Why i finally moved out of the city !!

[Hospitalitygirl]

I have to say that the constant things happening around my neighborhood are really starting to scare me. The crime that the OP described of the woman who was shot while sleeping happened literally just around the corner from me (I'm in Northwood). Two summers ago, while I had just stepped out of my house some guy that the police was chasing jumped the fence into my yard. I had just left my yard with both of my kids. I'm creeped out about the thought of what could have happened if I was still there at that moment with my kids and my house opened while this guy was desperately trying to get away from the cops. Too many occurrences too close to home. Some may argue that the burbs are no safer, but I know that the chances of something like this happening in many of the "boring burbs" are waaay less than living here, and I'm starting to like those odds.

Why don't you ask that family in Clayton, NJ, or the other in King Of Prussia.

[Brenda]

Why don't you ask that family in Clayton, NJ, or the other in King Of Prussia.

Of course crime happens everywhere, but how can you argue with the fact that violent crimes are much more prevalent in big cities like Philadelphia vs a quiet suburban neighborhood. I am not trying to get into this argument about Philadelphia vs suburbs. I see the advantages and disadvantages in both and am just assessing what is better for me and my family. As a matter of fact, I lived in Washington township, Gloucester county for five years before me and my husband decided to move to Philadelphia. In the entire time I lived there never once did I feel unsafe or heard of any violent crimes in my development. We didn't have small children at the time and didn't plan on having any therefore we saw the advantages for us to move into the city. Now that we have two small kids our frame of mind has changed. Not only am I constantly worried about the safety of my kids in my own backyard, I also have a schooling dilemma for them. Those things alone are really making us reconsider our current situation of where we live.

[annie]

I always find it interesting when people worry about stranger danger and being caught in the crossfire when most kids are hurt by a family member or family friend and toddlers are unlikely to be hanging out on a drug corner. There's a reason stories like that get a lot of press - they're unusual even in Philly.

[Hospitalitygirl]

Of course crime happens everywhere, but how can you argue with the fact that violent crimes are much more prevalent in big cities like Philadelphia vs a quiet suburban neighborhood. I am not trying to get into this argument about Philadelphia vs suburbs. I see the advantages and disadvantages in both and am just assessing what is better for me and my family. As a matter of fact, I lived in Washington township, Gloucester county for five years before me and my husband decided to move to Philadelphia. In the entire time I lived there never once did I feel unsafe or heard of any violent crimes in my development. We didn't have small children at the time and didn't plan on having any therefore we saw the advantages for us to move into the city. Now that we have two small kids our frame of mind has changed. Not only am I constantly worried about the safety of my kids in my own backyard, I also have a schooling dilemma for them. Those things alone are really making us reconsider our current situation of where we live.

I always find it interesting when people worry about stranger danger and being caught in the crossfire when most kids are hurt by a family member or family friend and toddlers are unlikely to be hanging out on a drug corner. There's a reason stories like that get a lot of press - they're unusual even in Philly.

What Annie wrote.

Honestly, the sorts of crimes that happen in Philadelphia, particularly the homicides that everyone worries so much about, don't generally happen in some strange vacuum nor are we all subject to them. Most have known causes and reasons as to why they occur and most of us just aren't in the middle of the prime areas they occur in nor do we live lifestyles that subject us to harm's way. What happened to the young girl in Clayton is frankly more frightening to me, and probably to others.

[MarketStEl]

Of course crime happens everywhere, but how can you argue with the fact that violent crimes are much more prevalent in big cities like Philadelphia vs a quiet suburban neighborhood. I am not trying to get into this argument about Philadelphia vs suburbs. I see the advantages and disadvantages in both and am just assessing what is better for me and my family. As a matter of fact, I lived in Washington township, Gloucester county for five years before me and my husband decided to move to Philadelphia. In the entire time I lived there never once did I feel unsafe or heard of any violent crimes in my development. We didn't have small children at the time and didn't plan on having any therefore we saw the advantages for us to move into the city. Now that we have two small kids our frame of mind has changed. Not only am I constantly worried about the safety of my kids in my own backyard, I also have a schooling dilemma for them. Those things alone are really making us reconsider our current situation of where we live.

I'd probably say this even if Brenda's neighborhood didn't lie between my own and the El station I use most frequently, but: The fact that I have walked the distance from Margaret-Orthodox to Oxford Circle in the wee smalls doesn't mean I don't sometimes think about the chance that some random act of mayhem not intended to affect me will.

A police chase through one's front yard will likely set a person to wondering what's going on - even a committed urbanophile - and if that person has small children and some means of reducing the risk that they will get caught in the middle of some random bit of mayhem, then it's likely that person will take action to reduce that risk.

We all know that we tend to dismiss risks that are more likely to happen, such as getting hit by a car on a busy thoroughfare, because we either perceive ourselves as having some control over the circumstances (we DO look both ways before crossing the street, don't we?) or downplay the risk because the activity happens so often (again, crossing the street happens far more often than shootings). The danger in suburbia may be hidden, but it's precisely because it is hidden that most people faced with a choice such as the one Brenda faces here usually choose the place that looks safer.

[Naveen]

What Sandy says is right. Random danger and other things out of our control are much scarier than what we perceive we have sway over.

[AsYouWere]

Why don't you ask that family in Clayton, NJ, or the other in King Of Prussia.

That was caustic. I'd aver those two families have more pressing concerns than entertaining questions from a known (now we know) nut-case right about now.

[AsYouWere]

oye (can't delete double post?)

[hkp]

I guess we'll need to let this thread die for a few days before we'll get more details about Gio's move. She can't help but bump her own threads long after their expiry (sort of like govtstatistic...hmmmm). Mayan calendar is almost up, Gio. Are you prepared? A bunch of us are going to go to the roof of the Comcast Center and do DMT on the big day.

[Sailaway]

Gio = Donna DiGiacomo? Hmmm....

[FKD19124]

because some of us stll have family in the city and some that are stuck working in the city and are forced to pay a city wage tax when they do not even use city services. Far as I am concerned, we have a right to complain.

I've said it before and will say it again. If Philly exiles are so frickin' happy to be outta here, why come on this board. I moved from Jersey in '04 and wouldn't be the least bit interested in reading or participating in a South Jersey message board.

[Sycamore]

If you travel, work and spend time in the city, you're using city services.

[Sycamore]

I live in a very low crime area and I don't worry about stranger danger except in rare circumstances. However, I've been in 2 car accidents in the last 8 months, and four in the last 5 years. There's all kinds of danger.

[FKD19124]

such as?

If you travel, work and spend time in the city, you're using city services.

[Neb]

The streets and sidewalks, for one.

[Sycamore]

such as?

Which ones don't you use?

Police
Fire
Streets
Trash
Infrastructure
Government

[seand]

FKD floats around by hovercraft but if his hovercraft is stolen or catches fire he has sworn an oath not to do anything about it.

[FKD19124]

so do alot of people who pass through the city to get from point a to b.
if thats the case, why not setup a toll to get into the city and leave?

The streets and sidewalks, for one.

[FKD19124]

yeah the thugs in east FKD stole my hovercraft.

FKD floats around by hovercraft but if his hovercraft is stolen or catches fire he has sworn an oath not to do anything about it.

[Marquis]

The quote in your signature is really ironic.