A Few Small Differences (Part 1)
Here are a few differences I have noticed between the Chicago area and life in the St. Louis area:
1. People drive slower but there is less traffic (I believe due to the fact that there are more alternate routes around the suburbs). A perfect example is the main road I live off of. The speed limit is 35 mph but most people insist on 25-30 mph. Children don't play on this road and there are designated spaces on both sides of the roads for walkers, joggers, etc. with plenty of room so you don't have to swerve into the other lane to avoid hitting some health nut who feels the need to exercise. Most highways here are 60mph and thats what people drive! Maybe they're all just "safer" here. But I think they're just annoying and dangerous.
2. The suburbs of Chicago are just that suburbs. There are stores and interesting things to do but the city is where you want to go for the more unusual, more diverse, or just plain strange. But down in good ole St. Louis, the suburbs are where it is at. Or something like that. After recently driving through downtown St. Louis I can now call myself an expert on the city. It seems there isn't much to learn anyhow. There's the mighty mississipp (down here we leave off the 'i' but pronounce the 's' in Illinois), the arch and a few court buildings, banks and other miscellaneous buildings most of which are half empty. And that is the downtown. If you lived in this city you'd have to go to the suburbs to do something. In the words of Goldmember (Mike Meyers) "Isn't that Vrierd?"