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Many of those so called blue collar areas are places people are avoiding these days. That does not make it right or wrong. It just is what is is. Look at why people are fleeing those communities in record numbers all over the northeast. I'm not saying that it is good or right but if they were like mayberry many more people would be staying put.
Maybe they are avoiding them because they are being pressured and shamed into it. Like the people here recently who called regular old Somerville Slummerville. Or when somebody mentions the name of a regular town and a bunch of people will pile on with "Oh you don't want to live THERE." "I wouldn't send my kids to THOSE schools" "Spend the extra money to move to X" "Think of the Children. Don't want them to become gang bangers do you?". And not Camden or Trenton. Just regular blue collar towns, and sometimes regular middle class towns, just without the "sheen" of being considered a "top town".
Maybe the snobbery needs to be toned down a little.
Check out Woodstown NJ. It is a nice (safe) little town nestled in a rural area. The nice thing about it, it only takes about 30 mins to get to Delaware, 30 mins to get to Philly, and an hour + 15 min to get the the Jersey shore.
Now add in the fears of kids being abducted, etc.,
a few months after moving into Newton, I was driving home from work when a few blocks away from home I found my son walking by so I stopped and started a conversation with him asking him where was he going and what not, I had noticed a car behind me waiting for me to move along, so when I did finish talking to my son and drove away, I noticed my son had approached and started talking to the driver in the car behind me. When my son arrived home later on, I asked him what did that person want and he told me the lady had written down my license plate and car information and had asked him if I was a stranger bothering him like if I was a pedophile to which my son replied no, that's my dad. Anyhow, that's when I knew that I had picked the right town for my son. Had it been the original town we came from (Clifton), no one would've bothered to stop and ask any questions.
Children being abducted is a scary realty! I think safety in numbers and a town where the parents look out for each others kids is the way to go. Make sure that someone is outside when the kids are out. Take turns as parents.
It is sad that we can't let our kids do the things we used to. I believe we can but with adult supervision.We always have to worry about reckless drivers while there outside. It doesn't matter whether your blue collar or white collar we all want the best for our kids and we should base our choices in what's best for them and not so much our's.
It is not always about snobbery or gangs people. Most of us on here probably don't have the dough to be literal snobs anyway. Way too much sterotyping on here as usual. Ugh.
Maybe they are avoiding them because they are being pressured and shamed into it. Like the people here recently who called regular old Somerville Slummerville.
they call it slummerville for a reason, it is full of low income types and illegals, sorry but there are many older towns like it for example morristown, freehold, keansburg, carteret, hackensack and many others that haven't aged well and are not very desirable places to live. I happen to live in a old town that hasn't changed all that much over the years and we are subject to some levels of unjustified snobbery but in some cases like somerville and the others I mentioned the snobbery is justified
That's not "reading between the lines" or "translating"- that's "misinterpretting" or "making false assumptions".
My point wasn't to belittle any group, but rather to say that most people (right or wrong) aren't seeking out these neighborhoods- they all "want the best" for their kids, and for many that means living beyond their means and spending far too much time keeping up with the Jones' and having their kids involved in far more activities than they need to be. That leaves very little time for them to just run around the neighborhood and "be kids" like we used to do. Now add in the fears of kids being abducted, etc., and you've got very few places that have the old "let the kids run from house to house while we enjoy a nice home-baked apple pie" mentality.
Now add in the fears of kids being abducted, etc.,
a few months after moving into Newton, I was driving home from work when a few blocks away from home I found my son walking by so I stopped and started a conversation with him asking him where was he going and what not, I had noticed a car behind me waiting for me to move along, so when I did finish talking to my son and drove away, I noticed my son had approached and started talking to the driver in the car behind me. When my son arrived home later on, I asked him what did that person want and he told me the lady had written down my license plate and car information and had asked him if I was a stranger bothering him like if I was a pedophile to which my son replied no, that's my dad. Anyhow, that's when I knew that I had picked the right town for my son. Had it been the original town we came from (Clifton), no one would've bothered to stop and ask any questions.
Howdy neighbor : )) That woman was probably me..lol - I would have done the same thing! Sometimes if I am out and about and I see a single guy with a kid...I know, tons of divorced dads out there with their kids on the weekend, but I still will take a good look and make sure they look alike or observe the behavior - see how they interact with eachother just to make sure it's not some pervert who just abducted a kid. It's really sad they we have to live like this these days. One time, I was on my way to work and I saw this 80 year old woman shovelling her driveway. She was sturggling just to handle the weight of the shovel - so I stopped, got out and shovelled her driveway for her. The worst thing was, her neighbor....a guy in his early 40's I'd say, was standing on his porch smoking a cigarette watching this woman try to shovel her driveway!
Sounds like a great place! How long ago did you leave? Do you think it is still the same?
It is still the same. I visit with my old neighbors a few times a year. When I was there we started a Friday afternoon get together of all neighbors/kids called blocktails. We rotated houses every Friday in the summer but now they do it all year round. Non pretentious...come as you are, bring your kids and your beverage. It was a blast.
It is still the same. I visit with my old neighbors a few times a year. When I was there we started a Friday afternoon get together of all neighbors/kids called blocktails. We rotated houses every Friday in the summer but now they do it all year round. Non pretentious...come as you are, bring your kids and your beverage. It was a blast.
That sounds fun! I am happy to hear it is still the same. I will check into it!
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