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Clearly it is America's problem but this is a New Jersey Forum. And the rep thing is a joke. It really is. There are parts of the U.S. where you can be comfortably middle/working class. This discussion is not about those areas of the U.S. I am glad to be from NJ but anyone back there can tell you-we generally don't concern ourselves with regional pride. There is too much else to deal with day to day. And no I would probably not move back but never say never I guess.
What's up with some of your commuting problems? I know plenty of people who commute each way from the POCONOS in PA to employment centers in Northern New Jersey via the Martz Trailways system in two hours; how are you driving from one point in Northern New Jersey to ANOTHER point in Northern New Jersey in the SAME AMOUNT OF TIME? Does Martz know the "shortcuts" around the I-80 mess that you all don't? For example, here's a schedule around the rush-hours from the Delaware Water Gap to NYC.
DEPART WATER GAP AT 7 AM; ARRIVE NYC AT 8:30 AM
DEPART WATER GAP AT 7:45 AM; ARRIVE NYC AT 9:15 AM
DEPART NYC AT 3 PM; ARRIVE WATER GAP AT 4:35 PM
DEPART NYC AT 3:20 PM; ARRIVE WATER GAP AT 4:50 PM
DEPART NYC AT 4:15 PM; ARRIVE WATER GAP AT 5:45 PM
DEPART NYC AT 5:05 PM; ARRIVE WATER GAP AT 6:35 PM
DEPART NYC AT 5:20 PM; ARRIVE WATER GAP AT 6:50 PM
In general, as you can see, thousands of Pocono commuters utilize Martz Trailways and can make it back and forth to Manhattan just 90 minutes in each direction! Also, the bus schedules have to be reasonably accurate (save for a car crash, blizzard, terrorist attack, etc.), or else not only would riders demand refunds for being late for work, but also the company's reputation as "always running late" would put them out of business! How, then, do some of you figure it would be a 4-5 hour round-trip commute from Hopatcong to NYC? If it's only perhaps 3 hours and 15 minutes round-trip from the NJ/PA border, then how could it be an HOUR LONGER from a point nearly halfway between the state border and Newark? Now who's the one who "doesn't know what he's talking about?" Do any of you care to enlighten me on as to how you came up with your ridiculously-long commuting figures for Hopatcong?
Also, I'm aware of the possibility of Martz utilizing some sort of carpool or "HOV" lane on I-80; why then couldn't you all carpool or take the Martz bus if you lived in Hopatcong? Martz leaves from Hackettstown, which isn't far at all from Hopatcong (the town with those apparently noncommutable $299,900 single-family detached dwellings). Here's THAT schedule:
DEPART HACKETTSTOWN 5:45 AM; ARRIVES NYC 7:20 AM
There was no return service to Hackettstown listed on Martz's scedhule. Nevertheless, I'm sure there are mass transit options available between the Hackettstown/Hopatcong/Budd Lake area and NYC. As for me, I'll be living in Scranton and driving to Tobyhanna at 5 AM, from where I'd grab the 5:40 AM bus to NYC, arriving at 7:45 AM in time to start work by 8 or 8:30 (Depending on far of a walk my employmer would be). I'd take the 5:05 PM bus out of Manhattan, arriving back in Tobyhanna at 7:20 PM. I'd then be back in my Scranton home before 8 PM. Currently, between juggling school, working, my committees, etc., I'm often outside of home for around 12 hours per day anyways, so an added two hours or so wouldn't be a big deal to me. Besides, I'm also used to being drained on the weekends (I just worked today from 9:30 AM-9 PM), so in this sense I'd have my weekends FREE to "recoup." Why don't you folks admit it; Hopatcong is commutable, as is Hackettstown, Budd Lake, Netcong, and other nearby areas. In this sense you'd live in a much more affordable area and still be around 90 minutes to work in NYC (How some of you came up with those EXTREME commute times is beyond me!)
Since none of you will ever be able to convince me of as to how someone can struggle to feed or clothe their family on a household income of $150,000, and since I will never be able to convince any of you that many NJ residents are "living beyond their means", let's just call a truce. Let's "agree to disagree", shall we? I'm honestly shocked that this thread has turned so vicious in the last few pages since my return in particular; I never came back with the sole purpose to offend, enrage, or "troll" you all, as one person put it, and I'm sorry that you all think of me as a bad person for wanting you to disclose more of your monthly expenses so that we, collectively, could show you what you were doing wrong to not be able to make ends meat on $150,000. Trust me, I know PLENTY of locals here in Scranton who can survive on a household income of $30,000, let alone $150,000---The cost-of-living in NJ is NOT five times higher though. Scranton may be cheap, and NJ may be expensive, but your insurance rates are NOT five times more, your property taxes are NOT five times more, your monthly car payments are NOT five times higher (unless you're driving a higher-end vehicle, in which you are NOT "struggling"), your fuel prices are NOT five times more, your housing prices are NOT five times more, your monthly utility costs are NOT five times higher, etc. As such, when scaled down, isn't this moreso just a case of learning to "live within your means?"
Actually, don't answer that last question, as I'm sure I'm going to hear more bashing about my family, myself, my age, my intelligence, my educational background, my state of residency, yada, yada, yada. I'm extending an olive branch---any takers?
