Long Island - Is it really that bad now? (New York: skateboarding, transfer)

[AverageJoe82]

In response to this overall thread, I've lived on LI for all of my 26 years. Truthfully I would say that in the past decade it has definitely gone downhill.
Been in Ronk the whole time, and within the past 5 or 6 years there's been alot of gang activity and general thuggery encroaching from Central Islip and Brentwood. Keep in mind i'm not being racist, but CI and Brentwood are notorious for such activities and Ronk is right in the middle of both. As time goes by the encroachment goes deeper into Ronk and general vandalism and theft is happening in areas that it never happened before. Last year my Christmas display on my front lawn was destroyed within one week of setting it. It cost me nearly $1000 in damages to my property and decorations (capped out at a total of $912). Driving home last night there was some stoned out kid riding a bike in the middle of my street in waving patterns on his cell phone, spitting on cars and flipping people off as they tried to get around him. Being that I have no patience for that bullsh*t, I flashed my brights, got right up on him and leaned on the good old horn of justice. He moved...off his bike and flat on his rear, much to my amusement. Wary of retaliation I circled the block for about 10 minutes so he wouldn't know I lived there.

That's how it has become in Ronk. I've received more property damage and my street has been vandalised more in the past few years than at any other time in the past 3 decades. I live North of the Expressway now, closer to the lake where it is generally considered to be a bit worse. I used to live South of it, more toward the lakeland park area where it was generally more peaceful, and you only really got roving bands of kids on the main road as opposed to causing a ruckus in smaller neighborhoods. But truthfully, if you want to come back to Long Island there are some decent places, but you'll want to avoid the following:

Mastic
Mastic Beach
Shirley
Gordon Heights
South Huntington
Huntington Station
Ronkonkoma
Middle Island
Port Jefferson Station
Brentwood
Bay Shore
Central Islip
Wyandanch
Bellport
Hicksville


Look for these areas:

Holbrook
North Babylon
Babylon Village
North Huntington
certain areas of Riverhead
Brightwaters
Certain areas of Deer Park
Dix Hills (if you're a multi-millionaire)
Ronkonkoma (south of the Expressway between Lakeland Park area and Ocean Avenue)

Do some research before coming back...if you've been gone from LI for a while, if you're just looking to move here or you're a current resident, be very careful in your choices. As soon as I build up a nest egg with my wife I am getting the f**k out of this place, between the ridiculous cost of living and the way my hometown and surrounding areas are becoming hives of crime.

[jared69sib]

From a young adult who has grown up and lived his whole life on Long Island's stand point:

Long Island was never that great......sure it can be beautiful, there is a lot to do, but there is a lot that can go wrong too. There are a lot of crooked people out here only interested in helping themselves. As far as low crime rates...most crimes here go unreported or never make it to the census. People here have gotten so frustrated with treatment even from law enforcement when reporting crimes, including robberies that most of us don't even waste the time reporting them. As a child I got beat up by thugs, was forced to fight in self-defense, and never had money to do anything positive. However, LI does have a great history and I enjoy taking bike rides through Wm. Floyd estates. It is kind of scary though when I pass a thug who feels the need to say something like "WTF you lookin at?" as I ride by minding my business and smiling.
The cost of living here makes it impossible for me to afford my own home, and I don't even understand how people can afford to rent when a mortgage would be cheaper. As much as I'd like to stay here, for my families sake, I am hitting the road. Traffic here is horrible, and I can not take all the fumes anymore. I am sick by the time I reach my destination. It should not take over any hour to drive 25 or 30 miles at ANY time of day. Which I really don't understand since road work is a never ending process here. Will they ever get the roads right? Does any one on LI use their brains anymore? I think ever one is so scared to lead in fear of losing the little grip they have on their extremely high priced possessions that ever one is just a follower, blocking out all thoughts that could be considered a "pipe dream". LOL.
People here are no longer happy. Everyone complains, but no one wants to take part in the solution. It's become a depressing place, and unless you come here for vacation, or come here with a good education, experience, and the ease of landing a good job it is a tough place to live, and competition is tremendous.
Surprisingly, I am one of the most positive and proactive people I know on Long Island, and I feel this place is really starting to bring me down. As far as the city goes....Who really would want to live in the Bronx or Yonkers? Yuck? Whenever I come home from a day or night in the city I want a shower right away, cuz I feel so dirty. It is so congested and polluted. Manhattan...yum....I really love walking down side walks with gum stains and garbage bags piled every where. LOL.
There are lots of nicer places, better for your kids to grow up, where the pay is good and living is easier, cleaner, more rewarding and filled with more positive things you can now afford to get your kids involved in. You want to see happy people? Go to West Texas. They are healthier, better lookin', and psychologically much more stable than majority of the people around LI. They are polite and have manners that New Yorkers long forgot about, and most importantly jobs are plentiful (paying top dollar) and gas is cheaper, lasts longer, and burns cleaner out there. No joke!

