1. Everyone In Vancouver Really Wishes You Would All Get A Map
Vancouver shares its name with Canada’s Vancouver, both named in honor of sea captain George Vancouver. Duh. So it’s no surprise that the people in Vancouver, WA often get their city mistaken for the other one. And they’ve even gotten fairly used to it.
But for some reason their city gets confused for a lot of other areas, too, which drives them absolutely insane. In order to save themselves from endless explanations, they’ve started to wear shirts that read:
Vancouver: Not B.C.
Washington: Not D.C.
Clark County: Not Nevada
Near Portland: Not Maine
And they’ll usually just say they’re from Portland, to avoid the entire conversation. Which doesn’t make them happy either, since...
2. Vancouverites Fight With Portland Like Siblings Over The Last French Fry...
People in Vancouver think Portlanders are snobby, pretentious, and have too much of a superiority complex over them. They can’t stand all of the hipsters, tourists, the maddening traffic, and all of the snide remarks Portlanders make about their city.
But, as the city is technically part of the Portland metro area, Vancouverites have to deal with it on a daily basis, which only fuels their disdain even more.
The animosity between the two cities is why they call the Columbia River that separates them “the great divide.” Vancouverites prefer living on their side of the bridge. They don’t want to be Portland, they want to be The ‘Couve.
3. … But They Just Can’t Seem To Quit Portland, Either
As much as the people in the ‘Couve bicker with Portland, they can’t help but end up there quite a bit. They love to shop there and always seem to end up at to the community events and endless Portland festivals.
A lot of people from Vancouver work in Portland, too. About 30 percent of Portland’s workforce reside in Clark County, and most live in Vancouver.
So, it’s not that Vancouverites hate Portland. They actually like it a lot when the proximity works to their advantage. They just can’t stand all of the other nonsense that goes along with it and are happy to cross the bridge and go back home to the ‘Couve at the end of the day.
4. Everyone In Vancouver Loves Things That Go Boom!
People in Vancouver really love their fireworks. There are huge stands set up where locals stock up for the 4th of July, and no one flinches at the loud pop of an M80 because they’ve got some at home, too.
Even people from Oregon travel to here to load up on fireworks, since they’re illegal over state lines. Vancouver also puts on the biggest fireworks display west of the Mississippi every Fourth of July at the Fort, which no one in the ‘Couve misses.
The use of personal fireworks has recently been limited to only the Fourth of July now, despite residents’ heavy opposition. But Vancouverites were successful in fighting a ban on anything other than “safe and sane” fireworks within city limits. So, hold your ears on the Fourth, Oregon, it’s still going to be really loud.
5. Vancouverites Are Like The Einsteins Of Weed
Kermit the Frog must have never visited Vancouver, because it’s pretty easy being green here. Marijuana is legal in Washington and made Vancouver somewhat of a weed mecca, with its close proximity to the Oregon border.
The folks in the ‘Couve are an encyclopedia of knowledge when it comes to marijuana. If you don’t know what to get, they’ll tell you about every kind of green there is.
If they don’t already have it on them to give you (and, let’s face it, they probably do), they’ll tell you where to go and how much it’ll cost you. It’s not called “Vansterdam” for nothing!
6. Vancouverites Know How To Make The Best Of Every Situation
Vancouver should be the lemonade capital of the world, because when life gives them lemons, they know what to do with them.
“Raining again? No worries, it’s not a downpour.”
“Another downpour? That’s cool, I love epic downpours.”
“Got a job holding a sign on the street for a pizza shop? This is gonna be the best job ever.”
Anyone who drove through the Orchards area of Vancouver in the past five years knows that last one is true, after seeing the Little Caesar’s Pizza Guy. Somewhat of a local rock star, Todd Audas is famous for enthusiastically dancing on the street with his Little Caesar’s Pizza sign, rain or shine, always brightening up everyone’s day no matter how overcast the sky.
7. So Naturally, Vancouverites All Know How To Avoid Taxes
No one likes paying taxes. But people in Vancouver avoid them better than almost anyone else in the state or country. Washington State has no income tax, so they don’t have to pay it living in Vancouver. And Oregon doesn’t have sales tax, so all they have to do is cross the “great divide” when they need to buy something. And they do.
People in Vancouver will wait on a purchase, even one they really need, until they have the chance to get over to Portland to buy it. And if you’re working in Vancouver while living there, you get even more ‘Couve points because that means you’re dodging Uncle Sam better than you dodge the over-zealous kiosk salespeople at the Vancouver Mall.
8. Everyone Downtown Is Boring But They Like It
The downtown district of the ‘Couve isn’t nearly as bustling as its neighbor across the river. The whole city is a slower-paced, quieter way of life and the locals prefer to keep it that way.
They love being able to walk to their favorite coffee shop to look out at the view of Mt. Hood without being bothered with the crazy crowds and tourists that their surrounding cities deal with.
They’re often accused of being reclusive, homebody shut-ins, especially at night and during the winter, earning them a reputation pretty boring. But they’ll argue right back that they don’t want or need the scene of a big city. Enjoy that traffic, Portland!
9. The People In Vancouver Are Almost Chillier Than Their Weather
The people in Vancouver have a reputation for being polite, but not very friendly. Not rude—they’re just notorious for being not very social or overly-friendly. They call it “the freeze.”
But Vancouverites will tell you that they’re not being rude, they’re respecting your space and remaining unobtrusive. If you want to say “Good morning,” they’ll reciprocate. If you want to strike up a conversation, they’ll follow suit. If you need help with something, Vancouverites will be there with bells on.
But you’ll have to ask first, because they most likely won’t come to you. It’s just the Vancouver way.
10. Vancouverites Are Just A Little Bit Redneck
Along with “the ‘Couve,” Vancouver also gets called “Vantucky.” This nickname is usually used in more of a tongue-in-cheek way for outsiders to describe the city, since the locals are much more rural here than the surrounding cities and could be mistaken for residents of Kentucky.
And the name is pretty true. West Coast environmentalism be damned, the folks in Vancouver like their vehicles to guzzle as much gas as humanly possible. They like their 4x4’s loaded with bumper stickers, their parties loud, bars on the corner, fireworks from stands, and beer from plastic cups.
Everyone can say what they want, but the one thing you can’t call Vancouverites is pretentious.
