Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Virginia > Northern Virginia
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 12-21-2010, 06:00 PM
 
Location: Virginia
18,717 posts, read 31,102,711 times
Reputation: 42988

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73 View Post
There is a hoodlum problem to be sure. How bad is it? Not so bad, but bad enough to keep you kids from being able to go down to the stream and play like you used to be able to do when you were young.
Sorry to hear you feel that way. FWIW, as you can tell from the photos above I was down by a stream in Sterling just today, and there were little kids playing there. I didn't feel unsafe. I also don't feel there is a hoodlum problem, but everyone's entitled to his own opinion. Or, maybe we just live in different parts of town.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 12-22-2010, 03:10 AM
 
461 posts, read 910,105 times
Reputation: 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caladium View Post
Sorry to hear you feel that way. FWIW, as you can tell from the photos above I was down by a stream in Sterling just today, and there were little kids playing there. I didn't feel unsafe. I also don't feel there is a hoodlum problem, but everyone's entitled to his own opinion. Or, maybe we just live in different parts of town.
For anyone reading this who is not familiar with Sterling, it is one of the least desirable areas in Northern Virginia. Lots of illegal immigrants, low income housing, day laborers hanging out at 7-Elevens, etc.

I don't know if the children mentioned above were under adult supervision or their ages, but to allow children (below teenage) to run freely around Sterling is just irresponsible. Even the should-be nice Briar Patch Park playground has lots of loose men wandering around, esp. to use the port-a-john, perhaps on their way from the Sheriff's station after business there.

I pray to God that I never have to live in Caladium's part of town. Illegals over-crammed into multi-family housing and the "nicer" areas have tiny single family homes with yard debris, peeling vinyl siding, and Honda Civics with exposed body puddy and spoilers on the back. Yeech!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2010, 03:45 AM
 
461 posts, read 910,105 times
Reputation: 116
This is from a recent police report in Sterling:

"Loudoun County Sheriff's Deputies are currently searching for 12-year-old Enma Martinez-Hernandez. Deputies continue to canvass the area, a Loudoun Alert for a Missing Person was issed, and a Reverse 911 message has been initiated in the immediate area."
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2010, 05:39 AM
 
1,223 posts, read 2,268,400 times
Reputation: 780
To take this back on topic, there is a huge "MS-13" tag on an air conditioning console in Pentagon City next to the best buy/nordstrom rack building.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2010, 07:07 AM
 
Location: Virginia
18,717 posts, read 31,102,711 times
Reputation: 42988
Quote:
Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73 View Post
I pray to God that I never have to live in Caladium's part of town. Illegals over-crammed into multi-family housing and the "nicer" areas have tiny single family homes with yard debris, peeling vinyl siding, and Honda Civics with exposed body puddy and spoilers on the back. Yeech!
LOL, yeah it's a scary place allright. I mean, look at those scary graffiti photos... you might encounter that terrifying person who wrote: "Even though there's so many fish in the sea, respect them all". Or the one who wrote "Impossible things are happening every day." Scary, scary stuff.

Sounds like somebody's bored and trying to find a pot to stir.

FG's description is certainly colorful but it's a bunch of bull. If anyone wants a more realistic description of Sterling, here are some threads and photo tours.

The northern section of Sterling

Sterling Park

Donald Trump's ornate fountain in Sterling

https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...ling-area.html

https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...-sterling.html

https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...-sterling.html

https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...-sterling.html

https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...-sterling.html

https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...mac-falls.html
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2010, 07:12 AM
 
Location: among the clustered spires
2,380 posts, read 4,517,978 times
Reputation: 891
Quote:
Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73 View Post
For anyone reading this who is not familiar with Sterling, it is one of the least desirable areas in Northern Virginia. Lots of illegal immigrants, low income housing, day laborers hanging out at 7-Elevens, etc.

I don't know if the children mentioned above were under adult supervision or their ages, but to allow children (below teenage) to run freely around Sterling is just irresponsible. Even the should-be nice Briar Patch Park playground has lots of loose men wandering around, esp. to use the port-a-john, perhaps on their way from the Sheriff's station after business there.

I pray to God that I never have to live in Caladium's part of town. Illegals over-crammed into multi-family housing and the "nicer" areas have tiny single family homes with yard debris, peeling vinyl siding, and Honda Civics with exposed body puddy and spoilers on the back. Yeech!
You're probably right about areas like Sugarland Run, but areas like Lowes Island/Cascades or the subdivisions off of Old Ox Road with 700k+ houses?

