Is it really that bad? (Fort Lauderdale: school, live in, beach)

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Nolefan34

The problem with South Florida is that you can live in a good area, but you're never very far from bad areas and sketchy people. There is a prevalent street wise mentality, survival of the fittest and toughest, here that you don't see in the rest of the Southeast, Midwest, or West. There is a certain anti-intellectual mentality where it is cool to be uneducated and street wise. Your kids could be the best, smartest kids with great intentions, but they'll be forced to toughen up to the South FL lifestyle. Everyone is trying to best everyone else. You see it on the roads every day. There is always someone trying to drive faster than you, drive a nicer car than you, cut you off, and beat the next light. People don't care about one another. People don't say hello to strangers here. If you are a stranger, you may as well be an enemy combatant.

+1

I love Ft Lauderdale (East of US1) but wouldn't want to live there. I lived in west Ft Lauderdale in the 80's as a kid. It wasn't bad, but then again it was a brand new neighborhood full of kids. Trick or Treat as a 5th grader the whole neighborhood with your friends (18-20 streets). I took my kids by the house I grew up in, thugs hangin on the corner with their pants hanging low. My 5th grader asked if I was a "gangsta" when I lived here! In the boom these houses sold in the 300K+ range. My parents bought theirs new in 1979 for 45K! (Palm Aire Village was the neighborhood).

If I didn't have kids, east Ft Lauderdale would be fine, especially if I had to commute to a job in Miami. Great restaurants, beaches, nightlife but not my ideal community for raising kids.

[Old Skool Florida]

Originally Posted by Nolefan34

The problem with South Florida is that you can live in a good area, but you're never very far from bad areas and sketchy people. There is a prevalent street wise mentality, survival of the fittest and toughest, here that you don't see in the rest of the Southeast, Midwest, or West. There is a certain anti-intellectual mentality where it is cool to be uneducated and street wise. Your kids could be the best, smartest kids with great intentions, but they'll be forced to toughen up to the South FL lifestyle. Everyone is trying to best everyone else. You see it on the roads every day. There is always someone trying to drive faster than you, drive a nicer car than you, cut you off, and beat the next light. People don't care about one another. People don't say hello to strangers here. If you are a stranger, you may as well be an enemy combatant.

+1 { unfortunately } i blame it on the massive immigrant influxation.

where u reside now nole ?

[Old Skool Florida]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S;23663194I

love Ft Lauderdale (East of US1) but wouldn't want to live there. I lived in west Ft Lauderdale in the 80's as a kid. It wasn't bad, but then again it was a brand new neighborhood full of kids. Trick or Treat as a 5th grader the whole neighborhood with your friends (18-20 streets). I took my kids by the house I grew up in, thugs hangin on the corner with their pants hanging low. My 5th grader asked if I was a "gangsta" when I lived here! In the boom these houses sold in the 300K+ range. My parents bought theirs new in 1979 for 45K! (Palm Aire Village was the neighborhood).

If I didn't have kids, east Ft Lauderdale would be fine, especially if I had to commute to a job in Miami. Great restaurants, beaches, nightlife but not my ideal community for raising kids.

i hear this a lot in FLL. wow. what a let down going back your old turf and seeing that bs.

[StreetSmarts]

Reading posts like this, even though I take it w/ a grain of salt, I can really appreciate Asheville NC, where I live now. As much as I miss FL, and may move back to Central FL, I can at least know that if I dont move back to Orlando, I can appreciate the environment here in Asheville. Sure we have crime and stuff too, just like anywhere else, but people are friendly, we have ppl from all over the world here in Asheville too. We have everything but the ocean.

[michael near Athens]

I lived in South Florida mostly Ft Lauderdale for 60 yrs. I moved mainly because the crime had gotten ridiculous. I did my Navy days out in California and still resent not staying there, it was gorgeous. San Diego is supposed to be one of the nicest places in the U.S to live except for Hawaii. Lets forget talking of crime, Ft Lauderdale is very hot in Summer, the attitudes of Florida are the worst because No one comes from here originally, people are just not that nice to each other. If I had my druthers I would consider San Diego in a second.I know it is expensive but the people have their act together.Thats why it's expensive, they can keep the crummy people out. Go for it.

[Old Skool Florida]

Originally Posted by michael near Athens

I lived in South Florida mostly Ft Lauderdale for 60 yrs. I moved mainly because the crime had gotten ridiculous. I did my Navy days out in California and still resent not staying there, it was gorgeous. San Diego is supposed to be one of the nicest places in the U.S to live except for Hawaii. Lets forget talking of crime, Ft Lauderdale is very hot in Summer, the attitudes of Florida are the worst because No one comes from here originally, people are just not that nice to each other. If I had my druthers I would consider San Diego in a second.I know it is expensive but the people have their act together.Thats why it's expensive, they can keep the crummy people out. Go for it.

i agree , great analogy.

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by Nolefan34

There is a certain anti-intellectual mentality where it is cool to be uneducated and street wise.

My son is currently a senior in private school. When we started the college search process last year he told me that he did not want to go to college in FL because he wanted to get away from the "bling bling, party all the time, get the hottest trophy wife, culture." He really wants a more intellectual atmosphere.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Momma_bear

My son is currently a senior in private school. When we started the college search process last year he told me that he did not want to go to college in FL because he wanted to get away from the "bling bling, party all the time, get the hottest trophy wife, culture." He really wants a more intellectual atmosphere.

So where is that?

[Old Skool Florida]

yea Momma, where is that place ?

[JSnFla]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

So where is that?

throw a dart at a map of the US and u will find a more intellectually oriented area than south florida. examples of intellectually stimulating college environments would be raleigh-chapel hill, boston, nyc, dc, anywhere in Cali, boulder, austin, etc etc. there are countless options outside of the anti-intellect black cloud over soFla