I'm outta here NJ!!!! (Edison, Camden: house, rent, job)

[MPBsr]

Originally Posted by 66nexus

It's not worth it here...everyone's leaving...somehow we're still stuck with 8 million people

Not to jump on the bandwagon but 8 million 20 years ago, is not the same as 8 million today.

A totally difference type of population make up.

[cyntmac]

Rural Arkansas. Please... LOL
What is wrong with posting useful info here? That is what city-data is for. If someone needs to vent so be it. That doesn't mean you should flood this forum with useless posts in response. That is a complete waste of time and as I have already stated not productive in the least.

[Onizuka]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

And I still say they're the worst drivers in the country- they prove it every day that I drive down Oak Tree Road. I know, you'll tell me "they're getting used to a new culture" or "give them a break- this is something new to them"- I'm not trying to get their licenses revoked, I'm just pointing out a first hand observation.

I'm not going to say anything of that sort. What I am going to say is that you seem to be unnecessarily fixating on their race. Most of the bad drivers I've come across in NJ (and Edison) were white. But that makes sense since there's more white people in NJ than anyone else.

95% of drivers in NJ are terrible, regardless of race.

Frankly, I'm disappointed to see such a small-minded attitude from a supposed "Moderator" of this forum.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by cyntmac

Rural Arkansas. Please... LOL
What is wrong with posting useful info here? That is what city-data is for. If someone needs to vent so be it. That doesn't mean you should flood this forum with useless posts in response. That is a complete waste of time and as I have already stated not productive in the least.

Oh, am I the "troll"?

[cyntmac]

Pointing out someone's race is wrong in regard to driving of course. Do foreigners drive differently? Probably at first. I don't want to be PC but this is the kind of thing people on the NY forum like to do. The blame game. Why? And yes there are tons of lousy caucasian drivers.

[BobKovacs]

I don't know why I'm going to try to explain this again, but I will anyway.

I'm not saying that "Indians are bad drivers" as if it's something genetic or stereotypical. What I am saying is that there is an incredible concentration of extremely bad drivers in the Oak Tree Road area of Iselin/Edison. Could it be because many of them got licenses fairly recently? Maybe. Who knows. It's a simple statement, with no "hidden meaning", no "non-PC agenda", etc. Heck, many of them probably aren't Indian- maybe they're Pakistani, Afghani, etc.- let's stop trying to hyper-analyze the meaning/intent of every last little sentence.

Bob

[Onizuka]

Bob, you really don't see that you're doing the *exact* same thing as the threadstarter?

I'm not reading anything into your statement. You're the one who is saying that non-white people in Edison are the bad drivers. You're painting with a very broad brush, just like you did with stereotyping people who live in LA and CA.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by anywherebuthere

So you visit California and then come home to NJ, okay so you have seen them both...I see now that you live in Woodbridge. What keeps you there Bob? I know Oak Tree Road in Edison, all that stuff. I couldn't wait to leave that area. Just curious what is so great to you about that area of NJ? You've seen beautiful places and you still don't want to get out? I don't get it.

I've seen tons of "beautiful places"- that doesn't mean I want to (or could) live in them.

What "keeps me here"? Nothing, really. I'm here because I grew up in Woodbridge, moved to Las Vegas in 1994, and decided to come back to NJ in 1999 because of some health issues with some family members. I picked Woodbridge to buy a home again because it was familiar, it was close to family and work, and it was affordable (at the time). It was, and still is, a decent compromise for us when you balance the salary I can make here, the weather, family, etc.

If I was in Vegas now and looking to move back, it may be a different situation. We bought our house for a little over $100k in 2000, when the houses in the neighborhood were selling for $140-150k. Today, those same homes are selling for $350k. That's not to say that we couldn't afford to buy at $350k, but it would create a slightly different financial picture.

Do I want to "get out"? I'm leaving, but it's not like there's some major driving force that's making me say "I've got to get out of here". We've spent a substantial amount of time looking at other areas of the country to move to (as you probably have), and weighed the pros and cons of each. I was presented with an opportunity to manage some substantial development projects with a very good friend in the Atlanta area, so we're heading down there this summer. We'll be living in a semi-rural area about 30 miles from downtown, which will be good for the kids and for my sanity....lol.

Bob

[anywherebuthere]

I guess we are beating a dead horse already here LOL - but I have to reply. I just do.
Nj Rover - thank you, I think you had a very good point with your post and it made me feel good lol.
Tahiti - we are going around in circles here...but come on, you guys just keep pokin' me in the ribs. You said: "But, I do also believe that LA is not the shangri-la she's anticipating it to be. She lashs out at anyone who tries to give a realistic view of the place." How many times did I say I know LA is not Shangri-la? I don't recall really lashing out about it, just defending my views, while everyone else was happy to trash California with their preconceived notions. Thanks though for saying I am probably cool in person lol.
Go research Orange County like I have been doing and see for yourself that the schools are good, and that renting a house in some more than decent areas there, is CHEAPER than renting a house here!! It for sure has its flaws, I am not denying that. NO place is perfect, not there or anywhere!! Or alternately, put your blinders on and pretend that doesn't exist there, that it is all gangs and illegal mexicans and girls with fake boobies and that's it. I could go on and on but I have to stop already. I am not here to make you all love California, but everyone else keeps bringing it up instead of the NJ issues in my posts.
I don't feel like defending my CA thing anymore. But I would be happy to talk Jersey until the cows come home!
Notice no one addressed my point about the young couple who can't buy a house here in NJ now?? If it is so great here, and so affordable, why are most people who are starting out - two income people even! with honest jobs, like teachers and the working man struggling to live here??? Forget Ca for a sec and think about that. In NJ......that is reality!! Tell me what is so great about that??
One last thing - when I told Bob I couldn't wait to get out of the area he lives in, I just want to clarify that it WASN'T because of the Indian people in Edison/Iselin! It was due to many other things. Honestly it seems NOONE knows how to drive anywhere LOL, I don't think it is fair to lay it all on them. However, it is really, really congested over there and I am sure that is frustrating. Just don't blame it all on the foreigners lol.

[anywherebuthere]

Well thanks for answering Bob. I was honestly curious why you would be there, and defend NJ so staunchly. But...you are leaving! See, if it were so great, you wouldn't really want to leave, would you?
In all seriousness though, good luck to you and your family. Atlanta is one of the areas I have researched, though haven't spent time there...I bet it is very pretty and much more relaxed 30 mi. outside of Atlanta than in Woodbridge.
Though I admittedly had a lot of fun hopping on the train from MetroPark to NYC when I was younger (and got myself in so much trouble in the city for years but that's another story!)- it's still not a very pretty place to grow up. My dh about died when he met me and had to come from Monmouth county to there to see me. Totally different worlds, the way he and I grew up, that's for sure.
Anyway good luck to you and sorry if this all got a little crazy. You guys are really pretty harsh at times though. Such is life in NJ!!!