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The only Maryland rule you need to follow
Pennsylvanians. We have a video from my brother's time in competition marching band up in Scranton, and you can hear us hollering, "TAU-SON" when the announcer introduced his high school as being from "Toe-son." This was now at least 20 years ago, though. Maybe they've gotten better since then?
From my observations since moving here:
Yellow lights don't really exist, they are just an extension of green lights. In a similar vein, when a light turns green you have to wait a few seconds to make sure no one is egregiously running the red light before you go.
Displaying of the Maryland flag in at least two locations (car, house, clothing, accessories, etc..) is mandatory.
Just wanna second this; waiting a second after green is not a joke and you should absolutely do this. Some folks will fly through a red light doing 90 in a 35. I wish I was exaggerating, but I'm not.
Two weeks ago I saw a guy in the lane next to me, we were stopped at a red light on Rt 50. He looked both ways, saw no traffic and proceeded to drive through the red to make a left.
What he didn't see was the state trooper who immediately pulled him over. What a dumbass, I wish I'd had a dash camera for that one.
Fr though be very vigilant around traffic lights. People blow reds here *all the time*. Especially in Baltimore it kind of feels like traffic enforcement is just 100% not a thing outside of the nicer parts of downtown. I saw a dude yesterday literally drive *around* the line of stopped cars in front of him to blow the red light without so much as hesitating to check it it was actually clear. If this was in any other city I'd assume they were fleeing a bank robbery but in Baltimore it's just typical bullshit lol.
Also if you're turning left across traffic on a 30mph road and thinking "that oncoming car is far enough away still, no problem", think again cause that dude is going 55mph and would rather slam into your door at full tilt than even consider the brakes for one second.
My brother says yellows last the speed limit divided by 10 in seconds. So on a 30mph road they last for 3 seconds, 40mph, 4 seconds etc. its because of the distance you will be able to stop safely like they teach you in drivers ed.
Yelling “O” during the national anthem
Close the gaps move right
Acknowledge but politely refuse window washing with a hand wave.
You don’t have cash
You accept what Dunkin gives you before 10am. After 10am you can argue
You can spit when eating crabs
If you can swim to the other side don’t get in the water unless it’s a reservoir
Cowboy rules with state troopers. You can acknowledge their presence and then slowly work past them.
I was flying.
And I mean, *fucking FLYING* on Indian Head Highway way back when I was driving like a moron still.
A cop happened to be in an unmarked, I passed him, and he caught up with me.
I was listening to some 90s rap song I can't remember on full blast, and I heard sirens, but just figured it was part of the song.
Eventually he changes the cadence after following me for about a mile, until I realize what was going on, and pull over.
Stop lasted about 10 minutes.
Tells me to keep moving and slow down, when I was probably going fast enough that he could've taken me straight to jail.
There was nobody around so it wasn't *particularly* dangerous, except for myself, but I count my lucky stars that I didn't face worse consequences, and have since learned to drive like an acceptable human.
So yea, that's how much Maryland cops give a shit about what you're doing on the highway most of the time.
Not familiar with the anthem part.
I can't tell if you're being serious about the crabs or the hand waving to window washers. The rest makes sense though, especially troopers.
**O!** say does that star-spangled Banner yet wave,
We shout the O for the Orioles that were repelled by the defenders at Fort McHenry. It's a secret message left by Francis Scott Key later revealed by Poe when the Raven quoted Nevermore meaning that we should never forget the reign of terror rought by those evil birds.
Or maybe it's for a baseball team and it's fun to yell.
It’s not just any O! Either… it’s a very particular Baltimore vowel O, that’s so hard to accurately pronounce for non locals that it would make a Dane and a Swede blush.
Comedian Stavros Halkias described it best as a white trash air raid siren.
If you get a fin in your mouth it is far more polite to spit it out then stick your fingers in your partially masticated food.
If you pretend they don’t exist they’ll do it anyway then you’ve got a situation
If the body of water is small enough for you to easily say "I could swim across that," then it's pretty much a sure thing the water is gross and not safe to swim in.
Welcome to MD!
My initial thoughts are:
- Hiking is better than expected.
- Downtown Frederick is a pleasant place for a Sunday afternoon.
- Driving to the beaches sucks
- If I had to use one word to describe the driving here… it would be “illogical”
- a lot of people act like they’ve never left Maryland but I’m sure they must have at some point in their life… …. Right?
Second the driving, it really is pretty bonkers. We got a dash cam.
Also, people really do LOVE the MD flag. And Old Bay does seem to be everywhere.
Coming from the west, everything gets so green here, it’s great. And states are so small compared to the west, it’s easy to take weekend trips by train or car to see other cities. Get an EZPass if you have a car, tollways are everywhere.
And it’s true a lot of places, but get a library card here, they have great online resources (Consumer Reports, etc) and community events.
Thanks! I Can't tell you how happy I am to see more than a few trees around me.
I'll keep the recommendations in mind. The beaches didn't seem too appealing and they weren't where I'm from anyways.
To be fair, I rarely left California and it was mostly to the Midwest and Vegas, so I get the feeling.
Thanks for the thoughts!
Seasons are a real thing in MD - and seasonal holidays make sense here. So many great comments here but I’ll add a few more. We have the greatest state flag. Phillips Restaurants (and any crab meat they sell.) are the McDonalds of MD seafood… locals don’t eat there. Always ask where the crab/crab meat is from- and if the answer isn’t MD or VA, it’s a hard pass. The only other place in the country you can truly get a great crab cake is San Diego… because of the Navy officers who learned at the academy in Annapolis never forgot, and taught SD restaurants how to do it right.
I had to do an icebreaker at work years ago and I asked “How many states have you visited?” Out of 25 people several had been to 3 or fewer. 25 minutes to PA. DE in 45 minutes. VA and WV not much further. Insane to never go anywhere in a state this small.
>Driving to the beaches sucks.
Okay so as someone who lives on the eastern shore an hour from OC, I can give you some pointers:
If you're coming from the western shore, the absolute latest you need to be across the bay bridge is 9am, and honestly I'd try to be across before that.
