What would you do different if you were to move to atl again? (Atlanta: home, neighborhoods)

[LazyT]

Originally Posted by mmenomen

Racial tension can be found all over metro Atlanta. The northern burbs are definitely NOT excluded. I think racial tension these days is more subtle than in the 70s or earlier, though I wasn't quite old enough to really understand it myself at that time. The northern burbs are getting more diverse, so some racially motivated tension can crop up there from all sides. I don't think it is that bad though overall.

I'm talking about the far-northern suburbs where traffic isn't as heinous as it is on Atlanta's major arteries flowing into and through the perimeter.

You're right about the burbs becoming more diverse. Everyone is on a similar financial footing in those northern suburbs and racial tension therefore isn't nearly as palpable as one finds inside the perimeter. You're clueless, however, if you don't think racial tension is high throughout the Atlanta Metro area.

And, once again crime in the Atlanta Metro area is abysmal. Follow this link:

Morgan Quitno's 7th Annual Safest City Award in Dangerous Rank Order

[LazyT]

Originally Posted by Georgia

It is all personal opinion. My opinion is the Atlanta area no longer offers any culture, no down home feel, and no comfort.

In short, this area has suffered from massive growth, to fast, to soon, for infrastructure to keep up. To compare Atlanta to Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Denver, Phoenix, or NYC, well there is no comparison. Just my view, some love it, some don't.

Spot on. Atlanta has lost most of its Southern Charm and overall friendliness. It has decayed into just another crime-ridden city whose incompetent city leaders have allowed Atlanta's infrastructure to crumble.

[mmenomen]

You're clueless, however, if you don't think racial tension is high throughout the Atlanta Metro area

I am definitely not clueless so let's not go down that road. I think you see things as black or white, if you don't mind the pun.

You mention Atlanta and it seems to me you assume the entire City's crime is the same as the suburbs. You are painting the entire area with a broad stroke.

I don't disagree with you on all your points and I don't dispute racial tension in this area. It definitely exists all over metro ATL and elsewhere. I have seen it and experienced it more times than I want to mention here.

For the most part, racial tension is subtle and not overt in my experience of being downtown Atlanta, midtown and various suburbs, such as the Decatur-Tucker area.

If you see racial tension all the time, please explain it. If you talk about job discrimination, I cannot counter that either, I know people are excluded from jobs all the time due to their race in this area. It happens in many places everywhere and is not unique to Atlanta. I cannot dispute that either as I agree with that premise.

Though I do not see how citing high crime rates relates directly with racial tension, I have long known that crime is high in the City of Atlanta, and it is elsewhere. The stats you cite probably are for the City of Atlanta, which have roughly half a million inhabitants. Metro Atlanta, I believe is over 4 million, last I checked. I don't think those stats apply to entire metro Atlanta. The crime rates all over Atlanta vary quite considerably.

[LazyT]

Originally Posted by mmenomen

I am definitely not clueless so let's not go down that road..

Generally speaking. Not aimed at you.

Originally Posted by mmenomen

Though I do not see how citing high crime rates relates directly with racial tension,

Those are two separate cons of living in Atlanta. My third was the horrendous traffic situation along with the poorly maintained road system.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by LazyT

Generally speaking. Not aimed at you.



Those are two separate cons of living in Atlanta. My third was the horrendous traffic situation along with the poorly maintained road system.

Where is this "poorly maintained road system" you're talking about? I've yet to find a section of road in the Atlanta metro area that I'd call "poorly maintained". In fact, I'm often amazed by the repaving projects that take place on perfectly good stretches of roads around here. The 75/85 repaving that's currently going on is a perfect example- there was nothing wrong with most of the road that they're currently resurfacing. If you want to see "poorly maintained roads" try driving around the Northeast sometimes- you'll quickly begin to wonder where all the tolls being collected are going.......

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Where is this "poorly maintained road system" you're talking about? I've yet to find a section of road in the Atlanta metro area that I'd call "poorly maintained". In fact, I'm often amazed by the repaving projects that take place on perfectly good stretches of roads around here. The 75/85 repaving that's currently going on is a perfect example- there was nothing wrong with most of the road that they're currently resurfacing. If you want to see "poorly maintained roads" try driving around the Northeast sometimes- you'll quickly begin to wonder where all the tolls being collected are going.......

Amen!!!...You want bad roads, try the BQE, Van Wyck Expressway, and Grand Central, FDR Drive in NYC. I say the same thing. The expensive tolls (try $8 each way, coming from NJ going to NYC) do not go toward the roads we pay for up there . They must be going elsewhere, maybe funding Southern state highways (GA, FL, NC), but not NY roads. Be content with Atlanta/GA roads. They're not bad.

[globalnomad]

What would we do differently?

We should have followed the sage advice given by members of this forum and rented for a year.

Yes, it would have meant the headache of moving again, but we'd have saved $$$ by buying the summer of 2008 instead of 2007.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by gerrynyc

Any regrets? Would you move to a different area? Would you even move to ATL?

the only regret I have is that my family and friends back home are so far away, but otherwise I think there have been as many positives as negatives.

I think we picked the perfect area for us given our situation.

Sure, I'd still consider Atlanta. I would have preferred to stay in the Twin Cities, and our first alternative city was Seattle for various reasons, but there's nothing wrong with where we ended up.

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by gotjenks

I would also drink more Frosted Oranges at the Varsity.

Mercy! All that sugar ... but then again, they ARE good! I entice myself with Varsity cuisine once per year. As you age, you DO and should watch what you consume.

I very much look forward to moving home to California sometime in the near future. I would not choose to move back to Metro Atlanta for any reason whatsoever. Why?

The friends and acquaintences I've made here since 1991 have all moved away. I find Metro Atlanta very transient in its residents. I have lots of other places to visit now. Most didn't have good experiences here for a variety of reasons ... that perhaps may not have anything to do with the locale.

Too much "us/them", "we/they" and my all time favorite, "inside or outside". I personally detest that connotation more than anything. To me it seems many people make time for this kind of flippant behavior; sometimes it's used like a "slur". Those perceptions to me depict archaic thinking rather than evaluating others on content of character and level of intergrity, not ZIP or (good grief) AREA code!

Metro Atlanta to me is very "xenophobic". It's gotten a great deal better in the last few years, however it keep coming up with some foreign visitors that I have spoken to. In a city that boasts the diversity it claims to have, these feelings and perceptions of xenophobia should never be an issue. I know many indigenous residents dislike hearing this, but I personally work with the public and hear it more and more lately from visitors that perceive this.

I don't have a terrible life here, but I've known better, perhaps different and more enriching. I know you must make "what you want of it" while living here, but I think I've taken Metro Atlanta as far as I can.

Perhaps we could all make the effort to be a little nicer, more mannerly towards one another regardless of location. Then maybe it will not matter where anyone is from, where they were born or any side of a Interstate highway they reside.

[applejuice]

I would rent for a period and I would live closer to downtown.