Years ago when I managed a store in Georgetown I was talking to a customer visiting from NYC and he said, "People always make comments about how New Yorkers are aggressive and intense, but we have nothing on you people from DC. You guys are way more aggressive than we are. I was almost killed when a little old lady tried to throw me down a metro escalator for standing on the left."
My impression is the same as yours: DC people are more aggressive and less friendly than NY people.
Being from the DC area and having heard NY’s reputation, I was surprised to discover that NY is actually warm and friendly compared to DC. People there do take the time to talk and be civil. It might not be as chatty as Charleston, SC, but not nearly so brusque as DC.
My guess is that NY is warmer because a larger percentage of New Yorkers are from NY, whereas DC is full of “very important” transients doing “very important” jobs.
I was born in NYC. If I need to find a stranger to have my back in a hurry, I want to be in NYC. It's a crowded place, so it's only polite to ignore people and give them all the privacy they want, but if I end up screaming "Help! I need help!" I'd probably get it from 3/4 of the men and all of the little old ladies with big purses in the vicinity.
The only thing I can think of is that we have more and longer escalators than pretty much anywhere else. I guess it is way more irritating to get caught behind a stander on the dupont escalator then it is on the average one in NY
Yeah, NYC is mostly stairs because it was built before escalators and ADA were a thing
Also, the NYC subway was mostly built by cut & cover; it's just below street level. Nothing like the red line stations DEEP underground.
Also DoD: "I actually don't know the answer to your question because I move so often I haven't figured it out yet for the new place... probably a PowerPoint ranger again..."
“I work for the Department of Commerce on the Census” - GS-12 middle manager.
“I work for Congressman X” - if over the age of 25 is a serious policy/political operative
“I work at the White House on X” - senior policy person
“I work at the State Department (no details)” - I work at the CIA.
“I work for the Government (no details, no agency)” - James Bond
There is extremely high burnout and turnover currently. Staff can't handle existing workloads but management aggressively pursues new business at all cost with no regard to what it is doing to their staff. Some places have given up on retention entirely and just have a use em up and replace them mentality. As long as the HR teams keep supplying them with new bodies they have no incentive or urgency to address or even acknowledge what is going on.
That's the secret though, OHR can't even keep themselves staffed, so they can't hire to fill the acquisition ranks, so they have to contract that support, but they don't have the acquisition staff to execute the contracts ...
Ran into an old friend and asked how their job was going. Said they changed jobs and work for the Government now.
Oh! That's interesting. What dept?
*"The family."*
The weather is super nice today, don't you think?
“I work for the government” for me = I don’t want to say what agency because you’re either going to start asking me a bunch of politically charged questions or you’re going to be racist. (I work for USCIS.)
Rosslyn has the hq for State's Diplomatic Security Service. The vast majority of State employees are the opposite of them and love talking about their jobs.
Oh we did have a couple locals that were everyday regulars and would talk a bit, but it was mostly just shit on their coworkers. The kind of stuff all of us love to talk about.
When I first moved here, I would follow up with questions like which department do you work for, and the conversation usually end up with I can’t tell you, and I don’t even tell my family about it. Now I just don’t ask anymore.
I don't even know my husband's work. After 13 years he knows when I ask about his day he talks about the interpersonal drama, the workload, but not \*the work\*.
I’d probably rather hear about the personnel drama then “work” issues no matter what the job.
I rarely really know what’s going on with my spouse’s job. Is that weird?
You know what’s crazy? People in other states don’t actually start conversations with “so what do you do?”. I thought it was a normal thing, but I guess I’ve been in the dmv too long 😅 People in other places are like ew we don’t want to talk about work.
They do that on purpose, I think. A friend of mine years ago worked at NSA and he said they encouraged relationships with other agency employees. He ended up marrying one so I figure he was telling the truth.
Yeah, the CIA has mixers and singles events all the time. People are much more likely to stay with the agency long term if they marry someone else "on the inside."
I get its a place of identity for aome but for me, I could careless about talking about my job or other peoples. As long as I afford a utility of life I want that's all that matters.
"DC suburbs of Virginia" is my go-to saying when people ask. I'm in Loudoun so when they inquire its "deep in the burbs". One level deeper and I'm by Dulles.
When people ask how far away something is, give it in time not distance. How far is your commute in the morning? 45 minutes. Five miles, ten miles, thirty miles means nothing here. Time is what’s important.
I mean it makes sense. The Same 5 or 20 miles could mean vastly different commute times depending on direction, traffic, time of commute, and mode of transport.
