Following my GPS turned into an interesting drive (sort of) (Baltimore: 2013, renting)

[LouisDS]

Coming back from Towson Town Center Mall last night, I followed my GPS directions because I thought maybe there was a better way to do it than getting to the 83 and then making it east to reach Patterson Park/Butchers hill area. Not such a good idea...

I took exit 30 on the 695 to Perring Parkway, then Harford Road and then North Avenue and finally Patterson Park Avenue. Not only it was a little scary, but I was able to make a couple of observations that are fascinated me in a way.

1. From North Avenue to Orleans, it looks like the ghetto, the real one they show in movies on WWII in Varsaw, Poland. That area is huge and so desolated.

2. Street lighting is the worst ever, why is it so dark? To discourage people to be on the street at night? Bad strategy as some corners like Monument/PPark and Biddle/PPark were very busy.

3. Police hang out on the streets playing with the teenagers. I was surprised to see how they seem to be part of the community. The kids were trying to impress the cops with bball moves and so. It was nice to see actually.

4. It was around 9:45 PM. I was totally astonished to see how many children (elementary, like from 5-10 yrs) are on the street, by themselves, on a weekday at that time of the night. Where are their parents? What is going to happen to these kids? I wished I could pick them up and bring all of them home so they could play inside and have a good night of sleep. I just could not believe it. My wife and I felt so sad after that. We thought about those kids who, without a huge turn in their life, have literally no future. Big wake up call for me, all of that 5-6 blocks from my house.

Any thoughts on that. Maybe I am overreacting a bit?

In case it could influence your answers, I'm not rich or anything close to that. I am a postdoc with 3 kids, so without living in poverty, I can't afford any kind of luxury goods or expensive restaurants, etc.

[jonjj]

If you take Washington up from the PP/Butchers Hill area, you would notice a ton of changes occurring in the area. Sometimes I do that when driving up to the Towson area. Washington through the park and up Loch Raven and over.

Are kiddies done with school for the year? Not sure. Either way- hot out, many without A/C---the streets are there for the playing. But the little ones should be in bed by 9:45---lousy parenting---what else is new?

When taking Washington up, it's not as "scary".

[LouisDS]

Originally Posted by jonjj

If you take Washington up from the PP/Butchers Hill area, you would notice a ton of changes occurring in the area. Sometimes I do that when driving up to the Towson area. Washington through the park and up Loch Raven and over.

Are kiddies done with school for the year? Not sure. Either way- hot out, many without A/C---the streets are there for the playing. But the little ones should be in bed by 9:45---lousy parenting---what else is new?

When taking Washington up, it's not as "scary".

I guess the new charter school (Henderson Hopkins I think) will also drive a change in the area. I'm looking forward to it.

[tunasub]

maybe next time you ought to try the Charm City Circulator...

[HandL]

Originally Posted by LouisDS

Coming back from Towson Town Center Mall last night, I followed my GPS directions because I thought maybe there was a better way to do it than getting to the 83 and then making it east to reach Patterson Park/Butchers hill area. Not such a good idea...

I took exit 30 on the 695 to Perring Parkway, then Harford Road and then North Avenue and finally Patterson Park Avenue. Not only it was a little scary, but I was able to make a couple of observations that are fascinated me in a way.

1. From North Avenue to Orleans, it looks like the ghetto, the real one they show in movies on WWII in Varsaw, Poland. That area is huge and so desolated.

2. Street lighting is the worst ever, why is it so dark? To discourage people to be on the street at night? Bad strategy as some corners like Monument/PPark and Biddle/PPark were very busy.

3. Police hang out on the streets playing with the teenagers. I was surprised to see how they seem to be part of the community. The kids were trying to impress the cops with bball moves and so. It was nice to see actually.

4. It was around 9:45 PM. I was totally astonished to see how many children (elementary, like from 5-10 yrs) are on the street, by themselves, on a weekday at that time of the night. Where are their parents? What is going to happen to these kids? I wished I could pick them up and bring all of them home so they could play inside and have a good night of sleep. I just could not believe it. My wife and I felt so sad after that. We thought about those kids who, without a huge turn in their life, have literally no future. Big wake up call for me, all of that 5-6 blocks from my house.

