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Old 12-28-2013, 06:08 AM
 
Location: 3.5 sq mile island ant nest next to Canada
3,036 posts, read 5,858,424 times
Reputation: 2170

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Teddy52 View Post
I lived rural all my life, but blocking a road for others because 2 locals want to visit is rude, inconsiderate, and shows a lack of manners and poor upbringing ! ( IMHO )

What else ,block the sidewalk so others have to go around on the lawn?

Block the checkout counter so no one else can check out until they are done visiting

Where I come from, 2 vehicles will park in the road to visit but they , move and wave when a vehicle wants to get by.


I can't believe that there actually are people so rude to believe they are so important that they can block a public road/street and force others to take a different route.
Sorry you feel that way, Teddy. But, it's not as if people block the road for an hour or two or even 5 minutes. Generally a quick conversation. If it goes more than a minute with someone behind you waiting then people just pull to the side and let them go by and carry on the conversation. It's a small town and folks realize things like this. And we don't block sidewalks or checkout lines either. Just move a bit and usually the folks walking by will join in for a few minutes. But believe it; it happens and will most likely continue.
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Old 12-28-2013, 08:12 AM
 
3,433 posts, read 5,724,793 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredtinbender View Post
There is a small town near me that puts out a brochure for folks moving in. In one section it says "We will stop in the street and talk from our cars/trucks for a minute. Get used to it." You're only going to the store. You shouldn't be in a big rush for that. Be friendly and get out, walk over and chat with them too. Like a native. Seriously, we have quite a few folks who worked corporate before retiring and are still rushing around pushing a deadline. It's a small town; no need for corporate rush. If you're in that much of a rush, use a different street. Even locals do that from time to time.
if people are finding different streets, evidently the blocking is not for a very short time.
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Old 12-28-2013, 09:03 AM
 
Location: 3.5 sq mile island ant nest next to Canada
3,036 posts, read 5,858,424 times
Reputation: 2170
Quote:
Originally Posted by Teddy52 View Post
if people are finding different streets, evidently the blocking is not for a very short time.
Depends on how "corporate" they are feeling at the moment. Most just wait patiently. Actually, I've done that. Going to work and see two cars side by each, swing up a side street and get to work. Simple.
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Old 12-28-2013, 04:36 PM
 
5,401 posts, read 6,479,894 times
Reputation: 12016
Driving in a small town is unique.
U turns made anywhere are not to become alarmed about. Driving faster than 15 is "speeding" and definitely rude. Angle parking is the way---no parallel parking. In front of the post office it is drive through both directions all in front of the post office. Local custom no signs suggesting such. So the acceptable U turn across traffic applies here also.
It is important when backing out of your angled parking spot in front of the store to look very hard across the street behind you to be certain no one is backing clear across the street over exuberantly out of their like spot to potentially hit you backing out of yours.
Once or twice a year two older ladies usually smash into each other mid-street while backing up. No citations issued of course it could happen to anybody.
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Old 12-28-2013, 10:19 PM
 
4,901 posts, read 8,703,707 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by timberline742 View Post
Hard to know. I don't know many people in rural areas that when it was time for an animal to be put down that they'd pay a vet to do it. They just take the dog/cat out into the back woods and deal with it and save a lot of money.
Nothin' wrong with that. If we would just simply shoot all the stray animals then we could save lots of money that could be spent on helping people in need instead of feeding animals no one wants. Not advocating making the animal suffer, like my grandaddy used to do (he threw kittens into the pond in a sack....too cruel), just a quick death.

They are just animals, after all. There will always be plenty of cats and dogs in the world.

And that's the way most people in small towns think.
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Old 12-29-2013, 01:03 AM
 
6,904 posts, read 7,542,251 times
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Well, that's Arkansas for you!
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Old 12-29-2013, 04:38 AM
 
16,488 posts, read 24,411,746 times
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I think some thing depend on if you actually move to a small town or if you live in the sticks outside of town. People that live outside of town usually live there because they want to be left alone. They are a harder nut to crack. I think if someone new moves into town or into the woods nearby the best thing for them is to play things really low key. Be polite, introduce yourself if needed, but don't be knocking on people's door to tell them hi. Prove you are a good neighbor by helping out anytime you see someone needs help. that may be giving someone a ride whose car broke down at the side of the road, or helping an old lady shovel the snow off of her walkway. Be respectful of people's "space", but when the time is right make it clear you are anxious to meet people and learn more about the town. Attend events, groups, churches, or classes in the town. That is a good way to meet people and to be seen.
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Old 12-29-2013, 01:51 PM
 
4,901 posts, read 8,703,707 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 601halfdozen0theother View Post
Well, that's Arkansas for you!
I don't live in Arkansas, if you were referring to me. But I sure wouldn't mind living in parts of it (the mountainous parts).
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Old 12-29-2013, 02:09 PM
 
7,492 posts, read 11,786,355 times
Reputation: 7394
Quote:
Originally Posted by aquietpath View Post
I lived in a small rural town for over five years. There was much I loved about it, but for those who say you mustn't try to change anything, I disagree. I am an animal lover, and could not stand the way folks treated their animals. Dogs were routinely dropped off and would show up at my house, starving skeletons. There was no shelter, animal control, or any recourse for strays. The nearest humane society refused to take animals from my county. Of course very few spayed/neutered their pets, so there was never any shortage of puppies and kittens without homes.

After finding 6 abandoned puppies at the local carwash (in the middle of a horrible heat wave) I approached the little town hall to see if something could be done for them. The mayor was sitting at her desk at the time and so I took the opportunity to offer my services to establish and work at a shelter (on a strictly volunteer basis - no cost to them at all) if the town would provide a spot for it. Not only was that refused, the puppies I told her about ended up on my front lawn a week later, all with parvo. Someone from the town had decided the puppies were mine and I had concocted this elaborate scheme to get rid of them. I already had nine dogs that I rescued and it incensed me that my dogs were jeopardized by this act, not to mention having to deal with the suffering and dying puppies.

On top of that, a coworker told me that strays are often used as target practice, and dogs that didn't perform well while hunting were left behind in the woods to fend for themselves. My pastor told me the way he handled strays was to shoot at them to get them to leave his property. Yikes. I was floored.

So to all those people who live in a small town and absolutely refuse to change, think about what it is you are holding on to. Not all change is bad, and not all practices that you have done for years are necessarily good.

If anyone is thinking about moving to a small town, be aware that there may be some practices that you just can't live with, regardless of how friendly, nice, quiet, peaceful, etc. the small town may be.
Animals are not always held to a good standard in small towns, especially farming towns. It's really sad. I saw a farm in North Dakota and they kept all their puppies in a barn. It may not have been that bad during the summer, but it must've been a long nasty winter. I know a couple who got their two dogs when they were rescued from a puppy mill in Arkansas. For two years, the two females had been breeder dogs. They were apparently kept in cages, handled with chains and fed the bare minimum. When I dog-sat for them so they wouldn't be alone, I got rid of my purse that had a chain on it, they were so scared of it. It was heartbreaking. It took them some time to get used to me, and they were terrified of people. But they were the sweetest dogs ever.
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Old 12-29-2013, 02:21 PM
 
6,904 posts, read 7,542,251 times
Reputation: 21709
During my time trapped in Arkansas (3 1/2 years) I often thought that if all of the humans in the state were evaporated, it might be a pretty nice place.

Arkansas does not represent, or speak for, anywhere else in the world, especially not the generally good people in American small towns.
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