Mid and North New Jersey Rant.

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Popinski

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I drove to Northern part of New Jersey for a job interview and something smelled funny. Not only that, NO ONE is nice there. I spent 3 days around a couple big cities and no one is considerate and kind. Want directions? FORGET IT!! No one at gas stations or convenience stores speak English and the ones who speak English don't know how to get around their own city. It seems like people in New Jersey are proud of their state but it is nothing but a big garbage dump. New Jersey should learn from her surrounding states. Now I'm skeptical about living there if I do get this job. I felt like it was a waste of time driving and staying there for a lousy job that I need desperately.

/Rant
 
Just for your information....

New Jersey has the highest population per square mile than any state in the union....and some of the highest taxes as well.

The reason folks in NJ are so inconsiderate and unkind...IMO is that they are mostly NY refugees (it's a way of life in NY).

As a former New Yorker, I didn't realize how things really were until I escaped (via the U.S. Navy), and settled on the West Coast.

In reality, there are many nice people in NJ and NY...but its just different than many other parts of the country. If you end up there, you'll just have to get use to it.
 
I think you got a poor view of it, either because of the area you went to (care to tell), or something else.

While "friendliness" may not be of the sort that you see down south, where a stranger will tell you their life story while sitting at the counter of the Huddle House (Been there done that.), folks are generally friendly, helpful, etc.

Driving may not appear that folks are considerate, but if you learn how to drive on the congested roads, youll be fine. You need to realize that NJ is the densest state, has more cars on the road per mile, and is also the richest per capita, so there are a lot of "doers", and folks on a mission, coupled with a desire to get where they are going amidst congestion, so they can get back home. NJ is also a very family-centered state, with a lot of keenness on their homes, towns, communities, etc. While folks who understand the place can enjoy a low-stress, slower lifestyle when they want, to others it may be hard to grasp or overwhelming.

The lack of English-speaking folks in a lot of places such as many stores, gas stations, is an issue. I plain don't like it, but I suppose it is what it is.

I live in S-J now, but grew up in N-J. Id live back up there if it made sense. Ive lived in a lot of other places throughout the mid-atlantic and south, and I wouldnt live anyplace but NJ.
 
Originally Posted By: Oregoonian
Just for your information....

New Jersey has the highest population per square mile than any state in the union....and some of the highest taxes as well.

The reason folks in NJ are so inconsiderate and unkind...IMO is that they are mostly NY refugees (it's a way of life in NY).

As a former New Yorker, I didn't realize how things really were until I escaped (via the U.S. Navy), and settled on the West Coast.

In reality, there are many nice people in NJ and NY...but its just different than many other parts of the country. If you end up there, you'll just have to get use to it.


New Yorkers are pretty rude.

Native NJ folks often dislike NY refugees.
 
Really Popinski? Were you in the hills? In horse country? At the shore? Can you be more specific about the state. Were you interviewing in a pharmaceutical company? Do you really know anything about New Jersey? Are you in "desperate need of a lousy job" because of your own level of merit, education, ability? And where exactly is the utopia that you are coming from?

Granted, some areas of New Jersey are urbanized and rough, but most of the state is quite beautiful. Economic opportunity abounds and the standard of living is high.
 
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
I think it's like that everywhere now...


That is true...
 
My sister moved there, and loves it. She's the furthest thing from what the stereotypical NJ is supposed to be, but she's said repeatedly she won't move.

In fact, she says only one thing bothers her. It's that the residents of the state seem indifferent to the horrible rap it gets from the rest of the country. I'll have to show her this thread though, a couple of people have stepped up to defend their state.

I also want her to see what you've written. Identify your state, I'm sure she'll have a few remarks to make.
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I have to agree that it's getting to be a more rude World out there in general..... Sad.
I remember as a kid in Hawaii we would hitchhike and not think twice about it. I remember moving to Seattle and thinking wow this is the "Real City World".

Like the John Lennon song said " All we need is love". Something about being anonymous in society that lets people think it's acceptable to be rude. I try to be aware of it and not get sucked into that mentality, but I slip up to.

I live in Washington the Evergreen state. I lived in California for 3.5 years and Oregon for a little over a year. This was from 2004-2008. Before and after that I have lived in the Western Washington area.
 
