NEPA's "Dangerous Slums": It's All Relative (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: transplants, sales)

[SteelCityRising]

As per TooBusyToday's suggestion in the "Offended by Comments Against Transplants" thread, which was veering into off-topic banter regarding slums/slumlords in NEPA, I have decided to start a new thread to discuss that very topic.

As I learn the ropes of a business venture I plan to bring to Wilkes-Barre in the coming years I find myself delivering Edible Arrangements to a variety of commercial and residential locations in and around Greater Pittsburgh. Not only do I deliver to some of the city's poshest upscale enclaves like Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Point Breeze, Highland Park, or Aspinwall, but I also deliver to "not-so-nice" areas such as Homewood, Larimer, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Braddock, and Wilkinsburg, amongst others. I received a new digital camera for Christmas, and I plan to take some new photo tours of these areas in the near-future to give you all some "perspective" when you go off spouting about how "crime-ridden" or "slummy" Wilkes-Barre is. I feared for my life during a delivery to Homewood, as I went to a low-income housing project and found myself with the door shut behind me by three "thug"-looking larger-framed African-American males (I'm not racist, but it's certainly no coincidence that 90% of the murders in Pittsburgh involve African-American males). Thankfully after an uncomfortable 15 minutes of "joking" about robbing me and about me being white (interesting how blacks can make fun of whites but not the other way around, but I digress) they let me go and complimented me for having the "bravado" (or another "b" word to reference a part of the male anatomy) to actually deliver there---as if the order was a planned "initiation" or something. I got back into my van and was shaking, realizing how close I had come to being attacked. I NEVER felt that threatened in my life, even spending MUCH time walking around supposedly "dangerous" Downtown Wilkes-Barre after dark when I was a student at King's.

I'm relaying this very scary recent experience of mine while at work to you all because I'm TIRED of people talking about how "dangerous" Wilkes-Barre is. In Pittsburgh's troubled neighborhoods innocent bystanders such as myself run the risk of being a statistic. In Wilkes-Barre there may be many homicides for a city of 40,000, but it's mostly either white-trash picking off other white-trash over domestic disputes or blacks targeting other blacks. VERY rarely is a random person targeted for violence. In fact, in NEPA the ONLY two random acts of violence I can recall since the 1990s have been the murder of Mary Leo, a blind elderly woman, in a botched robbery in her Wilkes-Barre apartment, and the elderly man in Scranton whose throat was slit at random as he walked along a busy Downtown street in broad daylight. In Pittsburgh pizzerias refuse to deliver to certain neighborhoods (and after that scary experience I just had I'm going to ask if we can likewise remove certain zip codes, especially after another driver was nearly carjacked at gunpoint).

I can safely say there are plenty of BLIGHTED areas of NEPA---the entirety of Edwardsville, most of Plymouth, large swaths of Pittston, and parts of both Wilkes-Barre and Scranton immediately come to mind; however, I've seen the word "ghetto" tossed around to describe some local neighborhoods. If you want to see TRUE ghetto then spend some time in Pittsburgh's Homewood neighborhood or Ward 8 or Southeast DC, as I have. Spend some time in parts of Philadelphia or Camden, NJ. Edwardsville, for as disgusting of a place as it is, doesn't hold a candle to those places. Ditto any other part of NEPA.

I just think some of you really need to be given a "reality check" before you write off certain areas in NEPA as being "dangerous" or a "ghetto" when they really aren't. How many people avoided moving to Wilkes-Barre over the years because of the negative image many had of it being "unsafe" thanks to such hysteria?

[Riverside4ever]

You'll find crime and slums in every area of the world ..

No matter where you are there will be rich folks , poor folks, good people and bad people ..


"" I went to a low-income housing project and found myself with the door shut behind me by three "thug"-looking larger-framed African-American males (I'm not racist, but it's certainly no coincidence that 90% of the murders in Pittsburgh involve African-American males). Thankfully after an uncomfortable 15 minutes of "joking" about robbing me and about me being white (interesting how blacks can make fun of whites but not the other way around, but I digress) they let me go and complimented me for having the "bravado" (or another "b" word to reference a part of the male anatomy) to actually deliver there---as if the order was a planned "initiation" or something. I got back into my van and was shaking, realizing how close I had come to being attacked. I NEVER felt that threatened in my life, even spending MUCH time walking around supposedly "dangerous" Downtown Wilkes-Barre after dark when I was a student at King's. '''

Did you change your underwear ?

If your in those types of area's you may wanna consider a firearm .. apply for a carry permit .. Next time they might really wanna rob and hurt you ..


Did you get a Big Tip after the delivery ?

I saw this 1st hand as a Police Officer in NYC ..
Also at the foot of Beverly Hills in Ca. there shantytowns set up . and homeless folks everywhere on the streets ..

No matter where you go you will find slums .

[Riverside4ever]

Do you use that car in your Picture for delivery's ?

I could see someone sticking a gun in your face just for the car in some neighborhoods ..