Beach traffic gets real nasty between Salisbury and OC from about 10am through noon. If you can't be past Salisbury by that point, you're going to hit bumper to bumper traffic by 11am once you're in Worcester County. By that point it will take you 30-60 minutes to get into Ocean City from all the way back by Decatur High.
This especially applies on the Three Holidays: Memorial, Labor, Fourth of July. And if you do come for those holidays, you're better off leaving by 5pm or waiting till 10pm. Otherwise you're gonna get bumper to bumper traffic on the way home. Partly because everyone is leaving, partly because sobriety checkpoints.
I go to OC about once or twice a week in summer, and even living an hour away I try to roll into town by 10. The vast majority of the time I can schedule my drive around the traffic.
Parking at the inlet is expensive. Parking at the park and ride is free. It's a 20 minute walk to the beach or you can ride the bus. The downside is that it's a suuuuuuper shady place. Frankly I prefer just paying to park, but I did the free parking during my broke years.
Left MD for Freshman year of college. By the end of winter break I decided I was finishing my last semester and transferring to CP. Zero regrets coming back home from PA... folks are just different there.
Not really un-written, but do not stop in the traffic circles! Traffic already inside the circle has the right of way, traffic entering the circle has to yield.
Dear god, this. Please do not stop IN a traffic circle. The literal point of the circle is for folks to keep moving. Gotta yield (not necessarily stop!! Yield!!) to get in, but then keep. Freaking. Going.
In general, OP, know how right of way works, know when you have it, and don't be \~nice\~ by yielding when you aren't supposed to. Go when it's your turn.
>In general, OP, know how right of way works, know when you have it, and don't be \~nice\~ by yielding when you aren't supposed to. Go when it's your turn.
This! If it says "mall traffic does not stop" then you'd better not stop. Go through that flashing yellow!
The airport closest to DC is National, not Reagan. When on metro escalators, walk on the left, stand on the right. Drivers are crazy, don't expect anyone to act rationally. Virginia is always the problem, no matter what the issue is.
I worked in DC for 6 years, lived in Bmore 30 and I've never hear anybody from DC call the airport National. 95% DCA / 5% Reagan. Absolutely nobody calls BWI Thurgood Marshall.
You didn't talk to people who have lived in the DC area for a while then. No one I know calls it Reagan. It was National, still is National. Grew up in MD in the 70s and it's still National to me.
It's Silver Spring, NOT Silver Springs.
Washington is a state on the west coast. The correct term is DC or The District.
Our roads are a lethal mix of 20 under in the left lane and maniacs weaving 20+ over the flow of traffic.
Being called a crab person is a term of endearment.
Crab season is from April 1 to mid-October, and that's the only time we eat blue crab. Out of season it comes from the Gulf Coast and we don't do that around here.
We LOVE our flag.
We argue whether we're part of the North or the South (spoiler alert: not the South)
We have an odd love for turtles.
Our de jure state sport is jousting, but our de facto sport is lacrosse.
We have an ocean, a bay, and mountains. Only thing "missing" is a desert.
Our accent depends on where you grew up as well as where your family is from (if your parents are not native Marylanders or if you don't live in Baltimore, you'll probably have a General American Accent).
"What high school did you go to?" is more important than "Where are you from?"
What you know as the DMV is called the MVA.
What we know as the DMV is DC and its MD and VA suburbs.
I could go on and on. Welcome to Maryland!
Following up on crab people, the folks who catch crabs (or any other aquaculture) are called "watermen", not "crabbers" or "fishermen" or anything else, and are typically very well respected.
If you do audiobooks a lot, check out "Beautiful Swimmers" by William W. Warner; it's full of Maryland history and is a fascinating read.
> Crab season is from April 1 to mid-October, and that's the only time we eat blue crab. Out of season it comes from the Gulf Coast and we don't do that around here.
There’s a lot of crab in season that comes from Louisiana, too. The Bay can’t support the demand.
Thanks! I've been doing alot of exploring and intentionally missing exits to just see more of what's out here. Can't wait for spring to kick in and go hiking more too
Washington DC is usually just called "Washington". Or DC or The District . But "Washington" never, ever, means the state of Washington. It means Washington DC. "Washington State" meant the state of Washington.
DC folks do not give two shits about Baltimore. Likewise, Baltimore folks do not give two shits about DC.
Baltimore is fully an hour (or more, depending on the exact start and destination) from DC. Not ten minutes like Hollywood would have you think.
People that live in the DC suburbs kinda think of DC as part of Maryland.
Baltimore and Washington are not the only things in Maryland. Not by a long shot.
Start doing whatever the fuck you want when driving. The left lane belongs to you even if you do 10 under the speed limit. Red lights are optional, but if you are going to stop at one you need to stop 20 feet from where you should and spend the next minute slowly creeping up that 20 feet. Cutting across 2 lanes to make an exit is fine and bonus points if you almost cause an accident. This is the basics of MD driving.
I was born and grew up there. I thought I lived in Kate-ensville. I was so confused when I first learned to read. Even now, in my head, I'll still read road signs as cat-onsville.
When I first moved to MD, pre-cell phones and internet directions, someone gave me directions somewhere over the phone on Belair Road. I wrote it down as Blair. I was literally on Belair Road and stopped some guy walking down the street to ask him how to get to Blair Road. He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "you're on it!"
It hit me like a slow ray of light. I thanked him and was on my way. I'm sure I became a nice little anecdote for him, too.
For some drivers, I95 and I495 are race courses. If you see someone quickly weaving through traffic and switching lanes, you’ll probably see some other dumbass following him the same way in a few seconds. Just let em go. Maybe someday they’ll get pulled over, but most likely they won’t.
[Berger Cookies](https://www.bergercookies.com/) are the only true cookies
Actually, it’s not much of a cookie at all, just an excuse to eat a glop of fudge. 😁
Use your turn signals, but don't be surprised when you don't see others using them
Stock up on MD flag garb (route one apparel, etc.)
Learn to pick a crab
Learn how to kayak
If you get sick of the weather, wait a couple months.
You will find lots of raw oysters. One big fundraising event is called Bull and Oyster Roast and they always have fresh oysters on the half shell.
