Things you thought were unique and local, but really aren't

[Lamar Mundane]

Based on this (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=551120) thread, where there seems to be a lot of them.

It doesn't have to be something you yourself believed, it can be things that other people are certain are unique to the area, but you know they really aren't. I'll start with a couple:

The phrase "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes, it'll change." Usually preceeded by "We have a saying around here..." Around here, and over there, and that other place, too. They say this everywhere.
They probably say it in Phoenix and San Diego.

When I first moved to Colorado, Boulder had a Halloween Mall Crawl. Thousands of people in costume hanging out on the pedestrian mall getting stoned. People were convinced this was a "Boulder" thing and it was a sign of how cool the community was. I barely had the heart to tell them that Madison, Wisconsin had the same thing, and it was older and about ten times larger than Boulder's.

[Morbo]

Every place I have lived I've encountered someone who tells a story about a *local*

<a> lake
<b> psychiatric hospital

that involved

<a> giant catfish the size of pickup trucks living at the bottom of the dam
<b> a story about a guy changing a flat at the gates and lost all the lug nuts, only to have a crazy guy tell him to use one nut off all the other tires, so three were on each tire, usually ending with "I'm crazy, not stupid"

[MitzeKatze]

Every place I have lived I've encountered someone who tells a story about a *local*

<a> lake
<b> psychiatric hospital



In addition, almost every place has local ghost stories and sad accidents that led to the ghost stories which are the same, or very nearly so. The big ones that come to mind are Cry Baby Bridge, The Lady in White and who can forget the Vanishing Hitchhiker.

I guess almost all of the well-known urban legends fall into this category. They all happened every single place that I have ever lived (and the teller always knew someone involved, so of course that locality was where the real incident took place).

I have lived all over the place (first a military brat then a military wife) and can confidently say that very few things are unique and local to any one place. Some have local variations that are unique(er) but mostly it's been done before. ;)

[dangermom]

Chico Bags.

If you live in Chico, it's an understandable mistake, right?

[Smeghead]

There are X seasons here, season 1, season 2...season n-1, and road construction. HAR HAR HAR.

[DJ Motorbike]

Anywhere I've ever lived someone, usually a college student, has insisted that their city has the most bars/booze/drinking/partying "per capita" in the United States. Often Las Vegas is cited as second. Uh huh. Great. :rolleyes:

[runner pat]

Anywhere I've ever lived someone, usually a college student, has insisted that their city has the most bars/booze/drinking/partying "per capita" in the United States. Often Las Vegas is cited as second. Uh huh. Great. :rolleyes:

Next time, direct them this way: 100 Drunkest Cities. (http://www.menshealth.com/men/health/metrogrades/the-sobbering-truth/article/3383937f92516110VgnVCM10000013281eac)

[hellpaso]

I've noticed a lot of places brag about the size of their-----mosquitoes. As in, "the mosquito is our state bird!".

[Nava]

The phrase "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes, it'll change." Usually preceeded by "We have a saying around here..." Around here, and over there, and that other place, too. They say this everywhere.
They probably say it in Phoenix and San Diego.

Not in my home town. There it's "this place sucks if you don't like wind, but if you can put up with it, we have the best climate ever." And over on the Northern Spanish Coast, it's "hope you like wet weather, cos that's all we've got."

[Zsofia]

Next time, direct them this way: 100 Drunkest Cities. (http://www.menshealth.com/men/health/metrogrades/the-sobbering-truth/article/3383937f92516110VgnVCM10000013281eac)
We're number 13! We're number 13!

[Ludovic]

There's a "unique" contraction in many local dialects: "Jeetjet", meaning "did you eat yet?"

[lalenin]

[QUOTE=Morbo;12098252<b> a story about a guy changing a flat at the gates and lost all the lug nuts, only to have a crazy guy tell him to use one nut off all the other tires, so three were on each tire, usually ending with "I'm crazy, not stupid"[/QUOTE]

I've heard this as a joke.., in Spanish.., in Cuba!

[panache45]

The "Tri-State Area."

When I lived in NYC, this meant New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. But there are a whole lot of other "tri-state areas" in the country. I have seen, on these very boards, people listing "tri-state area" as their location, as if it's self-explanatory.

[Oredigger77]

There is a nice burrito shop in Isla Vista, Ca that makes one of the best burritos that I have ever had. Every time I'm down in Santa Barbara I swing buy to pick one up. For the locals on the board I'm talking about Freebird's any how I was talking to a buddy of mine about how great these burritos were and he disagreed and said there was a chain in Lubbock, Tx that was the best in the world which by a weird coincidence was also called Freebird's.

