Why I hate Chicago
Friday, December 01, 2006
No, I have never actually been into Chicago, but I've been in the cluster-fuck that they refer to as an airport more than my fair share of times- and never had a good experience. Enough that I hate the entire city based soley on their airport. Rachel's post today reminded me of why I detest O'Hare so badly. A bad experience every. single. time. I even hate that airport enough that I would rather take a much longer layover somewhere else than have to step foot in that hell hole again.
Last time I went to Vegas, for the return flight I had 3 options- a one-hour layover in Dallas/Ft. Worth, a two-hour lay-over in Chicago, or a five hour lay-over at LAX. I never opt for the one-hour, because you never know- one delay and you're screwed. So that left Chicago or LA. And I should mention that the few hours difference between the two was a difference between an evening flight (Chicago) or a red-eye (LA). That's how much I hate O'Hare- I opted for the 5-hour layover and a red-eye back to Dulles rather than having a two-hour layover in Chicago. As some of you may know- two hours between flights is never enough when that connecting flight is in Chicago. O'Hare is a jumbled mess of gates, long delays, and even longer holding patterns.
Take my advice- never, never take a connecting flight in Chicago. And O'Hare can kiss my ass.
25 comments:
So tell us how you really feel about Chi-Town.
I don’t think I’ve ever been in a bad airport. Then again, my flying is limited to going to and from Miami so I’ve only really been in MIA, FLL, ATL, DCA and IAD and don’t have a problem with any of them. ATL is the best airport I’ve ever been in.
uh..news flash, it just snowed all last night and into this morning. And most people know not to fly into a winter weather city...in the winter...other than that, O'Hare does suck, but once you accept that, and factor that into your timing, it's actually a nice airport, gets you where you need to go without any layovers. But, dumping on an entire city (that you admitedly have never been to) because of the airport is something I'd expect from a person who calls the cess-pool of metro-DC home.
Chi is huge and busy, but pretty. Pain in the butt? for sure! but I haven't met an airport I haven't had problems with.
I've only flown once in my life:) I'm a dork.
you are crazy. i love chicago. i feel like a kid in a candy store in big airports like that. i get caught up in all the hustle and bustle. its exciting!
This is the second time that I haven't gotten my flight in O'Hare and was offered the option of flight the following day.
The first time it happened I flew from Grand Rapids to Chicago and was late landing (of course) and missed my red-eye flight to Seattle. D was less than a year old so they did put me up in a hotel overnight and since it was the beginning of my vacation rather than the end it wasn't such a traumatic situation.
I have *Finally* learned my lesson. Avoid O'Hare at all costs.
I have found that Northwest is the airline that tends to do the best job for me. American is the one that I am always having issues with.
See, this is why I hate Atlanta... the airport, it's all about the airport.
O’Hare sucks, no doubt about it. As a frequent business traveler I’m painfully aware of this. BUT Chicago should in no way be judged solely by bad airport experiences as the city itself is much lovelier… maybe not today though, as we’re topping out at a frigid 12 degree high.
Anon- so people from the middle states or most of the eastern seaboard should never travel in the winter? Silly! Most of the time, the winter is the best time to fly, not too much turbulance, and unless a storm comes up really quickly, snow usually doesn't affect landing conditions. I think her main issue with Chi town's airport is that it's huge and laid out poorly, much like all airports...which is why I hate St Louis and Minneapolis' airport.
Never been to the windy city but I agree with aliecat in that most airports are laid out pretty badly. From what I've heard, Logan airport in Boston is pretty bad in comparison to JFK or even Bradley airport in my home state of CT. What can you do? Love the city, hate the airport is my recomendation.
O'Hare gets so crazy because of the international flights that they do. For continental US flights, its ALWAYS better to stick with Midway Airport....Southwest is my fave airline (and yes, they do fly to Seattle). Also, Midway's workers and SW's flight attendants are very nice and helpful....esp. when you're traveling alone with a little one.
I was googling 'I hate Chicago' and found your blog. I've lived here for 24 years (all my life) and I can't wait to move. I'm fairly intelligent and have driven a LOT, but it's still easy to get lost in the rat-maze of a city. "But it's on a grid, it's SO easy!!!!!!!" OK, find your way to the airport. Not once have I driven to O'Hare on 90/94 West without coming to a stop and crawling along at 5 mph(speed limit is 55 mph for those folks who aren't from around here!) Here's one for you: To get from Midway Airport to the loop- Head north on Cicero to get to I-55 South. Head south on I-55 to get to 294 North. Go Northwest on 294 to get to 290 East. This goddamn city is based on an extensive inside joke that no-one really understands. North to go South, and South to go North! It's easy as pie!!!!!!!!!