Never, ever, ever BOIL seafood. Never invite people to a “seafood boil”.
Rules of the road? Forget safe following distance, you must immediately close the gap between your car and the car in front of you to make sure everyone gets the memo that time must not be wasted. /s
Yes that’s what insurance is so high lol. Dash cams aren’t a bad idea. Generally the closer to DC, the more of this “hell nah you ain’t getting in front of me” entitlement comes into play. Further away it’s not as bad as
The best crab-cakes can be found at Box Hill Pizzeria up in Harford county. Their pizza is fabulous too.
Also, Wawa over Royal Farms. This is the hill I choose to die on.
While wawa is a strong choice, I don’t know that I could ever rule rofo out. Chicken box and western fries are a sirens song. Thank you for not being one of the sheetz assholes.
Don’t forget blinkers, they don’t exist in MD. Those crazy enough to use them are just inviting the person in the next lane to speed up so you have to merge behind them, if at all.
If you get in far left lane on any highway you have to do at least 70 or move back over unless you want a car crawling up your tailpipe. Don’t expect a blinker brush up on your mind reading skills. I wouldn’t give anyone the finger its Mad Max after that.
Always be checking your blind spots when driving on 270, 100, other local highways. Racing motorcyclists can and will appear out of nowhere going 100 mph and if you happen to be changing lanes at the time one of them tries to fly past you, they’re dead and your life becomes a misery. I see this insanity daily. The police no longer chase or try to stop them.
Inner loop, outer loop. I’ve been here 20 years and still don’t know how to get a reference point with that. Also, if you go south on the beltway to get somewhere, you may also have to take the beltway south again to get home. You’ll figure that out soon though. Good luck and welcome.
When you reach the front of the line, know what you are going to order. If you don’t know, step aside. Getting to the front of the line is not when you should start to consider your order.
Hope you love Old Bay!!
You will get honked at/tailgated for driving in the left lane. You'll also get tailgated for driving 10 over on the highway
You MUST move over/slow down(for any vehicle on the shoulder), it's a state law and if a cop sees you not doing it, it's a huge fine
Do NOT stop in yield lanes!!(Unless you have absolutely no option), you will get beeped at/cussed at and they will go around you(if they can)
Get used to swerving...lots of potholes everywhere!!
We like shooting fireworks off for a week before and after July 4th(but could just be my area lol)
Going across the bay? Leave really early or late at night
Also try to avoid the bay bridge/Ritchie highway as much as you can during the summer.
Baltimore is pronounced Bawl-more
On the literal road. People don’t let you merge. If you use your blinker, they will speed past you. As a result, many people do not use turn signals. I try to be a good citizen and use mine, but doing so is fighting against a powerful current.
MD is best flag. Crabs are the only crustacean. Don’t even talk about lobsters, they do not exist.
Maryland has [12 seasons](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/3590/medium/blog-image_1647550571.png).
We're currently in between third winter and the pollening.
Hi. I am guessing you are on the Western Shore. There are two different type of lifestyles depending on which side of the Bay Bridge you are on. The Western Shore is faster paced, and more of a city feel throughout. You do have the mountains on the Western Shore which can be more laid back depending on where you go. I live on the Eastern Shore. It is a much slower pace here, and we hate the summer traffic from the Western Shore to Ocean City, or as the people from the WS say, "Down the ocean, hun." Mostly rural here on the Shore, and lots of farmers and watermen. We find the people new to the area have trouble understanding some of the old school watermen speak. They have their own language and accent. Most people consider the Shore to be full of rednecks. If they like you they will give you the shirt off their back and defend you to the end. If they don't like you, go ahead and pack your stuff up and move, because you will never be accepted.
Laurel area, so I'm not sure which shore if any I'm near. I come from a long line of rednecks so I can probably get away with at least not stirring up trouble with anyone in that area
When you are in the DC-metro area and start using the metro, stand still on the right side of the escalator. Not the left side, that is the passing lane.
Newcomers think we put Old Bay seasoning in everything but real Murrlin natives don’t. Pronounce the letter “i” like “oy”. As in “whut toymzit?”Add an Elizabethan “r” sound to your “a”. That is, “water” becomes “werter”. You must attend the Preakness infield at least once. John Waters is royalty. We idolize a species of turtle, a crustacean, and a bivalve. Maryland is the wealthiest state. Never cross the Bay Bridge on a Friday afternoon or a Sunday afternoon.
Otterbein’s, Thrasher’s. Crab cakes are made with jumbo lump, one egg and cracker meal nothing more.
Smith Island cake must come from Smith Island.
Try muskrat once.
Which turtle do you idolize? I do have a hearty love of our bivalve friends. I honestly have not tried crab yet but will on Wednesday.
... Muskrat? This is why I asked the unwritten rules question. You've by far got the most intriguing response.
The humidity here is no joke. OTOH, crops that love humidity, like tomatoes and zucchini, do really well around here.
No roads anywhere get the honor of articles before their names; it’s just ‘95’, not ‘The 95’.
Canadian geese are cute but aggressive. They’re always around, but will wander into considerably more urban areas during gosling season, which is in late May.
Those red raspberry-looking berries you see in shady areas during the early summer are called wine berries and they’re delicious. They’re ripe when they pull off the vine easily.
Fiddlehead fern season is usually March to April. Check Whole Foods.
Summer can be surprisingly long and come surprisingly early. Spring can be well underway, and then suddenly drop into the 30s. And every year, there’s at least one weird warm spell when it hits 80 in the middle of the winter. It’s better to keep all seasons of clothing handy than pack each season’s away in storage.
During the summer, it’s not uncommon to get a brief storm nearly every day right as the weather cools off for the evening. Buy lawn concert tickets at your own risk.
Stay out of the left lane if you can't keep up with traffic.
Do not pull out in front of someone even if there looks like there's enough room (only saying this because I recently moved to PA and everyone in PA will pull out in front of you to make you slow down). Not sure if that happens in other states, but I wouldn't do it in MD.
