If you're a Dateline NBC aficionado then you know that every hometown has it's secrets and issues. Those issues are the reasons we run as fast as we can to find new places to call home and, they can often be the reasons we stay... flaws and drama always add a bit of character and pastiche. But of course some issues are just to much to stick around for.
Redditor u/Jblaze908 wanted to know what towns maybe we should all skip to visit.... What is it that you hate the most about the city or town that you live in?
Unpure Flakes....
Giphy
Saint-Petersburg, Russia, weather.
It's a 6 million city at the latitude of Anchorage, Alaska. There's crappy, dirty snow everywhere from early November till late March or even April. PerepeL
Life needs options....
I live in a fairly small rural town and I love it and wouldn't trade it for the world but I do admit to missing the ability to go out for dinner later than 7 pm. I also miss options, it's really only the couple of pubs in town and that's it, there are more options if we pop over to one of the other surrounding towns but that means a bit of a drive.
I also miss going out for after dinner coffee. We used to do that a lot when we lived in the city, totally not an option out here. vivian_lake
Gurnee for the "NOT" win!
I live near a Six Flags and an outlet mall. The town is nothing but retail and chain restaurants. There is no downtown area outside all of that. Nits_rik
Gurnee, IL? sanchower
Yup.... Nits_rik
It's not terrible or anything. It's just... blah. It's in the dead zone in between Chicago and Milwaukee where you aren't really close to either city, but you're still kinda in the suburbs. But the Six Flags has some pretty legit coasters, and Mars Cheese Castle and the Ren Faire are right over the border. So you've got that going for you. sanchower
It's like a Survival game...
Potholes, road work that takes forever, combined with bad weather. Welcome to Montreal! gamecoder95
Recently drove from Toronto to Montreal. It's insane how noticeably crappy the road infrastructure is once you cross into Quebec. It's like the government doesn't give a f**k. No snow/ice removal, and oh my God the potholes. Reddit
Just watch "The Wire."
Giphy
Murder. Definitely the murder. Baltimore. mattz2015
Also drugs! Sorry, just finished watching "The Wire." ThePlayfulPython
People Suck!
I live in Plymouth, UK.
A few days ago a suicidal man was stood on top of a multi-story car park. Large groups of people just stood around with their phones out recording it. One woman yelled at him telling him to jump and called him a coward while the emergency services tried to help him. People around her laughed.
I really hate the people in my city. Jerry_Cola
Damn Tourists!
L.A. I work in downtown and it gets very annoying when influencers and/or people who just moved in get upset when you're "in their way." I'm sorry I ruined your photo; I just want to get home. nonilpadre
But we need water to live...
The water.
I moved here from another nearby city that had some of the best municipal water in the entire state and I miss it SO much. My current city's water is incredibly hard. We get calcium buildup on EVERYTHING. Pots, pans, glasses, showerheads, faucets, coffee maker. I feel like I need to buy stock in C.L.R. And in the summer, when the water levels get low like they always do, it takes on this weird "dirt-like" taste. Like the exact same taste you'd get if you fell face down in the dirt and got a mouthful.
Don't get me wrong, it's not Flint-level bad. The city assures us it's safe, meets all relevant health guidelines/codes, blah blah blah. But it's one of the most common complaints I see and hear from other people that live here, too. Apple2Geek
The list goes on....
I live in Austin, Texas. Every allergen known to man seems to be here. pielord599
Don't forget traffic that appears out of nowhere. You'll be moving right along on 35 outside of downtown when all of a sudden you're at a crawl for no reason whatsoever. lipp79
I'm so bored....
Giphy
My entire town shuts down at 8pm every night. Except for the self service gas pumps. It would be nice to be able to get food/snacks/Gatorade after I get off work but instead I have to drive 20 miles to the next town over.
Edit: Wow, my most upvoted comment on reddit. I'm in tears, I love you guys! Also the town I currently live in is Elk Horn, Iowa. Population of less than five hundred people. We do have a pretty kick a** pizza place here and the most interesting thing is how many people with Danish heritage there are here. Literally over 3/4 of the town I believe. alleng919
LEBRON!!!!
