Any Info on the Poconos area? (live, car, trading)

[WayneMeyers]

All great points, thanks for speaking up for those of us who enjoy living in the Poconos!

[Retired Law 08]

Originally Posted by poconoproud

I have lived in the Poconos for 36 years ~ which constitutes my entire existence. I love it here. I know there is crime, but there is crime in every town, every city, every country on this planet. If you want change ~ be a catalist. Start a neighborhood watch program, start a program for youth that would otherwise be roaming the streets, bored because their parents work 3 hours from home. Why be pissed off, when you can take all that energy to become proactive? What you call minorities, I call friends (or transplants). I have met some very, very nice people who have moved here from NYC (and NJ) who are better citizens in the Poconos than some of the natives.


That's my take, anyway~

Excellent post! there should be more people like you...

[JenLie]

Originally Posted by WayneMeyers

Should they appreciate the huge tax increases the newcomers have brought with them, before which they had a normal life with a short commute to a job with wages in line with the cost of living of the area? Now they cannot afford to live here anymore, and have to leave. Shall I mention the traffic congestion and over burdened public services?

Whatever "money" is being brought here is not being passed along to the locals, only the ever increasing cost of living.

I guess the gang tag graffitti is the culture you are talking about. Driving to one of the many cultural attractions of the region must be considered a bore when we can observe this new exciting artwork instead right in our own back yard. Cultural attractions existed in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and the Lehigh Valley long before we all moved out here, and plenty of locals enjoyed these venues. Yeah, there was crime here before, maybe someone got out of hand. You know what happened? They took that person behind the barn, and after that the problem was solved. No police, no court costs. People knew who every one was in those days.

Some people live in crappy shacks with junked cars in the yard here, and some people live in slummy apartments with junked cars on their street back east. Stereotypes serve no useful purpose in debating a point. The majority of the many locals I have met are well educated, respectful people, many with families, and holding good - local or regional - jobs or businesses. They have all their teeth, and when I visited their homes, there were no junked cars sitting in the yard.

These same people were doing just fine without all the development taking place these past 5 years or so.

These types of migrations are taking place all over the country, and cannot be stopped - nor do I believe they should be. However, the people who lived here for generations at least deserve the courtesy and respect that we at the very least acknowledge the devastation we are bringing to their way of life along with us. I make no apologies for moving here, but I try to be a good neighbor and leave behind the city attitude that I am special and deserve special consideration because I happened to be born and raised in Brooklyn.

There is nothing I can offer these people but my friendship and support if they need help. And you know what? They don't mind having me for a neighbor, no matter where I happened to move here from.

Wow! Well said! I need a smilie w/ clapping hands.

[Chefkey]

Originally Posted by poconoproud

I have lived in the Poconos for 36 years ~ which constitutes my entire existence. I love it here. I know there is crime, but there is crime in every town, every city, every country on this planet. If you want change ~ be a catalist. Start a neighborhood watch program, start a program for youth that would otherwise be roaming the streets, bored because their parents work 3 hours from home. Why be pissed off, when you can take all that energy to become proactive? What you call minorities, I call friends (or transplants). I have met some very, very nice people who have moved here from NYC (and NJ) who are better citizens in the Poconos than some of the natives.


That's my take, anyway~

Thank You Poconoproud for sticking up for us transplants.

Yes, maybe new growth has spurred an increase in crime but that is normal society to have some rough people out there. That is the reality of the world we live in. If people were not migrating here from NY,NJ,Philly the area we become a ghost town of sorts and you know what? I bet the druggies would come even faster and in greater numbers. With good transplants coming in great numbers they pump up the economy and boost taxes to allow government to hire more police to deal with the crime.

I woulda given you rep but they denied me

[ScranBarre]

One thing I will admit though that we do have a very real "divide" socially between Monroe County and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. My partner and I dined today at the Middle Smithfield Township Perkins (Marshalls Creek Area), and there was most certainly a "gruffier" attitude amongst the staff there to what I'm accustomed here at the Pittston Township Perkins (Pittston Area). I've noticed that those working in the retail/food service/hospitality industries in Greater Stroudsburg by and large seem to have less patience, smile less often (if you're fortunate enough to even get one), and don't thank you for your patronage. Just today I tried buying a pie to take home to share with my better half's mother and stepfather, and I was distressed by what unfolded. At first I asked for a banana cream pie, but I was told they were sold out. I was disappointed but decided to order a strawberry pie as a back-up option. The girl at the register first told me that they were sold out of them, and her female manager overheard her, gave her a death glare, and nearly reamed her out because they still had one strawberry pie left in the display case. In order to try to diffuse the situation I smiled and said "It's okay. It's a Tuesday. I work with the public and know we all have those days." She replied "I just don't have the patience for stuff like that." Well I'm sorry, but if you don't have the "patience" for such a simple, honest mistake as that girl did, then perhaps you shouldn't be employed in management? At times I wonder why I'm not a manager making much more money than the pittance I currently am when I am much better-skilled socially.

