So, what do you do not like about living in Savannah? (Atlanta: transplants, crime)

[pink caddy]

Awfully quiet here the past couple of days so I thought we might have a little conversation.

Usually the various city threads brag about how much they absolutely loooove the city they live in and it's the greatest city since sliced bread.

What is it you don't like about living here?

[ellie]

A few weeks ago I had to drive from the southside nearly out to Guyton at the five o'clock rush hour and gained an broader perspective at how bad traffic has gotten in the past decade or so. Nowadays there are so many people who have moved to outer burbs who must still work someplace in town. Their daily commute must be hellish. I hope I never have to do that again.

I've lived here for many many years and know all the underground routes and alternatives. What a clusterfied mess this city has become.

This evening I had to go see someone down Ogeechee rd.There's no easy way to get there either, without sitting in traffic in several key intersections. Hwy 17 just feels longer each time I go out there.

Savannah must really suck if so many people think it's worth living in a cookie cutter community in plastic coated houses and fighting traffic 45 minutes each way just so you're not too close to the hood.

Guess what, the hoodlums are already out there, apparently, with their guns and drugs.

That's all I have to complain about tonight, dealing with traffic.

[WanderingImport]

I don't live in Savannah anymore but I was there for 20 years up until 2011, I still have family there and visit quite frequently.

As tame as the traffic is in Savannah compared to Atlanta, I have to agree with Ellie about it having become increasingly congested. Especially since the suburban growth really took off in Pooler, Rincon and Richmond Hill. A good reason to further gentrify in-town neighborhoods instead of fleeing to the suburbs.

Having said all that, my biggest peeve about Savannah has always been the drivers. It seems they totally lack the knowledge to be behind the wheel. No signal changes, improper lane usage (poking around in that dreaded left lane).

Then there's the politics. Admittedly it could be worse, but we certainly lack truly great leadership in Savannah. The city has so much potential and could shine so much more than it does.

[Newsboy]

I agree with the traffic. For a smallish metro (700,000 when you include HHI) it's quite ridiculous how impossible getting from Point A to Point B can be. Part of this is because of geography; all that water and marsh makes road building more complicated than a place like Atlanta. But poor regional planning (between multiple jurisdictions) is largely to blame, too. It's stupid that the Truman Parkway is STILL not finished, and won't connect with the SW Bypass! And even STUPIDER that the state of Georgia is JUST NOW getting around to replacing the Back River Bridge ... which will ONLY BE TWO LANES ... because the state of SC hasn't gotten around to widening US 17 to Jaspsr County yet ... etc etc and on and on.

Another thing that's always bothered me about Savannah -- and this ties back into the roads thing -- is the lack of a broader vision, not just within the political or business community but the native population as well. People who are "from" here seem unwilling to move beyond the status quo. Many are far to content with mediocrity, and I dare say enjoy "keeping the city down." Complaining is the favorite pasttime at Savannah social events -- whether it be the schools, the crime or the weather.

I'm also tremendously bothered by the disconnect between the black and white community in Savannah, the enormous wealth gap and the lack of any real black middle class. Without that, there's a vacuum of black leadership. And it's painfully obvious every day.

[bellhead]

Loothe Abercorn, and it's non synced stop lights. Light turns green you drive to the next light that just turned red, repeat 10 times, the lights should be synced.

US 17 in Jasper, well that's SC and why you bag on them not having teeth. I mean really it't not 1950 where people don't go from one place to another via car for a day trip. I love to go to the outlets over there but the damn trip via 17 sucks so bad we only do it a couple of times a year, and it's only about 25 miles.

Lack of traffic improvement projects, city/county government is stuck in a time warp and ignoring the exploding suburban population, kinda like a ostrich with it's head in the sand.

Love/hate the urban factor, like the urban factor hate all the crime/dope/gangster mentality that comes with it.

No see ems. A good chemical engineer needs to come along and agent orange them.

Lack of progressive mentality on local government, they are only concerned about getting what they think we owe em.

Truman taking forever.

[pink caddy]

Originally Posted by bellhead

Lack of progressive mentality on local government, they are only concerned about getting what they think we owe em.

You don't mean Cheatem county do you?? OH, that's Chatham county isn't it??LOL

[pink caddy]

I visit my 95 year old mother in Bluffton. Only way there is using 17. Sometimes I think she made it to 95 years of age becuase she doesn't have to drive 17.

[gentlearts]

There are things I don't like, but they don't directly affect me, and there are things I don't like, that do.
Things I don't like that affect me directly:
I can never find a place to park downtown or at Tybee, so I don't go there very often. I would like to be able to stop on Broughton to buy something, but I do not. I would go to events on Tybee, but there is no place to park.
The Savannah stink.
The humidity in the summer.
Ad Valorem taxes
Over priced, over rated restaurants
Things that have not directly affected me (yet):
Murder of the week
Savannah politics

[912]

Dislike: All the transplants. And the fat girls. Christ!

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by 912

Dislike: All the transplants. And the fat girls. Christ!

Transplants are awesome! There are a lot of fat people in GA.