I hate Chicago:
After having to move back to Westlawn after 26 years, this part of town is a ethnic dumping ground. My neighborhood is full of people who don't speak english. They fly flags of every country except America. They have no concept of Rules of the Road. My street looks like a car dealership. People use their Garages for Taverns. Push carts litter the street. Most cars have temporary license plates. Many homes have permit handicap parking spaces, but can easily walk to their cars or hand their plackards to family members who visit to have that ever so convient parking space. the rest of us have to circle the wagon of endless cars, trucks, and double parked vehicles. My heighbor has a rooster in the back yard. He has a single family home and rents his basement and attic. 8 people come and go daily... Multiply that by the countless other homes housing multiple people. Alderman Frank O. is clueless. The street is a shortcut for drivers bypassing Pulaski Rd in the afternoon. People living there will evolve into having eyes in the back of their heads to avoid getting hit by the drivers, and shrunken ears for the loudness of the radio systems in the cars.
I've lived in Chicago for 8 years. Each month, I find that the people are meaner, angrier, more inconsiderate, less able to drive, and much much more greedy. The taxes just keep going up and people think that they need to drive everywhere to get ahead. The quality of service in the city keeps going down as well as the number of people who speak English. The sidewalk in front of my house remains unfinished after 2 years because Chicago has to be the City That Works, so they can pay someone twice as much to do a half assed job that needs to be redone 6 months later. The potholes around here are terrible. I've never lived someplace more rude and disrespectful, that's why I've decided to move. Good luck Chittown.
I googled I hate Chicago becuase i hate it too. it sucks. The people in chicaog suck, they are so narrow minded, it's all the people who never grew up and never left home. Living in a 300 mile radius your entire life makes you moronic.
Chicago, It's just like NYC. Yeah, and Clay Aiken likes women. Someone honestly tried arguing with me that Chicago was just like Ny, so I went out there and... well I wanted to fucking puke. Chicago is 1.small,(Im from NY), 2.boring, I didn't see many people on the street after sun down and the bar scene sucks. 3. all the people that live there are neortic and lame. 4. deep dish pizza sucks. 5. the cta sucks and you need to have a car or take a cab everywhere if you live there. Chicago blows and I hope, No I pray that they are not given the chance to embaress the US in 2016. Please IOC send the olympics elsewhere
I have been a cop here for 20 years ...what a sesspool of garbage and crap and taxes and death and rats and crime and taxes and city stickers and roaches and overcrowding and junkies and hookers and crackheads and death and taxes and juppies and snow towing, and neopotism and taxes and parking tickets and suffering and ice and taxes and coruption and shitty bosses, and that just in the station lot.
Chicago sucks. Crooked cops (parking enforcement). Everyone is either an a$$hole, or incredibly self-impressed that they're from Chicago. I have had nothing but bad experiences there. Legally parked vehicles towed, guns drawn on me by tow truck drivers, ticket for parking overnight in a lot that had posted 24 hour rates (three different incidents!). Rude a-holes at Wrigley. The mumble mouthed tramp at the info desk at O'Hare who sent me through the wrong doors to catch my next flight so that I had to go through security all over again. Screw Chicago. The next time it burns won't be soon enough.
I'll buy the hot dogs.
I hate Chicago! I've lived here almost three years and how some people want to live here is confusing. The weather is horrific, winter is long as hell, thunderstorms like crazy in fall and summer, windy and stormy, not a lot of sunny days, expensive, the loop is dead in the evening, stuck up people, segregated as hell, most racist city ever, CTA sucks and is asking for tax payer money all the time, crooks, political corruption, lots of fat people, and the list goes on. I can't wait to get the fuck out of here...what a depressing place to live.
reading these comments made me laugh its all true chicago beyond sucks its a sphincter of low class cavemen and their whores (native and midwest transplant alike) i am from here i moved away and am stuck here again and cant rest from figuring out how to make it out again forever
I am currently in Chicago due to work pulling me here against my will for a couple days. Reading the posts on this blog have been entertaining and therapeutic. I am from Milwaukee and I can't wait to get back home, this city is so self-absorbed and shitty. Everyone here thinks they're the cats ballz just because they live here and buy $800 jeans and $500 shoes. Fuck this shithole and get me back home!
chicagoland is the worst place to live in u.s. The winters are as brutal as if you were in alaska, The summers aren't any better no sun ever,cloudy every day rain, too humid or too cold. This summer (2009)All of June and July have been cold,cloudy, and crappy.And there are no jobs here. taxes, gas prices are the highest in the country. Why would anyone want to live here or visit is beyond me. If I could move, I would in a heart beat.
I agree that chicago is not a great city.
Someone posted something on another blog about racism, I am a blonde, green eyed woman and I have never experienced such racism; I understand that I look polish or russian.
I have experienced extreme disrespect because of my looks. I am from Florida.
I will say that it is a great city to do business.
Pollution is bad and if you live downtown, it is very rare to see a sunny day.
The city is very walkable. It is very difficult to make new friends as most people have the same friends that they went to grade school, high school, college with.
I think in some ways it is better than Atlanta but people are a lot friendlier in Atlanta and Florida cities.
Chicago is a horrible place to live. The weather is brutal ... and so are the people. Worst crime I've lived near. I hate it!
I think Chicago could be tolerable for me if not for the traffic. I totally understand all the walking and bike riding that exists but it only magnifies an already frustrating situation. City planners need to go back to the drawing board and come up with a more intelligent and SAFE road system.
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