Cleveland, Ohio. Every one thinks it's an awful, terrible place. Our economy was based on Lebron James, who left.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM For people who want a taste of Cleveland, and a laugh.
Cheers to Weird!
Austin-
Austin is known for "keeping it weird" and being a fun, cooky place. Recently, the whole place is being developed, and all of the places that the transplants move here for are being bulldozed for condos. The city is slowly getting unaffordable, and losing the parts about it that are special. Everyone I know is getting scattered to the wins and a lot of my favorite places to hang out have been closed. A lot of people chalk it up to progress, but I'm terrified of becoming the next SF where regular people can't live in the city and rich people live like poor people. On top of everything I am pretty sure we have whole neighborhoods of nothing but rentals - which makes the housing issue worse.
The city is already insanely segregated- you can't live west at all unless you have money. Like the whole west side save a small strip. imhereforthemeta
The Company....
Seattle. Amazon, Microsoft, and other big IT companies have HQs here, resulting in lots of people moving here suddenly, rents and house prices skyrocketed as a result, and you feel poor all the time as software developers woosh by in their Tesla's and BMWs. I feel like if I'm ever going to want to own a house I'm going to have to move away. Which is a shame: I love the area apart from the damn expenses. typicalrowerlad
Too Much....
Giphy
I live in a small city in the UK called Bath.
We're one of the main tourist cities of the country and we have 2 of the top universities, but we're too small to accommodate so many people. It's always crowded, always expensive, and there aren't enough well paying jobs for students or graduates to be able to afford to live here. Everything closes at 11pm, we have an insane amount of traffic, and literally one of the busiest roads in the nation. Massive drug problem, no police station (only aiding the drug problem), and the worst clubs I've ever seen.
But it's beautiful as hell so. SmashMetal
ATL for Life...
Atlanta traffic, has to be the worst iv ever experienced or ever will. oliyonion
One time I was driving through Atlanta (never been before) and my dumba** was going like 75-ish on the highway and was getting blown past by every single car including cops... only to later learn that everyone goes at least 90. RuthRuthRuthBabyRuth
Grand Ole Country.....
Nashville,Tn
It is getting way too expensive to live here. Your choices now for affordable housing is either Antioch which is almost an hour drive or Ashland City which is backwoods good old boy country. FxDriver
Orlando!
In Orlando, that means you get to share the road with the following drivers: lost tourists who drive like crap in the first place, foreigners who drive like they're still in their homeland, yuppie-a**holes who are the most "important people in the world," gangsta' wannabees who have seen "Fast & Furious" way too many times, and elderly retirees who should have had their licenses revoked long ago.
We also have some of the highest car insurance rates in the US. scottiebass
Blame Ontario...
- people can't drive for crap
- major inferiority complex as a city
- too many old nimbys preventing progress
- a city council that is a barely literate group of bickering children who only grow up long enough to give themselves a pay raise, again
- old people complaining about the university and kids just doing what people do at that age
good old London ontario. uncle-tacitus
Maine for the Win....
Giphy
I live in a moderately sized town in Maine. What drives me up a wall is how annoyingly comfortable these people are. It's almost as they feel they're entitled to everything. What's even crazier is if someone is minding their own business on the freeway and you go to pass them, that person will make it their mission to make sure you don't. Then once you do pass them they go back to the same speed they were before. TheRealPizzaPope
Oasis in the desert? No thank you.
"Dubai."
"Why and whats special about it?"
"Its a modern city in a desert."- Maximum_Calendar_791.
"Dubai."
"A fake city with fake people, no human rights, where the world's tallest buildings hide corruption and slavery in their shadows."
"It's like someone decided to take every problem of mankind and concentrate it in one spot."- PayNoNoticeOfMe.
"Dubai one i think it is ugly two I would die in two minutes of me being there I can't stand anything above 40 c°."- BookWormPerson.
One of the seven wonders is one too many for me.
"The pyramids. "
"Too many horror stories of Egypt."- Aemiom.
Landlocked.
"Not really a destination, but taking a cruise."- Shortbus_Playboy.
cruise ship vacation GIF by Hallmark ChannelGiphyMountains aren't really my thing.
"Everest."
