Neighborliness

[scaredyclassic]

other people sometimes suck.

neighbors in general are a bad idea.

“good fences make good neighbors” or something liek that.

this topic came up in bicycling chat group; cyclists used to wave at one another; now they usuallyd ont.

we dont trust each other.

we dont want anyone asking s for help.

[nostradamus]

That sucks. On the flip side it’s funny, sometimes I’ll be 50 feet away from someone and already I can see a sneer-faced readiness to launch into a tantrum if my dog so much as walks towards them. I find it amusing to watch different types of reactions to dogs. Most people are totally cool but some are just looking to argue. Dog behavior is extremely predictable, some people are just really bad at seeing this or perhaps just too plain scared. What’s really unpredictable is human behavior! Personally I like when dogs approach me, because I like dogs. When people hold their dogs back I feel sad. That’s my rant.

My advice is to always wear a smile, whether or not you have perceived some slight. Pointing out someone’s rudeness? What’s the point? That’s just going to make things too uncomfortable for long-term neighbors. You’ll come off as grouchy.

[nostradamus]

That sucks. On the flip side it’s funny, sometimes I’ll be 50 feet away from someone and already I can see a sneer-faced readiness to launch into a tantrum if my dog so much as walks towards them. I find it amusing to watch different types of reactions to dogs. Most people are totally cool but some are just looking to argue. Dog behavior is extremely predictable, some people are just really bad at seeing this or perhaps just too plain scared. What’s really unpredictable is human behavior! Personally I like when dogs approach me, because I like dogs. When people hold their dogs back I feel sad. That’s my rant.

My advice is to always wear a smile, whether or not you have perceived some slight. Pointing out someone’s rudeness? What’s the point? That’s just going to make things too uncomfortable for long-term neighbors. You’ll come off as grouchy.

[nostradamus]

That sucks. On the flip side it’s funny, sometimes I’ll be 50 feet away from someone and already I can see a sneer-faced readiness to launch into a tantrum if my dog so much as walks towards them. I find it amusing to watch different types of reactions to dogs. Most people are totally cool but some are just looking to argue. Dog behavior is extremely predictable, some people are just really bad at seeing this or perhaps just too plain scared. What’s really unpredictable is human behavior! Personally I like when dogs approach me, because I like dogs. When people hold their dogs back I feel sad. That’s my rant.

My advice is to always wear a smile, whether or not you have perceived some slight. Pointing out someone’s rudeness? What’s the point? That’s just going to make things too uncomfortable for long-term neighbors. You’ll come off as grouchy.

[nostradamus]

That sucks. On the flip side it’s funny, sometimes I’ll be 50 feet away from someone and already I can see a sneer-faced readiness to launch into a tantrum if my dog so much as walks towards them. I find it amusing to watch different types of reactions to dogs. Most people are totally cool but some are just looking to argue. Dog behavior is extremely predictable, some people are just really bad at seeing this or perhaps just too plain scared. What’s really unpredictable is human behavior! Personally I like when dogs approach me, because I like dogs. When people hold their dogs back I feel sad. That’s my rant.

My advice is to always wear a smile, whether or not you have perceived some slight. Pointing out someone’s rudeness? What’s the point? That’s just going to make things too uncomfortable for long-term neighbors. You’ll come off as grouchy.

[nostradamus]

That sucks. On the flip side it’s funny, sometimes I’ll be 50 feet away from someone and already I can see a sneer-faced readiness to launch into a tantrum if my dog so much as walks towards them. I find it amusing to watch different types of reactions to dogs. Most people are totally cool but some are just looking to argue. Dog behavior is extremely predictable, some people are just really bad at seeing this or perhaps just too plain scared. What’s really unpredictable is human behavior! Personally I like when dogs approach me, because I like dogs. When people hold their dogs back I feel sad. That’s my rant.

My advice is to always wear a smile, whether or not you have perceived some slight. Pointing out someone’s rudeness? What’s the point? That’s just going to make things too uncomfortable for long-term neighbors. You’ll come off as grouchy.

[Enorah]

It is not just the gated communities.

I smile and say hi to practically everyone I pass while walking on the beach and many seem to be startled by my behaviour before they respond with a return greeting. Some I can not greet because many do not even look at me as I pass.

I am from Chicago originally. Saying hi to people as they walked by was considered normal there. Here in CA it seems to be the opposite. Maybe it is some kind of privacy thing? I definitely feel a fear component at times.

I find Russ’s statement to be true about eclectic neighborhoods.

Nost – I feel the same exact way about the dog thing. I can never pass a dog without greeting it. Cracks me up (makes me sad, actually) when a dog’s owner apologizes after their sweet doggie kisses me.

[Enorah]

It is not just the gated communities.

I smile and say hi to practically everyone I pass while walking on the beach and many seem to be startled by my behaviour before they respond with a return greeting. Some I can not greet because many do not even look at me as I pass.

I am from Chicago originally. Saying hi to people as they walked by was considered normal there. Here in CA it seems to be the opposite. Maybe it is some kind of privacy thing? I definitely feel a fear component at times.

I find Russ’s statement to be true about eclectic neighborhoods.

Nost – I feel the same exact way about the dog thing. I can never pass a dog without greeting it. Cracks me up (makes me sad, actually) when a dog’s owner apologizes after their sweet doggie kisses me.

[Enorah]

It is not just the gated communities.

I smile and say hi to practically everyone I pass while walking on the beach and many seem to be startled by my behaviour before they respond with a return greeting. Some I can not greet because many do not even look at me as I pass.