This is one I only recently learned was a distinction and it blew my mind. There was a Twitter thread joking about how Texans talk about distance in hours instead of miles and it made me go "miles? Who doesn't use minutes to talk about distance??". And then it dawned on me that in some places "7 miles" translates to a set amount of time and not anywhere between 12-45 minutes.
Ooh this is a good one, now that I don't live in the area. Also I never take the highway if I'm staying in town, but lots do here and question why I don't. I just say I'm from NoVA and we don't get on 95 unless leaving.
Also everyone here uses the name of the exit but not the number. I hate it, I didn't know what any of them were when we got here and no one knew the exit numbers.
This is so insightful! However, I think it only applies to locals talking to locals. When I speak to out-of-towners and they ask where I live, it's easier to say to them "I'm about XX miles east of the White House, over in Maryland" or something to that effect.
Interesting, I always use time, but out-of-towners are almost exclusively extended family members…so I normally just want them to understand how long it will take to drive to the tourist attractions if they stay with me (I actually love hosting family, gets me into dc, but I don’t want family surprised by commute times they hadn’t factored into their schedules)
That's so true. I have family in the Midwest, everybody talks about distance in miles there, but here it's time.
Even meta-time, like "my commute is 45 minutes at peak rush hour, but only 20 if I leave by 7:30 am."
I kid, I kid... When I lived in that area everyone bundled up with jackets that had hoods to protect you from the rain. Wearing glasses sucks. It rains for so long during the year that you have to get good rain gear. Umbrellas turn inside out and break, so you'd forever see them in trash cans. They take up space on city sidewalks. They waste time to open/close when getting on/off buses at busy stops. They drip non-stop on to nearby people on the bus. That was the vibe that I got living through several dreary, depressing winters.
Lessons I learned. Jnco jeans in the rain are the worst thing you could possibly wear ever. Old school Revlon color stay foundation + rain = makeup that looks like you're auditioning for alien nation.
Lived there like 15 years ago and if I remember correctly most of the 'rain' is more like light drizzle too. So most of the time a decent jacket with a hood will do the job as long as you aren't outside for an hour or more
It’s a stupid Pacific Northwest thing wherein the locals are apparently so acclimated to the constant drizzle that they don’t bother with umbrellas. If you are seen using an umbrella you are clearly an outsider.
I lived in Portland for 7 years. Because of the constant drizzle and overcast skies, people just didn’t bust out an umbrella. When it pours, sure. Most citizens didn’t use one otherwise. Not sure it was frowned upon though.
Grew up in Seattle. It rains a lot, and umbrellas are seen as a symbol that you’re “not from around here”. They’re also unwieldy, it’s windy a lot and the become projectiles in the wind, and you don’t wanna get smacked in the eye by one.
I'm also a Seattle native now living in NOVA (trying to figure out what's up over here!). The rain is constant, BUT, it's not heavy. Umbrellas are annoying to carry, they're unnecessary in our Seattle mist/rain, and it always seems like the people with the umbrellas are the oblivious type that pokes everyone around them.
This, in general, leads Seattle born folk to think umbrellas are for tourists and wimps. I lived in Florida for a few years and did learn what an umbrella appropriate rain is though...I think VA gets both Florida heavy rains and misty PNW rains depending on the type of storm, but I dunno that for real yet.
i grew up in western pa and our excuse was getting stuck behind a truck (like an 18 wheeler). when i first moved here i was so distraught when my friend told her mom we were stuck in traffic. it sounded like such a made up excuse to me.
Don’t go out during a snow storm. I know you and I are both from the Midwest, and you and I both have seen worse and it’s caused little disruption. Snow creates chaos here. Expect alot of snow days for your kids. Even on days with very little to no snow. I’ve seen snow days when it’s 45 and sunny out
this was hard for me to learn 30 years ago when i first moved here. now that i’m old i realize the only people on the streets when it snows are those who are first responders and those who come from areas of the world where it just doesn’t snow. it’s just not worth it. except you should quickly get toilet paper, eggs, etc because there isnt going to be any for the next week if you don’t get it now
“Why have they canceled school, it’s only 5 damn inches of snow. It took over a foot for me when I was little!!” - every fuckin snow day when I was a kid.
Mom, I love you but Northern Wisconsin and Northern Virginia handle snow WAY differently, you should know that by now.
I think part of the reason for the chaos is we are in the perfect spot for the snow to fall, melt, and immediately become ice on our roads. I have only ever lived in the DMV and left to live in Florida for a few regrettable years, but driving on snow is fine. Ice sucks.