"Just why."
"You use a bunch of money to get in there them come down."
"And trash your whole way there. It's literally a corner in the Earth insufferable for humans and we still made a way to go there to trash it."- ACLullaby.
It's in my own backyard... but still not interested.
"I have lived about 15km away from the Burj Khalifa ever since it was made."
"I could not care any less besides the occasional pointing out the 'shiny tall building' to my nieces.- legolosss.
The pictures are enough for me.
"Mount Rushmore."
"Friends who've made the journey to Mount Rushmore mostly say it was no big deal and not worth the effort or expense to travel there."- Back2Bach.
States Selfie GIF by Ethan BarnowskyGiphyHustle and Bustle? No thanks.
"Anything busy.'
"Whether it's cities, structures, I don't care."
"I'd rather go to a boring empty quiet place than a place full of people."- TheSmeep.
They're watching us.
"That creepy a** place in Japan with all the realistic dolls."
"No thank you."
dolly dearest horror GIF by absurdnoiseGiphySome dream of paying a visit to these places.
Others hope they never have to set foot there, and will choose to leave it to the other millions of tourists.
To each, their own.
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And while a candidate is fit to lead remains to be seen, we rely on our instinct to choose someone with whom we can relate.
But sometimes, our options are limited and we inevitably go with someone who is the lesser of two evils.
Curious to hear from strangers online about a hypothetical, Redditor Cashmeresquid2309 asked:
"Americans of Reddit, would you vote for an openly Atheist presidential candidate? Why or why not?"
Redditors were quick to point out the answer was a no-brainer.
We Already Know The Answer
"Asking Reddit if they'd vote for an atheist..."
"I feel like the answer would be obvious."
– sarahmagoo
Sci-Fi Analogy
"Americans of Reddit, would you vote for a Star Wars fan who heckin loves doggos?"
– WitnessChemical
For The Atheists In The Crowd
"Atheists of atheistville, would you vote for an open atheist?"
– nixcamic
Others weighed in with a range of opinions.
About 45
"What's funny is how many of them would probably say no, even though they voted for Trump and would do so again. Say whatever else you want about him, but I seriously can't understand how anyone could genuinely believe Trump is a Christian. He's so obviously faking it and is undoubtedly the most atheistic president we've ever had or are likely to have for a long time."
"This is a guy who's never even so much as read the Bible or attended church, who told a conservative radio host his favorite Bible verse was 'an eye for an eye', who told evangelical interviewers that he's never asked God for forgiveness because he's never done anything wrong, and who routinely commits all 7 deadly sins (pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth) without remorse."
– empfindsamkeit
From A Different Perspective
"Not an american but interestingly according to this survey on 1006 people from 2007, being atheist was the worst thing you could be as a candidate (of the things asked) with only 45 % of people saying they'd vote for one."
– ilovecatfish
An atheist candidate isn't necessarily a big strike.
Double Negative
"I wouldn’t not vote for someone just because they were atheist."
– HabitualEnthusiast
Credibility First
"This is it. If they’re running on platforms I support with a history to back up those campaign promises, I don’t care if they belong to the church of the flying spaghetti monster. They could literally be a member of the satanic temple and I, an actual practicing Christian, would give less shi*s than a constipated sloth."
"Edit: yes, I realize the Satanic Temple does not actually worship satan. I used it for that purpose. The Church of Satan has some…problematic views and I probably would not vote for someone who literally holds a platform of eugenics."
– Phoenix_of_Asclepius
Some view the role of religion in politics as important.
It Depends
"Religion can be relevant: I would have strong reservations about voting for a Scientologist, even if I agreed with the policies they proposed. I would have strong reservations voting for a member of an apocalyptic cult or, possibly worse, a follower of the (highly heretical) 'prosperity gospel,' which unfortunately includes more and more so-called 'evangelicals' — I didn't vote for George W. Bush, but it's not because he was an evangelical."
"It depends on the role: I'd probably be more flexible with a legislator than an executive (mayor, governor, president), as their character is IMO more important than for a legislator and their policy stances somewhat less important relative to a legislator."
"Satanic temple — well, that's just an organized group of atheists and humanists with an intentionally inflammatory choice of name. They're generally fine people."