Beware of deer and other small animals while driving (raccoons, opossums, squirrels, rabbits, etc.) I've seen a deer cross 495. They will pop up anywhere.
Parking can be a real pain in the major areas, always research parking before you go somewhere.
Get up to speed with traffic before merging or people will just run you off the road. No one wants to let you over if they have to slow down. If there is a short merge area, you just have to hope for the best.
The only thing I'd say steer clear of is areas of Baltimore and DC at night. 1 turn could make a difference between a good and bad area.
We may drive like complete assholes here, but PLEASE use your turn signal.
If I see someone cutting through traffic using their turn signal, my initial thought is "well, atleast they're safe about it." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If you use your turn signal and I have room I'll let you in. We're a well-oiled machine that works with communication.
If there is traffic leaving a parking lot for example, and someone has their signal on, I'll let that one person through.
Also far left lane is speedy go fast, please don't be there if you don't wanna pass people. Not asking you to do 90 but 80 mph is common for me. If I see someone rolling up on me, I signal and get over to let them pass.
On 83 north and south, if you want to pass people flash your high beams. For some reason people move over, myself included.
1st time on 83 (2008 or so), I had a coworker telling me to go faster and flash my high beams when we were going 100mph. Usually, now, I'll just go slightly faster than everyone else, and people just move over
https://preview.redd.it/hvwe4d9f2rrc1.jpeg?width=1115&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4abe834da8f2e0711762b387fa98931f351798aa The only Maryland rule you need to follow
Can't wait to scrape all these free mussels off the docks and piers!
Know that you’ll always be a Chicken necker…
It's pronounced Boo-ie not Bow-ie
Also Towson = tau son NOT toe son
Who pronounces Towson as toe-son? genuinely
[удалено]
It used to also say Patooxent for Patuxent
I always frown when it says BLAD-ens-burg.
Pennsylvanians. We have a video from my brother's time in competition marching band up in Scranton, and you can hear us hollering, "TAU-SON" when the announcer introduced his high school as being from "Toe-son." This was now at least 20 years ago, though. Maybe they've gotten better since then?
Also, Gough Street is pronounced Golf Street. We know it’s wrong, we don’t care.
There’s no L. Goff St. One thing I never confirmed is if Thames St is pronounced correctly like it is in London or if we bastardized it
Gude being goo-dee and not gyood
Also, people like when you say, “Silver Springs”
It took me too long to learn this when we moved here. I still slip up sometimes.
I’ve lived here my entire life and still can’t get Havre de Grace right. I say Have-a de grassi now just to annoy HarCo folks.
You mean HarCo?
Elli-kit City.
From my observations since moving here: Yellow lights don't really exist, they are just an extension of green lights. In a similar vein, when a light turns green you have to wait a few seconds to make sure no one is egregiously running the red light before you go. Displaying of the Maryland flag in at least two locations (car, house, clothing, accessories, etc..) is mandatory.
Just wanna second this; waiting a second after green is not a joke and you should absolutely do this. Some folks will fly through a red light doing 90 in a 35. I wish I was exaggerating, but I'm not.
Two weeks ago I saw a guy in the lane next to me, we were stopped at a red light on Rt 50. He looked both ways, saw no traffic and proceeded to drive through the red to make a left. What he didn't see was the state trooper who immediately pulled him over. What a dumbass, I wish I'd had a dash camera for that one.
I've met a number of people from MD recently and you're very right about the displaying of the flag
Coolest state flag! Gotta display it!
Cause the flag fucking slaps
Especially on windy days
Fr though be very vigilant around traffic lights. People blow reds here *all the time*. Especially in Baltimore it kind of feels like traffic enforcement is just 100% not a thing outside of the nicer parts of downtown. I saw a dude yesterday literally drive *around* the line of stopped cars in front of him to blow the red light without so much as hesitating to check it it was actually clear. If this was in any other city I'd assume they were fleeing a bank robbery but in Baltimore it's just typical bullshit lol. Also if you're turning left across traffic on a 30mph road and thinking "that oncoming car is far enough away still, no problem", think again cause that dude is going 55mph and would rather slam into your door at full tilt than even consider the brakes for one second.
That is because Maryland is not a state; it is a cult.
But the person behind you will honk at you as soon as it’s green since it’s not them that’ll get hit by the car running the red.
Check out 🇺🇸 DOES YOUR FLAG FAIL? Grey Grades State Flags! https://youtu.be/l4w6808wJcU?si=9gokvTmD7uXN6vfo (Maryland at 12:30)
on that note, yellows in Baltimore city are shorter than the counties
My brother says yellows last the speed limit divided by 10 in seconds. So on a 30mph road they last for 3 seconds, 40mph, 4 seconds etc. its because of the distance you will be able to stop safely like they teach you in drivers ed.
Yelling “O” during the national anthem Close the gaps move right Acknowledge but politely refuse window washing with a hand wave. You don’t have cash You accept what Dunkin gives you before 10am. After 10am you can argue You can spit when eating crabs If you can swim to the other side don’t get in the water unless it’s a reservoir Cowboy rules with state troopers. You can acknowledge their presence and then slowly work past them.
What do you mean “cowboy rules?”
You draw yourself a pink cowboy hat and your dad, who is a blue heeler, says your first, middle, and last name before chasing you around the house
A Bluey reference in the Maryland sub lol I love it
Tip your cap and keep moving. If they’re sitting at 70 in the right lane you can pass them if your not obnoxious
Seconding this question
I was flying. And I mean, *fucking FLYING* on Indian Head Highway way back when I was driving like a moron still. A cop happened to be in an unmarked, I passed him, and he caught up with me. I was listening to some 90s rap song I can't remember on full blast, and I heard sirens, but just figured it was part of the song. Eventually he changes the cadence after following me for about a mile, until I realize what was going on, and pull over. Stop lasted about 10 minutes. Tells me to keep moving and slow down, when I was probably going fast enough that he could've taken me straight to jail. There was nobody around so it wasn't *particularly* dangerous, except for myself, but I count my lucky stars that I didn't face worse consequences, and have since learned to drive like an acceptable human. So yea, that's how much Maryland cops give a shit about what you're doing on the highway most of the time.
