I have never been a fan of HF either. It seems to be filled with an overwhelming majority of closed-minded users who act as if they are above everyone else.
Depends where you hang out. The idiots in the lounge? Yep. Their aggression is entirely dependent on your usergroup, which I find humorous more than anything. However if you stick to specific forums and prove you know your stuff, everyone will respect you.
Hack Forums is full of flamers and trolls. I hate it there, is why I moved over to Forum Korner last year. I used to be extremely active almost 4 years ago and cut back a year or so ago. When I was done being leader of various groups. You should just stick here and it will make your life easier and your online experience much, much better.