Anyhow sorry to ramble, but this is just the latest in what has become the "norm" when I'm in The Stroudsburgs. Everyone is in a rush, impatient, and curt. There is impatience here in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area as well, but at least people generally still present themselves outwardly as being pleasant with a kind smile, nod of the head, and a sincere sense of gratitude for your patronage. What startles me is that you can definitely notice this "divide," yet Stroudsburg is only 45 minutes from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. I wonder what will happen in the coming years in the "battleground" areas in between as the BosWash Corridor continues its trek up I-380 and Route 115?

[Chefkey]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

One thing I will admit though that we do have a very real "divide" socially between Monroe County and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. My partner and I dined today at the Middle Smithfield Township Perkins (Marshalls Creek Area), and there was most certainly a "gruffier" attitude amongst the staff there to what I'm accustomed here at the Pittston Township Perkins (Pittston Area). I've noticed that those working in the retail/food service/hospitality industries in Greater Stroudsburg by and large seem to have less patience, smile less often (if you're fortunate enough to even get one), and don't thank you for your patronage. Just today I tried buying a pie to take home to share with my better half's mother and stepfather, and I was distressed by what unfolded. At first I asked for a banana cream pie, but I was told they were sold out. I was disappointed but decided to order a strawberry pie as a back-up option. The girl at the register first told me that they were sold out of them, and her female manager overheard her, gave her a death glare, and nearly reamed her out because they still had one strawberry pie left in the display case. In order to try to diffuse the situation I smiled and said "It's okay. It's a Tuesday. I work with the public and know we all have those days." She replied "I just don't have the patience for stuff like that." Well I'm sorry, but if you don't have the "patience" for such a simple, honest mistake as that girl did, then perhaps you shouldn't be employed in management? At times I wonder why I'm not a manager making much more money than the pittance I currently am when I am much better-skilled socially.

Anyhow sorry to ramble, but this is just the latest in what has become the "norm" when I'm in The Stroudsburgs. Everyone is in a rush, impatient, and curt. There is impatience here in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area as well, but at least people generally still present themselves outwardly as being pleasant with a kind smile, nod of the head, and a sincere sense of gratitude for your patronage. What startles me is that you can definitely notice this "divide," yet Stroudsburg is only 45 minutes from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. I wonder what will happen in the coming years in the "battleground" areas in between as the BosWash Corridor continues its trek up I-380 and Route 115?

This should have never happened to you. I have always seen a major effort to avoid inconveniencing customers. You just make it happen with a smile. Now of course if there is no product available then you apologize profusely but usually, if you are good at your kitchen smarts you can find something to accomodate.

[okaydorothy]

A funny thing ; we were heating breakfast at a diner in Hamlin over the weekend. We ahd met our friends who were there househunting and the male was impatient waiting for his coffee. Many times, I had to remind him ; you are not in NY now, chill, it will come eventually.

After a very relaxing breakfast, he did mention to me ; you know, you are right. It is so nice to just sit, talk, eat and breathe without running.

See, this is why we love NEPA.

yes, he did find a property.

d

[poconoproud]

ScranBarre, sorry you had that experience. I have had great and not so great ecperiences with service staff in eateries, but not just in the Burgs. I grew up in Wilkes-Barre, and there were plenty of impatient and frustrated service employees in every industry. You should try the Perkins in Stroudsburg, right off Rt 80 next time. And if you want killer pie, you gotta go to the Snydersville Diner, in (obviously) Snydersville. The people and pie are finer...at the Snydersville Diner.

[WayneMeyers]

When I first moved out here it took me at least a year to "calm down". You don't realize you are running on fumes until you leave the city area to a place like the Poconos. I stopped being impatient on fast food lines, I stopped rushing to the next red light, and I stopped feeling that everyone I came across was my enemy.

It took another year before I realised the slower pace is normal, and the rushed hectic pace of city life is the one that should be adjusted.

No excuses, people are moving out here with the same mind set. Hopefully they will grow out of it like I did.

[LNTT_Vacationer]

I agree. . . when visiting I must remind myself that I'm no longer in NJ and to slow down and be polite. Thread reminded of one time heading down south; 10 hours out of NJ and I stopped at some small store for gas and food. The store owner smiled a hello and asked how we were doing -- and uncomfortably actually seemed to mean it! I found myself practically grabbing my child and running for another aisle to avoid what years of urban experience told me was going to be unpleasant encounter. . . . Suddenly realized where I was, how rude I was and sheepishly went back and had a wonderful little mindless chat.

Deep down people are all generally the same but. . . . I can't put my finger on what years in an urban NJ type setting do to interactions toward strangers that can be quite different elsewhere.