What you hate about Baltimore? (gated, live, safer)

[steppinthrax]

Originally Posted by BMoreJuice

Petty crimes. Hard to live in a nice neighborhood without larceny's and robberies. Strict gun laws make Baltimore a breeding ground for crime against the working man.

[picardlx]

Originally Posted by Amphicoelias

The lack of a logically put-together, reasonably well-run, and satisfactorily extensive public transit system. Sure they have some sort of metro service and they have "Charm City Circulators" but these services don't extend nearly as far as they should and only run through some certain areas of Baltimore.

Also there used to be a train going from Annapolis to Baltimore (I believe), but it no longer exists and is now some sort of bike trail leading from Annapolis to Glen Burnie.

At this point, I wouldn't mind an express bus or a five to ten stop quick bus from Dorsey light rail to Annapolis.

[debold4215]

Originally Posted by steppinthrax

You have it right. It isn't just the murder rate that bothers me it is all the incessant small crimes like braking into your car ( 3 times ), jumping all over your car denting the hood and roof (twice in the middle of the night even before Freddie Gray ) Hitting your car with a baseball bat and never having so much as a cross word with my neighbors. The truth is that most of my neighbors are really good people, all except one and that seems to be all you need.

[debold4215]

Originally Posted by steppinthrax

In Baltimore the rant by the NRA rings true : "Only the criminals will have guns" if left to the government.
I have never been a fan of the NRA or of guns but I went and bought a gun last year for my protection. In states where legal gun ownership is high, much higher than Baltimore, violent crime is much less. The problem is that if you actually shot someone who was destroying your property the State's Attorneys Office would arrest you and not the offender. It has to do with "equal force". Even if someone shoots at you and they retreat when you pull out your gun and you shoot them, you are likely to be charged. This is not the same in other states. There are numerous laws on the books that protect criminals more so than victims. It also has to do with lawyers who make their money defending criminals and the current politicians in Baltimore.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by seanlax

That its all you folks ever talk about.

As an aside, picardlx, is it any worse than cig smoke? I've been noticing a lot more weed smells in OC this summer. I'll omit my opinion, but I can't imagine its much worse than the reek of black and milds and marlboros. Or maybe you are just less used to weed smell.

I think pot smoke is worse. It's stronger and travels a lot farther. Sometimes it comes into my 2nd floor window from people smoking it half a block away. No exaggeration.

[steppinthrax]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

I think pot smoke is worse. It's stronger and travels a lot farther. Sometimes it comes into my 2nd floor window from people smoking it half a block away. No exaggeration.

I'm not too concerned with the Pot, honestly it's going to be legal everywhere and we all will have to deal with it.

[Professor Griff]

I hate:

1. The badly timed traffic signals. Stop at a red light and every subsequent light also turn red (or every other). I wish Baltimore would do what DC did and perform city-wide signal optimization, but they probably won't for a long time.

2. Terribly maintained streets. It's bad enough that many of the streets are literally pavement over the original cobblestone. They didn't rip out the cobblestone and build a new pavement structure, and so newly paved streets have a much lower service life on the surface course (the layer of pavement we drive on). Other streets just don't get any attention at all, including too many of the major raods.

3. Poor drivers who do not use turn signals, do not pay attention to the traffic signals when they turn green, do not know how to use the left lane properly, etc.

4. Pedestrians who will literally walk out in front of your car. Now that school is back in session, I pay closer attention to unruly kids who spill out into the street as they wait for buses, or simply don't pay attention to their surroundings and cross the street when they feel like it.

5. City leadership. Does it even exist?

6. Public transportation. I can park my car at Greenbelt Metro and get around DC just fine, on foot and with Metro which operates fairly efficiently. In Baltimore, buses are routinely late (my daughter rides MTA a lot and has been stranded several times) and the "Metro" and light rail options don't cover enough of the city to be useful to the majority of residents.

There's more, but I have to get back to work!

[designer_genes]

Originally Posted by Professor Griff

I hate:

1. The badly timed traffic signals. Stop at a red light and every subsequent light also turn red (or every other). I wish Baltimore would do what DC did and perform city-wide signal optimization, but they probably won't for a long time.

2. Terribly maintained streets. It's bad enough that many of the streets are literally pavement over the original cobblestone. They didn't rip out the cobblestone and build a new pavement structure, and so newly paved streets have a much lower service life on the surface course (the layer of pavement we drive on). Other streets just don't get any attention at all, including too many of the major raods.

3. Poor drivers who do not use turn signals, do not pay attention to the traffic signals when they turn green, do not know how to use the left lane properly, etc.

4. Pedestrians who will literally walk out in front of your car. Now that school is back in session, I pay closer attention to unruly kids who spill out into the street as they wait for buses, or simply don't pay attention to their surroundings and cross the street when they feel like it.

5. City leadership. Does it even exist?

6. Public transportation. I can park my car at Greenbelt Metro and get around DC just fine, on foot and with Metro which operates fairly efficiently. In Baltimore, buses are routinely late (my daughter rides MTA a lot and has been stranded several times) and the "Metro" and light rail options don't cover enough of the city to be useful to the majority of residents.

There's more, but I have to get back to work!

Yes, I totally agree with all of this! My roommate and I talk about the stupid traffic signals all the time.

[dogpark]

Originally Posted by designer_genes

Yes, I totally agree with all of this! My roommate and I talk about the stupid traffic signals all the time.

The signals is hideous. I often can get around downtown faster on my bike...

[heavyinthestreets]

The politicians who swindle the less informed populace for votes to farther their person gain.
The fact, way to many people just blatantly litter.
So many people just seem to be angry everyday for no reason.
I wish people would stop trying to run some type of flimflam hustle on me every time I walk around downtown.
especially at the lightrail stations. As soon as that change fall from the ticket machine.. . ..