Magazine rudely ranks Atlanta as 7th rudest U.S. city
Being a Southerner and True Gentleman, I could teach a course on manners. I even recall the lost arts of salad forks, soup spoons and which side of the sidewalk to be on when escorting a lady. If I ever take my wife to fancier environs than the Trackside Tavern, I’m ready.
Atlanta visitors often cite the city's slow and outdated taxi service as a cause of outrage.
Imagine my chagrin when learning Atlanta has been crowned the 7th crabbiest city in America by readers of a magazine I’d never heard of until today.
According to my research (aka Google search), the same publication, New York City-based Travel and Leisure, ranked Atlanta as the 11th rudest city the last time they compiled their list, so residents of our city have regressed a bit.
Fortunately, I have a ready excuse that absolves native Georgians of much guilt: yankees.
Perhaps it is summed up best by reader Craig T. Jones, who read this blog entry and emailed me about it instead of working.
Atlanta’s 7th “only so because we have so many people who have migrated here from the 6 crabbier places,” wrote Jones.
Yes, our once and future friendly city has been overrun by northerners who’ve grown tired of shoveling sidewalks and decent public schools. Why just the other day I saw someone wearing a New England Patriots cap yelling at a giant TV in a sports bar while pumping his fist. “Ravens suck!” he proclaimed loudly at some poor chap who later told me he was from Baltimore. Not sure what set that dude off.
The magazine’s readers rudely label Atlantans as unattractive and say the The City Too Busy To Hate also seems too busy to party. Maybe they need to visit the Clermont on Thursday night and we need to craft a list of America’s Rudest Magazine Readers?
Here’s an abbreviated list of America’s Rudest Cities: [Complete List]
1: New York City — I’ve always liked the Big Apple except for its weather and baseball teams. Especially the ‘96 baseball team.
2. Miami – I surmise this city too is overrun with northerners, but I know the locals are quite friendly. Once, in a small cantina, I ordered a Coke and the nice waitress I couldn’t understand brought me a piece of cake. Such kindness is rare.
3. Washington D.C. — Full of politicians that’ll argue about anything except what matters, lowering my taxes and raising someone else’s.
4. Los Angeles — The former #1 has dropped a few pegs. Perhaps it’s because the porn industry is leaving town?
5. Boston — Another northern town. Last time I was there it was 8 degrees and even the duck boat driver was cranky.
6. Dallas – Their cheerleaders, long considered No. 1 among prepubescent lads, are actually No. 2, just behind New England.
7. Atlanta – Perhaps the loss of the Atlanta Thrashers has angered more residents than initially feared?
8. Phoenix — Never been there but it looks hot.
9. Baltimore – A miserable experience, according to fellow Georgian Gram Parsons.
10. Orlando – The price of beer at Epcot would put a frown on anyone’s head.
11. Philadelphia — This has to be wrong. You can get your bell rung there just for asking the way to Market Street.
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256 comments Add your comment
tourist
January 25th, 2012
1:46 pm
Atlanta is more dangerous and full of mooches too.
New Yorkers are not rude, just matter of fact
JaiRS
January 25th, 2012
1:47 pm
I would love to know what were the criteria used to define “rude”. Being a born New Yorker and a long time Atlantan, I’d say they both have their rudeness issues, just depends on what really makes your skin crawl. For example, I have a co worker, Southern guy, who irks me to death, because there is never a short sentence with him. Everything has to be long and drawn out and full of flowery phrases and colloquialisms which he attributes to being Southern. My take on it, GET TO THE POINT, and stop wasting my time. If you’re telling me, NO, it doesn’t matter how you dress it up, the answer is NO, so the New Yorker in me would answer the same question with just a simple, to the point NO and move on. Southerners feel just saying NO is rude, the New Yorker in me feels wasting my time turning a 2 second, one word, answer into a 15 minute soliloquy is rude and disrespectful of my time. Just different definitions of rude. When I get to Starbucks in the morning and the person behind the counter wants to chat about kids, and puppies, and the weather, I’m peeved. Please just complete the transaction and lets go. Not that you’re being rude to me, but you are being rude to all the other people in line who want to get on with their day. In New York, that kind of idle chatting would start a riot. Someone mentioned customer service in an earlier comment. Is that waitress coming by every two seconds interrupting my dinner conversation with the person I want to talk to rude or just good customer service? Rude is all perception.