[jared69sib]

Originally Posted by AverageJoe82

In response to this overall thread, I've lived on LI for all of my 26 years. Truthfully I would say that in the past decade it has definitely gone downhill.
Been in Ronk the whole time, and within the past 5 or 6 years there's been alot of gang activity and general thuggery encroaching from Central Islip and Brentwood. Keep in mind i'm not being racist, but CI and Brentwood are notorious for such activities and Ronk is right in the middle of both. As time goes by the encroachment goes deeper into Ronk and general vandalism and theft is happening in areas that it never happened before. Last year my Christmas display on my front lawn was destroyed within one week of setting it. It cost me nearly $1000 in damages to my property and decorations (capped out at a total of $912). Driving home last night there was some stoned out kid riding a bike in the middle of my street in waving patterns on his cell phone, spitting on cars and flipping people off as they tried to get around him. Being that I have no patience for that bullsh*t, I flashed my brights, got right up on him and leaned on the good old horn of justice. He moved...off his bike and flat on his rear, much to my amusement. Wary of retaliation I circled the block for about 10 minutes so he wouldn't know I lived there.

That's how it has become in Ronk. I've received more property damage and my street has been vandalised more in the past few years than at any other time in the past 3 decades. I live North of the Expressway now, closer to the lake where it is generally considered to be a bit worse. I used to live South of it, more toward the lakeland park area where it was generally more peaceful, and you only really got roving bands of kids on the main road as opposed to causing a ruckus in smaller neighborhoods. But truthfully, if you want to come back to Long Island there are some decent places, but you'll want to avoid the following:

Mastic
Mastic Beach
Shirley
Gordon Heights
South Huntington
Huntington Station
Ronkonkoma
Middle Island
Port Jefferson Station
Brentwood
Bay Shore
Central Islip
Wyandanch
Bellport
Hicksville


Look for these areas:

Holbrook
North Babylon
Babylon Village
North Huntington
certain areas of Riverhead
Brightwaters
Certain areas of Deer Park
Dix Hills (if you're a multi-millionaire)
Ronkonkoma (south of the Expressway between Lakeland Park area and Ocean Avenue)

Do some research before coming back...if you've been gone from LI for a while, if you're just looking to move here or you're a current resident, be very careful in your choices. As soon as I build up a nest egg with my wife I am getting the f**k out of this place, between the ridiculous cost of living and the way my hometown and surrounding areas are becoming hives of crime.

I agree. As I said in my post too, crime on Long Island is high. It just goes unreported....
We have had our cars broken into with a full house. About 5 cars in the driveway, indicating lots of people home, and that didn't stop them. My brother and I separately returned home one night, and within a few hours his truck had been broken into and his stereo robbed. I have also had my car stereos in the past stolen in the middle of the day, and one time in front of my friends house. Which also shows you how grimy people can be. Even the people who are supposed to be your friends are looking out for there best interests. The high expenses on LI are fueling the crime and violence. Some people get caught or move away, but many more just try even harder at all the good peoples expense.