I don't think this forum is vicious but it's becoming quite amusing. Mosey on over to some of the California threads for even more merriment. Some very similar themes as here. But the take is different in that the posters are much more p.c.(not necessarily more civil) and think they are living in paradise lost. So similar to NJ forum but so so...............we are losing control. Armageddon.... I learn the most on the NJ threads for sure. Thanks. People back there are as opinionated as ever. It's one of the few things I miss. It's dope.
Also, I'm aware of the possibility of Martz utilizing some sort of carpool or "HOV" lane on I-80; why then couldn't you all carpool or take the Martz bus if you lived in Hopatcong? Martz leaves from Hackettstown, which isn't far at all from Hopatcong (the town with those apparently noncommutable $299,900 single-family detached dwellings). Here's THAT schedule:
DEPART HACKETTSTOWN 5:45 AM; ARRIVES NYC 7:20 AM
There was no return service to Hackettstown listed on Martz's scedhule. Nevertheless, I'm sure there are mass transit options available between the Hackettstown/Hopatcong/Budd Lake area and NYC. As for me, I'll be living in Scranton and driving to Tobyhanna at 5 AM, from where I'd grab the 5:40 AM bus to NYC, arriving at 7:45 AM in time to start work by 8 or 8:30 (Depending on far of a walk my employmer would be). I'd take the 5:05 PM bus out of Manhattan, arriving back in Tobyhanna at 7:20 PM. I'd then be back in my Scranton home before 8 PM. Currently, between juggling school, working, my committees, etc., I'm often outside of home for around 12 hours per day anyways, so an added two hours or so wouldn't be a big deal to me. Besides, I'm also used to being drained on the weekends (I just worked today from 9:30 AM-9 PM), so in this sense I'd have my weekends FREE to "recoup." Why don't you folks admit it; Hopatcong is commutable, as is Hackettstown, Budd Lake, Netcong, and other nearby areas. In this sense you'd live in a much more affordable area and still be around 90 minutes to work in NYC (How some of you came up with those EXTREME commute times is beyond me!)
Have fun with that commute. Free to recoup on weekends? Is that a joke? People raising families do not have free time to recoup. Look at your schedules - anyone with a family will never see their children leaving and getting home at these times. I also don't how you can catch a bus at 5:05 PM when the regular work hours usually do not end until six - so yo will be getting home around 9 PM. Nothing like leaving at 5 AM and coming home at 9 PM. Also, I hope you realize that when you arrive in NYC, you still have at least another 15-25 minutes to go, especially if you work on the east side or downtown. They don't call it the world's biggest city for nothing.
I'll say it one last time - Netcong/Budd Lake/Hoptacong are not that great to raise a family in.
Have fun with that commute. Free to recoup on weekends? Is that a joke? People raising families do not have free time to recoup. Look at your schedules - anyone with a family will never see their children leaving and getting home at these times. I also don't how you can catch a bus at 5:05 PM when the regular work hours usually do not end until six - so yo will be getting home around 9 PM. Nothing like leaving at 5 AM and coming home at 9 PM. Also, I hope you realize that when you arrive in NYC, you still have at least another 15-25 minutes to go, especially if you work on the east side or downtown. They don't call it the world's biggest city for nothing.
I'll say it one last time - Netcong/Budd Lake/Hoptacong are not that great to raise a family in.
I totally agree. Anyone dealing with that commute is going to burn out fast! But, apparently, SWB knows it all since he has done "internet research" about bus schedules. So, he'll have lots of fun with that. As he posted previously, he doesn't have to worry about having a family, since he is gay and lives in "a closet red state." So, I guess typical logistical difficulties don't apply to him somehow.
By the way, I thought he promised repeatedly that he was abandoning this forum??? I guess he just can't stay away because he feels compelled to enlighten us crude and ignorant NJ'ans!!
Finally, fortunately, the know it all, non resident poster who trashed so many New Jersey residents as materialistic and uncharitable has stated that he won't be back on this board. I think that is fabulous, though would not be surprised if he is back with some crazy unrealistic and distorted rant!
Yes, he certainly is. By the way, I think my previous post was pretty prophetic. He's back with more rants lecturing us rude, materialistic NJ'ans!!
I don't want to get into any bickering, but let me relate this. I currently leave the house at 5AM in order to take a series of trains and buses and a ferry to get to work on time. I leave work and take the same series home, typically arriving between 8PM and 9PM. And it sucks. A lot. There is no recovery on the weekends, the weekends are for catching up on all the stuff that I missed during the week. My children and wife are asleep when I leave, half the children are asleep when I get home, with the other half close on their heels. By the time I eat something and get to bed, it seems like it is time to get up again. It wasn't a big deal for the first few months, but as time has wore on, it is becoming untenable. I would think long and hard about signing yourself into this sort of commute long term, it is no good.
I totally agree. Anyone dealing with that commute is going to burn out fast! But, apparently, SWB knows it all since he has done "internet research" about bus schedules. So, he'll have lots of fun with that.
It's just his lack of life experience showing through, as usual.
He seems to have taken the short-sighted tack of assuming time on the bus or train is total commuting time. My door-to-door commuting time is anywhere from 1.25 to 1.5 hours even though my time on the train is only 40-45 minutes.
It takes time to go to the train station. Travel on the train. Then walk through Penn Station, then get on the subway, then walk to work. It all adds up.
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Now who's the one who "doesn't know what he's talking about?" 
Do any of you care to enlighten me on as to how you came up with your ridiculously-long commuting figures for Hopatcong?
Extending an Olive Branch
So, I guess typical logistical difficulties don't apply to him somehow. 
