Lived there for almost six years and thought the same thing especially during the winter. I loved the time I spent in Yucaipa -- short drive to snow and a short drive to Palm Springs.
It was definitely a shock to return this time for more than a couple of days and be able to visit places I used to go to all the time. There is definitely an immigration problem that won't quit. Not to mention prices in CA are skyhigh for property. The house we had built now is on the market for 3 1/2 times what we paid for it. That is obscene!
When I lived there all I could see were positives, but this trip showed me a side of SoCal that I had never experienced including during previous visits.
I live in the heart of flyover country now and everyone makes fun of us, but I wouldn't trade it for living on either coasts. Lived on both coasts and other places in flyover country and the two places that win the friendliest contest are TX and OK with NM a close second.
Will take my winters which are not all that bad and be happy that my kids went to schools in this part of the Country. That is not to say all of SoCal schools are like that but the feeling we got shopping and visiting some other people was that some kids need responsible parents and some discipline in their lives.
We go shopping in Dallas/Fort Worth a lot and have never witnessed the rude, obnoxious behavior that we saw from teenagers out there. Also drive in Dallas traffic but for the most part, drivers are not rude -- ditto San Antonio.
Just my opinion but it seems to be echoed by friends of ours that still live there that are looking to move along with the people we met at the NAS who love the weather but want out of San Diego for a host of reasons including costs and schools.
Well, as I said or implied, "to each his/her own". I've visited many places where I would not choose to live, but I find no need to spend time talking about it or making comments about how the inhabitants tolerate it.
Chances are very great that I would find Oklahoma uninhabitable. It's all relative. There are negatives everywhere and you simply exchange some for others.
My whole purpose for posting here was to say that the California bashing is getting old. Why are we a free target? I bet you wouldn't like a turnabout.
You're a friend and I mean no hostility. I just want to say what I think needs to be said. :-)
BTW......East San Diego County and Yucaipa are not a whole lot like Carlsbad, Del Mar, La Jolla and so on. One or two cities or areas does not a state make.