We did a little googleing and discovered that the original shop was in Isla Vista and the owners split with one taking all of the naming rights with him to Texas. He's started a chain of them in Lubbock. So what I grew up thinking was a local burrito shop was actually a chain.

[tdn]

Years ago I was trying some new local places to go to lunch. I found one place that was fantastic. They specialized in fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and buttermilk biscuits. The biscuits were fantastic! I loved that place. I really hoped that they'd be able to stay in business for a while. I even commented to the "waiter" behind the counter to please give my compliments to the chef. He looked at me like a rooster looks at a joke.

Alas, my beloved Popeye's did not stay in business.

[Haunted Pasta]

Back in the late '80s, before the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War, a friend of mine humorously observed that everybody everywhere believed that the place they lived was one of the top five priority targets in the U.S. if nuclear war broke out.

[Leaffan]

What about "community?"

When bad things happen, we can rely on the "community." Because our "community" cares. We look out for one another. This sure is a special "community" we have here. There's no "community" like ours. The "community" sure pulled together on this one. Good thing we live in this caring "community."

Nah. Never mind. I'm probably the only one who's heard that.

[Morbo]

Do college rumors belong here? Like the guy who complained of ass pain, and the doctor told him his roommate had been knocking him out with ether and anally raping him all semester? And the girl who got automatic A's because her roommate committed suicide in the room?

Both of those really happened at my college. Dude, seriously.

[norinew]

Am I the only one that noticed that runner pat's post was, the sobbering truth???????:D:p

[Serenata67]

When I was younger, I used to think that my city was the only city that had all those chain restaurants. I thought they all started in my city and if another city had an IHOP, it was because they stole the idea from my city.

I had some real pride in my city back then...

[Zeriel]

There is a nice burrito shop in Isla Vista, Ca that makes one of the best burritos that I have ever had. Every time I'm down in Santa Barbara I swing buy to pick one up. For the locals on the board I'm talking about Freebird's any how I was talking to a buddy of mine about how great these burritos were and he disagreed and said there was a chain in Lubbock, Tx that was the best in the world which by a weird coincidence was also called Freebird's.

We did a little googleing and discovered that the original shop was in Isla Vista and the owners split with one taking all of the naming rights with him to Texas. He's started a chain of them in Lubbock. So what I grew up thinking was a local burrito shop was actually a chain.

Had this exact same thing happen to me, only it was "La Bamba's". On the other hand, I was REALLY tickled when I found the one in Bloomington, IL.

Damn good burritos.

Back in the late '80s, before the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War, a friend of mine humorously observed that everybody everywhere believed that the place they lived was one of the top five priority targets in the U.S. if nuclear war broke out.

I used to know a guy who was an international relations major specializing in some of this stuff, had an entire grad level class on nuclear weapons. I'll have to see if there's a known actual list. Gut feeling is that everyone who was a target at all would be in the top four anyway ("First strike" against missile fields/bomber bases/etc, secondary (non-nuclear) military targets, primary civilian targets, secondary civilian targets)--why would there be more than four waves of an ICBM attack?

[RadicalPi]

There is a nice burrito shop in Isla Vista, Ca that makes one of the best burritos that I have ever had. Every time I'm down in Santa Barbara I swing buy to pick one up. For the locals on the board I'm talking about Freebird's any how I was talking to a buddy of mine about how great these burritos were and he disagreed and said there was a chain in Lubbock, Tx that was the best in the world which by a weird coincidence was also called Freebird's.

We did a little googleing and discovered that the original shop was in Isla Vista and the owners split with one taking all of the naming rights with him to Texas. He's started a chain of them in Lubbock. So what I grew up thinking was a local burrito shop was actually a chain.

Freeb!rds is a chain? I had no idea. Good burritos though.

[Harvey The Heavy]

I once got some email glurge listing things that were supposedly unique to the Chicago area, including the "jeetjet" contraction, the junk drawer in the kitchen, and the Empire Carpet commercials that I still see to this day in Los Angeles.

[Freddy the Pig]

I've noticed a lot of places brag about the size of their-----mosquitoes. As in, "the mosquito is our state bird!".Oh God, yes. I'm pretty sure I've seen T-shirts hailing the mosquito as the state bird of all 50 states.

[Rand Rover]

And over on the Northern Spanish Coast, it's "hope you like wet weather, cos that's all we've got."

The coast, eh? I was led to believe that the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. (Thanks for tuning in to this week's installment of Randy's Groaners!)

[flodnak]

Back in the late '80s, before the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War, a friend of mine humorously observed that everybody everywhere believed that the place they lived was one of the top five priority targets in the U.S. if nuclear war broke out.Schoolyard scuttlebutt in my hometown was that we were number 22. Nobody seemed to know which twenty-one cities were above us, but us kids were sure we were number 22!

