Massachusetts - what's it like ?

Status
Not open for further replies.
It sucks.

I have driven all over the US and in a lot of other countries, MA drivers are some of the worst. Every time I see a car with MA plates on I95 it does something stupid and screws me. If your used to driving in the mid west or south where drivers are fairly decent you will be shocked. NYC is much easier to drive around.

You will also be throw in jail for the rest of your life for having a gun in MA, watch out.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: MalfunctionProne
Ever heard the term "Masshole?"


LOL
smile.gif
 
Driving is not that bad in MA. Just make sure to go with flow of traffic and expect the unexpected/leave some distance you'll be fine.

My wife and I have driven 600,000 miles combined in MA commuting so of which into downtown Boston from NH border town accident free.

Bunch of grumpy old men here! My guess also not getting the excellent pay MA offers over majority of other states that making it a wash in terms of your taxes paid out. The grass is greener down there for sure as we drive down to get paid more!
 
I have been to Boston one time, stayed for 4 days during a sales training course. I didn't like it one bit, but then again I do not like traveling up North much at all. The people were slightly nicer than in NYC which isn't saying much. I could barely understand the cab driver even though he was caucasian.

Flying into Boston is pretty neat because the airport is right next to the ocean.

My best friend from childhood lives there and loves it. He is about as liberal as they come. I am as far from liberal as possible and I could not imagine a worse fate than having to live up there.
 
My grandmother's family is from the southeast part of New Hampshire. I have relatives throughout Massachusetts.

The most curious thing I found was the racism.

I grew up in the Deep South. I thought I knew all about racism. You are taught from a young age that racism is an exclusive Southern phenomenon. A vile badge of shame that we have to wear.

It's not the same kind of racism, but it is there.

"That's a black guy's restaurant. You can't eat they-uh."

"You can't come in he-ah. We don't allow no Irish in ow-ah bah."
"But I'm not Irish. I'm mostly English with..." [interrupt] "You ah Irish. [insert ethnic slur}"

All people of Latino origin are "Spanish"....and some Portuguese. None of them are from Spain and yet they are all "Spanish". And they "bettah stay on they-uh side of town."

Massachusetts has rednecks. I thought rednecks were exclusive to the South. Nope. I know rednecks and those people are rednecks.
The smaller the town, the further away from the larger cities, the more redneck they become.
They have issues with French Canadians...I never could figure out why, but they seriously hate them.
 
I've lived in MA for 26 years. Didn't realize it was such a [censored] place to live. I won't speak ill of MA. The best years of my life were growing up in Boston while attending college. Love the diversity and different cultures the town has to offer. So much history to learn and appreciate. Absolutely love Boston sports. You'll not find a more knowledgeable fan base in the entire nation and we travel well. Case in point last sunday when the Pats played the San Diego Chargers. It literally felt like the Pats were playing at home. Same with the Red Sox. The only time I've cried in sports was when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 for the first time in 86 years. For a tourist you'll find great restaurants to dine in and best of all Boston has some of the best public transportation if not the best. So if you want to explore the city you wont have to rely on taxi cabs solely. So enjoy the food, experience the public transportation while doing so and appreciate a city that is small but acts big.
 
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
It sucks.

I have driven all over the US and in a lot of other countries, MA drivers are some of the worst. Every time I see a car with MA plates on I95 it does something stupid and screws me. If your used to driving in the mid west or south where drivers are fairly decent you will be shocked. NYC is much easier to drive around.

You will also be throw in jail for the rest of your life for having a gun in MA, watch out.


I have to say on 91 and 84 around Hartford the CT drivers are worse than anything I have experienced in MA!
shocked2.gif


You only get thrown in jail on the gun stuff in MA if you don't follow all their crazy reg's. If you can somehow figure it all out and comply with the reg's, and somehow get all the permits and licenses required, you are good to go.

Making sure you comply is not something I want to have to try and figure out though. Some guns need locks and some don't( but no one knows for sure which ). You need an FID card for this and an CCL for that. Can't buy ammo without this permit and so on. Lots of local PD's, where these permits are acquired, that are known to refuse most applications for non valid reasons. Just a nightmare of red tape and politics.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Driving is not that bad in MA. Just make sure to go with flow of traffic and expect the unexpected/leave some distance you'll be fine.

