Wanna complain about Chicago? (Lincoln, Manhattan: how much, homes, transfer to)

[lululoo]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I didnt want to be the first to say something about the police response time, Im glad you did. LOL 5 hours?!?! Dont think so. Sorry, I just will never believe that.

sorry, but i was there. i watched and waited, called continually. why would i make that up? and if you pay attention to what i said, it wasn't a "murder" they were responding to, but a stabbing- he died in the hospital on arrival. again, many posters have cited police corruption, so why is it hard to fathom they wouldn't come right away, specifically to a location late at night on a street that was predominantly nonwhite? really guys, you weren't there. sorry to blow down some illusions.

and as far as parks, i agree that most "squares" were sadly attended patches of grass with a few stunted trees. i need more greenery, more hills, more flowers. i really used to like seeing the potted plants that some apartment dwellers would hang on/over their balconies because i missed color so much. i found the city very depressingly grey and brown. but that's just my opinion. when i got to san fransisco, golden gate park and the beaches were like a breath of fresh air. even in dc where i live now, the idea of "park" is much more lush and beautiful than any i saw in chicago. maybe its the short growing season? i dunno, but it sure made me mopey.

[j33]

Yeah, parkland per resident is something we are a bit low on. I came across an interesting article that laid it out.

When I visited Seattle recently, I found myself very impressed with how green the city is when it came to parkland within the city limits. They have some beautiful parks.

[Catherina]

Could someone tell me if Bucktown is a little safer than the above mentioned place. I´m also concerned about parks and being able to walk to basic places.I hear its artsy, does that make it bohemian? Thank you1 I´m moving there very soon and still debating between Lincoln park or somewhere similar, but specially safe!!

[lululoo]

Originally Posted by j33

Yeah, parkland per resident is something we are a bit low on. I came across an interesting article that laid it out.

When I visited Seattle recently, I found myself very impressed with how green the city is when it came to parkland within the city limits. They have some beautiful parks.

wow..interesting article! thanks for sharing.

i think lots of the park issue has nothing to do with chicago as a city but more as its location in the US. its in the midwest, the land is flat, and the growing season is certainly different than the coasts. as i said in my original post, i had never lived in the midwest before, and the landscape came as a shock. but i am sure if you are expecting it or grow up with it, chicago's parks are more than satisfactory. its all a matter of perception.

[WindyCityCoco]

Originally Posted by Milliano

I've never lived in Chicago. It interests me, but I thought I'd complain about a few things.
Transportation seems very poor. At least they have a detailed CTA, but it's poor quality. You can drive or take the El, but either way might be slower than your bicycle! I have no idea how any sane person can enjoy life if they commute to Chicago from the suburbs. And driving in the city, some streets may have two lanes but you can't fit two cars side by side half the time. A lot of people simply try to cut past each other in methods that do nothing but waste more time for the legal and ethical drivers while saving time for the *******s
For an American city it's not so bad, but it's disapointing that most of the middle and upper class (mostly white) residents are too scared of minorities to want to live within city limits. So most of the city is poor in a number of ways. It's also extremely segregated, based on past and present racism. White racism against blacks (real estate/CHA), black racism against hispanics (CHA), etc etc. I have to wonder about a racist element to the culture - with all ethnicities. For instance, in one afternoon riding my bicycle around Douglass, I was heckled on multiple occasions by young black males over the fact that I was white. I wasn't dressed inappropriately or acting improper or anything like that.
I don't know what it is... maybe I'm too picky... but in most of Chicago, if I ignored the cars, I'd think it was the early 1980s. It just looks so dirty, decrepit, and old. Even in decent neighborhoods, there are gang messages scribbled all over street signs. Doesn't seem to be good quality of life there. I haven't seen stats but the air seems a bit dirty, and what is that smell?? Though the lakefront is great.
The police are corrupt, and basically cause more crime, more gangs, and less support for the police ("stop snitchin") because of the negative public opinion that they generate with their unethical/illegal tactics of 'fighting crime' in black neighborhoods. Organized crime and gangs in Chicago rivals any city in North America.
My view may be unusual because perhaps unlike a lot of people, I actually browse throughout a city when visiting rather than staying in the wealthiest parts of town. This is a complaining thread so I'm saying negatives that come to mind... I don't necessarily dislike Chicago... I might move there actually.

With all due repsect if you have never lived in Chicago, how would you possibly know what you are talking about??????
The gold coast which happens to be less than a mile from Cabrini Green ( infamous housing project) happens to have more wealth than any other area of Chicago city. Nothing is more irratating than someone who has ABSOLUTELY no clue, offers up an uneducated, ignorant opinion of something. Guess what bad driving, crime, and gangs are in any city with more than 100,000 people ( do the research) Chicago is actually one the safest ciites for crime per person!!! Your comment " but it's disapointing that most of the middle and upper class (mostly white) residents are too scared of minorities to want to live within city limits." doesnt even make sense....how can they be resiednts of the city of if they are too scared to live in the city????? Think about it, that is a contradiction. I happen to live in Old Town which is also within a mile of Cabrini Green and there are plenty of educated white people living there. You failed to mention that we have some of the best Colleges in the country and our museums and theater rival the top cities in the world. We have a vibrant economy with an active trading financial district. Unrivaled architecture!!!! I think it sounds like you would be better suited in a small town. Quite frankly it takes a thick skin to live in a large city such as Chicago and New York an it sounds like you have a very thin skin....