[aceplace57]

I lived in a small community (40 houses on a long street) that had a special Halloween tradition. Every house took a small white paper sandwich bag, and put about 2 inches of sand in the bottom. Then, put a candle in the middle. The bags were place about 2 feet apart along the curb. Each house had about 40 bags with candles.

The display got so popular that they needed a cop to direct traffic from visitors wanting to see the display. This 1968- ?? maybe 1980. I'm not sure when they stopped.

I've always assumed this was a unique idea to our tiny community. It could only work if every house on the street did it. Otherwise, the effect would be spoiled.

Now that I'm older, I realize somebody must have thought of the same thing. But, I've never known for sure.

[filling_pages]

aceplace57, I've seen that done in Tallahassee, FL for many years in certain neighborhoods.

[Zsofia]

I lived in a small community (40 houses on a long street) that had a special Halloween tradition. Every house took a small white paper sandwich bag, and put about 2 inches of sand in the bottom. Then, put a candle in the middle. The bags were place about 2 feet apart along the curb. Each house had about 40 bags with candles.

The display got so popular that they needed a cop to direct traffic from visitors wanting to see the display. This 1968- ?? maybe 1980. I'm not sure when they stopped.

I've always assumed this was a unique idea to our tiny community. It could only work if every house on the street did it. Otherwise, the effect would be spoiled.

Now that I'm older, I realize somebody must have thought of the same thing. But, I've never known for sure.
People drove out of their way to see luminaries? Not a whole lot going on in your town, was there?

[Death of Rats]

Next time, direct them this way: 100 Drunkest Cities. (http://www.menshealth.com/men/health/metrogrades/the-sobbering-truth/article/3383937f92516110VgnVCM10000013281eac)

Just don't try this in Fresno. Appearently, they know what they are talking about.

[aceplace57]

Sadly no. :) Watching cows fart was the other entertainment option.
People drove out of their way to see luminaries? Not a whole lot going on in your town, was there?

[Death of Rats]

And no one thought to combine the two, aceplace57?

You get your cow farts, your luminaries and a fireworks show all in one! It a three-fer!

[Basandre]

They are actually farolitos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farolito), but are rarely called anything but luminarias (not luminaries).

[Tapioca Dextrin]

Freeb!rds is a chain? I had no idea. Good burritos though.

Thirded.

[Ponch8]

I once got some email glurge listing things that were supposedly unique to the Chicago area, including the "jeetjet" contraction, the junk drawer in the kitchen, and the Empire Carpet commercials that I still see to this day in Los Angeles.

Empire did originate in the Chicago area.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Today

[Elysian]

The phrase "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes, it'll change." Usually preceeded by "We have a saying around here..." Around here, and over there, and that other place, too. They say this everywhere.
They probably say it in Phoenix and San Diego.

I have first hand experience that they do in fact say that in those two places. I always felt like looking up at the blazing blue sky and making some sarcastic comment, but politeness held me back.

They also say this in all parts of Great Britain.

[smiling bandit]

What's weird is that a couple of the things stated here are oddly semi-accurate in the Knoxville area. (Seriously, hear me out).

For example, we live in one of two temperate rainforests in North America. And believe me, we get a LOT of rain. It can go months without more than a glimmer of sunlight. While for some reason, people do say the "Wait five minutes" line, here it's more because people have moved in from damn near everywhere in the country rather than the weather really being that changeable. Our seasons are simply Rainy, Muggy, Chilly, and Bitterly Frozen.

Very nearby is Oak Ridge, one of the early nuclear project sites and still a major nuclear center in the country. It was indeed a high priority for any possible Russian nuclear attack. Now, I don't know if it was on their official Top Five hitlist, assuming they even had such a silly thing.

For a while UT wanted to be in the top partying schools, but we got pwned so hard by Lousisiana that we immediately stopped "competing" and never went back. Now we party for fun!

[Rysto]

Do college rumors belong here? Like the guy who complained of ass pain, and the doctor told him his roommate had been knocking him out with ether and anally raping him all semester? And the girl who got automatic A's because her roommate committed suicide in the room?

Both of those really happened at my college. Dude, seriously.

I was told and believed the "sinking library" story in my freshman year before I saw it on Snopes a couple of years later. :smack:

[Sunspace]

People drove out of their way to see luminaries? Not a whole lot going on in your town, was there?You obviously haven't seen the suburban Christmas-light contests that take place around Toronto. I think they have to issue special notices to air crews so that 747s don't get guided into landing in Oakville.

[jlpaul89]

I always thought Mellow Mushroom was a local pizza place. The decor looks kind of hand-made to me, which it may be- according to their websites all the Mellow Mushrooms have a "different vibe", so maybe they get stuff made differently for each one? I felt kind of stupid when I saw another one in a different state.