[varmintblaster]

You can be robbed, beaten or shot dead if you happen to break down on an isolated stretch of interstate highway (day or night).

You can be robbed ,beaten, vehicle stolen if you are an archery hunter walking out of the woods at Tuscarora lake near Tamaqua and do not possess a carry weapon.- (happened just 3 weeks ago).
You don't need to be in the ghetto, but it sure increases the odds.

Before waving off WB as a peaceful city with little chance of getting robbed or shot - take as few midnite strolls through the crack-ridden hoods at night - when the critters come out.

Do yourself a favor, get a Pa LTCF, buy a cheap .38 special revolver (easiest gun to handle, very easy to conceal), and learn how and when you should use it).

Pa is a shall issue state - unles you have felony record, or protection order filed against you, you will be isued a 5 year permit for $25 and a one page application signed by two personal references.
My permit expires 01-25-11 - I will be at the Sherrif Dept next Monday to get a new one.

Don't let scumbags win. I will spare you folks the details of when a member of a Mexican street gang (Choloes) tryed to rob me one summer morning about 3am in Albuquerque NM. Let's just say that he had to change his underwear.

I'm not trying to portray myself as a tough guy, but I play it smart by being very aware of my surroundings at all times, and I will not give it up to a lowlife POS.

The 2nd Amendment Right is yours. Use It.

If the chit hits the fan, remember - it's better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Riverside4ever

You'll find crime and slums in every area of the world ..

No matter where you are there will be rich folks , poor folks, good people and bad people ..


"" I went to a low-income housing project and found myself with the door shut behind me by three "thug"-looking larger-framed African-American males (I'm not racist, but it's certainly no coincidence that 90% of the murders in Pittsburgh involve African-American males). Thankfully after an uncomfortable 15 minutes of "joking" about robbing me and about me being white (interesting how blacks can make fun of whites but not the other way around, but I digress) they let me go and complimented me for having the "bravado" (or another "b" word to reference a part of the male anatomy) to actually deliver there---as if the order was a planned "initiation" or something. I got back into my van and was shaking, realizing how close I had come to being attacked. I NEVER felt that threatened in my life, even spending MUCH time walking around supposedly "dangerous" Downtown Wilkes-Barre after dark when I was a student at King's. '''

Did you change your underwear ?

If your in those types of area's you may wanna consider a firearm .. apply for a carry permit .. Next time they might really wanna rob and hurt you ..


Did you get a Big Tip after the delivery ?

I saw this 1st hand as a Police Officer in NYC ..
Also at the foot of Beverly Hills in Ca. there shantytowns set up . and homeless folks everywhere on the streets ..

No matter where you go you will find slums .

Haha. Naw. I didn't need to change my underwear. It was a frightening experience, though, because as soon as the door was shut behind me I thought to myself "I'm getting robbed, aren't I?" I should have used better judgment, but I feel like the family that runs this new franchise is my own second family and I didn't want to risk costing them even one customer by refusing to deliver an order because of the surroundings. They need all the business they can get right now after sinking so much money into their new start-up.

I just think it's always funny the way people talk about Wilkes-Barre like it's a "No-Man's Land" of sorts or the "Wild, Wild West" when these same people wouldn't survive a day in a REAL "ghetto".

Originally Posted by Riverside4ever

Do you use that car in your Picture for delivery's ?

I could see someone sticking a gun in your face just for the car in some neighborhoods ..

That car is just my dream car. I actually drive a 2008 Mazda3 for my personal use, and I drive a 2011 Ford Transit to make deliveries. Here is what I tool around in:

[SteelCityRising]

I will have to confer with my employer, actually, to see if they'd be okay with me acquiring a firearm and carrying it (concealed) to defend myself if such a situation like that should ever arise again. I don't know what their policy is to be honest. I was told "If you don't feel safe, then don't deliver" when I first was hired; however, as I said the owner is this sweet older lady, sales have REALLY tanked after Christmas, and I don't want her to lose even one order or one customer because of me being "yellow-bellied". There are still GOOD people working (and struggling) in these same neighborhoods. Why shouldn't they be served by our business because of the few troublemakers ruining it for them?

[varmintblaster]

How many circus clowns does that thing hold?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

How many circus clowns does that thing hold?

27-and-a-half.

[Riverside4ever]

Neat ,, Lets be honest here , have you ever picked anything outta the arrangements you were delivering and eaten it ? I know I would .. LOL

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Riverside4ever

Neat ,, Lets be honest here , have you ever picked anything outta the arrangements you were delivering and eaten it ? I know I would .. LOL

Naw. Like I said I hope to bring this franchise to Wilkes-Barre in the coming years. I know Scranton and Stroudsburg each have one, but the Wyoming Valley itself is a large untapped market. I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize that. On occasion we are given a free arrangement. We have to assemble some to keep in a display cooler at all times for walk-ins. If they don't sell after I think two days then it's rotated amongst the staff who can take it home for free. I gave the last one to my landlord.