What are the pros and cons of living in Staten Island? (neighborhood, bus)
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Yes, this is true. Big Ang is all the rage now. However, other groups have been portrayed less than flattering in the media as well. No one should assume that the representation of characters on TV form the norm for any one group. It's absurd.
My issue with Big Ang and the other mob wives is that it's profiteering from the criminal acts of their immediate family and justifies and glorifies that way of life which induced much suffering on to many others. It used to be Brooklyn was the crutch of the stero typical Italian, now they moved to SI and it's our turn in the barrel.
No, not loudly enough. In many ways we gave ourselves this stereo type. I think Shows like Mob Wives and Jersey Shore are despicable and give Italians and Staten Islanders a bad rap. Can you imagine the out rage of there was a Jewish Jersey shore or a Black version of Mob Wives staring the baby mommas of gang members. The out rage would reach Washington D.C.
There is The Real Housewives of Atlanta, which depicts black women in a very negative light, in my opinion.
I lived on SI many years ago (Huguenot) and dated someone who lived in West Brighton for a while another time.
These are my pros and cons For the most part they are anecdotal and not scientific.
Pros:
1. As someone mentioned upthread, people seem to put down roots and stay. If you like the idea of continuity and community, you might enjoy that.
2. More land per piece of property on average than a lot of the rest of the city
3. Easier to create a suburban experience if thats what you are into.
4.More of a driving environment if you are a car-positive person
5. It can be affordable depending on where you are
6. There is a lot more diversity there than there used to be in terms or restaurants.
7. If you need to drive to NJ on a regular basis it is far easier to do so from SI than most other places in NYC
8. Parts of it are surprisingly pretty, lush and green
Cons
1. Unless you live steps from the Ferry terminal, or want to drive, the commute to Manhattan is a nuisance. If you work anywhere other than the lower tip of Manhattan, its doubly so. The drive at peak hours is impossibly traffic-laden and expensive at any hour.
2. If you are commuting by express bus from the south shore through NJ, be prepared to spend a lot of time commuting and be prepared to leave the city before the "last bus" which is earlier than you'll want it to be, at least some of the time
3. You will need to have a car for many or most of the neighborhoods.
4. If you care about "all NY has to offer" there is less of it here.
5. I refuse to believe the area around the old Fresh Kills landfill is environmentally safe, no matter what they say. When the dump was still open, you could smell it on both sides (depending on the wind), as far as the mall, and well into the Huguenot area. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they find groudn water and air contamination in those areas years down the road.
6. I have met more people who live on SI that spend all their time in their own borough than any other. Hardly scientific, but I think there is something to it since leaving can be more complicated, particularly if you are too young to drive, or don't have access to a car. Therefore It is possible to be less aware of things outside your immediate environment until you are older. Admittedly the Internet has probably helped this int he time since I left.
7. If you are out late in Manhattan, and you want to get home to any other borough, a cab is an expensive but not out-of-reach choice in a pinch. If you live on SI it is a much more expensive option, and you will have hard time finding anyone who wants to drive out there even if you are willing to spend the money
I personally did not enjoy it there. I don't drive so i felt kind of marooned. It was too suburban for me. As it is less populous than the other boroughs and more family-focused i found it harder to meet people to connect with who were close to my age, and weren't there to raise children. However, if you thrive in that kind of environment, it could be a very pleasant place to live.
1. Unless you live steps from the Ferry terminal, or want to drive, the commute to Manhattan is a nuisance. If you work anywhere other than the lower tip of Manhattan, its doubly so. The drive at peak hours is impossibly traffic-laden and expensive at any hour.
2. If you are commuting by express bus from the south shore through NJ, be prepared to spend a lot of time commuting and be prepared to leave the city before the "last bus" which is earlier than you'll want it to be, at least some of the time
3. You will need to have a car for many or most of the neighborhoods.
1. I will say this: If you can avoid the heart of rush hour, the commute can actually not be too bad. Outside of rush hour, I'm regularly able to get to my school in Upper Manhattan in around 80-90 minutes (assuming I time myself for a particular bus). Now during rush hour, you can easily tack on an extra 30 minutes or more to that.
2. While true, this isn't as bad as it used to be. The last X23 & X24 leave Midtown at 7:30PM, while the last X22 now leaves at 8:15PM. Not ideal, but still manageable if you need to stay an extra hour or two late. (Of course, either way, it's still technically possible to make the commute with the X1 & X17, which run later, but you'll add a lot of extra time to your commute)
3. I wouldn't necessarily say a car is needed, but it definitely makes things a lot easier. A typical neighborhood usually has a couple of shopping centers within walking distance for most conveniences, and depending on the neighborhood, the bus service might not be too spotty that you can get to the mall or something relatively easily.
1. I will say this: If you can avoid the heart of rush hour, the commute can actually not be too bad. Outside of rush hour, I'm regularly able to get to my school in Upper Manhattan in around 80-90 minutes (assuming I time myself for a particular bus). Now during rush hour, you can easily tack on an extra 30 minutes or more to that.
2. While true, this isn't as bad as it used to be. The last X23 & X24 leave Midtown at 7:30PM, while the last X22 now leaves at 8:15PM. Not ideal, but still manageable if you need to stay an extra hour or two late. (Of course, either way, it's still technically possible to make the commute with the X1 & X17, which run later, but you'll add a lot of extra time to your commute)
3. I wouldn't necessarily say a car is needed, but it definitely makes things a lot easier. A typical neighborhood usually has a couple of shopping centers within walking distance for most conveniences, and depending on the neighborhood, the bus service might not be too spotty that you can get to the mall or something relatively easily.
Rush hour on this Island is from 7 am to 9:45 am and than 2:30 pm to 8 pm. It's cray in the afternoon, CRAY!
Pros:
Cheaper (In NYC standards)
Easier commute to NJ
Cons:
Increasing crime
Congested roadways
Lengthy commute to Manhattan
SIRR doesn't connect to another borough
Suburban Feel
Increasing crime. There is crime in every boro Sirr doesn't connect to annother boro. Alot of people like that including myself. Surburban feel. Preferable to being crowded together on top of one another.
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