My wife and I have driven 600,000 miles combined in MA commuting so of which into downtown Boston from NH border town accident free.

Bunch of grumpy old men here! My guess also not getting the excellent pay MA offers over majority of other states that making it a wash in terms of your taxes paid out. The grass is greener down there for sure as we drive down to get paid more!


You would really have to be getting paid a LOT more in MA vs. NH, on the same job type, to make it worth it. The high income tax rates in MA coupled with the commuting expenses( gas and wear and tear on vehicles )add up fast. Some jobs do pay a lot more there so I guess it is worth it but it is not that way in all jobs.

Also, how long a commute are we talking as well? What is your commute time worth? NH border to Boston is an hour in the best of traffic conditions. You are talking 2 hours a day minimum just going back and forth to work. Unless they pay you for that time as well it is lost time for you.

600,000 miles of commuting? WOW! That is a butt load of gas, tires, and oil changes.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
My grandmother's family is from the southeast part of New Hampshire. I have relatives throughout Massachusetts.

The most curious thing I found was the racism.

I grew up in the Deep South. I thought I knew all about racism. You are taught from a young age that racism is an exclusive Southern phenomenon. A vile badge of shame that we have to wear.

It's not the same kind of racism, but it is there.

"That's a black guy's restaurant. You can't eat they-uh."

"You can't come in he-ah. We don't allow no Irish in ow-ah bah."
"But I'm not Irish. I'm mostly English with..." [interrupt] "You ah Irish. [insert ethnic slur}"

All people of Latino origin are "Spanish"....and some Portuguese. None of them are from Spain and yet they are all "Spanish". And they "bettah stay on they-uh side of town."

Massachusetts has rednecks. I thought rednecks were exclusive to the South. Nope. I know rednecks and those people are rednecks.
The smaller the town, the further away from the larger cities, the more redneck they become.
They have issues with French Canadians...I never could figure out why, but they seriously hate them.


This has to be old time racism. For all my anti-MA talk this is not something I have seen and I live up this way and have all my life.

Anti-Irish sentiment? In MA??? What??? There is a HUGE Irish community in MA( especially Boston ).
 
I drive through Hartford on 91/84 about once/month (and 91 in MA, and 84 through CT), and long ago learned two things: avoid rush hour, and drive fast. Fast enough that you can stay in the left lane, or at least middle. Otherwise you will become convinced that other drivers are out to kill you!

*

A coworker told me about a family member who couldn't buy ammo for the guns he already owned because his license had lapsed in MA. I was shocked, having come from Maine where guns were pretty much unrestricted, let alone ammo. That story tipped me over into buying my own guns "while I could". I might not be a gun nut but I find such restrictions over the top.

[Once I was in NY, and wanted to buy some pellets for my airgun --was at a wedding, and had a moment, so I figured, why not? I got carded! Here I am, late 20's, and I need ID to get airgun pellets?

Let's just say I an undesirable place will freeze over before I entertain the thought of moving to MA (or NY or CT for the matter).]
 
Originally Posted By: supton
I drive through Hartford on 91/84 about once/month (and 91 in MA, and 84 through CT), and long ago learned two things: avoid rush hour, and drive fast. Fast enough that you can stay in the left lane, or at least middle. Otherwise you will become convinced that other drivers are out to kill you!


Amen brother! Amen!
crackmeup2.gif


When I go to Virginia on vacation, or out to Long island in NY to hunt Brant, I have to go through/near Hartford. If I am going to VA I go through on 84 and I purposely go/return late at night/early AM ( like midnight to 2AM )to avoid the traffic which is brutal even in non rush hour times during the normal day and night hours people are usually out( say 7AM to 9 or 10PM ). I made the HUGE mistake of going through once at 5PM. NEVER AGAIN! I am surprised I am not still stuck there in that mess. Oh, and I have lost a set of rear shocks and 2 exhaust systems to the horrendous roads on 84 around Hartford. They are better now but were really bad once.