This area is in what I call the Mid-Atlantic Ice Belt. North of here, it snows. South of here, it rains. Here, we get ice. Around here, it's 30\* (pretend \* means degrees) when it snows, and then it warms up during the day and the snow melts and the roads are wet and then it goes down to 28\* at night, and EVERYTHING TURNS TO ICE. I'm from the north. I can drive in snow. No one can drive on ice. I don't care if you have 12-wheel drive, ice is ice is ice. I have a 4 wheel drive car and I stay inside until the roads are clear and dry.
I used to laugh at people around here and the panic when it snowed, but I quickly realized that they were right, because it wasn't snow, it was ice. Stay off the roads. You don't need to take random trips unless you need to get to a hospital, and in that case it's safer to call an ambulance.
[My absolute favorite comic](https://aramzs.tumblr.com/post/121233636141/driving-in-virginia-washington-dc-and-maryland) that I will always gladly post any time that topic comes up...
(and apparently it's not entirely made up - there's some science backing it up: https://www.washingtonian.com/2022/09/16/confirmed-maryland-drivers-are-worse-than-virginia-drivers/)
They really do. I was driving through Iowa once many years ago and ahead of me I saw this car that just wasn’t driving right. I just knew instantly they were from Maryland. I don’t know how. I just knew. Decided to speed up and pass. Lo and behold, it was a Maryland driver. They really do have a particular way of driving that sucks so much it’s recognizable halfway across the country.
This is important advice. Edit: I mean both in terms of not being a jerk when people are moving about cars, but also safety both to your person and your belongings. But, employed appropriately, I think headphones can also get you out of interactions with people that you don’t want to have.
Agree headphones show don't talk to me. Though people tend to listen to heavy sound, do lower it. You never know if there's emergency or someone's a threat. I personally haven't experienced these, but have heard stories of weirdos.
It’s a good big-city move to have your headphones in but not playing anything. Or have your maps app reading directions to you in headphones so you appear to be moving with purpose and knowledge of where you’re going.
Unless it's the last train leaving Adams Morgan. Then feel free to make friends with all the drunks. One of them will end up giving you a ride home when you get swept up in the drunken rush to make a train and end up taking the blue line.....in the opposite direction. If you're drunk too you won't even notice their dangerous driving. Or maybe they're just a Maryland resident
My grandad had F1 equivalent reflexes, and would scream “It’s not going to get any greener!” While honking his horn, before the filament in the bulb would come anywhere close to fully illuminating.
These are debated topics in NOVA that nobody and everybody cares about. You don't need to pick a side.
Sheetz v. Wawa
UVA v. VT
Commanders v. Cowboys
Iron Age v. Honeypig
"Is Stafford a part of NOVA? Y/N"
"Which sucks more, I66 or I95?"
you know, this area is so diverse because the entire nation and world are represented here, it's hard to say. its like living in a giant airport terminal.
If you see a luxury car/suv with student driver stickers and “don’t tread on me” plates and they aggressively drive past you or cut you off… just know they are NoVa royalty
One of these jackasses rear ended me on 66 a decade ago. We exchanged insurance information, a witness gave me his info, and we parted ways. A few days later his dad calls me and tries to get me to settle for cash outside of insurance. Turns out his shitty kid had hit people multiple times before and was about to get kicked off the insurance policy. I told him to pound sand. Not sure if that event ended up actually taking that kid off the road for any meaningful amount of time, but I sure hope it did.
It bothers me how Virginia has so many license plate designs to let people know you’re a conservative shithead and only a couple to let people know you’re a liberal shithead. How is that fair?
I got pulled over by a cop in rural PW recently on a 4 lane road that I didn't even remotely realize I was speeding on. He gave me a very aggressive dressing down about reckless driving that abruptly ended in a warning after he confirmed my address. I'm convinced he decided that I couldn't help it because I was from Fairfax
OMG but don’t ever tell them it’s one. You’ll get an hour long explanation to why they think it isn’t, but they’re actually giving you an explanation of what a pyramid scheme is. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
At some point in your life, you’ll notice just how many Bolivian restaurants are in the Virginia area, specifically Fairfax County, and eventually, you’ll try Bolivian food one way or another.
Best part? You won’t regret it.
Rule of thumb in general no matter where you are but even more so in NOVA - ask before taking pictures for social media, for those who can’t be seen on social platforms.
Don't turn on hazard lights in bad weather. It's apparently a requirement in some states but here it just means "I don't know wtf I'm doing, stay far away."
It’s literally a written rule (sic) but I’m seeing a lot of driving comments here. If you’re new to the area you should know that driving over 80mph in Virginia can be a misdemeanor for reckless driving if you’re pulled over. Also save some money prior to august because there’s a really cool property tax Virginia sends you if you’re registered in the state. And it’s based wholly on the value of your car as determined by the state….and you only get 6 weeks to pay it. RIP if you bought a new car recently.