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Sorry if I offended any people from New Jersey, I just had to rant because I've been all over the US and New Jersey was the worst experience in my life. I don't want to say the specific location but it was around the Trenton Area and stayed at a friends on in Clark, NJ. Oh yeah, New Jersey has the worst U-turn road design known to man. Was the guy who designed the U-turn in New Jersey on drugs?
 
People in NJ (and NY) are actually very nice and considerate inside, they just have a tougher exterior and mind their own business, probably developed in response to the dense population and speed of life. If you get hurt or have a problem you will see just how kind and responsive they can be, like most people in the world. On the road, however, they are different animals for the reasons JHZR2 stated. That said, I've seen much worse in big cities in Europe and the Middle East!

The real congestion, aromas, and foreign speakers are concentrated in the northeast corner of the state just across from New York City. The rest of the state is vegetable and horse farms, beautiful white sand beaches, mountains, forests, and small towns, all quite lovely - it is after all nicknamed the "Garden State". If you flew into Newark and traveled locally or into NYC, you saw the armpit of NJ and, like you, I would not want to live there. Here in central NJ the life and people are wonderful (except for the taxes!).

Tom NJ
 
Ok, well thanks for the replies. Maybe I just need to stay there longer. Maybe I shouldn't judge right away and I apologize......But Tom Young...you're from North new Jersey, right? Yikes!!
 
As I've said many times before, south Jersey is better. It's nothing like North Jersey. Ok I'm biased, but I've spent significant time in both and prefer south. I just met a woman that moved down here from NY and she loves it. Northern NJ is what gives NJ it's bad reputation. Those Jersey shore clowns are all NY types. Northwest NJ is nice though, and so is Princeton.
 
mid and north NJ are the worst, traffic on 78 and 80 is terrible. it's only gotten worse because people have moved to PA for the lower cost of living but want the NJ salary. well, that only works for so long before the taxes go up in PA (they have and are). they bring the NJ attitude w/ them as well. the poconos are no longer a weekend getaway, but have turned into a wooded ghetto.
but, NJ is the garden state, the shore is still a popular PA getaway, south jersey is real nice (Cape May).
and yes, I am biased, living in PA right on the border (I work in PA though :) ) and I grew up in LI, so I've seen both sides of it.
 
Having grown up in South Jersey and lived in North Jersey for scool I say don't let them North Jersians nor New Yawkers get the better of you.

I always felt the same way whenever I traveled North or went to NYC. That's why I love WV at the moment. Zero traffic, friendly-genuine folks, none of that emissions cr&p at the DMV (haha my check engine light is on with a bad O2 sensor), away from all that chaos currently going on in NYC, and yes I can pump my own gas, woohoooo!!

I think you may find South Jersey a little more tolerable.

But hey good luck with everything and just laugh at them.
 
As a native north jersian, I have to say that it really isnt a bad place, if you live local to where you work, and can smartly avoid the critical bottlenecks.

If you dont, why wouldn't you be crazy? Ive hassled with that in Georgia, Delaware, DC, Indiana, CA, etc. No different.

Commuting can do something to a person. Does not mean that back at home people arent great. I know the bad/unhappy side it brought out of me.

I also frequent the Poconos, and mpvue has hit the nail on the head. The "real estate boom" and rising taxes brought some of the less savory folks out there to live. Population exploded. Ive been going out there for the last 25+ years, and I am unhappy to see what it is turning into - a sixth borough of NYC. Starting to hear more of robberies, murders, etc. Some "ethnic" areas, ambulances get rocks thrown at them when going in. Sad.
 
Originally Posted By: Popinski
I drove to Northern part of New Jersey for a job interview and something smelled funny. Not only that, NO ONE is nice there. I spent 3 days around a couple big cities and no one is considerate and kind. Want directions? FORGET IT!! No one at gas stations or convenience stores speak English and the ones who speak English don't know how to get around their own city. It seems like people in New Jersey are proud of their state but it is nothing but a big garbage dump. New Jersey should learn from her surrounding states. Now I'm skeptical about living there if I do get this job. I felt like it was a waste of time driving and staying there for a lousy job that I need desperately.

/Rant

NJ has its charm. You have to live there for it to grow on you.
 
Originally Posted By: Popinski
Oh yeah, New Jersey has the worst U-turn road design known to man. Was the guy who designed the U-turn in New Jersey on drugs?


Ahh, you discovered our jug-handles! We designed them just to frustrate out-of-staters. Wait until you encounter one of our circles!

Tom NJ
 
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