Any thoughts on that. Maybe I am overreacting a bit?

In case it could influence your answers, I'm not rich or anything close to that. I am a postdoc with 3 kids, so without living in poverty, I can't afford any kind of luxury goods or expensive restaurants, etc.

Thanks for sharing your drive.

1) It sounds like you drove through a couple of nice neighborhoods such as Broadway East, possibly Oliver and Milton/Montford. I'm not sure if those areas would classify as the ghetto, the housing market is enjoying great success in those neighborhoods. Over the past few years, more businesses have opened doors and it's the home of Collington Square Park which is one of one of Baltimore's most prestigious landmarks. What you described doesn't quite match those areas, maybe you were elsewhere.

2) Street lighting has been poor in several neighborhoods in Baltimore, that's a major problem.

3) It's not odd to see officers on foot patrol, officers need to walk the beat more.

4) In the summer time, some kids play basketball until 2:00 in the morning on their street or nearby streets. With school closing soon, it's not odd to see teenagers out late. I don't know about minor children being outside late without parental supervision, but teenagers yes.

[carthell]

As far as the lights go, the city has been replacing old, high-pressure sodium fixtures with LEDs for the past half-decade or so. They fixtures save electricity, but the do leave the streets darker in comparison.

More kids are out because the school year is winding down, and the older rowhomes get hot. You noticed the kids out because they're running around. The adults will be less noticeable. Most of the parents are on the steps of the occupied houses, or within rooms close to an open window or door facing where the kids should be.

[LouisDS]

Originally Posted by HandL

Thanks for sharing your drive.

1) It sounds like you drove through a couple of nice neighborhoods such as Broadway East, possibly Oliver and Milton/Montford. I'm not sure if those areas would classify as the ghetto, the housing market is enjoying great success in those neighborhoods. Over the past few years, more businesses have opened doors and it's the home of Collington Square Park which is one of one of Baltimore's most prestigious landmarks. What you described doesn't quite match those areas, maybe you were elsewhere.

2) Street lighting has been poor in several neighborhoods in Baltimore, that's a major problem.

3) It's not odd to see officers on foot patrol, officers need to walk the beat more.

4) In the summer time, some kids play basketball until 2:00 in the morning on their street or nearby streets. With school closing soon, it's not odd to see teenagers out late. I don't know about minor children being outside late without parental supervision, but teenagers yes.

Thanks for your comments and to others as well.

1) What I referred to as "the ghetto" started on North avenue/ppark corner and remained retty much the same all the way to Orleans. No mistake as PPark is my own street. Someone pointed out that Washington is much better, I'll try to see that one day.

@tunasub: I am just trying to have a discussion, why don't you go play smartass elsewhere? It's stupid and irrelevant.

[LouisDS]

Originally Posted by LouisDS

Thanks for your comments and to others as well.

1) What I referred to as "the ghetto" started on North avenue/ppark corner and remained retty much the same all the way to Orleans. No mistake as PPark is my own street. Someone pointed out that Washington is much better, I'll try to see that one day.

@tunasub: I am just trying to have a discussion, why don't you go play smartass elsewhere? It's stupid and irrelevant.

Handl: looking at some of your other posts, I realize that you are probably sarcastic, so apparently there is no way to have a discussion here. I'm out.

[ffknight918]

Originally Posted by LouisDS

Handl: looking at some of your other posts, I realize that you are probably sarcastic, so apparently there is no way to have a discussion here. I'm out.

I'm not sure what was sarcastic about his post. He was posting true things.

[rfp]

Originally Posted by LouisDS

We thought about those kids who, without a huge turn in their life, have literally no future.

I lot of folks have no future in 2013 U.S. The jobs are gone, the unions are gone, the schools are poor, college is prohibitively expensive, and employers can pay workers as little as they please.

Originally Posted by LouisDS

Big wake up call for me,

Where have you been all your life?

Originally Posted by LouisDS

Any thoughts on that? Maybe I am overreacting a bit?

Americans don't react enough.