[WindyCityCoco]

Originally Posted by Catherina

Could someone tell me if Bucktown is a little safer than the above mentioned place. I´m also concerned about parks and being able to walk to basic places.I hear its artsy, does that make it bohemian? Thank you1 I´m moving there very soon and still debating between Lincoln park or somewhere similar, but specially safe!!

Welcome! Chicago is a great place to live! Here is a website I used to research zip codes and see crime stats chicagocrime.org: Chicago crime database Bucktown and Wicker Park are VERY cool and trendy! You will get a little more for your money in Bucktown or Wicker park than you will in Lincoln Park. However the crime stats show Lincoln Park has less violent crime, and I have found that to be the case in my city travels. You do have to be careful anywhere. But this website should help you make a more educated decision. You can even zero in on a steet address and it will tell you every police report that was filed for that address or street. Hope this helps!

[Scribbler]

Originally Posted by Drover

I don't think you understand the full breadth of offenses for which you can receive a parking ticket in this town, many of which have nothing to do with the manner in which you've parked. You can get a parking ticket for having a "For Sale" sign in your car window. You can get a parking ticket for having tinted windows -- even if it's a factory tint. You can get a parking ticket for having a broken tail light. You can get a parking ticket for a missing front license plate. You can get a parking ticket for having an expired plate. You can get a parking ticket for parking your pickup truck on a residential street after 6pm. (I never figured out why you're allowed to park a 6,000lb hulking SUV on a residential street after 6pm, but not a Chevy El Camino or a Subaru Brat.) You can get a parking ticket for parking too close to a crosswalk even though you're several feet away from it and the curb isn't yellowed or there's no sign or any other indication that you're not supposed to park there except that you're expected to possess an encyclopedic knowledge the millions and millions of highly detailed parking regulations.

Thus illustrating my one true complaint regarding living in Chicago. The make-'em-up as they go parking restriction racket. The parking ticket con is probably pretty bad in many other urban areas, too, but it's an unabashed scam overall in Chicago. Fortunately, a very decent public trans system (regardless of what others may think of the El, I have no complaints) allows you to alleviate this concern by going carless.

[Scribbler]

Originally Posted by lululoo

i think lots of the park issue has nothing to do with chicago as a city but more as its location in the US. its in the midwest, the land is flat, and the growing season is certainly different than the coasts. as i said in my original post, i had never lived in the midwest before, and the landscape came as a shock.

The midwest's growing season is certainly long enough to make it a major agricultural region...

[M TYPE X]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I didnt want to be the first to say something about the police response time, Im glad you did. LOL 5 hours?!?! Dont think so. Sorry, I just will never believe that.

Wow, faster than the Chicago post office!

[NYrules]

My only complaints I really have are for one; the climate leaves much to be desired here. Our springs are basically non-existant unless you live about 60 miles inland and it is so darned cloudy here. I think I can honestly count on both hands and feet how many of the days here have 100% SUN per year heree, meaning not cloudy in the morning and sunny in the afternoon or sunny until about 1 PM then cloudy, but SUNNY from sun up to sun down. It just doesn\\\'t happen here.

The other complaint I have about this area is it\\\'s road system. The state of IL should be ashamed of itself for every allowing roads like I-55 for example to remain only 3 lanes on each side for this long. It is 2007, not 1957! What will it take for the state to wake up and realize that with all the development that has occured over the past 20 years in Romeoville, Lockport, Bolingbrook, etc. that I-55 needs to be at least 5 lanes on each side now not 20 years from now! There is plenty of room to widen this as there is enough wasted space in the median to house an additonal 2 lanes on each side of the freeway with a divider wall separating eastbound and westbound, so why do they (IDOT) leave it at 3 lanes on each side? Sticking their heads in the sand and hoping the problem will just go away on it\\\'s own is not a solution here or blamming people for moving out there is not an answer either. Roads should be in place first that are large enough to handle future demands, not build houses and stores first, create complete grid lock and then try to catch up with the roads.

Chicago is a huge city very comparable in size to NYC, yet sometime for ha has take a look at a map of NYC and compare it with Chicago. Lets count the freeways/tollways we have to get around on in the Chicago area. I-80, 94, 290, 294, 355, 90/94, 55, 88, 294 and yibbada yibbada yibbada thats all folks. Now look at NYC and Joy-zee. There are too many to even start to name. In fact there are so many freeways and tollways and beltways running all over the place that the map looks like a maze and is very confusing. Chicago needs more roads plain and simple. 355 is a step in the right direction with its extension, but will not solve the problem of lack of roads and too many drivers. We need more roads or at least wider ones! Conning people into taking mass transit isn\'t an option either because it ain\'t gonna happen plain and simple. SORRY! Its this simple, Chicagoans love their cars and aren\'t gonna give them up for anything. So that means clogged roads everywhere where EMS cannot get through, trucks can\'t deliver goods on time and run up larger transportation bills, people are late for work, kids are late for school, parents get to spend less time with their kids because they are stuck in traffic, and the beat goes on!

Other than for the crappy spring weather and 1950\'s road system, I love Chicago and think its a city headed in the right direction.