Great experience in Fort Myers. (Seminole, Fort Myers Beach: rental, crime, houses)

[tgvft]

From June 2nd to June 9th, I took a much needed vacation to Fort Myers. I rented a beautiful 3 wheeler and was all over the place, including Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, Sunsplash Waterpark, and managed to explore about half of Fort Myers. And the neighborhoods I leisurely explored on my bike include Pine Manor, Villa Capri, Broadway Circle, Bardens subdivision, Seminole Park, Allen park, Franklin park, Dunbar, and all areas near Edison Mall. Also checked out the Ricochet nightclub, Edison mall, and a few others.

[nomoresnow]

Glad you enjoyed! Come back and see us, ok?

[hiknapster]

A leisurely bike ride through Pine Manor and Dunbar? Seriously?

[yachtcare]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

A leisurely bike ride through Pine Manor and Dunbar? Seriously?

Leisurely....... cracks me up........
Maybe he had an armored personell carrier full of marines as an escort?....

[tgvft]

Yes, I very seriously took a couple leisure rolls through Dunbar and actually a few rides thru and around Pine Manor. No escorts, no police, no military personnell, no armor. Just me, my camcorder, my bag with bottled water, the clothes on my back, and my shiny red and white rental 3 wheel bicycle, and nothing crime wise encountered.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by tgvft

Yes, I very seriously took a couple leisure rolls through Dunbar and actually a few rides thru and around Pine Manor. No escorts, no police, no military personnell, no armor. Just me, my camcorder, my bag with bottled water, the clothes on my back, and my shiny red and white rental 3 wheel bicycle, and nothing crime wise encountered.

You should have stopped. The drug shillers will run right up to you.

I didn't say you would need armor. I just can't imagine why anyone would want to take a bike ride through there. I lived in Pine Manor for a month. After they stole my dog, then a week later our tv, video game system and a knife, while my husband slept (from the same room), we left. And that was in 1999.

[yachtcare]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

After they stole my dog,

WOW, Sorry about the losses Hik, but I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry at that one....

[TedTAce]

Originally Posted by yachtcare

WOW, Sorry about the losses Hik, but I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry at that one....

<lame joke>
Depends on if it was a 'family' or "security" pitt bull. If it was a 'family' pit bull, it is sad. If it was a "Security" pitt bull; it's freaking hilarious!!!
</lame joke>

[yachtcare]

Originally Posted by TedTAce

If it was a 'family' pit bull, it is sad. If it was a "Security" pitt bull; it's freaking hilarious!!!

Either way, I guess those guys were smarter than the average theif! Take out the early warning system first, then go back with a raiding party after a sufficient time has passed to lull the target into a false sense of security. The fact a knife was taken while one slept is also very disconcerting....... Speaks volumes about the neighborhood.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by yachtcare

Either way, I guess those guys were smarter than the average theif! Take out the early warning system first, then go back with a raiding party after a sufficient time has passed to lull the target into a false sense of security. The fact a knife was taken while one slept is also very disconcerting....... Speaks volumes about the neighborhood.

That's exactly what they did, although in the short term the dog wasn't affective, anyway. He was a puppy and they stole him our first full day while we were at work.

It was in 1999, and we didn't have a kid then. My husband had lived there for a short time, growing up, in the early 1980s. It wasn't a great place but it certainly wasn't that bad. So we decided to rent from a friend.

I didn't tell you the scariest part.

I wasn't home. They took my husband's pack of cigarettes while he slept. They were only inches from his head.

We got out the next day.

And the cops that handled it were horrible. That continued to be the situation with them for the ten years that I was in the area. I use to work closely with cops, and Lee County's are the worse I've ever seen. Fort Myers weren't bad and much better than the county, but most people don't live in the city and deal with them.

And the place is so much worse now. And Dunbar is worse than all of them.

Looking for houses in these two areas is ridiculous. The first time I drove through Pine Manor I didn't think it looked too bad, either. But the guys hanging down on MLK in Dunbar are very obvious. And once again, in Florida, things aren't always what they seem.

And if you are simply on vacation, I certainly don't see the point. Why the heck drive through the ghetto on vacation unless you are really, really looking for trouble. Crazy.

By the way, guys, we think it's hilarious,too. Enough time has gone by.