Comment by alisonatwork

This has happened to me numerous times based on prejudices people have about other countries or regions. But the funniest thing is that it even happens when you travel from one small town to the next small town, as has been parodied in comedies from The Simpsons to Corner Gas. I think it's a fairly basic fear to see places you don't visit often as threatening. For some reason it doesn't seem to be quelled by the easily verifiable fact that plenty of people live perfectly adequate lives in the other place.