What is wrong with Charleston?

[emilybh]

Originally Posted by waccamatt

Sullivan's Island definitely faces the Atlantic Ocean. If you saw other land you were either on the southwest corner of the island facing Charleston Harbor or the west/northwest side of the island facing Mt. Pleasant. Obviously, all of the island doesn't face the Atlantic.

That map is very general. Yes I concede that PART of Sullivan's Island is on the ocean. However, that map is wrong about James Island extending to the ocean. The whol e southern section of James Island is protected by Morris Island and by Folly Island. Unless you count a tiny section which is probably all marsh by the entrance to the Stono River, James Island hardly has miles of beaches on the ocean. Rather there are miles of marshes on rivers and creeks. Folly Island with Folly Beach is the only place anywhere near James Island with miles of beaches on the ocean that you can drive to anyway.

[DJShymansky]

Yes, parts of Sullivan's beach looks across the harbor.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by emilybh

That map is very general. Yes I concede that PART of Sullivan's Island is on the ocean. However, that map is wrong about James Island extending to the ocean. The whol e southern section of James Island is protected by Morris Island and by Folly Island. Unless you count a tiny section which is probably all marsh by the entrance to the Stono River, James Island hardly has miles of beaches on the ocean. Rather there are miles of marshes on rivers and creeks. Folly Island with Folly Beach is the only place anywhere near James Island with miles of beaches on the ocean that you can drive to anyway.

I posted the map to show that Sullivan's Island faces the Atlantic, which it illustrates.

[BrickG]

Originally Posted by karenina

I just moved here from California for my Fiance's School and I hate it! My career in corporate health and fitness doesn't exist here and i have been looking for a job with decent pay to be able to cover our bills and nothing is available. To top it off, the city stinks, traffic sucks and we just had our bike stolen off of our front porch. What is wrong with this place?!!! Crime goes unnoticed, the majority of people don't care about the environment, you can still smoke and endanger others health indoors, and people leave their trash everywhere. Can someone help me to figure out this place? I've never lived anywhere like this, where it seems like people just don't care about anything but drinking, smoking, and themselves!!!!!

When you move out of Charleston, make sure that you learn about the next place before you move there. This reminds me of the story of a family arriving at a town and asking a native how they would like living there. The answer came from the family's attitude. Not the town. You made a major move and don't like it? Man, next time visit and stay a while before you move to a place.

[BrickG]

Originally Posted by karenina

I just moved here from California for my Fiance's School and I hate it! My career in corporate health and fitness doesn't exist here and i have been looking for a job with decent pay to be able to cover our bills and nothing is available. To top it off, the city stinks, traffic sucks and we just had our bike stolen off of our front porch. What is wrong with this place?!!! Crime goes unnoticed, the majority of people don't care about the environment, you can still smoke and endanger others health indoors, and people leave their trash everywhere. Can someone help me to figure out this place? I've never lived anywhere like this, where it seems like people just don't care about anything but drinking, smoking, and themselves!!!!!

Quite a major move without checking things out. When you move out of Charleston, as I'm sure you will to restore your happiness, go to that place and stay a while before you move. Chances are that you will be able to make a more educated decision. Although, with your attitude, you may never be able to find a place that suits you.

[BrickG]

Originally Posted by charlc318

I've just spent a few days in Charleston and thought everyone was absolutely wonderful!!! Everyone has gone out of their way to be helpful and courteous. I'm excited about making the first "real" move of my life at the age of 48. I'm moving from MA...in the suburbs of Boston, and when I researched the Charleston area as a place to live, found it to be exactly as everyone says. I had a wonderful broker who drove me around for two days. The manager at the hotel and everyone who we came in contact with went above and beyond to explain situations to us and were most helpful. My only complaint, and I never thought I'd ever say this, was the drivers were not very courteous and the driving in the Charleston area was worse than driving in Boston and Boston is one of the worst places to drive in this country!!! They will run you off the road and run you over if you are walking, rather than be courteous and give one the right of way. We were just very happy that the people were very wonderful outside of their cars!!!LOL!!! We saw so many accidents the few days that we were in the area. I have a very heavy Boston accent and I never felt discriminated against and everyone was very excited to hear that I had chosen their area to move to and responded with, "you will love it here and I hope to see you again". I do believe that it does have a lot to do with one's attitude...I went with the attitude that I was going to love it and we chatted with anyone who was a willing participant. I do hope that you find the area for you and your fiance...change is not easy for anyone.

You are the kind of person that will LOVE Charleston! Welcome to SC!

[jeanneac]

I gew up and lived in Charleston for over 40 years and moved away 12 years ago. Now that I have lived in several other places in the southeast, I feel differently about Charleston. On the negative, yea, SC needs stronger anti-tobacco laws!!!!!!! It is also pretty high up on the crime list, which really doesn't surprise me. Most cities of any size have crime, that is everywhere. Sometimes though, in Charleston, there would be some serious random crimes. In other towns, it isn't usually random, it is from bad family/acquaintances/unsafe neighborhood.
I would consider moving back to Charleston. Comparitively speaking though, the real estate is very overpriced. You get so much more for your money elsewhere. When I look back at where I was and was not happy, it was more to do with good friends and happy times, not about the location. I guess most of us like living near people who are like us. I have found good friends and good people in all places that I have lived despite all the negative things about the communities. I have also known not so nice people where I have lived and had nasty neighbors. It is more about people and not the location per se.