We all know that Virginia is for Lovers. We are notoriously polite, engaging, and will love nothing more than to talk about our beautiful home state. But even this cordiality has its limits, especially when faced with particular behaviors or comments that seem to really push our collective buttons. So here are the 15 sure-fire ways to really make a Virginian mad:

  1. Point out that Virginia “isn’t really the South”

Wikicommons This one’s a complicated issue and largely depends on who you’re talking to, but most Virginians will correct you when you deny its southern roots.

  1. Or assume all of the state is just farmland and country

J. Sibiga Photography/flickr Being southern doesn’t mean being an entirely rural state either. Venture into northern Virginia and you will truly feel as though you have entered a different part of the country. That’s just the beauty of living in a state as diverse as VA.

  1. Say that you’ve seen more beautiful leaves elsewhere

Diana Robinson/flickr

Jerry and Pat Donaho/flickr There’s just no WAY it gets any prettier than this.

  1. Drive painstakingly slow, or way too fast down our scenic routes

smilla4/flickr It’s pretty simple: if you’d like to admire the view, there are plenty of pull-offs. And conversely, trying to speed down these roads is just downright dangerous.

  1. Wonder why we make such a big deal of history around here

Beth/flickr

Skip Steuart/flickr Between Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and all the Presidents who called Virginia home, it’s hard to know where to even begin with this one…

  1. Litter

Daniel Novta/flickr Why would you ever compromise the beautiful landscape??

  1. Claim Virginia barbecue is “nothing to write home about”

Anna T./flickr …We’ll just assume you’ve never tried it then.

  1. Argue that Virginia doesn’t have any “real mountains”

Jim Lukach/flickr We’ll defend these beautiful blue peaks til the end of time.

  1. Order seafood from a chain, when dishes like this exist fresh from the Bay.

Johnny Silvercloud/flickr Opting for the fast food alternative is just foolish when we’ve got the real deal.

  1. Comment on the accent

Richard Nix/flickr The truth is, there are so many different accents in Virginia ranging from very southern to not at all. If you happen to hear a “y’all,” don’t assume everyone says it and definitely don’t start making fun.

  1. Claim that California is the only state that makes decent wine

Steve Bernacki/flickr The state has 230 wineries and counting. If you’ve never tasted Virginia wine, you owe it to yourself to do so soon.

  1. Construction traffic

VDOT Or really any traffic in general. It may be unavoidable, but we’re never too happy about it.

  1. Ask if Virginia has any real beaches

chrisforsyth/flickr There’s no point in even justifying this absurd question with an answer.

  1. Questioning the greatness of ham biscuits

stu_spivack/flickr Virginia ham is one of our finest products, and when paired with a homemade biscuit will create the most heavenly combination.

  1. Make fun of our state slogan

Frank Gruber Follow/flickr We’re probably too busy loving life to answer the ridicule anyway.

So what did you think? Are there any more items you’d add to this list of things that are sure to make a Virginian mad? We’d love to hear from you!

Wikicommons

This one’s a complicated issue and largely depends on who you’re talking to, but most Virginians will correct you when you deny its southern roots.

J. Sibiga Photography/flickr

Being southern doesn’t mean being an entirely rural state either. Venture into northern Virginia and you will truly feel as though you have entered a different part of the country. That’s just the beauty of living in a state as diverse as VA.

Diana Robinson/flickr

Jerry and Pat Donaho/flickr

There’s just no WAY it gets any prettier than this.

smilla4/flickr

It’s pretty simple: if you’d like to admire the view, there are plenty of pull-offs. And conversely, trying to speed down these roads is just downright dangerous.

Beth/flickr

Skip Steuart/flickr

Between Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and all the Presidents who called Virginia home, it’s hard to know where to even begin with this one…

Daniel Novta/flickr

Why would you ever compromise the beautiful landscape??

Anna T./flickr

…We’ll just assume you’ve never tried it then.

Jim Lukach/flickr

We’ll defend these beautiful blue peaks til the end of time.

Johnny Silvercloud/flickr

Opting for the fast food alternative is just foolish when we’ve got the real deal.

Richard Nix/flickr

The truth is, there are so many different accents in Virginia ranging from very southern to not at all. If you happen to hear a “y’all,” don’t assume everyone says it and definitely don’t start making fun.

Steve Bernacki/flickr

The state has 230 wineries and counting. If you’ve never tasted Virginia wine, you owe it to yourself to do so soon.

VDOT

Or really any traffic in general. It may be unavoidable, but we’re never too happy about it.

chrisforsyth/flickr

There’s no point in even justifying this absurd question with an answer.

stu_spivack/flickr

Virginia ham is one of our finest products, and when paired with a homemade biscuit will create the most heavenly combination.

Frank Gruber Follow/flickr

We’re probably too busy loving life to answer the ridicule anyway.

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