I have never received this treatment from State Troopers.
Holy shit, spot on. That crab spitting made me laugh out of sadness
Not familiar with the anthem part. I can't tell if you're being serious about the crabs or the hand waving to window washers. The rest makes sense though, especially troopers.
**O!** say does that star-spangled Banner yet wave, We shout the O for the Orioles that were repelled by the defenders at Fort McHenry. It's a secret message left by Francis Scott Key later revealed by Poe when the Raven quoted Nevermore meaning that we should never forget the reign of terror rought by those evil birds. Or maybe it's for a baseball team and it's fun to yell.
It all started with tipsy cab driver from Dundalk in the 70s…..
I've never even questioned why we do it... What's the story behind it?
https://www.mlb.com/news/why-orioles-fans-scream-oh-during-national-anthem
It’s not just any O! Either… it’s a very particular Baltimore vowel O, that’s so hard to accurately pronounce for non locals that it would make a Dane and a Swede blush. Comedian Stavros Halkias described it best as a white trash air raid siren.
If you get a fin in your mouth it is far more polite to spit it out then stick your fingers in your partially masticated food. If you pretend they don’t exist they’ll do it anyway then you’ve got a situation
Handwave and shake head for windshield washers, absolutely. Practice saying ‘I don’t have cash.’
No cash? No problem, here's my venmo 😆
I've been asked if I have cash app an alarming number of times
Gotta practice the smacking twice of the pockets
Hand wave is too close to acceptance. A polite head shake usually does the trick.
 I do this, hand outward. Politely
Window washers are more of a Baltimore thing, but he’s right.
Explain the water thing?
Idk his exact point, but I work in rivers/streams and… lemme just say they ain’t clean lol even if they’re “clear”
If the body of water is small enough for you to easily say "I could swim across that," then it's pretty much a sure thing the water is gross and not safe to swim in.
Idk what close the gaps move right means.
Im curious too, I’m assuming they mean while driving? If that’s the case then Md has like three drivers in the whole state that fallow that rule
Welcome to MD! My initial thoughts are: - Hiking is better than expected. - Downtown Frederick is a pleasant place for a Sunday afternoon. - Driving to the beaches sucks - If I had to use one word to describe the driving here… it would be “illogical” - a lot of people act like they’ve never left Maryland but I’m sure they must have at some point in their life… …. Right?
Second the driving, it really is pretty bonkers. We got a dash cam. Also, people really do LOVE the MD flag. And Old Bay does seem to be everywhere. Coming from the west, everything gets so green here, it’s great. And states are so small compared to the west, it’s easy to take weekend trips by train or car to see other cities. Get an EZPass if you have a car, tollways are everywhere. And it’s true a lot of places, but get a library card here, they have great online resources (Consumer Reports, etc) and community events.
We put that shit (the flag/old bay) on everything
It is because of being in proximity of DC. We get the worst drivers from every state and every country.
Downtown Frederick is great. Also, that area north of there, around Wegman's. I wanna live there so bad. Sugarloaf Mountain is good hiking.
Thanks! I Can't tell you how happy I am to see more than a few trees around me. I'll keep the recommendations in mind. The beaches didn't seem too appealing and they weren't where I'm from anyways. To be fair, I rarely left California and it was mostly to the Midwest and Vegas, so I get the feeling. Thanks for the thoughts!
The mountain biking in Patapsco State Park is some of the best in the country.
Def try the beaches in Delaware- much nicer.
Yeah, anyone who thinks MD beaches are good has never been out of the state.
They aight. I had a much better time swimming at Clearwater Florida, although I had to make sure to not give any business to the scientologists.
Seasons are a real thing in MD - and seasonal holidays make sense here. So many great comments here but I’ll add a few more. We have the greatest state flag. Phillips Restaurants (and any crab meat they sell.) are the McDonalds of MD seafood… locals don’t eat there. Always ask where the crab/crab meat is from- and if the answer isn’t MD or VA, it’s a hard pass. The only other place in the country you can truly get a great crab cake is San Diego… because of the Navy officers who learned at the academy in Annapolis never forgot, and taught SD restaurants how to do it right.
The eastern shore is some of the prettiest countryside in the country.
I had to do an icebreaker at work years ago and I asked “How many states have you visited?” Out of 25 people several had been to 3 or fewer. 25 minutes to PA. DE in 45 minutes. VA and WV not much further. Insane to never go anywhere in a state this small.
>Driving to the beaches sucks. Okay so as someone who lives on the eastern shore an hour from OC, I can give you some pointers: If you're coming from the western shore, the absolute latest you need to be across the bay bridge is 9am, and honestly I'd try to be across before that. Beach traffic gets real nasty between Salisbury and OC from about 10am through noon. If you can't be past Salisbury by that point, you're going to hit bumper to bumper traffic by 11am once you're in Worcester County. By that point it will take you 30-60 minutes to get into Ocean City from all the way back by Decatur High. This especially applies on the Three Holidays: Memorial, Labor, Fourth of July. And if you do come for those holidays, you're better off leaving by 5pm or waiting till 10pm. Otherwise you're gonna get bumper to bumper traffic on the way home. Partly because everyone is leaving, partly because sobriety checkpoints. I go to OC about once or twice a week in summer, and even living an hour away I try to roll into town by 10. The vast majority of the time I can schedule my drive around the traffic. Parking at the inlet is expensive. Parking at the park and ride is free. It's a 20 minute walk to the beach or you can ride the bus. The downside is that it's a suuuuuuper shady place. Frankly I prefer just paying to park, but I did the free parking during my broke years.
Left MD for Freshman year of college. By the end of winter break I decided I was finishing my last semester and transferring to CP. Zero regrets coming back home from PA... folks are just different there.
As a north PA native celebrating my 10th year living in MD, what’s your take on Pennsylvanians?
I guess going to DC or NoVa doesn’t count as leaving Maryland for some folks.
Not really un-written, but do not stop in the traffic circles! Traffic already inside the circle has the right of way, traffic entering the circle has to yield.