– alyssasaccount
A Bad Rap
"The Satanic Temple is an excellent organization that every decent person should be able to respect. A Church of Satan member, not so much."
"There's a huge difference between them!"
– StarsEatArtBooks
And Redditor boganvegan said it best.
"Better an open atheist than a fake Christian."
It all boils down to trustworthiness. Without full transparency, how could anyone put their faith in a candidate who spews nothing but lies?
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I'm always freaked out when I'm home alone. Lights on. Yeah, my electric bill is high.
Dorothy?
Wind Conan Obrien GIF by Team CocoGiphy"I dreamed the front door blew open at the exact time the house alarm went off... I hopped up and sure enough, the front door was open. No intruder."
fatowl
I See You
"Not home alone but only one in right side of the house. Went to my mom's bathroom to wash my hands and saw a pair of feet behind the half open door. Laughed and said 'very funny Ma, I see you.' then finished up and left. Bumped into my mother in the kitchen unpacking, nobody else was in the house. I'm glad whatever was behind the door didn't peek out."
SatanWithFur
“It’s Doug!”
"One night I had forgotten to lock my apartment door and woke up in the middle of the night. My bedroom door was about 2 feet from my front door, as you walked into the apartment. First a big dog ran by, then a person. Holy crap I was so scared and I screeched 'Who is it?!?!!'"
"A man said 'It’s Doug!' As I was thinking to myself, who the f**k is Doug, he said 'oh, crap.' He turned around to go back out the front door saying 'Sorry.' I asked 'Didn’t you have a dog with you?' He said 'Oh, yeah. Hey, c’mon!.' He left, his dog ran out after him and I locked my front door."
"Edit: glad you all thought this was funny, because I did too, once my heart quit trying to beat right out of my chest! The next day the girls at work thought I was crazy for not being upset, but eh, done is done. Peace!"
scarletohairy
Confused...
"My sister and I were home alone and we heard someone big running up the stairs. The stairs make lots of noise with slight pressure so when there’s someone big on them you can tell. I went out of my room to check but saw no one anywhere and my sister also came out of her room and she asked if that was me I said no and we both looked around to see if there was anyone but found no one in the whole house. We were confused and called our parents and just waited until they got back and that was that."
JtSudbury04
I See You
Staring I See You GIF by QuikTripGiphy"I very clearly saw a guy walk into my room. But when I went after him there was nobody there. I checked in the closet, under my bed, everywhere one could hide in my room."
HighlyOffensive10
This is why home video surveillance is key.
"NO"
Season 5 No GIF by The OfficeGiphy"My parents were on a road trip, just left, and I sat down at my desk. I thought 'Weekend alone by myself' and a voice yelled into my right ear 'NO' so loud it hurt."
Th4ab
Wild
"I managed to lock myself out of my house on my birthday during a tornado while trying to bring my cats to the basement for safety. I later found out that the tornado was approximately a couple miles or less from me at that exact time. The sky was green and it got weirdly calm and then I could hear what sounded like a train coming before I found an unlocked window to climb through. Wild times."
SilverGnarwhal
Saturday morning in the 80s...
"I wasn't home alone but I was awake by myself one Saturday morning in the 80s when I was around 7 or so. I believe my mom was the only one home because my dad went to the lake to go fishing that weekend, and I'm not sure where my older brothers were, maybe they went with him, idk."
"Anyways, my mom's sleeping in, and I'm in the living room by myself, watching Saturday morning cartoons and making a fort out of sheets and cushions. Something made me turn around and I saw my dad in his pajamas standing in the hallway entrance with his hands on his hips, looking the mess I was making and shaking his head."
"He then turned around and walked into my room, which was just off the hallway entrance. Dude. I didn't even look, I just booked it to my parents room and woke my mom up. I don't remember what happened after that, this was around 35 years ago. And yes, my dad was fine, nothing had happened to him."
smriversong
Get the Bat...
"I was at home by myself on a call with some friends when all of a sudden my dog begins to bark like crazy, which was odd since it was the middle of the night and he's usually sleep. I go downstairs to check on him and find him barking at our hall closet, terrified I grabbed my bat that I keep in my room just in case and open the door. There was nothing out of usual at first at then I look down and notice a familiar looking object at the bottom of the closet."
