The problem with the BAY AREA is the people... (Berkeley: real estate, apartment)

[NorthernCaliforniaSucks]

Looking at the bay area from a geological stand point, as a land mass, I guess I can say it's pretty nice. Even though I personally hate the weather, it's not a bad piece of real estate. There are actually some very beautiful places...

The problem is the people.


1. City Planning/ Local Government

Whoever planned the streets for many places there was on crack. Berkeley harbors some of the most poorly designed streets in existence. Just exit off of the 80 west on to the Gilman St. exit and see if you can make a left turn. I have sat there over 2-3 minutes trying make a turn to go home. Absolutely ridiculous.

Law Enforcement can't seem to get the Homeless population under control. I have watched a man urinate, fully facing me at 12 noon in front of an office depot, with no care for decency or class. Literally shaking the drops of urine off his penis, waggliing his dirty homless genital in front of me, before sheathing it back into his poop stained pants.
To that local Berkeley scum the world is his oyster and he can pee all over it, and the bumbling keystone cops in that hell hole do NOTHING to stop it.

There is more to say on local government, but the bottom line is the people running these cities are inept.



2. Criminals, Rapists, Child Killers, and the Homeless

Crime is a plague in the East Bay. Anyone that takes a second to research the statistics will know that. It's not up for debate, it's a fact of life, and when you live there you feel the crime. You feel unsafe. You can't go for a jog around a neighborhood at night without having that nagging feeling that something bad is going to happen. This is one of the areas of human perception that's hard to define, but it's true. The cities there just have a BAD VIBE.

Now we all realize that crimes are caused by people. So I say again, the problem is the people.

People that allow their children to grow up and commit crimes.

People that allow their education system in their town to be below sub standard.

People that live with murder and drugs, and actually do it themselves.

People that allow HOMLESS PEOPLE to DIG THROUGH THEIR GARBAGE EVERY NIGHT.



[Mod cut]

[mysticaltyger]

I agree with a lot of what you say in your post....but WHEW!! The anger coming from you is fierce. If you are walking around that angry, then I don't think you're going to be happy no matter where you live.

[NorthernCaliforniaSucks]

/...and I'm happy where I live now.

In fact, it's heaven compared to what I was dealing with up there.

The one good thing I can say about suffering through life there was that it helped me appreciate what was good about where I came from, and to NEVER take it for granted again.

So thank you to the bay area for being so absolutely terrible.

[bayarea-girl]

To the OP, what were you thinking when you posted this thread? This is forum suicide. It seems like you are extremely frustrated with the bay for one reason or another. No place is perfect and I mean this in no disrespect find a place that will better suit your preferences/ideal.

The bay area isn't for everyone. When I moved away from the bay some of the things that once bothered me so much I found myself missing when I got back (didn't actually recognize it until I came back and this includes the homeless guy either singing to me, asking me for a smoke, or pissing off to the side of the road; yes when I saw this up close after leaving the bay I knew I was back).

The homeless problem is greater than the people who live the bay area experience. I too believe that the bay has a huge homeless problem that gets ignored. A lot of the homeless people are addicted to some sort of substance, have some sort of disability, and or just some where along the way became displaced. They themselves have no where to go. What do you think should be done with them that hasn't already been tried (you can't exterminate them)? There needs to be a bit more humility around the homeless (especially for the homeless that never dreamed they would find themselves in such circumstances and want to improve their lives, but then again who dreams of being homeless). IMHO, never look down on the homeless life is funny and it could be you. You shouldn't get disgusted of seeing a homeless person you should feel lucky/fortunate about your means and if you should feel disgusted you should do something about it.

Crime is every where. The bay is exceptional and I can't close my eyes to it.

The hippie thing for me is kinda old too. Often the hippie folks are walking contradictions. But they make the bay interesting. The bay wouldn't be the bay without them. To the OP a lot of people from the bay see nothing wrong with the bay and all its imperfections and people that move here either love this place or hate it.

Yes the bay has crime, not all of the cities in the bay are created equal, schools aren't the best, etc. etc. But let me tell you this, it is a great place to find a job (even in this economy), there are a lot of doers here, people might be a bit conceded with their education that they got in the many bay area schools that are nationally recognized which attract many from all over the world to create something special like google or yahoo. But in many ways the bay is worth the ride if you can afford it.

[NorthernCaliforniaSucks]

I did find a place for me. I moved out of the EAST BAY HELL.

The point of this post is to spread the pertinent information to those who are thinking about moving there, or those that are lying to themselves that living there is good.

The bay area is ONLY good if you are Rich!

And yeah the bay area isn't for me. I know that.
so what?
I'm not allowed to say what sucks about it in an honest way?

When every minute I lived up there I had to listen to some arrogant bay area [mod cut] talk crap about New York , or Miami, or L.A. or whatever city they thought was bad?????? Screw that.

About the homeless..EVERYONE MAKES THE CHOICE TO BE IN THE POSITION THEY ARE IN. THERE ARE MANY PROGRAMS THAT ARE THERE TO HELP THE HOMELESS OUT OF THEIR SITUTATION. THE PROBLEM IS THEY DON'T WANT THE HELP. THEY'D RATHER BEG FOR MONEY SO THEY CAN GET DRUNK.

