Richmond is not your typical "friendly" southern city (neighborhoods, wealthy)

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by ripple82

I am a young professional who has recently moved to Richmond from the Roanoke area. I have found that people in this city are not friendly. (Nobody says hello, or waves when you let them out in traffic, or says thank you when you hold a door for them) I live around the fan. The area is covered in trash. Young people who are from Richmond have this stuck up attitude that makes me sick. I'm talking about people from the west end. The girls I have met here have to be the most ultra conservative, materialistic girls I have ever encountered. Most of these girls have grown up in around St. Catherines/West End. They look at people from Southwestern Virginia like they are some kind of hillbilly. Is this normal behavior for people that are from here? I'm beginning to think that the southwestern side of the state is where I belong.

All depends on where you're coming from and how you look at it. Personally, I think that people in Virginia are much, much, friendlier than they are in Ohio where I'm from. If you think Richmond is a piece of work you should go up North and see how people are up there.

On the other hand Southwestern Virginia is different. I stayed in Bridgewater, outside of Harrisonburg, for a year. Harrisonburg is a completely different world to Richmond and Hampton Roads. It was slow for my tastes though. Stuff like expanding I-81 was a huge deal; you would have thought that the sky was falling. Funny considering how wide the roads are out here in HR.

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by FCA1975

I agree 80%. I have not been to the southwestern part, otherwise it would be 100%. Particularly regarding the night life around here, Richmond seems to have no real identity. Everything shuts down at 2 AM and they all play the same crap top 40 radio junk. The people I come across are in great numbers rude and somewhat standoffish. Lots of snobby, yuppie types. Lots of prejudice, which I attribute in part to this being the old capital of the Confederacy (when I try to approach white women). A lot of Black women seem to like thugs, which I am not. I never have as much of a problem meeting someone and carrying a conversation, at the beach (VA, SC, or NC) or up north (PA). Maybe I have been here for far too long. Over 30 years! But a lot of family here and it is hard to up and move on. I am trapped!

I've been here over five years and don't feel people are snobby, standoffish or rude at all. Quite the opposite. Richmond isn't my favorite urban area in the US (I like the bigger urban cities in the north), but don't count on radio stations or people being any better in other cities. In terms of nightlife, I agree, it's not the best, but comes with the territory of a pretty small city.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by AJNEOA

I've been here over five years and don't feel people are snobby, standoffish or rude at all. Quite the opposite. Richmond isn't my favorite urban area in the US (I like the bigger urban cities in the north), but don't count on radio stations or people being any better in other cities. In terms of nightlife, I agree, it's not the best, but comes with the territory of a pretty small city.

Absolutely!

any Clear Channel or Radio One station is going to be Top 40. As if radio stations in New York City or Chicago are necessarily any better.

[Jim_Rockford]

only thing on the radio nowadays is commercials. and maybe 2 old songs an hour if you are lucky, I moved in to the southside of richmond off hull from goochland and I love it, Everything is really convent and My neighborhood is clean and had some folks that have lived here for years, I think regular folks need to start taking back over the southside of righmond,Not the northern part of chesterfield.. and bring it back, already there have been two foreclosed houses bought by house flippers and redone in my area, Just hoping nice regular folks buy em and keep the neighborhood nice.

[O-merrimac]

Originally Posted by delmarva

Wealth and privilege (i.e., the West End) usually generate snobs and unfriendly people. Poverty and neglect (80% of Richmond) generate another form of unfriendliness which makes itself know in criminal activity and violence. Take your pick--both co-habitate nicely!

Oh that's too funny, I laughed so hard thanks...I needed that...

[nagrommm]

I moved here from the PNW and I think Richmond is an extremely friendly city. BUT I also think it depends on what you put in to it. We live in the West End (not Short pump, not libbie grove) and our neighbors brought us cookies the day we moved in. I never had a neighbor do that once in the 25 years i lived in Washington and Oregon. I find that when I go out and am smiling and treating people nicely, I get the same thing back. I'm also not really young, dating and going to bars to meet people any more so I can't speak to that perspective here, but I never found anyone to be that friendly in those situations when I was in that phase of life. It's all a matter of perspective, coming from Portland, OR the prices on homes and rent here are a steal in comparison.

[brocco]

There are plenty of weirdos too

[Jowel]

Originally Posted by FCA1975

I agree 80%. I have not been to the southwestern part, otherwise it would be 100%. Particularly regarding the night life around here, Richmond seems to have no real identity. Everything shuts down at 2 AM and they all play the same crap top 40 radio junk. :

This is a function of state alcohol/"last call" bar closing times, rather than a situation unique to Richmond.

https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nati...ate-in-america

[FCA1975]

Originally Posted by Jowel

This is a function of state alcohol/"last call" bar closing times, rather than a situation unique to Richmond.

https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nati...ate-in-america

I know it is 3 years late, but that is interesting information. Thanks.

[Shakeesha]

It's interesting how the city honors confederate statues. Richmond has done a good job as an old south city in preserving its history.

https://abcnews.go.com/beta-story-co...ry?id=57009869