[Ludovic]

I always thought Mellow Mushroom was a local pizza place. The decor looks kind of hand-made to me, which it may be- according to their websites all the Mellow Mushrooms have a "different vibe", so maybe they get stuff made differently for each one? I felt kind of stupid when I saw another one in a different state.I did too up until your post, well, more like a local chain because the sign looks too well-done to be a one-off. Then again I've never been to one (just seen one driving by) so maybe if I had been in there I would have gotten a chain-y vibe.

[hopesperson]

I grew up during the Cold War with the understanding that my home town was a nuclear missle first strike target because it was vitally important to the regional infrastructure for some reason.

When I moved off to go to college, someone whom I did not know asked me why my hometown was a strategic nuclear target, and I couldn't figure out how he knew. I felt like an idiot when he explained that the "my home town is a nuclear target" myth was a common one, not at all unique to my home town.

[Odesio]

I thought the Watson's girl was shilling for a local company in Arkansas. Turns out there were a bunch of those stores in the south.

[RandMcnally]

There is a nice burrito shop in Isla Vista, Ca that makes one of the best burritos that I have ever had. Every time I'm down in Santa Barbara I swing buy to pick one up. For the locals on the board I'm talking about Freebird's any how I was talking to a buddy of mine about how great these burritos were and he disagreed and said there was a chain in Lubbock, Tx that was the best in the world which by a weird coincidence was also called Freebird's.

We did a little googleing and discovered that the original shop was in Isla Vista and the owners split with one taking all of the naming rights with him to Texas. He's started a chain of them in Lubbock. So what I grew up thinking was a local burrito shop was actually a chain.

I didn't know that either! Have you tried the quesseritos? I'm told they were awesome (a quesadilla in burrito form). I went to get one but they messed my order up and gave me a regular burrito.

[Chronos]

We always heard that Cleveland was a high-priority target, but I'm not sure that I ever heard a number given. I figure the top 5 were probably something like Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and then either Philadelphia or Houston. But "top 5" is kind of irrelevant when the other guys have hundreds or thousands of missiles: It's not like they were going to hit 5 cities and then just stop. Sure, if the balloon went up, Cleveland probably would have been hit, but there's nothing special about that.

And while we're at it with the sinking library, another one that shows up at every university is the chemistry building designed so that if it ever exploded, it'd fall in, rather than out, so the debris wouldn't hit the sidewalk.

[thelurkinghorror]

We're number 13! We're number 13!

Amateurs. Number 2, bitches. Although it doesn't seem fair to include tourists. Wonder what Fresno is doing wrong (right?), I would drink a lot if I lived there, too.

I always thought the famously monotone Tom Shane of The Shane Company was a Bay Area guy because he talked about specific store locations. It wasn't until he showed up in South Park that I found out he was a Colorado institution who expanded elsewhere.

[Shagnasty]

I lived in a small community (40 houses on a long street) that had a special Halloween tradition. Every house took a small white paper sandwich bag, and put about 2 inches of sand in the bottom. Then, put a candle in the middle. The bags were place about 2 feet apart along the curb. Each house had about 40 bags with candles.

The display got so popular that they needed a cop to direct traffic from visitors wanting to see the display. This 1968- ?? maybe 1980. I'm not sure when they stopped.

I've always assumed this was a unique idea to our tiny community. It could only work if every house on the street did it. Otherwise, the effect would be spoiled.

Now that I'm older, I realize somebody must have thought of the same thing. But, I've never known for sure.

I can't tell if any of this is tongue-in-cheek but those are called "Luminaries" and have a very long history and are common all over the place. I am sure yours looked beautiful because everyone was encouraged to participate but lots of places around here give them out or sell them as a fund-raiser for Halloween and Christmas. They aren't quite as common as Jack-O-Lanterns or Christmas trees but the idea is the same. I hope you never believed your neighborhood invented those too.

[StusBlues]

When I was in college, there was this nifty sandwich shop underneath the downtown movie theater. It was situated kind of like a metro station and had great subs with fresh bread baked right there at the counter. They called it Subway.

Yeah, I was a little slow on the uptake.

[etv78]

Appearently, Fuddruckers is a national chain.

[Hari Seldon]

Once upon a time poutine was absolutely unique to Montreal (or at least Quebec). Now it is everywhere. Sigh.

I have been several times in the flagship Starbucks that must have once been unique to that location (across from the Pike Place Market). Now they are everywhere. Sigh.

The cheese steak and hoagie were once unique to Philly. Now they are everywhere. Sigh.

I have never heard of an eggcream anywhere outside of NYC.

You cannot buy OTCs (original Trenton Crackers) anywhere outside Philly and south Jersey. I love 'em.