Grew up here-yes the people are rude
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11/30/2006
I grew up in Chicago, but no longer live there. The restaurants are great, theres lots of museums, great transit, etc. Its easy to get around, and you can walk anywhere. However, it is incredibly bureaucratic, you literally cannot fight City Hall, or get a job with the City unless you are a minority or know someone to get you a job. The people are exceptionally rude. Winter is absolutely BRUTAL. The people are as bitter as the Winters. The summers are fun, except the humidity which will make you choke. Forget a good hair day in the summertime.
There are few safe neighborhoods in the City-even the expensive ones are unsafe. It is not a City you want to walk around alone at night. My father almost got stabbed in his neighborhood and my mom was mugged and grabbed on the EL. These things can happen anywhere-but when I was out I'd carry a pocket knife and look mean as hell walking down the streets at night. You constantly have to look over your shoulder and if you don't you are asking for it. If you look vulnerable your toast. Why do you think Chicagoans are so rude? Because they don't trust anyone.
Forget about real estate unless youre rich. You don't get much for 500,000, or even a million. We couldn't afford to live there and didn't want to live in a cooped up condo and pay assessments where the walls are thin. The taxes are astronomical. You need a second job just to pay property tax. You'll get parking tickets for no reason-even if your meter is paid or there are no signs-maybe even towed. It is so corrupt here you have to be corrupt to get by. Its now a City for the rich.
Kat | Denver, CO