Location is EVERYTHING from what I've read on here. I live in Northern California (the Bay Area/San Francisco) and I was getting the occasional dirty look or stare but have mostly gotten compliments galore! In fact, the people in my family that I thought would be vocal about it haven't said a word yet (except my grannie who said I look good *shock*)
Also, when I went back to work I expected some bad words but have gotten more compliments! I work in a beauty supply store and there have been a lot of hair dressers to compliment me on my hair as well as talk to me at length on maintenance such as cleaning and how-to's.
The positives have definitely outweighed the negatives in this go around.

I previously had backcombed dreads with wax and they were so gross they offended me as well as caused me to break out into hives so, I think that people just didn't say anything but I knew they were ghastly. No compliments whatsoever.

With my extensions I got compliments all the time but then again, they were all super outrageous colors and always decorated.

:P

People who don't know you will judge you on yourappearance. That's just human nature. We form stereotypes. It's your job to disprove theirpreconceivednotions about dreadies. I had a lot of people hurling abuse at me (far more than 1%), but I live in Ireland. I'm sure it's different in the states. And, you will be approached for drugs at some point. You will, however, get a lot of positive feedback. None of this matters... The dreads are for you, not for others.

1st off you do not want to lock it up the way your planning to thats a huge huge mistake

now for reactions 99% overwhe\lmingly possitive altho about 1/3 of thats more out of curiosity then anything else

then you have the 1% haters they will beam hate ate you

your family may not suport u not so much cause they fall into the haters category but because they fear the haters hatred being focused on them

there are 2 kind of people

type 1 asks a room with 10000 people in it do i look ok 9999 say you look great 1 says u look like shit type 1 person hears the yiu look great and dismisses the yiu look like shit comment

the other type ignores all the possitives and focuses on that 1 negative voice like its the only 1 that matters

sometimes your family cares tioo much about what that 1 negative voice in the crowd has to say

i would really advise you read the dreaducation page and absi]olutely do not crochet and if u were going to go to a salon cancle the appointnment imediately