I thought it referred to DelMarVa when I first moved to Baltimore, but no, I don't find the acronym "stupid as fuck".

No one uses DMV to refer to the whole of the two states and the district. No one is confused by DMV. It’s just an easier way to say “DC Metro Area” in casual conversation. Delmarva is also just a different thing entirely and refers to the eastern shore. Under no other context would anyone need to associate those three states together. Also, it’s just not that serious of a thing in general so why are you so upset?

No. I don’t really think it’s that complicated? I didn’t know what it meant when I first moved to the area but I figured it out pretty quickly. It’s fine.

OP is losing his shit, lol. If stupid shit like this set you off, you need to go chill the fuck out.

... lol. This has to be one of the dumbest takes on this sub I've ever seen. And there is a lot of dumb stuff here. A lot. But this may very well take the cake.

It's much easier to type "DMV" than "the suburbs in and around DC." Much like it's much easier to type "DC" instead of "the District of Columbia." Or how "the UP" refers to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Or SoCal, SWFL, etc etc etc etc.

Doesn't it encompass everything that is a commute-able distance from DC? The long form is DC/MD/VA. It totally makes sense to me. Other than the fact that it is the same acronym as the Department of Motor Vehicles. Other places use terms like 4 corners or tri-state areas. What's the difference? It's just shorthand.

I think it accurately reflects two realities: (1) PG and MoCo are way more closely related to and involved with DC than they are Maryland. Kojo Namdi will host events at Silver Spring libraries. Never heard him talk about Baltimore. These counties also owe their existence to the federal government— nothing but farmland before the post-war / New Deal boom. (2) DC has been gentrified af in the last 20 years. To my ears, there is a direct correlation between that and the use of DMV. In fact I recall a song singing something like “now DC is the DMV” because that’s where a lot of former DC residents have moved, and similarly, where a lot of people from the DC area who previously would have moved to DC, now have to remain because the city has become a playground for the rich, non-locals who move here with dreams of getting caught up in a politician’s sex scandal.

My background: born in DC; moved to Wheaton in middle school; live in Baltimore now.

I don't think it's stupid and it doesn't bother me. I will say, having grown in up a state with a DMV (Division of Motor Vehicles) instead of the MVA, I still sometimes say/think DMV instead of MVA and get thrown for a loop when someone starts talking about the DMV as a locality.

nobody uses DMV to mean the entire region. the only people who really use it are people in moco and pg who don't want to say "i live in the suburbs"

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Yes, I find it annoying, but not surprising. The DC adjacent MD folks, love to distance themselves from the rest of the state, especially Baltimore. Just call it the DC metropolitan area.

I've always thought DMV was really stupid to be honest. I grew up in the city of Frederick and never heard "DMV" until about 10 years ago. I think "DC area" sounds a lot better. To me, DMV feels forced.