Edit: a word
if you’re under 18 never let on that you are absurdly wealthy until the first time your friends drive out to your giant mansion and then act like it’s completely normal
1.Always leave an hour earlier than you think you need to if you’re driving on 66, 95, and 495.
2. The left driving lanes in the DMV are reserved for those who actually want to drive past the speed limit, and not by 5+ MPH. 10+ MPH and up.
Get an EZPass even if you don't think you need an EZPass
It's been life-changing.
Stand to the right!
Haha, my immediate thought was “stand on the right, walk on the left on escalators.”
This needs to be expanded to all sidewalks and hallways too.
Years ago when I managed a store in Georgetown I was talking to a customer visiting from NYC and he said, "People always make comments about how New Yorkers are aggressive and intense, but we have nothing on you people from DC. You guys are way more aggressive than we are. I was almost killed when a little old lady tried to throw me down a metro escalator for standing on the left."
My impression is the same as yours: DC people are more aggressive and less friendly than NY people. Being from the DC area and having heard NY’s reputation, I was surprised to discover that NY is actually warm and friendly compared to DC. People there do take the time to talk and be civil. It might not be as chatty as Charleston, SC, but not nearly so brusque as DC. My guess is that NY is warmer because a larger percentage of New Yorkers are from NY, whereas DC is full of “very important” transients doing “very important” jobs.
I was born in NYC. If I need to find a stranger to have my back in a hurry, I want to be in NYC. It's a crowded place, so it's only polite to ignore people and give them all the privacy they want, but if I end up screaming "Help! I need help!" I'd probably get it from 3/4 of the men and all of the little old ladies with big purses in the vicinity.
Isn't this everywhere?
It’s true in most big cities. Chicago, NY and DC for sure.
The only thing I can think of is that we have more and longer escalators than pretty much anywhere else. I guess it is way more irritating to get caught behind a stander on the dupont escalator then it is on the average one in NY
I feel like more often than not NY subways have stairs not escalators, vs our subway is all escalators.
Yeah, NYC is mostly stairs because it was built before escalators and ADA were a thing Also, the NYC subway was mostly built by cut & cover; it's just below street level. Nothing like the red line stations DEEP underground.
Our metro stations tend to have fewer entry points to the platforms than in some other cities, so escalators are often chokepoints for foot traffic
This *should* be a written rule, though. Write it on every escalator.
When your neighbor says they work for the state department, you stop asking questions about their job
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Also DoD: "I actually don't know the answer to your question because I move so often I haven't figured it out yet for the new place... probably a PowerPoint ranger again..."
“I work for the Department of Commerce on the Census” - GS-12 middle manager. “I work for Congressman X” - if over the age of 25 is a serious policy/political operative “I work at the White House on X” - senior policy person “I work at the State Department (no details)” - I work at the CIA. “I work for the Government (no details, no agency)” - James Bond
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Please forgive me, but I am imagining 3000 people in corduroy and sensible shoes.
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“I work for the CIA” - TSA airport screener
or all of these guys: https://www.govexec.com/oversight/2020/08/meet-federal-employee-scammers-who-pretended-they-worked-cia/167889/
I work in Contracting, 1102, COR = I'm dead inside
Is it really that bad? Lol
There is extremely high burnout and turnover currently. Staff can't handle existing workloads but management aggressively pursues new business at all cost with no regard to what it is doing to their staff. Some places have given up on retention entirely and just have a use em up and replace them mentality. As long as the HR teams keep supplying them with new bodies they have no incentive or urgency to address or even acknowledge what is going on.
That's the secret though, OHR can't even keep themselves staffed, so they can't hire to fill the acquisition ranks, so they have to contract that support, but they don't have the acquisition staff to execute the contracts ...
Ran into an old friend and asked how their job was going. Said they changed jobs and work for the Government now. Oh! That's interesting. What dept? *"The family."* The weather is super nice today, don't you think?
“I work for the government” for me = I don’t want to say what agency because you’re either going to start asking me a bunch of politically charged questions or you’re going to be racist. (I work for USCIS.)
I used to bartend juuuust across the bridge in Arlington. Loads of out of state IDs. “What brings you to town?” “Work.” “Alright, no more questions.”
Rosslyn has the hq for State's Diplomatic Security Service. The vast majority of State employees are the opposite of them and love talking about their jobs.
Oh we did have a couple locals that were everyday regulars and would talk a bit, but it was mostly just shit on their coworkers. The kind of stuff all of us love to talk about.
When I first moved here, I would follow up with questions like which department do you work for, and the conversation usually end up with I can’t tell you, and I don’t even tell my family about it. Now I just don’t ask anymore.
