Question for Virginians

[bigmerle1966]

I was raised in Frederick County MARYLAND and married a boy born and bred in Northern Virginia. We currently reside in Alexandria and I do sense a bit of a feud. My DH always remarks on "Maryland drivers"..... I've got to agree. Maryland drivers are worse. I don't know why....but typically they are...I hate to say it b/c my sis/bro/parents still live in Frederick.....which my hubbie calls "FREDNECK" . Its true there are no rednecks in Northern Virginia. I'm not sure why, and I have yet to meet one here (except at the "Rock-It Grill" Karaoke bar on any Friday night) .... perhaps its because there is almost no "middle class" here. You are pretty much rich or poor here. I almost wish I could move back to Maryland for some affordable housing!
Frederick has its charms but so does Alexandria...and at least is only take me minutes to get into the city.

You know I think people always think that someone from a differant state are "worse" drivers. I think the same about VA drivers.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

Hmmmm, I never knew there was an *official* feud, but I have had my reasons for choosing Maryland over VA when we first moved here a few years ago... I told DH, I will NOT move to VA and that I do NOT like it over there, and here's the reasons I gave him:

1. VA is a smoking state. All their restaurants smell like nasty smoke.

2. In VA, there are wealthy people, and poor people, but not enough in between.

3. There is more crime in VA.

4. I think it's rather ugly. Nothing really spectacular over there. Lots of pastures, a few hills, and rows and rows of strip malls and multi million dollar gated communities. Not enough trees. I DO like the Shenandoah area though, it's pretty.

5. VA is a luxury tax state.

6. Traffic is worse in VA, and housing is way more expensive.

7. There aren't enough water oriented neighborhoods in VA.

8. There is more racism, from both the white and black side; it reminded me of GA as far as race issues, but not as bad as La....

These are all purely assumptions I made after spending a few months doing extensive drives and talking to people in both areas; And I'm sure my personal preferences and previous experiences play a lot into those assumptions. We do venture over to VA occasionally, and a lot of my assumptions are validated when there. I will not even bother walking into a restaurant in VA, I hate cigarette smoke.

I really love Maryland, and I am very happy to call it my new home. I am happier in a water oriented community, than I am in a farming community, b/c it fits our lifestyle better. We live in Anne Arundel county near Crofton, Davidsonville, Crownsville and Annapolis.... It just seems more *something I can't find a word for* than VA.

This a gorgeous and truy varied state, you are looking in the wrong areains if you can't find these things somewhere in this state. But, you are right about the smoking, this is Tobacco Country and smoking will never be banned completely.

 

[pepperw23]

I have lived in Southern Va all my life (born and raised) and I have never heard of any rivalry. Of course I live in the Hampton Roads area, so we are kinda in our own little world down here.

One thing though to a previous poster: We got lots of water down here. Maybe you just didn't look in the right places

 

[ilisao]

I'm a Marylander who does not like going to Virginia. We'll be driving along just fine and the second we hit the American Legion Bridge we're stuck in traffic.

 

[meb7]

I have never heard of this rivalry either. But I have never heard of the Richmond/ Charlotte one either. But I know I that driving up to Northern DC that the drivers get crazy. I have been passed on exit ramps, had a car pass in between the lane w/ another car in the lane next to me... But I didn't look at their license plate. I also don't consider myself a slow driver.

 

[Thats_for_Shore]

I'm a Marylander who does not like going to Virginia. We'll be driving along just fine and the second we hit the American Legion Bridge we're stuck in traffic.

Where's New Market, MD? I've heard of East New Market, but not New Market.

 

[bigmerle1966]

New Market is near Frederick.

 

[Mnementh]

Now as an adult I moved back to the mid-Atlantic and lived in Baltimore for a few years...that's when I found out there's a DC-Baltimore rivalry...that was news to me!

Yeah, I don't know what the overall reason is for a DC-Baltimore rivalry, but for me, personally, it has to do with sports teams.

