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Atlanta visitors often cite the city's slow and outdated taxi service as a cause of outrage.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
Moving soon
January 25th, 2012
2:22 pm
Hey Ammar did you see where DC is on that list?…:)
jeff
January 25th, 2012
2:23 pm
To Ammar
I am not one of those people that question Obama. Why is it that someone always has to bring some political edge to everything. BTW so exactly what has Obama done while in office…..uummm nothing.
The only positive thing he got accomplished while in office is he got rid of Osama…. I wonder if that could be called a sibling rivalry….lol
Ammar
January 25th, 2012
2:24 pm
@ Jeff – did you say New Yorker’s came here for jobs ….do you not know that Georgia’s unemployment rate is equal to that of the national one???? Again – the crime that you see on TV …those are Georgia natives …Transportation issues are the subject of poor civil engineering …go visit NY before attributing the issues of the static south on New Yorkers who are not afraid to ride public transportation together no matter of who you are or what you look like…
blackprix
January 25th, 2012
2:31 pm
There were always plenty of rude southerners LONG BEFORE anybody moved here. Doesn’t matter where you’re from it’s about who you are an an individual.
Moving soon
January 25th, 2012
2:32 pm
Ammar…seriously? What are you, a crime statistician? You seriously think ALL the crime here is committed by GA natives? How in the heck can you even prove that? If it’s all these ISSUES that make Atlanta so rude…well…I am not so sure. The natives here AND folks from the Deep South have been here long enough to see the difference in the ATL…look, Yankees built this place after the Civil War for ONE REASON: to make money! Even New York and New Orleans have a soul-they call the two the “Big Apple” and the “Big Easy”…as for the ATL-we are known as the “Big Hustle”…NO SOUL…when you’re all about greed, you gain the whole world yet lose your “soul”.
So-if Yankees built this place, then they’ve always been here. I think there are just a WHOLE LOT MORE of them the last 20-30 yrs.
MOST here tell me this place went NUTS right after the 1996 Olympics. A bunch of folks running around in a hurry for no good reason, not sure why there are here-no identity, sense of place, purpose, nothing.
Except to make money. Maybe?
blackprix
January 25th, 2012
2:34 pm
Hey Jeff:
President Obama has done a LOT FOR THIS COUNRTY. Let’s start by saving us from a complete and utter depression when taking over from Bush … then go from there! The GOP refuses to face facts about what he inherited and how bad things were. Smart folks don’t forget what transpired during 8 years of Bush and GOP!!!!
dmc
January 25th, 2012
2:36 pm
This is not a surprise! Out towners have ruined a beautiful city. This is not just New Yorkers. Please do not forgot those from Chicago who always say that is not how we do it in Chicago. If Chicago is so great why are you here? Let’s not forget the people from New Orleans who have brought nothing but violence with them.
Charlie
January 25th, 2012
2:36 pm
My experience is that the Yankees are the ones who aren’t rude, but rather friendly and accomodating. It’s the long time locals who resent the transplants who are the rude ones!
Mary
January 25th, 2012
2:37 pm
I grew up in Atlanta in the 1950’s and 1960’s. At that time, it was much smaller, of course, and easygoing and very friendly and safe. In my opinion, it has grown too huge (with both Southerners and Northerners). It’s become so crowded, fast paced and a traffic nightmare, that I hate having to go there any more. I am now happilly living in Cartersville, Ga., which is a lot like I remember the old Atlanta being, friendly and patient.
Ammar
January 25th, 2012
2:39 pm
@ Jeff you don’t surprise me … a good old southern boy …Do you have a problem with our President’s name??? Would it be better if it was Bob or maybe John Smith …we know what is happening here …we know that you and all the other’s that think like you do not like the idea that a Black man is running this country while placing us back in good grace with other nations. You are right the President has done nothing and George Bush did everything like run up the national deficit at $5000 dollars per second during the Iraq war that the American people did not want….I can’t believe the ignorance and hatred of this country and for people like you to perpetuate such ignorance and retrospective falsification… Since you don’t know what the president has done let me school you:
1. Got Osama bin laden…check 2. Unemployment rate 8.5%…check. 3. 1.6 million jobs created with no GOP help…check … … 4. 22 months of job and economic growth with no help…check 5. Ended war in Iraq …check 6. DADT repeal…check 7. Not one tax hike in 3 years….check 8. Brought out of racism in the Gop…check 9. GM is now the number 1 auto manufacturer… Check. 10. Same wife for 15 years… with no extra marital affairs…check 11. Save auto industry and 1.5 million jobs.. check 12. Assisted in ousting Khaddafi…check 13. Only active President to receive Nobel Peace prize while in office…check 14. Mortgage modification to prevent home owners from losing their home. 15. STILL fighting for middle class families. 16. Reform Affordable healthcare….check, check, check 17. Created the Post 9/11 Gi Bill…check
Despite what the GOP would have you believe the President has been doing these things and more by himself.
Enough said!!!