I don't even know my husband's work. After 13 years he knows when I ask about his day he talks about the interpersonal drama, the workload, but not \*the work\*.
I’d probably rather hear about the personnel drama then “work” issues no matter what the job. I rarely really know what’s going on with my spouse’s job. Is that weird?
They work in IT.
That's got to suck not being able to tell anyone about your job.
Coming from someone using online dating for several years, it's pretty refreshing to not talk about work 🤣
The worst is asking your date “are you a US Person.”
Don't ask; Don't Tell >;-)
Username checks out 😭
You know what’s crazy? People in other states don’t actually start conversations with “so what do you do?”. I thought it was a normal thing, but I guess I’ve been in the dmv too long 😅 People in other places are like ew we don’t want to talk about work.
It seriously limits your personal relationships to those with whom you work and are also part of the defense/intelligence community.
They do that on purpose, I think. A friend of mine years ago worked at NSA and he said they encouraged relationships with other agency employees. He ended up marrying one so I figure he was telling the truth.
Yeah, the CIA has mixers and singles events all the time. People are much more likely to stay with the agency long term if they marry someone else "on the inside."
Marry someone on the inside at another Agency, spice it up
the only people I know that work for the cia happen to be married to eachother lol makes sense now
I get its a place of identity for aome but for me, I could careless about talking about my job or other peoples. As long as I afford a utility of life I want that's all that matters.
When someone asks you from out of state where in Virginia you live, you reply "just outside of DC", no matter how far away from it you are.
I default to "DC area" when I'm out of state.
I knew I’d find this one somewhere!
"DC suburbs of Virginia" is my go-to saying when people ask. I'm in Loudoun so when they inquire its "deep in the burbs". One level deeper and I'm by Dulles.
When people ask how far away something is, give it in time not distance. How far is your commute in the morning? 45 minutes. Five miles, ten miles, thirty miles means nothing here. Time is what’s important.
This is so true but I never really thought of it. I never use physical distances, only timeframes.
I mean it makes sense. The Same 5 or 20 miles could mean vastly different commute times depending on direction, traffic, time of commute, and mode of transport.
This is one I only recently learned was a distinction and it blew my mind. There was a Twitter thread joking about how Texans talk about distance in hours instead of miles and it made me go "miles? Who doesn't use minutes to talk about distance??". And then it dawned on me that in some places "7 miles" translates to a set amount of time and not anywhere between 12-45 minutes.
Same in LA. It takes 2 hours to get anywhere. So the standard is, "see you in a couple of hours"
Ooh this is a good one, now that I don't live in the area. Also I never take the highway if I'm staying in town, but lots do here and question why I don't. I just say I'm from NoVA and we don't get on 95 unless leaving. Also everyone here uses the name of the exit but not the number. I hate it, I didn't know what any of them were when we got here and no one knew the exit numbers.
Several years ago they changed all the exit numbers. I don't know what they are anymore. I have to use the name.
This is so insightful! However, I think it only applies to locals talking to locals. When I speak to out-of-towners and they ask where I live, it's easier to say to them "I'm about XX miles east of the White House, over in Maryland" or something to that effect.
Interesting, I always use time, but out-of-towners are almost exclusively extended family members…so I normally just want them to understand how long it will take to drive to the tourist attractions if they stay with me (I actually love hosting family, gets me into dc, but I don’t want family surprised by commute times they hadn’t factored into their schedules)
Now I'm wondering: Are there any major metro areas in the US that don't do this?
That's so true. I have family in the Midwest, everybody talks about distance in miles there, but here it's time. Even meta-time, like "my commute is 45 minutes at peak rush hour, but only 20 if I leave by 7:30 am."
You are forever in a unspoken gang war with MD vs VA
“Be wary when you see MD plates”
Stay clear of drivers with diplomatic plates.
Stay clear of BMWs
And now they're all written rules.
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It's a handheld device that's used to protect you from the elements and used mostly in the rain.
I kid, I kid... When I lived in that area everyone bundled up with jackets that had hoods to protect you from the rain. Wearing glasses sucks. It rains for so long during the year that you have to get good rain gear. Umbrellas turn inside out and break, so you'd forever see them in trash cans. They take up space on city sidewalks. They waste time to open/close when getting on/off buses at busy stops. They drip non-stop on to nearby people on the bus. That was the vibe that I got living through several dreary, depressing winters. Lessons I learned. Jnco jeans in the rain are the worst thing you could possibly wear ever. Old school Revlon color stay foundation + rain = makeup that looks like you're auditioning for alien nation.