 

[Skatermom23]

It is funny to see how people view things differently. When we lived in Howard County Maryland, I thought people were a little and we were only able to afford a small older home. When DH was offered a job on the Virginia side, we spent several weekends driving around and checking out our options. The people were all so friendly , and we could afford our McMansion! I could never afford a house this size in Howard County. It's been a good move for us. Oh, and someone mentioned state taxes being more in Va? Ours were less. I don't know why but they were.

 

[ilisao]

Where's New Market, MD? I've heard of East New Market, but not New Market.

We're up in Frederick County. Moved here 4 years ago from Montgomery County and I must say, it was the best decision we made.

 

[soccerchick]

Historically, Virginia has been very conservative and Republican, while Maryland has been more liberal and Democratic.

I have heard those issues when I was growing up, but the political climate has shifted in the last few years, especially in northern VA. The area I live in is now one of the "bell weather" areas of the Commonwealth.

 

[grlpwrd]

This a gorgeous and truy varied state, you are looking in the wrong areains if you can't find these things somewhere in this state. But, you are right about the smoking, this is Tobacco Country and smoking will never be banned completely.

It is a rather myopic view if someone is basing their 'facts' on limited experiences and have not ventured into more areas of our state.

 

[Art Vandalay]

In my experience, Virginia is less in taxes overall (include sales, income, property, everything), better management of growth over the past few decades, better schools (overall, MD does have some great schools in places), more things to do. These are just my opinions on everything save taxes. The tax numbers are a matter of public record. Maryland consistently has a higher tax burden than Virginia.

I don't hate Maryland, but I wouldn't live there given my options. Virginia works better for me.

Edited to add: I'm speaking of Northern Virginia and the Maryland suburbs of DC.

 

[NewJersey]

I'm a recent transplant to VA from NJ and I've heard it from a lot of people, either they hate Maryland or vice versa. There are parts of both states I've been to I don't like.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Maryland was a Confederate State that was held captive by the Union -- because you had to go through MD to get to DC (the capital of the Union). Maryland tried to secede from the Union, but anyone voting for seccession was jailed.

http://www.johncletheroe.org/usa_can/usa/mas_dix.htm

Yeah, I stand corrected there, but I'm afraid that was something that my uneducated, southern VA relatives used to say when discussing MD. I'm not sure how many people actually know what you posted.

Off topic: My husband says another reason to hate MD is that they have Baltimore and he greatly dislikes Baltimore (although we are fans of the Inner Harbor!). I did have to remind him that a lot of his issues with Baltimore can be found in our own city or Richmond.

You have to forgive him, he is a transplant from Colorado.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

I hate to say it b/c my sis/bro/parents still live in Frederick.....which my hubbie calls "FREDNECK" . Its true there are no rednecks in Northern Virginia. I'm not sure why, and I have yet to meet one here (except at the "Rock-It Grill" Karaoke bar on any Friday night) .... perhaps its because there is almost no "middle class" here.

All you need to do is jump on 66 and travel to Manassas and beyond and you will find your VA Rednecks. They just got the heck out of NOVA a while ago as the place got bigger and bigger and put more restrictions on them. A trip down 81 will show you all sorts rednecks.

I don't see the only rich/only poor in NOVA thing. I was raised here all my life (In the Fairfax part of Alexandria) and my family was middle class, most of my friends were middle class, and just about everyone I knew was middle class. There seemed to be a lot of us to me!

 

[Mnementh]

Off topic: My husband says another reason to hate MD is that they have Baltimore and he greatly dislikes Baltimore (although we are fans of the Inner Harbor!).

Yeah, well I live in Baltimore (well, Baltimore county, 10 minutes from the city) and I don't even particularly care for it. It's way too crime ridden for my tastes, but there are very few places that I've seen like the Inner Harbor. That part of the city is amazing and I would hate to move away from it (though, as I said in my first post, I still enjoy Virginia).