YEAH execute them I don't freaking care.

I've helped those people enough.

AT first I gave them change because I actually felt bad for them, BUT
AFTER A WHILE WHEN IT HAPPENS MORE THAN 3 TIMES A DAY, OR WHEN YOU SEE A LADY IN BERKELEY LITERALLY STALKING A DAMN MOVIE THEATER LINE, PUTTING HER FACE INTO YOUR WALLET AFTER YOU'VE PURCHASED THE TICKET REQUESTING YOU TO GIVE HER ALL YOUR CHANGE. I MEAN LIKE 5 BUCKS...YOU START TO NOT CARE, IN FACT YOU BECOME ANNOYED AND YOU BEGIN TO HATE THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE VIRUS< THAT"S MULTIPLYING.

I SAY SCREW THOSE FREAKING PEOPLE.
AND BY THE WAY, I WOULD SEE THAT FAT BUM Lady EVERY SINGLE TIME I was down on Shattuck. EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!
DOING THE SAME CRAP, HARASSING PEOPLE, FAMILIES, CHILDREN. SHE WAS A DAMN' DRUG ADDICT.

THE POLICE DID NOTHING.


"Doers" huh?

How about you move to New York or L.A. and you'll see some doers too. Of course, the bay area doesn't recognize anyone else, because they are the definition of ARROGANT.

[sonarrat]

Your username should be "BerkeleySucks." And I would agree with you, I've never understood the appeal of the city. The Eastshore Freeway rivals the New Jersey Turnpike for backups and congestion (and it's a pain to get on and off), the people are intolerable loudmouthed wackjobs, and the homeless are a serious thorn in the side.

But I like the South Bay. And I'm hardly rich.. just smart with my money.

[bayarea-girl]

Mmmm, I think you might be a bit arrogant. You are entitled to your opinion and so far with your comments I have not noticed anyone down where ever you are from or where you have moved, not saying that this doesn't happen but it happens every where else too. For example, you have people in LA who think the south is backwards and some LA people just don't like NY. There are NY'ers that think they live in the best place ever and don't like people from CA. So what, people take pride in where they live no matter how it is like and its disfunctions.

I like LA,NY, so don't have a problem with anyone who wants to live there. Whatever works for you.

You are also very misguided as no one IMHO wants to be homeless and or makes that choice. I believe your thoughts around this are a bit arrogant. There is a homeless problem in the bay yes, and a majority of them are on drugs and probably so that they can numb their pain about being on the streets and or to numb the pain as to how they ended up on the streets.

The world is not perfect and no one is saying that the bay is either. You should try to appreciate the bay for what it was and you new situation and move on.

When someone has questions about the bay why not let them know your sentiments once some one puts it out there. Why all the drama?

[movin'on]

Well, I miss the Bay Area - a LOT! I made the mistake of moving to a boring place so I could buy a big house. I got sick of living in Antioch and the commute to SF. BIG MISTAKE! Now I am stuck here and have dreams often that I am back up in the Bay Area. Oh sure, I have a great house on 18,000 + sq ft in an upscale neighborhood. HOWEVER, this doesn't make up for the lack of things to do here. There is absolutely NOTHING of any value to do here. So give me your guy peeing in front of a store anyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

Just curious OP, but where did you move to that you found Nirvana? Let me know and I'll join you!

[NorthernCaliforniaSucks]

While I appreciate your idealism on the subject of helping the homeless you don't have a sense of reality of the situation.

Many of the homeless are drug addicts. They made the choice to do drugs. Nobody forces you to do drugs. That is a CHOICE you make. If you ruin your life with drugs, it is your fault that you ruined your life. It isn't anybody elses fault.

It could have been me, I was really into drugs at an early age, but I stopped.

I have seen many local programs available that offer help to the homeless to give them temporary shelter, and place them into a job training program. The fact of the matter is, it is EASIER to live on the streets, panhandle, and do drugs/get drunk than it is to turn your life around. Many of the people that begged me for money would be playing bingo all day. Then they would stake out the liquor store by my apartment and begged everyone that walked in the door for money. That is the reality.
They certainly weren't seeking real help.

You should really think about how these people got this way.
I know that everyone's story is different, but many of them ruined their lives with drugs and alcohol, destroying their relationships with family and friends because they had a substance abuse problem. It was their choice to ruin their relationships with people by doing drugs/alcohol.

[NorthernCaliforniaSucks]

movin' on--

I'm not going to say where I moved because that's not the point.

What the hell do you like to do? Can't you go for bike ride, or a swim at the beach?
How about a Hike? or find some kind of hobby that engages your creative facilities?

Sewing, Painting, writing, sculpting, building things? Take up a Martial art? Yoga? Paragliding?
Gardening? Volunteering???


If you aren't creative enough to find yourself something do, that's sad. There is sooooo much to do in life rather than watch a bum urinate in front of you.

I feel sorry for you.