People in laundromats

[Can't Know]

If you really want to see a cross-section of your community, don't bother with Wal-Mart, go to the laundromats. Particularly if you live in a really cross-cultural area.

I live in a small apartment complex so I can walk to work (most of the time). While there is a laundry room on the premises, it's under-equipped (four washers/dryers, all medium capacity, for 28 units...you do the math) and not terribly convenient, so I generally load up the car and hit the laundromat.

It's often a free-for-all in there. Mom brings the kids along and they run wild (I recall going to the laundromat with my mom when I was young, but boy, I had to help her and if I didn't have to, I was expected to behave), people commandeer two or three laundry carts even though all of their clothes are in machines, arguments break out over people encroaching on someone else's "space", etc.

Last night really stood out, though. A middle-eastern woman (can't be more specific than that, I didn't recognize the language though she also spoke English) brought her two young sons with her. She allowed them to bring in their little scooters, and they proceeded to race around the place, bumping into people, laundry carts, etc. Her only comment to them was, "Don't go outside." Most of the rest of the people, myself included, kept to themselves, glancing at her with an eye roll or two, but eventually I think someone said something to the management as the kids suddenly stopped riding around. Or maybe one of them ran over her toe...

I don't know ME culture, but I'm dumbfounded that such activities wouldn't be frowned on anywhere on the planet. Boys will be boys (and both of these were adorable, just being boys), and it's the responsibility of parents to guide and direct them. Why that mom didn't seem to give a rip I don't know, but I'm going to guess they don't get to act that way at home.

Anyway, for true down-to-earth entertainment, save a washload or two and visit your local laundromat. You never know what you'll find...but I can tell you you'll never see a supermodel there.

[MTI]

Laugh Break

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by Can't Know

If you really want to see a cross-section of your community, don't bother with Wal-Mart, go to the laundromats. Particularly if you live in a really cross-cultural area.

I live in a small apartment complex so I can walk to work (most of the time). While there is a laundry room on the premises, it's under-equipped (four washers/dryers, all medium capacity, for 28 units...you do the math) and not terribly convenient, so I generally load up the car and hit the laundromat.

It's often a free-for-all in there. Mom brings the kids along and they run wild (I recall going to the laundromat with my mom when I was young, but boy, I had to help her and if I didn't have to, I was expected to behave), people commandeer two or three laundry carts even though all of their clothes are in machines, arguments break out over people encroaching on someone else's "space", etc.

Last night really stood out, though. A middle-eastern woman (can't be more specific than that, I didn't recognize the language though she also spoke English) brought her two young sons with her. She allowed them to bring in their little scooters, and they proceeded to race around the place, bumping into people, laundry carts, etc. Her only comment to them was, "Don't go outside." Most of the rest of the people, myself included, kept to themselves, glancing at her with an eye roll or two, but eventually I think someone said something to the management as the kids suddenly stopped riding around. Or maybe one of them ran over her toe...

I don't know ME culture, but I'm dumbfounded that such activities wouldn't be frowned on anywhere on the planet. Boys will be boys (and both of these were adorable, just being boys), and it's the responsibility of parents to guide and direct them. Why that mom didn't seem to give a rip I don't know, but I'm going to guess they don't get to act that way at home.

Anyway, for true down-to-earth entertainment, save a washload or two and visit your local laundromat. You never know what you'll find...but I can tell you you'll never see a supermodel there.

I have observed some ME people with male children in action. I concluded that perhaps they did not believe women should discipline male children. I could be all wrong about that but I just surmised that might be the case.

[Jorn]

Originally Posted by Can't Know

If you really want to see a cross-section of your community, don't bother with Wal-Mart, go to the laundromats. Particularly if you live in a really cross-cultural area.

I live in a small apartment complex so I can walk to work (most of the time). While there is a laundry room on the premises, it's under-equipped (four washers/dryers, all medium capacity, for 28 units...you do the math) and not terribly convenient, so I generally load up the car and hit the laundromat.

It's often a free-for-all in there. Mom brings the kids along and they run wild (I recall going to the laundromat with my mom when I was young, but boy, I had to help her and if I didn't have to, I was expected to behave), people commandeer two or three laundry carts even though all of their clothes are in machines, arguments break out over people encroaching on someone else's "space", etc.

Last night really stood out, though. A middle-eastern woman (can't be more specific than that, I didn't recognize the language though she also spoke English) brought her two young sons with her. She allowed them to bring in their little scooters, and they proceeded to race around the place, bumping into people, laundry carts, etc. Her only comment to them was, "Don't go outside." Most of the rest of the people, myself included, kept to themselves, glancing at her with an eye roll or two, but eventually I think someone said something to the management as the kids suddenly stopped riding around. Or maybe one of them ran over her toe...

I don't know ME culture, but I'm dumbfounded that such activities wouldn't be frowned on anywhere on the planet. Boys will be boys (and both of these were adorable, just being boys), and it's the responsibility of parents to guide and direct them. Why that mom didn't seem to give a rip I don't know, but I'm going to guess they don't get to act that way at home.

Anyway, for true down-to-earth entertainment, save a washload or two and visit your local laundromat. You never know what you'll find...but I can tell you you'll never see a supermodel there.