I am from Chicago originally. Saying hi to people as they walked by was considered normal there. Here in CA it seems to be the opposite. Maybe it is some kind of privacy thing? I definitely feel a fear component at times.

I find Russ’s statement to be true about eclectic neighborhoods.

Nost – I feel the same exact way about the dog thing. I can never pass a dog without greeting it. Cracks me up (makes me sad, actually) when a dog’s owner apologizes after their sweet doggie kisses me.

[Enorah]

It is not just the gated communities.

I smile and say hi to practically everyone I pass while walking on the beach and many seem to be startled by my behaviour before they respond with a return greeting. Some I can not greet because many do not even look at me as I pass.

I am from Chicago originally. Saying hi to people as they walked by was considered normal there. Here in CA it seems to be the opposite. Maybe it is some kind of privacy thing? I definitely feel a fear component at times.

I find Russ’s statement to be true about eclectic neighborhoods.

Nost – I feel the same exact way about the dog thing. I can never pass a dog without greeting it. Cracks me up (makes me sad, actually) when a dog’s owner apologizes after their sweet doggie kisses me.

[Enorah]

It is not just the gated communities.

I smile and say hi to practically everyone I pass while walking on the beach and many seem to be startled by my behaviour before they respond with a return greeting. Some I can not greet because many do not even look at me as I pass.

I am from Chicago originally. Saying hi to people as they walked by was considered normal there. Here in CA it seems to be the opposite. Maybe it is some kind of privacy thing? I definitely feel a fear component at times.

I find Russ’s statement to be true about eclectic neighborhoods.

Nost – I feel the same exact way about the dog thing. I can never pass a dog without greeting it. Cracks me up (makes me sad, actually) when a dog’s owner apologizes after their sweet doggie kisses me.

[AK]

Seems like everyone wants to move into the highest-end communities to avoid the “riff-raff,” but naturally their salaries can’t support their aspirations. So they gravitate to gated communities in the hope that if they have to live around the “riff-raff,” at least the gate will keep out “those people.”

(Substitute appropriate social / economic categorizations for “riff-raff” and “those people.” For example, a cosmetic surgeon might not want to live around to a mere internist, and would puke at the thought of a teacher or landscape contractor moving in next door.)

Of course their new neighbors have the same mindset and likewise consider them to be “riff-raff,” so you end up with a “community” full of people who are too good to interact with each other.

The process accelerates as prices drop … it was bad enough living among the “riff-raff,” but now “those people” can afford to live inside the gates.

I read some of these HOA rules and wonder what’s happening to our country. Things like a list of 20 “approved” plants by species, or mandating that garage doors be opened just long enough for vehicle ingress/egress.

[AK]

Seems like everyone wants to move into the highest-end communities to avoid the “riff-raff,” but naturally their salaries can’t support their aspirations. So they gravitate to gated communities in the hope that if they have to live around the “riff-raff,” at least the gate will keep out “those people.”

(Substitute appropriate social / economic categorizations for “riff-raff” and “those people.” For example, a cosmetic surgeon might not want to live around to a mere internist, and would puke at the thought of a teacher or landscape contractor moving in next door.)

Of course their new neighbors have the same mindset and likewise consider them to be “riff-raff,” so you end up with a “community” full of people who are too good to interact with each other.

The process accelerates as prices drop … it was bad enough living among the “riff-raff,” but now “those people” can afford to live inside the gates.

I read some of these HOA rules and wonder what’s happening to our country. Things like a list of 20 “approved” plants by species, or mandating that garage doors be opened just long enough for vehicle ingress/egress.

[AK]

Seems like everyone wants to move into the highest-end communities to avoid the “riff-raff,” but naturally their salaries can’t support their aspirations. So they gravitate to gated communities in the hope that if they have to live around the “riff-raff,” at least the gate will keep out “those people.”

(Substitute appropriate social / economic categorizations for “riff-raff” and “those people.” For example, a cosmetic surgeon might not want to live around to a mere internist, and would puke at the thought of a teacher or landscape contractor moving in next door.)

Of course their new neighbors have the same mindset and likewise consider them to be “riff-raff,” so you end up with a “community” full of people who are too good to interact with each other.

The process accelerates as prices drop … it was bad enough living among the “riff-raff,” but now “those people” can afford to live inside the gates.

I read some of these HOA rules and wonder what’s happening to our country. Things like a list of 20 “approved” plants by species, or mandating that garage doors be opened just long enough for vehicle ingress/egress.

[AK]

Seems like everyone wants to move into the highest-end communities to avoid the “riff-raff,” but naturally their salaries can’t support their aspirations. So they gravitate to gated communities in the hope that if they have to live around the “riff-raff,” at least the gate will keep out “those people.”

(Substitute appropriate social / economic categorizations for “riff-raff” and “those people.” For example, a cosmetic surgeon might not want to live around to a mere internist, and would puke at the thought of a teacher or landscape contractor moving in next door.)

Of course their new neighbors have the same mindset and likewise consider them to be “riff-raff,” so you end up with a “community” full of people who are too good to interact with each other.

The process accelerates as prices drop … it was bad enough living among the “riff-raff,” but now “those people” can afford to live inside the gates.

I read some of these HOA rules and wonder what’s happening to our country. Things like a list of 20 “approved” plants by species, or mandating that garage doors be opened just long enough for vehicle ingress/egress.

[Author]

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