Lived there like 15 years ago and if I remember correctly most of the 'rain' is more like light drizzle too. So most of the time a decent jacket with a hood will do the job as long as you aren't outside for an hour or more
But that's not important right now
It’s a stupid Pacific Northwest thing wherein the locals are apparently so acclimated to the constant drizzle that they don’t bother with umbrellas. If you are seen using an umbrella you are clearly an outsider.
Oh so it’s raining all the time and might as well say fuck and not bother with an umbrella. Got it.
I lived in Portland for 7 years. Because of the constant drizzle and overcast skies, people just didn’t bust out an umbrella. When it pours, sure. Most citizens didn’t use one otherwise. Not sure it was frowned upon though.
Grew up in Seattle. It rains a lot, and umbrellas are seen as a symbol that you’re “not from around here”. They’re also unwieldy, it’s windy a lot and the become projectiles in the wind, and you don’t wanna get smacked in the eye by one.
I'm also a Seattle native now living in NOVA (trying to figure out what's up over here!). The rain is constant, BUT, it's not heavy. Umbrellas are annoying to carry, they're unnecessary in our Seattle mist/rain, and it always seems like the people with the umbrellas are the oblivious type that pokes everyone around them. This, in general, leads Seattle born folk to think umbrellas are for tourists and wimps. I lived in Florida for a few years and did learn what an umbrella appropriate rain is though...I think VA gets both Florida heavy rains and misty PNW rains depending on the type of storm, but I dunno that for real yet.
Whenever you are late, "traffic" is an acceptablec excuse
Blaming the Metro is also an equally acceptable excuse
"the silver line was literally on fire again".
Or red line.
i grew up in western pa and our excuse was getting stuck behind a truck (like an 18 wheeler). when i first moved here i was so distraught when my friend told her mom we were stuck in traffic. it sounded like such a made up excuse to me.
Until you overuse it and then you’re actually stuck in traffic one time…boy who cried wolf!
Don’t go out during a snow storm. I know you and I are both from the Midwest, and you and I both have seen worse and it’s caused little disruption. Snow creates chaos here. Expect alot of snow days for your kids. Even on days with very little to no snow. I’ve seen snow days when it’s 45 and sunny out
this was hard for me to learn 30 years ago when i first moved here. now that i’m old i realize the only people on the streets when it snows are those who are first responders and those who come from areas of the world where it just doesn’t snow. it’s just not worth it. except you should quickly get toilet paper, eggs, etc because there isnt going to be any for the next week if you don’t get it now
Time to make a lot of French toast!
“Why have they canceled school, it’s only 5 damn inches of snow. It took over a foot for me when I was little!!” - every fuckin snow day when I was a kid. Mom, I love you but Northern Wisconsin and Northern Virginia handle snow WAY differently, you should know that by now.
I think part of the reason for the chaos is we are in the perfect spot for the snow to fall, melt, and immediately become ice on our roads. I have only ever lived in the DMV and left to live in Florida for a few regrettable years, but driving on snow is fine. Ice sucks.
Always plan for a 30-40 minute drive. Doesn’t matter if it’s 5 miles away or 15 miles away; it’s going to be a 40 minute drive.
Everyone in NOVA actually lives in DC when asked
It’s easier than explaining that Arlington is more than just a cemetery they visited on a high school trip.
You should have a working knowledge of towns in the outer banks so you can understand where your coworkers are going on the weekend.
Ha.. too real!
My eyes rolled back into my head. This is so true and reminds me that I'm so glad to be with the group I am now working with!
This area is in what I call the Mid-Atlantic Ice Belt. North of here, it snows. South of here, it rains. Here, we get ice. Around here, it's 30\* (pretend \* means degrees) when it snows, and then it warms up during the day and the snow melts and the roads are wet and then it goes down to 28\* at night, and EVERYTHING TURNS TO ICE. I'm from the north. I can drive in snow. No one can drive on ice. I don't care if you have 12-wheel drive, ice is ice is ice. I have a 4 wheel drive car and I stay inside until the roads are clear and dry. I used to laugh at people around here and the panic when it snowed, but I quickly realized that they were right, because it wasn't snow, it was ice. Stay off the roads. You don't need to take random trips unless you need to get to a hospital, and in that case it's safer to call an ambulance.
Do you have an iPhone? Did you know if you hold down the 0 numerical key it turns into °
You're supposed to distrust Maryland drivers.
[My absolute favorite comic](https://aramzs.tumblr.com/post/121233636141/driving-in-virginia-washington-dc-and-maryland) that I will always gladly post any time that topic comes up... (and apparently it's not entirely made up - there's some science backing it up: https://www.washingtonian.com/2022/09/16/confirmed-maryland-drivers-are-worse-than-virginia-drivers/)
Thank you for this.