Man, first the assault on christmas, then they train the national guard to fight the 2nd amendment lover boys and now those bastards are taking over our beloved laundromats. Is nothing sacred anymore in this country?

BTW you should visit a laundromat in my hood, full of hotties...you would think it's a Victoria Secret Xmas show.

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by Jorn

Man, first the assault on christmas, then they train the national guard to fight the 2nd amendment lover boys and now those bastards are taking over our beloved laundromats. Is nothing sacred anymore in this country?

BTW you should visit a laundromat in my hood, full of hotties...you would think it's a Victoria Secret Xmas show.

Oh yeah. y9ou are probably right, that's Hollywood, Santa Monica, BH and the Westside you are talking about.

Nothing but snow and rain up here these days. I've heard the weather is warm and sunny down South about now.

I'd been thinking about hopping over to Palm Springs for a little while for a taste of sunshine.

But, THAT sounds a lot better. ( ) Plus it's way past time to put my SEC car cover in one of those big HD-type washing machines, and get it taken care of. It's awful dusty.

Could be a fun road trip. I like LA weather, and haven't been back since early December I think,

[Jorn]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

Oh yeah. y9ou are probably right, that's Hollywood, Santa Monica, BH and the Westside you are talking about.

No boring West Side for this hipster, East Side all the way.

[INSIDIOUS]

As interesting as your experience was, I'll guess the laundromats are not on average attendance "a cross-section of your community" or any. Most people seeing poverty in the rear view mirror with some distance seldom attend. In fact making the investment in laundry machines if possible is a long term financial benefit - like not borrowing money and the like. Some better off people use them for the nasty jobs, only. Some because of circumstance like: travel, school, or what ever. I'd bet serious money there is a strong inverse correlation between wealth and attendance. Most people who don't have to attend, do not. Unless you are in Jorn's neighborhood. What was that zipcode again?

[kerry]

I have an upper class Pakistani/American female acquaintance who complains that at her local mosque the women's section has been taken over by immigrants who have no idea how to discipline their children. She wont go there anymore.

[E150GT]

Back in 2010 I was renting an apartment and I hadn't yet purchased a washer and dryer so I frequented the laudromat. I was in an area of somewhat older money with nice houses and good schools but also a lot of apartments in the area so the mix of people was good. I never had a bad experience there but I was definitely persuaded to purchase a washer and dryer quicker than I initially planned.

[cmac2012]

Originally Posted by Jorn

BTW you should visit a laundromat in my hood, full of hotties...you would think it's a Victoria Secret Xmas show.

Years ago when I live near the U Cal a laundromat I frequented often featured hotties with time on their hands.

[kerry]

We use laundromats when we travel in our camper. It's a great place to meet the locals and get some insight into the local culture. I remember in particular a very nice older couple we met in the laundromat in Pictou, Nova Scotia.

[elchivito]

When I first moved to a remote corner of the Navajo Nation, I used to have to drive an hour to the nearest laundromat. I'd be the only male and only non-Navajo in the place. It was a hoot watching old ladies dripping in silver and turquoise washing hand made navajo blankets (that collectors would pay thousands for) and home tanned sheepskins in those big industrial sized washers. I bought a set of machines after my first year and hauled them up there. It got old....

[t walgamuth]

When I was young and divorced I met a young woman here in Lafayette at the Laundromat. She was tall and pretty good looking with an excellent figure. We talked and I learned that she was a nude model for the art classes over at Purdue. I cannot remember why I never went out with her because the door seemed open to that....perhaps it was a little too open for my (relatively) conservative values.

[kerry]

You could have at least signed up for the art class.

[Can't Know]

Originally Posted by MTI

Laugh Break

That was pretty funny, but sad, because it really points out how stupid we were a couple of generations back...and you still see some of that attitude nowadays. The area I live is seriously diverse, the laundromat is owned by a family from Turkey and most of the patrons are Asian (predominantly Filipino) with a mix of ME, black and hispanic. I'm often the only white person there.

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I have observed some ME people with male children in action. I concluded that perhaps they did not believe women should discipline male children. I could be all wrong about that but I just surmised that might be the case.

That's as good an explanation as I can muster, and I hadn't thought about it from that perspective. Of course that's because it's nonsensical, but much of tribal culture seems that way to westerners.

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS

As interesting as your experience was, I'll guess the laundromats are not on average attendance "a cross-section of your community" or any. Most people seeing poverty in the rear view mirror with some distance seldom attend. In fact making the investment in laundry machines if possible is a long term financial benefit - like not borrowing money and the like. Some better off people use them for the nasty jobs, only. Some because of circumstance like: travel, school, or what ever. I'd bet serious money there is a strong inverse correlation between wealth and attendance. Most people who don't have to attend, do not. Unless you are in Jorn's neighborhood. What was that zipcode again?

I didn't mean to imply that it was a statistically perfect cross-section, and indeed, no place you go to really could be. Merely that you're more likely to see the diversity in cultures, though not necessarily from a socioeconomic standpoint. Although I'm well above the lower end of the economic strata (not many Mercedes in the lot at the laundry), and I could easily afford the appliances, I can't put a washer/dryer in my apartment. I choose to live there because it's close to work. Commutes in this area absolutely suck, and home prices are insane, so I just stay put. You can rest assured that when I retire or quit I'll be gone pretty quickly.