To absolutely hate living in Surrey

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I guess I have been here too long. Am 4 weeks away from escape to a very different part of the British Isles. All anyone seems to do here is go on about their sodding house price, how important their job is, the same one that has them getting the 0605 train like lemmings everyday. Socially people I habe found unfriendly and insular. It is practically a crime to be anything other than a Tory, but you can't show any interest in politics. The only acceptable subjects of conversation are how great you are, your job, Southern Rail and rugby. I hate it so very much I just hope there is a different world out there.

I live in Surrey (the bit just out of London so the 8.19 train here ) and whilst there are people like you describe, I think you'll find pockets of them everywhere.

We have friends in Devon who bang on about how amazing it is living in the country and their animals and all the associated benefits of country life when that's my idea of hell.

Different strokes etc.

I also don't assume all people from Devon are like that, crucially to your AIBU.

Not touched a nerve - I'm not from Surrey I just moved there and I dont care that some people move away - more the better I say as it can be overcrowded. It's just a shame to see someone being so narrow-minded about a big place with millions of people living in it - it just invites comment.

When I think about all the genuinely lovely, supportive, helpful people I have in my life, I have met most of them in Surrey - some grew up there, some moved her from London, some are Northerners. You can't really generalise can you? Although I still maintain all the Kent/Essex arsehole men are the worse

Damn those 'lemmings' all heading off to their early trains doing long days to provide for their families. They should sit at home instead pontificating about how much cooler than everyone else they are.

Move to the Welsh Valleys. Categorically no Tories. They even have to ship in the doomed electoral candidates from Surrey because nobody native will stand

There's a running joke that in my UA you could put a goat in a red t shirt and people would vote for it over a Tory. Plus houses are well cheap. How soon can you get here??

I'm inclined to agree with you OP, DH and I lasted 6 months in Surrey, and have since moved up north. It wasn't the worst place I've lived in by a long shot but I just didn't fit in and whilst some people were utterly lovely, some were like the OP described and up their own arses.

We moved to Surrey after deciding to leave London, in hindsight it was the wrong place for us as a family, we just couldn't decide whether to leave London entirely so we moved to Surrey in a panic after selling our house. I feel much more at home in the North

I love living in Surrey. I live up in the NE of the county, near to M25 and the Ali G Staines massive!!
I liked living in all the places I've lived before.
I like it here. My children are happy. Great schools, easy to get a GP appointment. We can get to everywhere, down to Devon, Dorset, up to Manchester, into London, down to west wittering beach.
Yes there are crap bits. But there are crap bits everywhere.
What's not to like?

Besides we can't move anywhere more expensive, because we can't afford it. I wouldn't want to be the poor boy, living in rich street. I'm never going to be able to afford to live in Chelsea. That's ok, because I don't want to. I'm ok here.

SW Trains to Waterloo are ok. When I'm rarely in Waterloo, I can take about 3 different routes home, if there is ever a problem. Southern Trains are worse I think.

I live in Croydon, which is Surrey

No it isn't, it's a London borough.

I do think there is something about this part of the world whether you call it Croydon commuter belt/Surrey/Home Counties/SE England that does not like examining itself, and cannot take any criticism.

What a load of absolute nonsense!

Actually Southern are/were great - takes me 35/40 mins to get to work when all going well. They've been absolute wankers over the summer with the stupid strike action but even then, it hasn't taken me more than an hour door to door to get to work (not on strike days of course but it's been nice to have a reason to work from home) - still less than it used to take me on the tube when I lived in Zone 3 and I usually can sit down.

Map

Map

I think parts of the OP's post has been justified by the "you won't be missed", "off you pop", "close the door on your way out" posters.

It's glaringly obvious that OP has it met everyone in Surrey and although generalising, the adults among us are aware of this. She is speaking of her experience there, and those of us not from Surrey and reading this are, I'm sure, thinking like me that it's obviously not the whole of the county that is like this, just the experiences of the OP.

I don't understand why people are taking such offence, my town (in Scotland) has its fair share of shitholes, arseholes and utter tosspots, OTOH my friends are great, my area suits me and my family. Everyone is different with differing needs and we shouldn't be getting all cats bum mouth over stupid generalisations, it justifies the OP... A bit.

OP, don't make sweeping generalisations about places or people, you will offend, just say the area I am in and the people I have encountered..

Anyway, all the best for your move.. "Lang may yer lum reek"

The Southern residential bits that go into Caterham, Warlingham etc are effectively Surrey, whatever the map says.

One of the best bits of advice I was ever given, when I was desperate to move away from somewhere after a break up was "Unhappy people are unhappy everywhere" - it was true. I needed to improve my self-esteem, outlook and attitude before I started getting more out of life. You need to make yourself feel happier OP, changing location/job/hairstyle etc rarely does the trick.

I can't wait to go. I will say it again there are nice and normal people here too, I just haven't met many of them. I work long hours then add the commute, and having tried everything I can think of to find people I connect with, I don't have the energy to do that any more. When people say how great it is because of the M25 and proximity to London plus parks and so on, I absorb it but I just can't get the feeling it is not for me and I shouldn't be here. I honestly have not come across the same level of cold hearted competitiveness about every single aspect of life, from your job ( everyone seems to know someone who is "minted" or "loaded' to your family to your social life in the other places I've been, which is why I am going there

Those who live in Farnham and find it a bit too naice… why not pop across the border to Aldershot?

Yeah, thought not.

Well go where you feel ' you fit in ' but ffs please don't generalise a whole county based on your own experiences.

I honestly have not come across the same level of cold hearted competitiveness about every single aspect of life, from your job ( everyone seems to know someone who is "minted" or "loaded' to your family to your social life in the other places I've been, which is why I am going there

And I have honestly not come across any cold hearted competitiveness despite knowing a good number of people from that corner of Surrey and beyond. I've lived on the London/Surrey border all my life.

Christ almighty, before I moved down south I was aware of the reputation southerners have for being all mouth and reckoning themselves more than they are, but Jesus H I couldn't believe it! if you heard them prattle on you'd think they were running Microsoft single-handed not working in a dead end job in a library

Breathtakingly broad generalisation there?

None of the mums seem to return to work, instead they gather in the coffee shops every day and go to the gym, beauty salons etc wow shoot them down now, wicked evil women

Fuck.

OP lots of people in Surrey and everywhere really, are like that. I have seen it across the world, with ex pats and natives, it is just a "type"
You have obviously been so busy following them you missed looking around and seeing the people who aren't like that. They exist even in Farnham.

sometimes a place just isn't right for you and never will be. BTW Salford is cool.

I needed to improve my self-esteem, outlook and attitude before I started getting more out of life. You need to make yourself feel happier OP, changing location/job/hairstyle etc rarely does the trick

great piece of advice there.

The problem is not Surrey OP, it's you and the people you have chosen to socialise with. If they don't share your views and interests then broaden where you go to meet people. Simple.
Are you spending your time at private schools, rugby clubs, expensive gyms etc?
There is plenty of variety in Surrey so you don't need to move far away to find different conversation. However, I'm quite happy that you are moving as you sound like a bit of a prat with your ridiculous sweeping statement.