Illinois has a lot of great things going for it. But a recent story from the Washington Post showed that half of people from Illinois want out. What gives? Well, there are some headaches to living in Illinois. If you’ve lived in Illinois, here are nine things you’ve grown to hate.
- Traffic
Steven Vance/Flickr This one is the worst in Chicago, obviously, but it’s bad everywhere. Long commutes, car accidents, and insane drivers all make driving not so fun. Public transportation, which is often crowded and unreliable, doesn’t make life much easier.
- Construction
Chad Kainz/Flickr Guys, what are we constructing? All the time, this state is in the midst of improvements. Yet, each winter, at least one person I know gets a flat from potholes. What gives?
- Weather
ocean yamaha/Flickr The weather in Illinois is not so nice. Winter is cold, windy, and can sometimes result in a Snowpocalypse. Weather can change from moment to moment, where you’re in a winter jacket and two hours later you’re in a t-shirt. It’s crazy.
- Sports Curses
Mike Morbeck/Flickr We shouldn’t complain too much, as we’ve had some of the best teams in sports history….the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s and the 1985 Bears. Also, the Blackhawks just won and the Cubs are getting significantly better. BUT we hate how close we get without closing the deal. The Cubs this year. The year the Bears went to the NFC Title game and lost to the Packers. Derrick Rose. Sheesh.
- Springfield
Jeff Sharp/Flickr I don’t care what side of the aisle you’re on, we can all agree that Springfield is maddening. There’s always some kind of corruption scandal or inability to get things done. They won’t even pay out lotto winnings. What the heck is going on down there?!
- Crime
booturtle/Flickr The crime rates in Illinois are unbelievable. Chicago and Rockford are horrible, but other Illinois cities are dangerous as well. We are sick of it.
- Parking
Mark Turnauckas/Flickr Street parking in Chicago is ridiculous. Parking prices at meters are SO ridiculous that people actually go into debt now to pay for parking! That’s crazy. It’s often better to not even have a car, especially if you are in the city.
- Lack of jobs
Clementine Gallot/Flickr This is one of the big reasons people cited for wanting to move out of the state. Unemployment stinks. Illinois’ recovery is 2.5 years behind the nation’s.
- People who call Chicago Chi-Town.
Chris Oakley/Flickr If you don’t live in Illinois or you’re Kanye West, you might call Chicago Chi-Town. Try living here and hearing that. It’s annoying.
What things do you hate about Illinois? And alternatively, what are some positives you can find in these negatives? Let us know in the comments.
Steven Vance/Flickr
This one is the worst in Chicago, obviously, but it’s bad everywhere. Long commutes, car accidents, and insane drivers all make driving not so fun. Public transportation, which is often crowded and unreliable, doesn’t make life much easier.
Chad Kainz/Flickr
Guys, what are we constructing? All the time, this state is in the midst of improvements. Yet, each winter, at least one person I know gets a flat from potholes. What gives?
ocean yamaha/Flickr
The weather in Illinois is not so nice. Winter is cold, windy, and can sometimes result in a Snowpocalypse. Weather can change from moment to moment, where you’re in a winter jacket and two hours later you’re in a t-shirt. It’s crazy.
Mike Morbeck/Flickr
We shouldn’t complain too much, as we’ve had some of the best teams in sports history….the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s and the 1985 Bears. Also, the Blackhawks just won and the Cubs are getting significantly better. BUT we hate how close we get without closing the deal. The Cubs this year. The year the Bears went to the NFC Title game and lost to the Packers. Derrick Rose. Sheesh.
Jeff Sharp/Flickr
I don’t care what side of the aisle you’re on, we can all agree that Springfield is maddening. There’s always some kind of corruption scandal or inability to get things done. They won’t even pay out lotto winnings. What the heck is going on down there?!
booturtle/Flickr
The crime rates in Illinois are unbelievable. Chicago and Rockford are horrible, but other Illinois cities are dangerous as well. We are sick of it.
Mark Turnauckas/Flickr
Street parking in Chicago is ridiculous. Parking prices at meters are SO ridiculous that people actually go into debt now to pay for parking! That’s crazy. It’s often better to not even have a car, especially if you are in the city.
Clementine Gallot/Flickr
This is one of the big reasons people cited for wanting to move out of the state. Unemployment stinks. Illinois’ recovery is 2.5 years behind the nation’s.
Chris Oakley/Flickr
If you don’t live in Illinois or you’re Kanye West, you might call Chicago Chi-Town. Try living here and hearing that. It’s annoying.
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