Positive thought on Baton Rouge. (Atlanta: crime, how much, home)

[Caa]

Hi Y'all. I have lived here a mere 4 years, we moved here right before Hurricane Katrina hit(5 months prior). Anyway, it seemed that Baton Rouge changed in the years follwing the hurricane(duh) For example, when we first moved here we were surprised by all the southern hospitility, then, boom, it was rudeness all around after the storm. Lots of negative things came from that storm, but lots of positives too. I think a lot of the "slummier" areas of NO got destroyed, forcing the people to move elsewhere like Atlanta and Houston. Some really got on their feet and now are much better off, some did not get on their feet and are still on welfare and trying to make it. I have noticed jus tthe past 6 months-people are saying hello on the streets agian, people are letting each other out in traffic again(almost non existent after katrina) and the general happiness and joy of people seems better. It may all be in my head, but my husband even mentioned how "back to normal" a lot of Baton Rougeans seem to be again. Even customer service at the Siegen Lane Wal-Mart has improved and I stood in the pet aisle and chatted with a nice old man who was also a customer, for 20 minutes about his new cat-that was the "old" Baton Rouge and now it seems to be becoming the friendly townit used to be, at least to me! Just a nice thought about this wonderful place we call home!

[MetroBTR]

Now that you bring it up, I have noticed it too.

[darylwi]

Same here. The city and its inhabitants seem a little more at east lately. And remember, we had our own rough storm to deal with just last September.

[BRMan]

I think we ought to keep bumping this thread, because the exaggerated negatives about BR get way too much coverage on this board. To the point that people coming to our town think they need a military escort to come here

[bustaduke]

Originally Posted by BRMan

I think we ought to keep bumping this thread, because the exaggerated negatives about BR get way too much coverage on this board. To the point that people coming to our town think they need a military escort to come here

bump

LMAOROF

You do know that this person is looking for a reaction????

busta

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by bustaduke

bump

LMAOROF

You do know that this person is looking for a reaction????

busta

The OP ? Absolutely. She's one of those who says POSITIVE things about BR.

[osunshine]

I have only have lived in Baton Rouge for 11 months and the first 6 months here I HATED it. Every where I went people were extremely rude, people in the grocery stores, cashiers, drivers ect.I have noticed customer service around town has become better and people are more friendly. But we are still having a hard time making friends; many locals still treat us as “out siders” and have not truly opened up or accepted us. We are here for the long run so I am hoping eventually to make some good life long friends eventually.

[Caa]

Originally Posted by osunshine

I have only have lived in Baton Rouge for 11 months and the first 6 months here I HATED it. Every where I went people were extremely rude, people in the grocery stores, cashiers, drivers ect.I have noticed customer service around town has become better and people are more friendly. But we are still having a hard time making friends; many locals still treat us as “out siders” and have not truly opened up or accepted us. We are here for the long run so I am hoping eventually to make some good life long friends eventually.

I am sorry to hear that. We moved here from south Florida and made friends very easily- to the point where we have a hard time just doing our own thing on the weekends! (but I am not complaining-I love having lots of friends). I do not know why it is hard for you, but it was pretty easy for us. When people found out we were from Florida they were intrigued as to why we would leave there to come here and I would say"how much time do you have?" South Florida is not at all what one pictures in their mind-it is too crowded, full of rude people who are not even from Florida, lots of immigrants that have it rougha sthey don't speak English and the weather never hardly gets below 90 even in the winter(here it gets into the 20 sometimes). Anyway, the way you feel may have to do with where you came from and what you are used to. Comparing Florida people to Louisiana people, well, the people here, to us, bend over backwards and are very friendly, I love the nod and hello that we get here(that was gone too and I have noticed a comback of the nod and hello-2 people did that just last night at dinner). I hope you don't give up on us-we really have had a hard time and are looking forward to better times ahead-good luck!

[raymondm]

i think the bad in new orleans and baton rouge is exaggerated, i moved from houston and thought i had to pack a pistol every where i go. its not like that, houston is far more worse houston has 400+ homocides with a pop of 2.5 or so million while new york has 8 or so million with jus 509 homocides. thats random stats, but it never get talked about like new orleans or baton rouge crime does, which can be misleading to tourist. but ayways when i lived in baton rouge i hated it my first week here i was called so many racial slurrs, i started to think it was my name. but after being in school for a while i got use to it and use to the bad drivers out there and met one of my best friend and i started having fun. going to nicholson lakes having parties and crawfish boils and i moved to the garden district and started having even more fun and houston is my second home but louisiana is second

[Jennifer2489]

Thank you for your positive outlook on Baton Rouge. This is my first day on this site and everything I have read about Baton Rouge up to this point has been negative. Baton Rouge definitely changed after Katrina but I think the negativity is horribly exaggerated. The fact is most of the people speaking about how terrible Baton Rouge has gotten are life-long residence of the city and have nothing to compare it to.

I love this town and feel extremely safe living here. Things may have changed after Katrina but they are continually getting better and our 'southern hospitality' is still here!