For one thing, the surroundings would seem so familiar. After my recent visit, I can tell you many of the essentials for the Silicon Valley experience are in place in greater Chicagoland. SUVs outnumber people. Webvan arrived this month. Cell phoners have branched out from weaving wildly on the road while talking, to weaving wildly in the supermarket while talking.
Traffic is horrible.
Yes, worse than here. And everywhere I drove at whatever time, I was stuck in traffic. More comfort still, Chicago drivers beat us again when it comes to idiocy and treachery on the roads. A Chicago driver would rather drive through your rear bumper than wait a second for you to move after a light changes to green. Monster houses are devouring the suburbs.