There sure are a lot of unhappy folks on this blog
January 25th, 2012
1:48 pm
I have found, and this so on all four corners of the earth, that the attitude I recieve is corrolated directly with the attitude I display. Free yourself from the bitterness and set your gauge of a good day by your contribution to the betterment of your place. Then I think you’ll be surprised how friendly folks are in your hometown. For the athiest it’s good policy, for the Christian it’s your call of duty, for the Northerner & Southerner alike it will make you a lot happier.
I love Atlanta…..Georgia….my country……and this aqua green ball we all share.
Justin
January 25th, 2012
2:01 pm
Roswell needs to be added to the list, especially the Wexford neighborhood. These folks are all northern transplants and are rude and obnoxious. They cannot get out of a car to walk up to the door when picking up their children, instead they lay on the horn and yes continuous at times waiting for their little wimpy kids to come out of the house. When you correct the obnoxious driver they get upset that you are asking them to stop and then the neighbor will then honk their horn whenever they feel like it because you asked the driver to stop. They feel as if they are above all the other neighbors and can just do what they please. However there is a code enforcement for that and they will be surprised one day when they get the letter for each occurrence. Believe in Karma? Payback are He__.
ncgreybr
January 25th, 2012
2:02 pm
I’m just kind of curious…someone doesn’t hold the door open for you and you mutter under your breath that they’re a “Damn Yankee!” How did you deduce that when you didn’t even carry on a conversation with them? All the ills of the world are blamed on those blasted “Yankees”.
Ms MJ
January 25th, 2012
2:04 pm
People need to forget about people being friendlier in the suburbs of Atlanta. I can tell you for sure that people out here are NO DIFFERENT. The Southern Hospitality is gone and I can’t wait to move back North!!!
Moving soon
January 25th, 2012
2:05 pm
JaiRS…you’ve proven EXACTLY why NYC is #1 on the list…ever try LIVING? Connecting with your fellow man? WHAT IN THE HECK are you doing that requires such AMAZING urgency that you can’t stop and enjoy the ride, smell the roses for just one little second?
You remind me of a LOT of drivers and people around here-they think they are God’s gift to SOMETHING-so everyone must get out of their way so they can complete their anointed mission to save mankind, heal the world, whatever-the-heck-it-is they are doing.
(Actually, I would be scared to ask MANY people around here what they do…most times I think I don’t even wanna know)…
I wish our distinguished President had your urgency about running our country…maybe we’d be in better shape!
Nonetheless, thanks again for PROVING OUR POINT! (and Travel and Leisure’s!)…is the ENTIRE NATION LYING?
jeff
January 25th, 2012
2:10 pm
The reason the city of Atlanta is on the list is because we are over run with the arrogant jackass’s that come down from the north for the jobs. They automatically think they are better then the people born here and don’t bother to support anything here except their paychecks. I wish Atlanta could go back to the 1970’s when people was actually from here and would speak nicely and hold a conversation with ya just because…. I hate YANKEES
jeff
January 25th, 2012
2:14 pm
By the way…. The people in Cobb county are about as rude as it gets….
Ammar
January 25th, 2012
2:16 pm
Stop blaming New Yorkers for rudeness you may see in Georgia …it was not a NY’er that yet questioning the presidents citizenship …right it were your good old boys who is not used to tolerance as we are in NY …that’s not to say that we don’t have our own issues but we do learn tolerance …unlike the rudeness and disrespect of our president….take responsibility of your own issues and stop blaming other’s….enough said!!!