# Your geographical misconceptions **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 30, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294 "2020-12-30T20:58:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 26
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/502 "2021-02-08T18:58:34Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > One of the biggest culture shocks I got was when I got to college and students from the East Coast talked about taking a day trip to another state! Growing up in the Bay Area, driving anywhere out of state and back is a multi-day affair. Only 3 1/2 hours to Reno. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/503 "2021-02-08T19:44:17Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > On an average July afternoon, it is 7 degrees F warmer in Ottawa than in Mexico City. People tend to have an exaggerated idea of how hot it gets in most places in the tropics. When I tell people I live in Panama, they say “I couldn’t stand the heat!” But it’s actually no hotter here than it is during the summer in the northern US, and never gets above 100 F. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/504 "2021-02-08T19:55:10Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > When I tell people I live in Panama, they say “I couldn’t stand the heat!” But it’s actually no hotter here than it is during the summer in the northern US, and never gets above 100 F. You live in Panama? I couldn’t stand the HUMIDITY! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/505 "2021-02-08T19:57:03Z")
Yeah, they say that too, even though New York is muggy too. 🙂 Nights are always quite pleasant here, while August nights in New York can be pretty sweltering. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/506 "2021-02-08T20:41:33Z")
Having lived in Panama City, Miami, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, I’ll take the lesser temps with greater humidity any time. My only complaint about Panama was the total rainfall and total days with rainfall. Which was/is lots. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/507 "2021-02-08T21:15:35Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > My only complaint about Panama was the total rainfall and total days with rainfall. Which was/is lots. That’s usually only the case at the height of the rainy season in October and November. Admittedly it can get a bit tedious. Otherwise rain may be intense but its limited to a few hours in the afternoon. And I would take that over a northern winter anytime! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/508 "2021-02-08T21:57:01Z")
Anything beats northern winter. I’d happily take the rainy season overcast and rain every time too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/509 "2021-02-08T22:02:34Z")
Now, now. Just because I woke up to -33C today with a windchill of between -40 C and -50 C is no reason to slag our winter. I did have to close the window partway through the night because the room was getting a bit chilly. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/510 "2021-02-08T22:38:25Z")
I bow to your superior fortitude. I had lunch today outdoors wearing shorts and a polo shirt. Which I diplomatically would not have mentioned had you not brought the topic to the fore. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/511 "2021-02-08T22:45:31Z")
Funny, I live near the farthest-north major city in the US. The conurbation in this area has about 5 million people (more people than the populations of half the states in the US), at least 200 miles more northerly than either Montreal or Minneapolis. In 30 years of living in this area, I have never seen winter temperatures below 10°F. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/512 "2021-02-08T22:54:38Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Only 3 1/2 hours to Reno. That’s what I thought. Here in the Midwest, that is just a day trip. I’ve gone much further for a birthday party and returned home on the same day. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/513 "2021-02-08T23:31:58Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > > [@peccavi](#): > > > > One of the biggest culture shocks I got was when I got to college and students from the East Coast talked about taking a day trip to another state! Growing up in the Bay Area, driving anywhere out of state and back is a multi-day affair. > > Only 3 1/2 hours to Reno. I once spent 3-1/2 hours in traffic and never left the bay area. 😃 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/514 "2021-02-09T00:02:04Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > I once spent 3-1/2 hours in traffic and never left the bay area. I remember that time. Almost lost my drive-side mirror to at least 6 different bikes. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/515 "2021-02-09T00:37:13Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Yeah, they say that too, even though New York is muggy too. 🙂 > > Nights are always quite pleasant here, while August nights in New York can be pretty sweltering. One of my exes was born and raised in Panama, then moved to NYC. He said New York summers are brutal in comparison. [Has anyone else noticed the similarity between Colibri’s and Northern\_Piper’s avatars?] ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/516 "2021-02-09T01:32:11Z")
I’d be afraid of mosquitoes there. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/517 "2021-02-09T01:56:26Z")
In thirty years, I’ve had a mosquito in my apartment exactly once, and can’t remember ever hearing one in my neighborhood in the evenings when I go out. All the restaurants have open air dining and no one is bothered. In my experience mosquitoes are far worse in New York. Even in tropical forests, mosquitoes aren’t very common. I’ve occasionally been bothered in particularly wet forests, and mangroves are mosquito hell, but the bugginess of the tropics is also exaggerated. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/518 "2021-02-09T02:13:43Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I’d be afraid of mosquitoes there. As @Colibri says, they’re not such a big deal. But some of the ants can strip your carcass like a piranha. Those little guys deserve respect. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/519 "2021-02-09T03:13:50Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But some of the ants can strip your carcass like a piranha. Those little guys deserve respect. Well, no. But IMO ants _are_ the most dangerous commonly encountered animals in the tropical forest. Not army ants, which sting a bit but can be eluded with some quick footwork. The worst stinging ants are [bullet ants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraponera_clavata), called that because the sting feels like a buller. (I would liken it to being hit hard with a red-hot iron poker.) I was once stung by five at once when I got caught in a vine tangle. I’ve known people to end up in the hospital after being stung by several. The ants that live in bullhorn acacias are also pretty fierce. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/520 "2021-02-09T10:19:54Z")
I grew up in sub-tropical West Africa. Humidity wasn’t a huge problem and the temperatures were not too exceptional, although the sun could be pretty fierce in the early afternoon (mad dogs etc). My sister and I used to walk through the bush quite often and frequently watched army ants crossing the path. They are fascinating creatures and in an open space like that, there would be a double row of ‘soldiers’ with the workers scurrying along between them. As we stepped carefully over, their fierce-looking pincers would follow us but they held their stations. Ants were the bane of our mother’s life. The kitchen table stood with its legs in tins of disinfectant. If it wasn’t changed regularly the ants would make a bridge of dead bodies and swarm up the leg. We would watch a bunch of tiny ants carry a 4 gram cube of sugar away. In the garden, we had tiny red ants and big black ones. I am sorry to say that we would entertain ourselves by dropping a red into a black enclave or vice versa. The reds were by far the toughest. Malaria carrying mozzies were a major threat and we always slept under nets. Mother waged constant war against anything being left outside that could create a stagnant pool of water for them to breed in. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/521 "2021-02-09T12:25:10Z")
Good points — those are contributing factors —but it’s still mostly the elevation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294.md?page=27)