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[–] 217 points 10 months ago (27 children)

My friend once said that East Coast is not polite but kind, and West Coast is polite but not kind

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  • [–] 94 points 10 months ago (6 children)

    It's a very accurate description of the Northeast. People will help you dig your car out of the snow while passively aggressively exhaling very loudly to emphasize how much of a pain it is. But then they'll just walk away not even expecting a thank you.

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  • [–] 77 points 10 months ago (4 children)

    Canadian here, I've absolutely helped push multiple bozos cars out of snowbanks, silently cursing them the entire time for being such idiot bad drivers.

    When they thank me at the end I always say "it's no problem"

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  • [–] 72 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    You know, as someone that’s live on both coasts for extended periods of time, that’s exactly right. I’ve never been able to explain it but that’s spot on. Thanks!!

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  • [–] 6 points 10 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago

    Between kind and polite I'd always choose kind. Actually helping is much better than sugar coating every interaction with nothing to back that up. Empty politeness is just disgusting IMO, either help and it's your choice to be nice about it or not. But if you're gonna pretend to be all friendly and nice and then not ever go beyond that you can go fuck yourself.

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  • [–] 26 points 10 months ago

    I think it's far more north south than east west. The PNW is definitely kind, though they're neither nice nor mean, more just uncomfortable you're talking to them. Meanwhile the southeast gives California a run for their money in polite cruelty.

    People are aware that without a culture built around it places like Alaska with 22+ hours of light/dark a day can make people a little crazy, but I think the inverse also can cause problems without a culture built around it. Winter is good for you even if it sucks

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  • [–] 10 points 10 months ago (6 children)

    I dunno, I found people on the West Coast would go out of their way to accommodate my wife when she was unable to walk.

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  • [–] 15 points 10 months ago (5 children)

    Yeah people here are scared of making friends with their neighbors for some reason, but as a disabled person people look out for me.

    Californians are angry in traffic.

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  • [–] 6 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    Oh in traffic all that new England kindness goes away rapidly. If you impede them without needing help well they won't ram you or wave a gun, so it's better than Midwestern drivers, but they will honk their hearts out and cut you off

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    As a Californian, I can confirm half the drivers here get their habits from playing too much GTA V.

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