regional differences in social norms

I get coffee from the same place pretty much each morning. Another regular customer is obviously a civilian and wears a pistol on his belt. Here I would not say that it is the norm.. but it is not terribly unusual and no one cares that much. I have lived in various other areas of the country and was considering this morning how very different some of them are. For example, the same guy wandering around NYC buying coffee with a pistol would draw a lot of attention and he would be subject to arrest. Even absent any other behavioral issues, the simple possession and display of the firearm would be an issue.
Conversely open container laws are a HUGE deal here. It has been my experience in other regions that though perhaps technically illegal unless the person drinking is being otherwise disruptive no one really cares all that much.
So I found it odd. Deadly weapon on the belt = no big deal. Beer at a park = huge crisis. Any odd regional social norms where anyone else lives? Something that is okay where you are but would be completely unacceptable a few hundred miles away?

My people eat lobster. Do your people eat lobster?

(nyahh, i'll give it some real thought and come back. I'm sure My People back in Appalachia have a few social abnorms that will come to me upon reflection.)



hey, scott--you are really an entertaining thinker. I sure enjoy you.

tapu wrote:My people eat lobster. Do your people eat lobster?

(nyahh, i'll give it some real thought and come back. I'm sure My People back in Appalachia have a few social abnorms that will come to me upon reflection.)



hey, scott--you are really an entertaining thinker. I sure enjoy you.

Thanks.

Sure I WANTED to eat lobster and lots of it, but after being on a Princess Cruise and then the next year getting shifted to Norwegian for our Dance Cruise, the lobster was scarce and what was there was pathetic. It was a huge joke with my group of about 40 that i couldn't get any Lobster...dreadful I tell you. When I finally got back to FL I made my sister take me to Publix where I bought a bunch of Lobster tails and grilled them at ther house - YUMMMMM> but damn; had to pay for it!

Moral of the story - my social norm is to take the Grand Princess and the Grand Princess ONLY>

OK Back on topic - it was totally normal for me to see guns in holsters in Tennessee...same as it's normal here to see a lot of super hair sprayed spiked mohawks on dudes who are PDAing with other dudes. In Boston it was a socail norm to just let your skin look like crap from too much sun aka Rosacea and wear kakhis and Harvard sweatshirts to birthday parties with the dreaded Birkenstocks. Go fig.

You can see a guy in San Francisco, walking down a street with nothing on but gold paint, and people barely glance at him. If they do, they are making eye contact and smiling. I know; I've seen this.