If I am heading out to NY I split off and take 91 and that is just a Zoo. Have only been that way 2X's and have learned I need to apply the same late night/early morning rule for any future trip.

MA drivers have nothing on those who drive on 84/91 in and around the Hartford area. SCARY!

Originally Posted By: supton
A coworker told me about a family member who couldn't buy ammo for the guns he already owned because his license had lapsed in MA. I was shocked


That is nothing. I ran out of ammo while duck hunting in MA once so I went into a store to buy some more. I have a non resident license and no criminal history and just wanted some 12g steel shot. NOPE! Only MA residents, with the proper permits and licenses( used to be FID card required - now? )can buy ammo in MA. A non resident can NOT buy ammo there at all. RIDICULOUS! They will sell me a hunting license and let me hunt in their state but I can't buy ammo( or a gun either )there. Just typical Masshole politics and red tape.

I will never live in that screwed up state. Only place worse I can imagine would be California which is basically Massachusetts` Grandpa.
 
Last edited:
I am grateful you all like it up north and I know you all like it that I like it down south. I know that the Harbrace folks will say I used to many like its...lol.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Isn't Massachusetts the place where they say "draws" instead of drawers?


You lose the R's in Car and Bar but they wind up in words like "Sofer" (sofa.)
 
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
My grandmother's family is from the southeast part of New Hampshire. I have relatives throughout Massachusetts.

The most curious thing I found was the racism.

I grew up in the Deep South. I thought I knew all about racism. You are taught from a young age that racism is an exclusive Southern phenomenon. A vile badge of shame that we have to wear.

It's not the same kind of racism, but it is there.

"That's a black guy's restaurant. You can't eat they-uh."

"You can't come in he-ah. We don't allow no Irish in ow-ah bah."
"But I'm not Irish. I'm mostly English with..." [interrupt] "You ah Irish. [insert ethnic slur}"

All people of Latino origin are "Spanish"....and some Portuguese. None of them are from Spain and yet they are all "Spanish". And they "bettah stay on they-uh side of town."

Massachusetts has rednecks. I thought rednecks were exclusive to the South. Nope. I know rednecks and those people are rednecks.
The smaller the town, the further away from the larger cities, the more redneck they become.
They have issues with French Canadians...I never could figure out why, but they seriously hate them.


This has to be old time racism. For all my anti-MA talk this is not something I have seen and I live up this way and have all my life.

Anti-Irish sentiment? In MA??? What??? There is a HUGE Irish community in MA( especially Boston ).


Not just "old time"...note that Boston is under court-ordered school integration TO THIS DAY.
 
Massachusetts, where electric rates are going up 37% in one year and where the cowards in the "legislature" voted to have an AUTOMATIC increase in the gas tax every year so they wouldn't have to vote on it ever again, or explain it to the voters, either. THAT finally was enough for the voters who had and used their power to override the law.
 
Originally Posted By: Kiwi_ME
I think Shannow just wanted to visit, not run for office.

Life is so much simpler in the South Pacific.


That's what I took from his original question. We Americans tend to get in an issing match over what parts of the country are wonderful and what parts suck.....each in our own expert opinion.

MA is an excellent place to visit. I've made 6 weeks worth of work trips there in the past 4 years. The "Masshole" moniker is really just self-effacing humor on their part. Driving there is not any worse than St Louis and frankly, Chicago has scared me worse. (No offence, I still like CHI)

Make sure to do the Freedom Trail. This is the cradle of American democracy along with Philly. Sites of the Boston Masacre, Paul Revere's home, Boston Tea Party, and the Battle of Bunker Hill monument among other on one walking tour.

Merry Christmas,
mormit
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

slo town
You can check out but you can never leave
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
slo town
Tom NJ
  • Locked
Pulled over - odd reason!
3 4 5
Replies
87
Views
3K
M56959
Brons2
School me on foreign property ownership, from a USA perspective
Replies
13
Views
859
cptbarkey
racer12306
Sump Pump in Basement Window Well
2
Replies
33
Views
665
eljefino
Jackson_Slugger
The Solar Eclipse & The Path to Totality
3 4 5
Replies
94
Views
3K
4WD
Back
Top