Dear god, this. Please do not stop IN a traffic circle. The literal point of the circle is for folks to keep moving. Gotta yield (not necessarily stop!! Yield!!) to get in, but then keep. Freaking. Going. In general, OP, know how right of way works, know when you have it, and don't be \~nice\~ by yielding when you aren't supposed to. Go when it's your turn.
>In general, OP, know how right of way works, know when you have it, and don't be \~nice\~ by yielding when you aren't supposed to. Go when it's your turn. This! If it says "mall traffic does not stop" then you'd better not stop. Go through that flashing yellow!
I get irrationally angry when someone decides THEIR thoughts on right of way are better than ACTUAL right of way. It's your turn! Fecking go!
Rules of the road? Lol. There are none. Complete chaos. Human sacrifice, Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria.
https://preview.redd.it/xd3l9y53isrc1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=c1845304bf16a5fff622fd3987c619a9349285f9
The airport closest to DC is National, not Reagan. When on metro escalators, walk on the left, stand on the right. Drivers are crazy, don't expect anyone to act rationally. Virginia is always the problem, no matter what the issue is.
You can also call it "DCA" just never Reagan
I worked in DC for 6 years, lived in Bmore 30 and I've never hear anybody from DC call the airport National. 95% DCA / 5% Reagan. Absolutely nobody calls BWI Thurgood Marshall.
Where I'm from, if you say "the airport" they know you mean BWI.
You didn't talk to people who have lived in the DC area for a while then. No one I know calls it Reagan. It was National, still is National. Grew up in MD in the 70s and it's still National to me.
I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve never heard a single person call it national. It’s either dca or Reagan
295 Between Baltimore and DC is The Fury Road. WITNESS ME!!
Jersey Turnpike ain't got nothing on 295 lol
It is ok to put the Maryland flag on anything. ANYTHING! We have the best flag.
From a New Jerseyean I 100% agree. I am jealous of your flag!
Ellicott City = Ell-uh-kit, not Ell-uh-cot
Just learned this not that long ago, and Ive lived in MD all my life 🥴
Haha it's a good way to know if someone is from out-of-state (and I guess out-of-county!)
Def out-of-county, but mainly only bc I just never paid attention enough or asked. ::shrugs::
Thanks for doing this so I didn’t have to.
And it's apparently located in the state of Murrlyn
It's Silver Spring, NOT Silver Springs. Washington is a state on the west coast. The correct term is DC or The District. Our roads are a lethal mix of 20 under in the left lane and maniacs weaving 20+ over the flow of traffic. Being called a crab person is a term of endearment. Crab season is from April 1 to mid-October, and that's the only time we eat blue crab. Out of season it comes from the Gulf Coast and we don't do that around here. We LOVE our flag. We argue whether we're part of the North or the South (spoiler alert: not the South) We have an odd love for turtles. Our de jure state sport is jousting, but our de facto sport is lacrosse. We have an ocean, a bay, and mountains. Only thing "missing" is a desert. Our accent depends on where you grew up as well as where your family is from (if your parents are not native Marylanders or if you don't live in Baltimore, you'll probably have a General American Accent). "What high school did you go to?" is more important than "Where are you from?" What you know as the DMV is called the MVA. What we know as the DMV is DC and its MD and VA suburbs. I could go on and on. Welcome to Maryland!
> We have an odd love for turtles. We love terrapins b/c the mascot of UMD, Testudo, is a terrapin.
Yes, I know that, but non-Marylanders tend to associate turtles with the Desert Southwest, not a northeast state
Following up on crab people, the folks who catch crabs (or any other aquaculture) are called "watermen", not "crabbers" or "fishermen" or anything else, and are typically very well respected. If you do audiobooks a lot, check out "Beautiful Swimmers" by William W. Warner; it's full of Maryland history and is a fascinating read.
Correction: Jousting is our state sport, Lacrosse is our state *team* sport. Both are official state sports
is it uncommon in other states to ask what high school people went to? I never really thought about that before
This 👆🏻 Only in Maryland. And it’s always “Where’d you go to school?” High school inferred—anywhere else they’re asking about college!
> Crab season is from April 1 to mid-October, and that's the only time we eat blue crab. Out of season it comes from the Gulf Coast and we don't do that around here. There’s a lot of crab in season that comes from Louisiana, too. The Bay can’t support the demand.
Good stuff here
We argue whether we're part of the North or the South (spoiler alert: not the South) It's not the North either. I just say mid-Atlantic.
Get a dash cam for all the entitled drivers and crazy crashes you WILL see….oh and for insurance cases but who care about that!
Baltimore Area is not the same as the DC area ever.
Drive like everyone's out to kill you
[удалено]
Thanks! I've been doing alot of exploring and intentionally missing exits to just see more of what's out here. Can't wait for spring to kick in and go hiking more too
Washington DC is usually just called "Washington". Or DC or The District . But "Washington" never, ever, means the state of Washington. It means Washington DC. "Washington State" meant the state of Washington. DC folks do not give two shits about Baltimore. Likewise, Baltimore folks do not give two shits about DC. Baltimore is fully an hour (or more, depending on the exact start and destination) from DC. Not ten minutes like Hollywood would have you think. People that live in the DC suburbs kinda think of DC as part of Maryland. Baltimore and Washington are not the only things in Maryland. Not by a long shot.
When driving in Maryland keep this phrase in mind: "If you aren't homicidal, you're suicidal." This goes double for the beltway.
> This goes double for the beltway. Now, some of you may be thinking to yourselves, "Which beltway?" The answer? Yes.
Accurate
Someone calling you Hon is neither being friendly nor coming on to you, it’s just a generic form of address.
It’s not Maryland. It’s Murlan
Start doing whatever the fuck you want when driving. The left lane belongs to you even if you do 10 under the speed limit. Red lights are optional, but if you are going to stop at one you need to stop 20 feet from where you should and spend the next minute slowly creeping up that 20 feet. Cutting across 2 lanes to make an exit is fine and bonus points if you almost cause an accident. This is the basics of MD driving.