[dogcrazy]

I could not agree with your two posts more.Nice to know i'm not the only one who feels that way about LI.

[sean sean sean sean]

Originally Posted by jared69sib

As far as low crime rates...most crimes here go unreported or never make it to the census. People here have gotten so frustrated with treatment even from law enforcement when reporting crimes, including robberies that most of us don't even waste the time reporting them.

If that supposedly happens here, what makes you think it doesn't happen everywhere else in the country? Does it happen in West Texas? As you have noticed, the "census" crime statistics are very low.....that's because they don't exist. The US Census Bureau does not release, or keep track of, crime. Maybe you're right and people have just gotten tired of reporting murder after murder after murder. That must get so boring after awhile. Even though a mortgage is so much cheaper and easier to get than a rental, I'm still gonna take my chances here, so don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by jared69sib

From a young adult who has grown up and lived his whole life on Long Island's stand point:

Long Island was never that great......sure it can be beautiful, there is a lot to do, but there is a lot that can go wrong too. There are a lot of crooked people out here only interested in helping themselves. As far as low crime rates...most crimes here go unreported or never make it to the census. People here have gotten so frustrated with treatment even from law enforcement when reporting crimes, including robberies that most of us don't even waste the time reporting them. As a child I got beat up by thugs, was forced to fight in self-defense, and never had money to do anything positive. However, LI does have a great history and I enjoy taking bike rides through Wm. Floyd estates. It is kind of scary though when I pass a thug who feels the need to say something like "WTF you lookin at?" as I ride by minding my business and smiling.
The cost of living here makes it impossible for me to afford my own home, and I don't even understand how people can afford to rent when a mortgage would be cheaper. As much as I'd like to stay here, for my families sake, I am hitting the road. Traffic here is horrible, and I can not take all the fumes anymore. I am sick by the time I reach my destination. It should not take over any hour to drive 25 or 30 miles at ANY time of day. Which I really don't understand since road work is a never ending process here. Will they ever get the roads right? Does any one on LI use their brains anymore? I think ever one is so scared to lead in fear of losing the little grip they have on their extremely high priced possessions that ever one is just a follower, blocking out all thoughts that could be considered a "pipe dream". LOL.
People here are no longer happy. Everyone complains, but no one wants to take part in the solution. It's become a depressing place, and unless you come here for vacation, or come here with a good education, experience, and the ease of landing a good job it is a tough place to live, and competition is tremendous.
Surprisingly, I am one of the most positive and proactive people I know on Long Island, and I feel this place is really starting to bring me down. As far as the city goes....Who really would want to live in the Bronx or Yonkers? Yuck? Whenever I come home from a day or night in the city I want a shower right away, cuz I feel so dirty. It is so congested and polluted. Manhattan...yum....I really love walking down side walks with gum stains and garbage bags piled every where. LOL.
There are lots of nicer places, better for your kids to grow up, where the pay is good and living is easier, cleaner, more rewarding and filled with more positive things you can now afford to get your kids involved in. You want to see happy people? Go to West Texas. They are healthier, better lookin', and psychologically much more stable than majority of the people around LI. They are polite and have manners that New Yorkers long forgot about, and most importantly jobs are plentiful (paying top dollar) and gas is cheaper, lasts longer, and burns cleaner out there. No joke!

for any New Yorker planning on moving down South. What they say is really true. Oh, yeah, they are polite and nice to your face. What are they saying behind your back? You will be very surprised. Jobs are not plentiful either, certainly not in FLORIDA.

I lived in Smithtown for 20 years and raised my kids there. I really miss it and HOPE someday to move back. Has it really changed that much in just ONE YEAR since I lived there? Besides, you also have the neighboring towns of St. James, Kings Park, Commack, and Hauppague; none of which are exactly slums.

I was born and raised in Manhattan. I must commend the past two Mayors on the improvements seen in the past 10 years. If you think it is dirty and disgusting, you must not have been there in the 70s. Yet even back then it was still ALIVE!, which is more than I can say about a lot of other places, including where I am now.

