Since the regional forum system was set up, there has been an ongoing discussion about having a Mid-Atlantic forum. The states around the Chesapeake Bay tend to see themselves as a coherent region, with common interests. Distinct from the southeast of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, and distinct from the northeast of New Jersey, New York and New England. The current division between northeast and southeast occurs at the Potomac River and splits the Washington, DC area in two. Postings of interest to riders in the region are often posted in one forum (missing the other) or in both (double posting) or for lack of a better home, in one of the non-regional forums (commuting, road, etc.) Talk of having a separate forum has been going on for over a year. The Mid-Atlantic roll-call has grown to nearly two hundred names.
I think it is time that we decide what we want. To keep the structure the same or ask for a change.
The BF administrator has asked that we get a consensus on:
1) if we want a separate Mid-Atlantic forum,
and if yes,
2) what geographic area that forum would cover.
I'd like invite everyone concerned to discuss, express their opinions, say yay or nay. Please keep posts polite and to the topic. Since this proposal affects two existing forums, I'm double posting this in both northeast and southeast. Please join in either or both threads (I'd like to do it all in one thread, but we don't have a forum for it yet :D)
The goal is to discuss and get to some consensus.
I'll throw out the first pitch....
My preference would be a separate forum covering Virginia, DC, Maryland, and Delaware. This would be a clean break along state border lines. Since I live 10 miles as the wheel rolls from the Potomac River, the current split has been more than a little inconvenient. My regular riding range goes from the Shenandoah Valley to Baltimore, Fredericksburg to Gettysburg. I would still visit other forums, particularly northeast and great lakes, but I'd like a forum that I can call home.
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content here.
Mid-Atlantic region would be my choice since we are already known as that area.
cc_rider
Mid-Atlantic region would be my choice since we are already known as that area.
That's my feeling. There already is a common cultural identity around the Chesapeake Bay.
tulip
Count me in, although Richmond is actually in the South and Delaware I count as the North.
JimF22003
Vote for Mid-Atlantic. I generally read the SE and forgot to check the others, and miss the MD stuff. Your state breakdown is fine.
kevcp
I would include West Virginia into the Mid-Atlantic region also...
bld61
I would include West Virginia into the Mid-Atlantic region also...
I would agree with this.
Little Darwin
What you are suggesting for Mid-Atlantic sounds more like DC Metro to me. :)
Spread it out a bit, and I could see it, but you are suggesting an area smaller than most states as your own personal region... Who do you think you are? Northern California? ;)
bld61
We're talking about the middle of the east coast. From like North Carolina to Maryland. If this is DC metro I need to move. That would be like saying you live in a suburb of New York.
JimF22003
Right. When I'm trying to scope out century rides or other routes that I could plausibly drive to for a weekend I look up to Pennsylvania, Delaware, or south to NC, SC and maybe west to WV. I wouldn't consider CT, NY, MA to be in the same ballpark geographically.
cranky old road
Last time you Virginians tried to secede, it didn't go too well. It's okay with me, just don't try to take the Carolinas with you this time.
piper_chuck
No matter where you place the dividing line you'll have some that are on the border, but it's obvious that the current Northeast/Southeast split isn't granular enough. Mid-Atlantic seems like a good designation.
Velo Vol
There's not really a clean place to draw lines, particularly if you don't want to divide states.
I generally consider the following states to be in the "Mid-Atlantic" region:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
West Virginia
Virginia could go in that group, but I associate it more with the southeast.
tulip
There's not really a clean place to draw lines, particularly if you don't want to divide states.
I generally consider the following states to be in the "Mid-Atlantic" region:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
West Virginia
Virginia could go in that group, but I associate it more with the southeast.
DC??
Parts of Virginia are definitely more tied to DC Metro, but other parts consider themselves mid-atlantic. I don't consider NY, NJ mid-atlantic at all; they are northeast. DELMARVA + DC would be a good starting place.
riderx
I posted this in the Northeast forum as well:
A Mid-Atlantic split would be good, I don't use this forum because it covers way too much geography to seem useful to me. I'd vote the following to be included:
MD
PA
DC
VA
DE
WV
Velo Vol
DC??
Parts of Virginia are definitely more tied to DC Metro, but other parts consider themselves mid-atlantic. I don't consider NY, NJ mid-atlantic at all; they are northeast.
Yes, DC should be included too.
Do you consider NY and NJ to be part of "New England"?
WheresWaldo
Yes, DC should be included too.
Do you consider NY and NJ to be part of "New England"?
I am a native NYer now living in NC. I consider my birthplace as NE and proud of that fact. I have never heard any NYer refer to themselves as a mid-Atlantic state.
TrekDen
If this goes thru, you guys better come up with a catchy nickname to go with it. I kind of like being a Nor'Easter. Somehow Mi-Lantic sounds too much like a fiber supplement, so I'll be voting no on this one.
piper_chuck
Do you consider NY and NJ to be part of "New England"?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! :mad:
cc_rider
I am a native NYer now living in NC. I consider my birthplace as NE and proud of that fact. I have never heard any NYer refer to themselves as a mid-Atlantic state.
And when I was growing up in New Jersey we often considered ourselves to be mid-Atlantic.
Maybe that was our way of being Not New York.:D
bld61
Well here's another view of the area.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_States
Velo Vol
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_States
I agree with Wikipedia, because it agrees with me. ;)
cc_rider
People posting here may also want to visit the sister-thread in the northeast forum. There has been a bit a resistance to changing the current system, especially from people in NY and PA and a few from MD around Baltimore. An opinion expressed by some is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". IMHO it is broke and we do need to fix it.