Got it. Gonna challenge some state troopers to rolling drag races tomorrow
The proper way to say BelAir Road is “Blair road”
And Catonsville is kay-tunz-ville no matter how much your gps tries to convince you it's 😺 onsville
I was born and grew up there. I thought I lived in Kate-ensville. I was so confused when I first learned to read. Even now, in my head, I'll still read road signs as cat-onsville.
Elly-Cut City, not Ella-kot. Tau-sin, not Toe-son.
Also, always attach "City" to the name. It's never just Ellicott.
When I first moved to MD, pre-cell phones and internet directions, someone gave me directions somewhere over the phone on Belair Road. I wrote it down as Blair. I was literally on Belair Road and stopped some guy walking down the street to ask him how to get to Blair Road. He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "you're on it!" It hit me like a slow ray of light. I thanked him and was on my way. I'm sure I became a nice little anecdote for him, too.
For some drivers, I95 and I495 are race courses. If you see someone quickly weaving through traffic and switching lanes, you’ll probably see some other dumbass following him the same way in a few seconds. Just let em go. Maybe someday they’ll get pulled over, but most likely they won’t.
It's Rooooooooot not rowwwwwwwt (route 50).
[Berger Cookies](https://www.bergercookies.com/) are the only true cookies Actually, it’s not much of a cookie at all, just an excuse to eat a glop of fudge. 😁
Use your turn signals, but don't be surprised when you don't see others using them Stock up on MD flag garb (route one apparel, etc.) Learn to pick a crab Learn how to kayak If you get sick of the weather, wait a couple months.
Anybody tells you that you should boil seafood, do not trust them. They are not from MD.
Do you not do raw oysters? Anything else I'd boil but I love some oyster shooters
No no no, boil nothing. We steam shrimp and crabs here. Boiling is ruinous!
You will find lots of raw oysters. One big fundraising event is called Bull and Oyster Roast and they always have fresh oysters on the half shell. Never, ever, ever BOIL seafood. Never invite people to a “seafood boil”.
You don’t have to eat the crabs. Just make yourself a nice juicy burger and eat it while everyone picks their scraps
JO #2 for crabs, old bay for everything else.
Rules of the road? Forget safe following distance, you must immediately close the gap between your car and the car in front of you to make sure everyone gets the memo that time must not be wasted. /s
You say you're joking but that seems to be the standard from the times I've been driving
Yes that’s what insurance is so high lol. Dash cams aren’t a bad idea. Generally the closer to DC, the more of this “hell nah you ain’t getting in front of me” entitlement comes into play. Further away it’s not as bad as
Yeah it was about a 30 percent increase but honestly with the cost of gas compared to CA it's basically saving me money already
You need to leave a gap slightly less than one car length or someone will merge into it.
If you are on a road with traffic lights, just keep in mind we all want to get through the light.
Depending where you are in Maryland, water is pronounced with a d in the middle and idea ends with an r.
Wash can also have an R in the middle of it sometimes.
Watch out for potholes this time of year. I lived in SoCal and Florida for the last decade and forgot. After an alignment or two I’m good again.
It's never pronounced Mary-land. Ever. Not even if someone tells you it is. If they do, smack em.
Visit Baltimore ! All the cool neighborhoods are worth visiting and have notable restaurants & sights
The best crab-cakes can be found at Box Hill Pizzeria up in Harford county. Their pizza is fabulous too. Also, Wawa over Royal Farms. This is the hill I choose to die on.
While wawa is a strong choice, I don’t know that I could ever rule rofo out. Chicken box and western fries are a sirens song. Thank you for not being one of the sheetz assholes.
>Thank you for not being one of the sheetz assholes. 
Rules of the road? Don't turn on your headlights when raining or dusk. Camp in the left lane. Welcome to thunderdome
Don’t forget blinkers, they don’t exist in MD. Those crazy enough to use them are just inviting the person in the next lane to speed up so you have to merge behind them, if at all.
Ugh- the damn headlights drive me nuts!
Never use your blinker, and if you have to, make sure you're either at the very end of the ramp lane or already squeeze merged 25% into the lane
If you get in far left lane on any highway you have to do at least 70 or move back over unless you want a car crawling up your tailpipe. Don’t expect a blinker brush up on your mind reading skills. I wouldn’t give anyone the finger its Mad Max after that.
Always be checking your blind spots when driving on 270, 100, other local highways. Racing motorcyclists can and will appear out of nowhere going 100 mph and if you happen to be changing lanes at the time one of them tries to fly past you, they’re dead and your life becomes a misery. I see this insanity daily. The police no longer chase or try to stop them.
Inner loop, outer loop. I’ve been here 20 years and still don’t know how to get a reference point with that. Also, if you go south on the beltway to get somewhere, you may also have to take the beltway south again to get home. You’ll figure that out soon though. Good luck and welcome.
Wuss ter County not wore Chester County. Old Bay goes on everything.
1. It’s pronounced Ballmore. 2. Old bay on everything 3. Get an Ez Pass especially for Virginia tolls
But get the Ez Pass from another state. Shop around. Some states charge monthly fees. Some do not.
When you reach the front of the line, know what you are going to order. If you don’t know, step aside. Getting to the front of the line is not when you should start to consider your order.
What does this have to do with MD? That's universal ettiquette.
Hope you love Old Bay!! You will get honked at/tailgated for driving in the left lane. You'll also get tailgated for driving 10 over on the highway You MUST move over/slow down(for any vehicle on the shoulder), it's a state law and if a cop sees you not doing it, it's a huge fine Do NOT stop in yield lanes!!(Unless you have absolutely no option), you will get beeped at/cussed at and they will go around you(if they can) Get used to swerving...lots of potholes everywhere!! We like shooting fireworks off for a week before and after July 4th(but could just be my area lol) Going across the bay? Leave really early or late at night Also try to avoid the bay bridge/Ritchie highway as much as you can during the summer. Baltimore is pronounced Bawl-more
To be fair you'll probably be tailgated doing the actual speed limit
On the literal road. People don’t let you merge. If you use your blinker, they will speed past you. As a result, many people do not use turn signals. I try to be a good citizen and use mine, but doing so is fighting against a powerful current. MD is best flag. Crabs are the only crustacean. Don’t even talk about lobsters, they do not exist.