A New Yorker FOREVER.

[VinnyD]

Having live on LI most my life and now in another state, and i go back to visit LI alot i notice alot of changes. I grew up in suffolk county where you were able to get a house with land and there was actually some wilderness. Now i go home i an sick what i see. seems where ever there use to be some land they built some kind of strip mall on it or houses. now everything is on top of eachother its starting to look like Nassau county. prop taxes keep going up and up and up. It also cost my parents over 1300 each time to get heating oil for there house and its only going to get more expensive. the LIE is nothing more then a big parking lot, and the northern and southern pkys are just as bad now. You drive down any block and you will find at least 6 houses for sale people cant afford to live there anymore.
Crime seems to get worse but Nassau-suffolk still make the safest place to live in the us year after year, just have to know what towns to avoid and you will be fine. LI is a really nice place you just have to deal with high taxes long commutes and high prices.

[naturely]

Originally Posted by VinnyD

Having live on LI most my life and now in another state, and i go back to visit LI alot i notice alot of changes. I grew up in suffolk county where you were able to get a house with land and there was actually some wilderness. Now i go home i an sick what i see. seems where ever there use to be some land they built some kind of strip mall on it or houses.

just have to know what towns to avoid and you will be fine. LI is a really nice place you just have to deal with high taxes long commutes and high prices.

I agree with this, but would like to know what those "places to avoid are" - maybe a new thread?

I think what is sad is that LI has so much promise and was probably once a gorgeous place, but due to very very poor city planning, most of the land seems ruined. When you drive east you get a picture of the things might have been: nice little homes from the -30s, farm land, clean air, huge trees, little towns. Then, a few miles later, it's the god-awful cookie cutter 50's suburban Levittown type of sprawl spilling into strip malls, the houses hideously overpriced and overtaxed. People packed wall to wall, barely a backyard. The lack of viable downtown centers really disconnects people.
(Though Huntington seems to have one) Insane drivers weaving in and out of traffic with no highway patrol pressure like in most counties. LI could have been the coolest suburb ever, with a little planning and common sense.

[max7418]

Originally Posted by jared69sib

I agree. As I said in my post too, crime on Long Island is high. It just goes unreported....
We have had our cars broken into with a full house. About 5 cars in the driveway, indicating lots of people home, and that didn't stop them. My brother and I separately returned home one night, and within a few hours his truck had been broken into and his stereo robbed. I have also had my car stereos in the past stolen in the middle of the day, and one time in front of my friends house. Which also shows you how grimy people can be. Even the people who are supposed to be your friends are looking out for there best interests. The high expenses on LI are fueling the crime and violence. Some people get caught or move away, but many more just try even harder at all the good peoples expense.

I never reported the crime where me and my friends got knifes put to our necks at the 7-11 in Central Islip when we were 11 years old. My friends older brother ( 3rd precinct) put those mother ******* in a world of hurt and had misdemeanors charged against them. The oldest offender was 17. I grew up in Hauppauge schools right next to 7-11 in Central Islip. From one of my best friends older brother to the 2 cops in my family they assure me every time the conversation comes up to stay the hell away from CI.

[DykeRd]

I cant really comment on the state of Long Island decades ago compared to now, and even on different communites as I've only lived in Hauppauge and then on the water in Setauket in Strongs Neck.

If I didnt leave the small bubble that is Strongs Neck or East Setauket/ Port Jeff in general I would say all of Long Island is an amazing place. But in reality, theres areas that are trying to rival the Bronx in crime, drugs, and everything else. Large gangs, such as MS13 and others are on Long Island now. And in fact, Long Island has the largest concentration of this 100,000 member MS13 gang anywhere on the country except for areas of California where the gang originated. Theres also a large quantity of illegals here too.
The places I would definitely suggest avoiding are Hempstead, Wyandanch, Huntington Station and Port Jeff Station.