because people just don't socialize wth you unless you went to kindergarten together. Not planning on staying here. Soon as my son graduates high school I'm going home or south!
No it's NOT you! I'm actually from northern Massachusetts and have lots bed her for fourteen years and the people are so rude and it's so hard to make friends. It's the craziest and saddest thing I've ever seen. I've actually met people from other states and we all agreed and make a point to stick together because people just don't socialize wth you unless you went to kindergarten together. Not planning on staying here. Soon as my son graduates high school I'm going home or south!
I'm sorry for your experience. Mine has been just the opposite. While Rhode Islanders do exhibit some of the clannishness expected by folks living in a small insular environment, I've found them very warm and accepting. However, they do tend to throw up a mirror to strangers. When you get to know them, they are genuine friends. Not at all like the south, where the reputation is that friendships developing quickly, but are a mile wide and and an inch deep.
My family just moved to ri for work and have found the vast majority of people we come across in grocery stores restraunts and just out and about are extremely rude. To qualify this statement.
Grocery store - clerk was rude when ringing us up, grunted at us and pretty much threw the receipt at us when we left. Another example we were filling in loyalty card info and we dropped the form which fell at the feet of a woman. We appologized to her but rather than pick it up or even say no problem she says nothing and moves to the side as if we don't exist
Restraunts - went to order pizza and staff acted like we did not exist. Standing right in front of them, place was not busy but had no interest in taking our order
Pedestrians in shopping mall - we were driving slowly so we don't kill anyone and I let someone cross the street, no wave, no thank you and on top of that they seemed to cross at an intentionally slow pace.
Dmv - don't even get me started
I might be overly sensitive moving to a new area but finding nice people seems to be the exception and not the norm. At least so far.
Not expecting an apple pie handed to me when I walk down the street but I do expect basic manners and not outright hostility when I'm out of my house
Your perceptions are fairly accurate. The way I'd describe it is that they are "ignirint;" which is a term that was very often used when I was young by ignorant RIers to describe other ignorant RIers. The lack of real education in RI is a longstanding RI tradition and "asset." Enjoy your stay there!
My mother is the rudest person I've ever known, and she's a fifth-generation Rhode Islander. She doesn't even bother to thank a stranger who might hold a door open for her or give her directions to a restroom. Thankfully, my brother and I have learned through her example that her behavior is abhorrent and unacceptable.
My father, OTOH, is, perhaps, the friendliest Rhode Islander I've ever known. He smiles and greets passersby, almost always makes small talk with strangers, buys coffee for homeless people (LOL), etc. I'm so grateful my brother and I take after him! I think we're both very successful and well-liked because we emulate many of our father's personality traits.
It's not good. Rhode Islanders are insecure and suspicious as a lot. Rudeness is but one manifestation. You're viewed as a competitor for dwindling resources. Think of too many rats in a cage with not enough food.
It's not good. Rhode Islanders are insecure and suspicious as a lot. Rudeness is but one manifestation. You're viewed as a competitor for dwindling resources. Think of too many rats in a cage with not enough food.
That is hilarious! Dwindling resources!!
Everybody knows that if there's one thing we have here it's food. HA!
It's not you. Rhode Islanders are by nature insecure, suspicious and defensive. They've been getting the short end of the stick for so long that it's their intrinsic nature. Rudeness is but one manifestation. You're viewed primarily as competition for dwindling economic resources. Analogous to too many rats in a cage without enough food.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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I haven't found them rude. I find the drivers to be annoyingly passive though. It's driving me crazy.
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