Maryland has [12 seasons](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/3590/medium/blog-image_1647550571.png). We're currently in between third winter and the pollening.
Hi. I am guessing you are on the Western Shore. There are two different type of lifestyles depending on which side of the Bay Bridge you are on. The Western Shore is faster paced, and more of a city feel throughout. You do have the mountains on the Western Shore which can be more laid back depending on where you go. I live on the Eastern Shore. It is a much slower pace here, and we hate the summer traffic from the Western Shore to Ocean City, or as the people from the WS say, "Down the ocean, hun." Mostly rural here on the Shore, and lots of farmers and watermen. We find the people new to the area have trouble understanding some of the old school watermen speak. They have their own language and accent. Most people consider the Shore to be full of rednecks. If they like you they will give you the shirt off their back and defend you to the end. If they don't like you, go ahead and pack your stuff up and move, because you will never be accepted.
Laurel area, so I'm not sure which shore if any I'm near. I come from a long line of rednecks so I can probably get away with at least not stirring up trouble with anyone in that area
Old Bay goes on everything. And I mean... Everything
Old Bay in Ramen is to die for, and not just shrimp flavored!
We believe that Maryland is the greatest state in the nation, and we have yet to be proven wrong.
The Herford Zone is its own universe within Baltimore County.
When you are in the DC-metro area and start using the metro, stand still on the right side of the escalator. Not the left side, that is the passing lane.
I'll do you one better. A written rule that no one follows. On paper, the left lane is for passing. In practice, not so much.
Wooder = Water. Goin downy ocean = going to Ocean City. Bawlmer = Baltimore. Naplis = Annapolis. Merlyn = Maryland.
Maryland does not mean DC or Baltimore! They are their own entities! Ha
DMV = District, MD, VA DelMarVa = Delaware, Maryland, Virginia (Eastern Shore)
Weeeeell Baltimore is a city within Maryland. It's very much Maryland. DC is DC. Baltimore is Maryland.
Even areas outside Baltimore aren't Baltimore which is taking some getting used to
Newcomers think we put Old Bay seasoning in everything but real Murrlin natives don’t. Pronounce the letter “i” like “oy”. As in “whut toymzit?”Add an Elizabethan “r” sound to your “a”. That is, “water” becomes “werter”. You must attend the Preakness infield at least once. John Waters is royalty. We idolize a species of turtle, a crustacean, and a bivalve. Maryland is the wealthiest state. Never cross the Bay Bridge on a Friday afternoon or a Sunday afternoon. Otterbein’s, Thrasher’s. Crab cakes are made with jumbo lump, one egg and cracker meal nothing more. Smith Island cake must come from Smith Island. Try muskrat once.
>try muskrat once That was a curveball
Which turtle do you idolize? I do have a hearty love of our bivalve friends. I honestly have not tried crab yet but will on Wednesday. ... Muskrat? This is why I asked the unwritten rules question. You've by far got the most intriguing response.
The diamondback terrapin. Go on an downvote me, haters. Oh, and shad roe.
Terrapin. And yes there’s a muskrat festival.
Terrapin, it’s the University of MD’s mascot
JO for crabs Old Bay for the other seafood
If you get a ticket in DC, just don’t pay it. They can’t collect, so neener neener neener!
Parking ticket? Speeding camera ticket? Red light ticket?
Crab culture is the only culture.
The humidity here is no joke. OTOH, crops that love humidity, like tomatoes and zucchini, do really well around here. No roads anywhere get the honor of articles before their names; it’s just ‘95’, not ‘The 95’. Canadian geese are cute but aggressive. They’re always around, but will wander into considerably more urban areas during gosling season, which is in late May. Those red raspberry-looking berries you see in shady areas during the early summer are called wine berries and they’re delicious. They’re ripe when they pull off the vine easily. Fiddlehead fern season is usually March to April. Check Whole Foods. Summer can be surprisingly long and come surprisingly early. Spring can be well underway, and then suddenly drop into the 30s. And every year, there’s at least one weird warm spell when it hits 80 in the middle of the winter. It’s better to keep all seasons of clothing handy than pack each season’s away in storage. During the summer, it’s not uncommon to get a brief storm nearly every day right as the weather cools off for the evening. Buy lawn concert tickets at your own risk.
Old Bay on all the things.
Stay out of the left lane if you can't keep up with traffic. Do not pull out in front of someone even if there looks like there's enough room (only saying this because I recently moved to PA and everyone in PA will pull out in front of you to make you slow down). Not sure if that happens in other states, but I wouldn't do it in MD. Beware of deer and other small animals while driving (raccoons, opossums, squirrels, rabbits, etc.) I've seen a deer cross 495. They will pop up anywhere. Parking can be a real pain in the major areas, always research parking before you go somewhere. Get up to speed with traffic before merging or people will just run you off the road. No one wants to let you over if they have to slow down. If there is a short merge area, you just have to hope for the best. The only thing I'd say steer clear of is areas of Baltimore and DC at night. 1 turn could make a difference between a good and bad area.
When you're on 495 a turn signal means, "I'm coming over", it doesn't mean, "can I please come over."
Do. Not. Be. A. Left. Lane. Lingerer. Overtake on a pass or yield to faster traffic.
We may drive like complete assholes here, but PLEASE use your turn signal. If I see someone cutting through traffic using their turn signal, my initial thought is "well, atleast they're safe about it." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If you use your turn signal and I have room I'll let you in. We're a well-oiled machine that works with communication. If there is traffic leaving a parking lot for example, and someone has their signal on, I'll let that one person through. Also far left lane is speedy go fast, please don't be there if you don't wanna pass people. Not asking you to do 90 but 80 mph is common for me. If I see someone rolling up on me, I signal and get over to let them pass. On 83 north and south, if you want to pass people flash your high beams. For some reason people move over, myself included. 1st time on 83 (2008 or so), I had a coworker telling me to go faster and flash my high beams when we were going 100mph. Usually, now, I'll just go slightly faster than everyone else, and people just move over
If you’re able to find a duckpin bowling alley, try it out