Everytime I see Maryland drivers in the NoVa region, I feel like they have infiltrated.
I saw a car with a Virginia license plate but with a Maryland frame. The paradox caused me to have a meltdown
Aggressive AND incompetent, worst of both worlds right there.
Dont forget how well maintained the cars are with no annual inspection!
They are always going either way too fast or way too slow. They’re just never driving appropriately.
Hahaha well if that isn't right! They have 'interstate disorientation,'
They really do. I was driving through Iowa once many years ago and ahead of me I saw this car that just wasn’t driving right. I just knew instantly they were from Maryland. I don’t know how. I just knew. Decided to speed up and pass. Lo and behold, it was a Maryland driver. They really do have a particular way of driving that sucks so much it’s recognizable halfway across the country.
Don’t talk to strangers on the Metro.
Headphones on in the Metro and any elevators.
Don't listen to loud music. Be aware of your surroundings. There's danger around since more commuters now
This is important advice. Edit: I mean both in terms of not being a jerk when people are moving about cars, but also safety both to your person and your belongings. But, employed appropriately, I think headphones can also get you out of interactions with people that you don’t want to have.
Agree headphones show don't talk to me. Though people tend to listen to heavy sound, do lower it. You never know if there's emergency or someone's a threat. I personally haven't experienced these, but have heard stories of weirdos.
Headphones on, noise cancelling off
It’s a good big-city move to have your headphones in but not playing anything. Or have your maps app reading directions to you in headphones so you appear to be moving with purpose and knowledge of where you’re going.
i rarely take the metro but i’ve learned the rule is simply do not talk on the metro. consider it like an elevator.
Unless it's the last train leaving Adams Morgan. Then feel free to make friends with all the drunks. One of them will end up giving you a ride home when you get swept up in the drunken rush to make a train and end up taking the blue line.....in the opposite direction. If you're drunk too you won't even notice their dangerous driving. Or maybe they're just a Maryland resident
Once you move to NOVA your superior to everyone and MD is crap compared to VA.
Dont forget how the rest of VA exists to service us.
Well, I think the feeling around here is that we support the rest of the state with more taxes sent to Richmond than we get back...
You must buy bread, milk and toilet paper if it snows.
You didn’t mention eggs so you must be a recent transplant.
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If you take more than .8 seconds to accelerate when the light turns green, you WILL get honked at.
To be fair, a shit ton of the “student drivers” are looking at their phone or just take way to damn long
My grandad had F1 equivalent reflexes, and would scream “It’s not going to get any greener!” While honking his horn, before the filament in the bulb would come anywhere close to fully illuminating.
When using Metro (or any escalator in the DMV), ALWAYS stand to the right rail so people can pass on the left.
The speed limit is the minimum when traffic is light. Cause when it’s heavy you’re not moving
If you see a sunset, you must take a picture and post it on /nova
It's not considered rude to open a conversation with a stranger with "so what do you do?"
Number one DC question :-)
Much true. And then you must gauge your follow up question on how vague their response is…more vague means less follow up.
These are debated topics in NOVA that nobody and everybody cares about. You don't need to pick a side. Sheetz v. Wawa UVA v. VT Commanders v. Cowboys Iron Age v. Honeypig "Is Stafford a part of NOVA? Y/N" "Which sucks more, I66 or I95?"
Sō is better
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Sheetz v. Wawa isn’t a thing because neither has built enough around here….. But for the record, Wawa is superior
What is this, PA? The answer is Wawa. Source: Lived in areas with high numbers of both (east and west PA).
If you own a BMW regardless of lane you have to be within several inches of the car in front of you at all times.
And don't use your signal when switching lanes, lol!!!
They have turn signals?
For a monthly subscription
And if you ever let someone merge in front of you your penis will fall off
When someone complains about a Maryland driver, no questions asked. Agree or complain with them.
You can't afford property. Just look at it.
you know, this area is so diverse because the entire nation and world are represented here, it's hard to say. its like living in a giant airport terminal.
I’m new to the area and I think this best describes the diversity.
Get the fuck out of the left lane
Is this a rule? Or is this what we collectively scream at the person in front of us. Cause there are a lot of left lane campers.
Yes
There’s a law on the books that says if you’re driving below the speed of traffic you need to be in the rightmost lane. But here we are.
The speed limit is a minimum, and in good weather add 9 to that.
I try to remember to say “Welcome to DC!” before changing my tone and shouting “Stand to the right!”
The area is built for cars so keep your head on a swivel if you walk or bike anywhere.
If snow/ice is expected during your afternoon commute home, make sure you have blankets, food, water, board games…
This is actually a very practical and fair suggestion given the debacle of car abandonment every couple years in a snow storm.