Sterling's a huge area with a variety of socio-economic strata, like Falls Church. Seriously, would you call the areas N/W of Falls Church City "undesirable" because of the areas around Seven Corners/Bailey's Crossroads?

I've seen you complain quite a bit about areas in Northern VA. Which areas *do* you like?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2010, 07:33 AM
 
5,391 posts, read 7,234,916 times
Reputation: 2857
Quote:
Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73 View Post
This is from a recent police report in Sterling:

"Loudoun County Sheriff's Deputies are currently searching for 12-year-old Enma Martinez-Hernandez. Deputies continue to canvass the area, a Loudoun Alert for a Missing Person was issed, and a Reverse 911 message has been initiated in the immediate area."
"The 12-year-old girl who went missing from Sterling Park around 8 p.m. last night was located today unharmed in Reston."

"After an extensive search conducted by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office she was located in Reston with a juvenile male friend. According to the sheriff's office the family had recently relocated to Sterling Park from Reston."

Leesburg Today - The Journal of Loudoun County - Missing 12-Year-Old Found (http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2010/06/29/news/9666missing062910.txt - broken link)

This kind of stuff goes on everywhere, not just in "scary" Sterling.

As far as graffiti goes, I wouldn't know how to recognize gang graffiti from someone's doodles, or what the meaning was. I do see black (Sharpie?) scrawls on quite a few traffic light switch boxes and other mechanical boxes and traffic signs around Alexandria. Certainly does not give me pause or fear. Interesting point another made how the graffiti is simplistic and usually monotone compared to what is seen in some other cities.

I remember the days of political graffiti and "celebrity" graffiti like "Meese is a pig!" and Cool Disco Dan.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2010, 07:50 AM
 
461 posts, read 910,105 times
Reputation: 116
I guess I'm supposed to be a cheerleader for my own area in order to boost property vaules like so many others, but...

"Northern Virginia is reported to have the strongest number of MS-13 members in a single city".

'MS-13' gang threatens nation's security - msnbc tv - Rita Cosby Specials - msnbc.com
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2010, 07:54 AM
 
Location: Virginia
18,717 posts, read 31,102,711 times
Reputation: 42988
Quote:
Originally Posted by stpickrell View Post
You're probably right about areas like Sugarland Run,
It's not correct about Sugarland Run, either. Let's see some evidence for these claims. If you think you know of a house that has multiple families living in it, contact the police. Boarding house operations are against the law here, and the police are very quick to crack down on it. Let's see the photos of the peeling vinyl and yard debris, because the areas I've seen look cared for. The properties are inexpensive by Nova standards, but it's not a slum

I don't happen to have photos of Sugarland Run, but here are some photos from the area near the DMV, which is the section of Sterling people usually consider the "scariest".

Where's the graffiti? The yards full of debris? Etc. It's not a wealthy area but FG's description is way off the mark.


This is the shopping center the DMV is in. Lower income, yes. But it's clean and well-maintained.


This photo is the apartment building directly across from the DMV. Again, it's a lower income property. But it seems to be cared for--no peeling vinyl, cars on blocks, graffiti, etc.

The following photos are the streets directly around the DMV. Oooh, scary, scary!











This is Briar Woods Park. Where's the trash, the graffiti, the gangs? These photos are from the photo tour normie took. How could a little old lady walk about this park if it was such a dangerous place? Surely someone would have mugged her and stolen her camera if it was such a scary place.

Yes, you do need to be somewhat alert to strangers (just as you would in any park, anywher in the world). It's a lower income neighborhood, so you may see some unemployed people and kids may buy pot there. I wouldn't walk through the park after dark, but that's not a smart thing to do in any park.










Last edited by Caladium; 12-22-2010 at 08:10 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2010, 08:05 AM
 
461 posts, read 910,105 times
Reputation: 116
To try to convince people that Briar Patch Park does not have a seedy element is misleading and not in the interest of safety. It looks great in the pictures, and the built part of it is. The fact is buses bring in lone men, odd people cut across there and weirdos just hang out. If you go there when it's busy, then it's fine.

I've been there plenty of times alone (with kids) when a person will just circle his bike in the tennis court area or stand around as if to make a drug deal. Again, busy Port-A-John for lone men. Big cut-through area for people without cars. Also folks stop and sit in their cars in the lot and along the side road who have no kids and no intention to get out and play. I've had suspicions events with these people too. When I decided that I should bring a gun was when I stopped going.

You just get tired of being there with two or three weirdos loitering with no business having to do with the park. Police enforcement of these folks would go a long way.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2022 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Virginia > Northern Virginia
Similar Threads
View detailed profiles of:

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top