"It was my mom's necklace she had lost when I was 9, (i'm 15 now just to put in perspective how long it's been). I showed it to my mom at breakfast and she was just as shocked as I was. I still have no clue how it got there or how my dog knew it was in there, definitely one of the oddest occurrences of my life."
SomeRandomIdiot14
Meow
Happy Cat GIF by ChubbiverseGiphy"Many years ago, I was 14 or so, my first night alone in the house when my parents were out. Lying on the living room floor reading, my cat sleeping next to me."
"Suddenly, cat wakes up, stares intently into the dark corner of the room behind me, hair on end, growls and then bolts out of the room and upstairs. I look behind me and see nothing, but follow cat upstairs and hide under the covers. Freaked me out."
LairdofWingHaven
Thank God for alarms. I hate being home alone.
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The body freaks me out. But it's all I've got. So teach me some things.
Minutes...
death GIFGiphy"The fastest killing virus takes around 4 days to kill you. That would be Ebola. Your immune system can kill you in 15 minutes."
will477
'locked-in'
"If your brainstem (the part of the brain that mediates most motor control for all of the body) is damaged, you can get 'locked-in' syndrome. That means you're fully conscious and aware of your surroundings but unable to move or speak. The only muscles that remain unaffected in most people are the muscles that move they eyes and the eyelids."
"You're essentially trapped within your own body with your only way of communication being blinking or moving your eyes It can be caused by toxins, blockage of the basilar artery which is the main artery of the brainstem, or other brainstem damage."
4oodler
Explosions
"Some people suffer from Exploding Head Syndrome, which causes them to hear a loud bang when they wake up."
ToraMix19
"When I was younger I believe I experienced this a few times. Sounds I heard were: about a million people talking and laughing all at once, a train that irl would've been about a foot away from me based on the volume of the sound, and a door slamming loudly."
aliaisacreature
Pain
"Not sure if this is by design, but I totaled my car once, almost completely uninjured somehow. Then I looked down to my right hand which I remember jabbing into my dashboard at 55mph. Luckily (unluckily?) only my pinky took the blow. But instead of a floppy-udder full of bone-sand, my pinky was 0.5 inches long."
"Broke no bones, but instead perfectly stacked my phalanges, or finger bones, INTO my hand. This is fixed by a muscular Russian murse grabbing your pinky with both hands and pulling very hard. God I wish they gave me more lidocaine."
TelevisionOlympics
Functions
animation art GIFGiphy"If you have a surgery where they need to move your organs around they might not function for a day as the body assumes that they are dead."
tonythebutcher13
Move things around? You mean that's not fake when it happens on "Grey's Anatomy?"
Basketball Wives Ugh GIF by VH1"The only reason you are not aware of it is because the ambient noise kind of drowns it out because your ears focus on it. If you go to one of those super-silent rooms that absorb all sorts of sounds, it is a really weird way to reacquaint yourself with your body."
Black_Handkerchief
The Mouth
"Idk about the most disturbing but how bad human teeth are. We’d think it’s our sugary and processed diets these days that cause it, but even Otzi the iceman discovered in Italy was found to have terrible teeth, mouth diseases and cavities. It’s odd that even with the most basic of diets our teeth are so bad."
Dorianisconfused
In the bowels...
"I noticed this after my abdominal surgery. When I turned over in bed my guts seemed to fall from one side to the other. Mentioned to my doc and she confirmed it was my bowels rearranging themselves."
squatter_
"Apparently the doctor just throws your intestines back in there higgeldy-piggeldy because there isn't a correct way to pack them neatly."
LostDesigner9
A Quick Burst
"There are a vast number of ways that your body can malfunction and kill you with little or no warning. An aneurysm can go undetected until it bursts and kills you. Getting hit in the chest just the right way can stop your heart. You can encounter an allergen that never previously provoked an immune response that freaks out your body so badly that you die. You literally just never know if your body will just... die."
Unsolicited_Spiders
The body is such a conundrum. Sexy and gross all at once.
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