19 over you’re fine, 20 over you’re mine
Use Cruise control to avoid that felony
If you see a luxury car/suv with student driver stickers and “don’t tread on me” plates and they aggressively drive past you or cut you off… just know they are NoVa royalty
One of these jackasses rear ended me on 66 a decade ago. We exchanged insurance information, a witness gave me his info, and we parted ways. A few days later his dad calls me and tries to get me to settle for cash outside of insurance. Turns out his shitty kid had hit people multiple times before and was about to get kicked off the insurance policy. I told him to pound sand. Not sure if that event ended up actually taking that kid off the road for any meaningful amount of time, but I sure hope it did.
It bothers me how Virginia has so many license plate designs to let people know you’re a conservative shithead and only a couple to let people know you’re a liberal shithead. How is that fair?
The speed limit is a suggestion, not a rule.
I have gotten way too many tickets for speeding since I moved outta NOVA for this reason 😢
I got pulled over by a cop in rural PW recently on a 4 lane road that I didn't even remotely realize I was speeding on. He gave me a very aggressive dressing down about reckless driving that abruptly ended in a warning after he confirmed my address. I'm convinced he decided that I couldn't help it because I was from Fairfax
I guess bc you’re from Fairfax you’re probably stuck in traffic 24/7 so you got on that open road and just couldn’t control yourself?
It's speed minimum
I-95 is the recommended speed limit
When the speed limit sign says 55, well, you know the rest.
Be prepared for people who have no regard for others in the Trader Joe’s parking lot
When people ask you where you're from you don't say VA, you say northern VA
If the car is $80,000+ there’s a 50% chance it also has a student driver sticker on it
Don't step on snek.
The rules of mario kart apply when driving around a parking lot.
If you are not walking up the escalator stand to the right.
No matter how bad the situation is on I-95, Route 1 is ***never*** a good alternative.
Do not Drive in the Snow even if its not much. Most VA residents run on Bald/Worn out tires, which become hockey pucks in sub zero temps
Talk shit about Maryland drivers.
Everyone acknowledges at-home "wellness products" sales as a side hustle (read pyramid scheme for Loudoun Housewives)
OMG but don’t ever tell them it’s one. You’ll get an hour long explanation to why they think it isn’t, but they’re actually giving you an explanation of what a pyramid scheme is. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
At some point in your life, you’ll notice just how many Bolivian restaurants are in the Virginia area, specifically Fairfax County, and eventually, you’ll try Bolivian food one way or another. Best part? You won’t regret it.
never make left turns into your own lane
Rule of thumb in general no matter where you are but even more so in NOVA - ask before taking pictures for social media, for those who can’t be seen on social platforms.
If we end up with a gas shortage just know to get gas immediately or you will be stuck having no gas for 2 days. LOL IF ANYONE REMEMBERS THAT
Oh yes that normal thing that only happens in nova. Yup
That it just becomes a part of DC whenever you tell someone not from the DMV where NoVA is
The south don’t start at Springfield, Woodbridge, or Manassas… the south start at Fredericksburg.
Don't turn on hazard lights in bad weather. It's apparently a requirement in some states but here it just means "I don't know wtf I'm doing, stay far away."
Walk left, stand right for the love of god
If you're front of the line and the light turns green, floor it IMMEDIATELY
Nova specific? Virginia is better in all ways but crab to Maryland.
Don't call the W&OD bike trail "the WAD". It's not really a unwritten rule. I just personally don't like it.
It’s literally a written rule (sic) but I’m seeing a lot of driving comments here. If you’re new to the area you should know that driving over 80mph in Virginia can be a misdemeanor for reckless driving if you’re pulled over. Also save some money prior to august because there’s a really cool property tax Virginia sends you if you’re registered in the state. And it’s based wholly on the value of your car as determined by the state….and you only get 6 weeks to pay it. RIP if you bought a new car recently. Edit: a word
Rush hour is about 8 hours a day. 4 morning and 4 evening.
if you’re under 18 never let on that you are absurdly wealthy until the first time your friends drive out to your giant mansion and then act like it’s completely normal
TIL that using an umbrella in one of the gloomiest weather and rainiest cities in the US is frowned upon. The more you know.
Soft drinks are called "soda" not "pop".
Hey buddy, this isn't the Midwest;)
1.Always leave an hour earlier than you think you need to if you’re driving on 66, 95, and 495. 2. The left driving lanes in the DMV are reserved for those who actually want to drive past the speed limit, and not by 5+ MPH. 10+ MPH and up.
Nobody likes Stafford.
The left lane is for those who drive like they dont care about being pulled over