As someone who grew up in the greater Boston area and now lives in NYC, I have to confess that the idea of being spontaneously nice to a stranger doesn't really make any sense to me.

Those big east cities have crushed your soul.

I feel the same way as Jesse, but it has nothing to do with geography; I just don't like people.

In the wrong neighborhood to be newsworthy, I guess.

Good lord, what neighborhood/street? So I can avoid riding my nonexistant bike there.

I was shocked to learn there'd been a murder in my complex in the past 6 months. A building far from mine, but still.

Lisah, go out cycling with a red ribbon on your wrist...that'll catch 'em.

Yeah, we were joking that reporters were all busy chasing the fake homeless serial killer story.

And yet, still better drivers than in California. By far.

Seriously!!! although there are bad drivers everywhere. Each place has its unique bad driving habit though. Like in NC, it's like they don't actually install turn signals as a standard feature in the cars there.

Good lord, what neighborhood/street? So I can avoid riding my nonexistant bike there.

Hilton Ave.

Funny LOLCat: [link]

Like in NC, it's like they don't actually install turn signals as a standard feature in the cars there.

At least they stop at stop signs (for the most part).

In the last 24 hours, I'd say maybe 5% of cars I've seen have signalled, one cut right in front of a MUNI train, and one whizzed by just inches from me as I was crossing a street at a crosswalk actually marked with a "you must stop for pedestrians" cone.

Like in NC, it's like they don't actually install turn signals as a standard feature in the cars there.

Oh god, my husband has picked this up. I am continually giving him dope-slaps about it. Because as a frequent pedestrian, it is maddening to not know if this car is planning to kill you or not! Also, NC? Longest traffic lights in Christendom. There's one near NCState that you can, like, raise a child in the car while you wait.

I will say, I am from New England but am perfectly comfortable with the various levels of greetings I get as an NC resident. I do work with a LOT of out of staters, though.

Oh wait. It wasn't a murder. Just an arrest that took place in the complex. Whew. Glad I got moderately more curious.

ION, I had a monumentally bizarre dream that I was playing Wii outside with Dick Cheney in Maine (we also discussed deviled ham). Racing go-carts with Shrub was in there somewhere as well, and friends of mine from Maine and college turned up at the end while we were taking a break from Wii. Eww.

That I didn't wake up screaming astonishes me. I'm really sorry I wasn't more lucid in the dream because then I could have gotten the imaginary pleasure of beating the shit (at the very least) out of the both them.

Like in NC, it's like they don't actually install turn signals as a standard feature in the cars there.

I think this may be an American trait, as I swear I see this EVERYWHERE.