How is the Highland Park/Metuchen/Edison/New Brunswick area?

[mikieguns]

without getting into too many specifics, i am talking mostly about the south side and the recent population trend........

[victorianpunk]

If you have a kid, stick with Metuchen or Highland Park...I would say Metuchen more so, just because things are a little more laid back over there. Metuchen is just as nice as Highland park and the schools are just as good, but you don't have the infamous Highland Park cops!

Let me try to explain this: Highland Park is very small, but has one of the largest police to resident ratios in the state. The result? They write tickets for jaywalking, spitting gum on the side walk, and, I KID YOU NOT, I know one jogger who got a ticket because her Ipod, IN HER EARS, was on too loud.

Most of the time you hear people say "the police suck" and you think they're pot smoking frat boys or something, but in the case of Highland Park, they are equal oppurtunity pricks.

That, and the people who live their will be all up in your business and will call the cops if you so much as leave your trash can open on your side walk (that happened to a co-worker of mine who lived there)

Ohh, and Edison is very spread out and hard to get around, and Brunswick is too damn ghetto and the schools stink.

I would say stick with Metuchen.

[ansky]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

Let me try to explain this: Highland Park is very small, but has one of the largest police to resident ratios in the state. The result? They write tickets for jaywalking, spitting gum on the side walk, and, I KID YOU NOT, I know one jogger who got a ticket because her Ipod, IN HER EARS, was on too loud.

You're not kidding about the HP police. When I lived there I got a parking ticket issued at 2am for "blocking an intersection". My car was parked in the street about 3 feet from the corner. I went down to the police station to complain and they said you need to park at least 10 feet from a street corner. Totally ridiculous. But with the exception of some rowdy kids I never heard of much crime in town, so I guess these guys need something to do.

[skunj]

Yes, I have heard similar stories about the Highland Park Police. I am not sure whether that would really be a justifiable reason not to move to HP (assuming everything else checks out), but I guess it's good to be cognizant of such matters.