32811 - moving here, please help! (safe, car, students)

[cfIfan]

As someone from the UK originally i do understand your apprehension. I have lived here for some 7 years now and i would agree with Wilshire once again on this area. It isnt a great area. also keep in mind public trnasportation is dreadful here and it may aswell be non existant. You will more than likely need yoru own transportation unless you all club together and get something.

Good luck

[jojo58]

you carry a gun?
lol.... i really do not have much hope then.

If you need to carry a gun around with you, you have answered my question already

[jojo58]

is anyone else able to give me more info etc?

[cfIfan]

Im not sure what further info we can give or that you need. It isnt a great area and i think the fact that another poster stated they carry a gun says it all really in terms of that area.

[wigs11111]

You'll be fine. I've lived on Kirkman for a year with no problems. I read the posts about metrowest before I moved here, and was very worried too. Once I got here, the fears were unfounded. That said, I still watch my back, like in any potentially rough area.

[lillybear]

If the Orange County Sheriff's Dept. feels the need to station 2 deputy cruisers out side the Walmart on S. Kirkman, at least at night when we visited there, that's enough for me to avoid that area. My girls and I were staying at the Portofino Bay Hotel and were given directions to this Walmart. We never felt so uncomfortable!! Avoid that area like the plague...

[Wilshire81182]

Originally Posted by lillybear

If the Orange County Sheriff's Dept. feels the need to station 2 deputy cruisers out side the Walmart on S. Kirkman, at least at night when we visited there, that's enough for me to avoid that area. My girls and I were staying at the Portofino Bay Hotel and were given directions to this Walmart. We never felt so uncomfortable!! Avoid that area like the plague...

This is actually the opposite experience I had when I went there, not meant in any way to discredit you. I have only been to this Walmart once. I do not really shop at Walmart, but I had gone to multiple locations this particular night for a specific item. I went pretty late at night (10 or 11) and did not notice any security/police presense, and I felt really safe in general inside and outside the store. That is part of why this part of town freaks me out a little is that it looks and feels nicer than it really is. It was by hindsight and some of the news that came from incidents at this store afterwards that made me feel that I should probably not go back to this store. You can look at the apartments in 32811 online and on Google street view and they do not really indicate that it is not the safest part of town.

[tworent]

When I look at buying a new property I call the police station and get a call list for that address it will give you a list of ever time a police officer was called within a mile of the address you give them for the last 30 days

Bob

[Wilshire81182]

That is a great suggestion. I went to the Starbucks on Kirkman/Metrowest this morning and drove down Kirkman. It has been a while since I even went to the area and I had errands to run around town. The crowd out in the early morning looked and seemed decent, everything looks pretty well taken care of still. A lot of the nicer chains like Chipotle, Crispers, Starbucks are still open, well attended and people were out and about. The area during the day looks and feels perfectly fine. You would probably feel the difference being there at night and actually living there and having the prolonged exposure to some of the ongoings in the area. It sounds like the OP does not have a choice in the matter of where he is being put up. I think you could manage here, but no one is going to paint a rosy picture for you if it is not the nicest area. My biggest point of advice since you will be living there would be to not be out too late and if possible do your late night errands in other areas. Like I said, I think the area seemed fine in the day. I felt safer there than some areas on the east side I drive through and frequent like the stretch of 436 around 50 or the stretch of East Colonial between Goldenrod and Rouse. I am rambling a little here, so I will come to a stop, but like I said this area is not the top spot but you could be in a worse place as well.

[jojo58]

Ok guys, i feel slightly better now, ill watch my back etc of course, but i guess after all it is America, not small little Uk. haha

So if anyone see's a lost and scared looking English girl in a couple of months time... please do stop and help!!