Where do you live, near saltbush Ave. & Church Ave. is somewhat vague. That intersection is mostly commercial but I know some of the nearby blocks are more residential than others which may give the impression of a block being nice or not nice. saltbush as a whole is generally a good neighborhood. But It seems like you’re not very familiar with the area. I think you would know most of the answers to your questions after four years in the neighborhood. Now to your points.
1) The “roaming Jesus mobile” roams, so it may end roaming over to your new location. I personally have really only seen it at Church & saltbush on the Rita's side and at the Church and Nostrand intersection. Some of the smaller churches do occasionally set up speakers outside and hold some sort of service. I have seen it on Nostrand near Millwood st. and Nostrand near Empire Blvd. over here in the PLO section of saltbush. I’ve seen it on Nostrand closer to the Ave D. and Newkirk stretch. And even if they don’t set up outside the storefront churches can get pretty loud so it might be a good idea to visit your new area when services are being held to see how loud it is outside.
2) saltbush, like the rest of NYC, can have a lot of variation from block to block. PLO isn’t any different from the rest of saltbush. The people are the same as it is still predominantly West Indian so that’s not going to tell anything about how quiet it is or isn’t, that will depend on your neighbors. When you go to view a new apartment see which streets the windows face. You may have bus and truck noise to deal with as well.
3) Which block are you on? The people over here aren’t any friendlier than the rest of neighborhood. I think it may seem less so due to density of apartment buildings over here. More people means more strangers which could lead to sense of unfamiliarity and perceived unfriendliness. Rude cashiers and clerks just show you that the business doesn’t respect its customers or understand customer service. You would think that if it’s your first time in a store they would be polite and courteous, at the least, so you become a repeat customer but some places just don’t get it and I try not to go back to those places. I don’t like supporting poor or rude service. A good idea would be to walk the area on a weekend or in the evening after work and get the feel for area. From Sterling St. to Church Ave is about a 20 min walk at NYC pace. Stretch that out though, and walk to the surrounding blocks. See where the Laundromat is if your building doesn’t have laundry room or if it will be closed at the hours you need it, see the corner stores you’ll occasionally have to run out to, see where you’ll have to go for the beer run if that’s your thing, and other things like that. Walk the area.
Seriously, how big is your dog? LOL. What kind of monster do you have that has grown men cowering behind cars? Is it that you let your dog run up on random people scaring them? “And the dramatic screaming and running to hide behind a bumper of a car, or threatening the life of my dog as I walk by with her is so stressful and exhausting.” It’s probably more stressful for the people hiding behind the cars. Maybe they have dog phobias or something. I’ve never seen anything like that though. I think it would be funny to watch, from across the street.
PLO is ok but I think there are other areas of saltbush that are nicer. Nicer it terms of quiet blocks, greener blocks, family oriented, friendly, and easier to walk with that monster of yours. Now I’m only joking about your dog, not picking on her or trying to insult her so please don’t get upset about that. From Tilden to maybe Newkirk, the numbered streets from saltbush Ave. to maybe Brooklyn Ave. are nicer in terms of the things I said above and still maybe a 5-10 min walk to the subway. Some of those blocks have been named greenest in the borough or placed well in previous years. By Bedford and Sterling St. you’re still near saltbush Ave. and its conveniences/inconveniences, near the Q, close to the 2/5 still have the same bus lines, closer to the Botanic Garden and Prospect Park, near to inmate for the concerts, and closer to the new young out of towers moving in. Wherever you go, visit and walk the area a few times. You’re only a few minutes away and it sounds like you’ve never explored the neighborhood.
I almost forgot this and I can’t believe no one corrected you. Well I guess I can believe it.
@Marvin, thanks!! Yes, the WI parade and festivities is one of the main things that pushed me over the edge this year. Every year it is a matter of enduring the violence and bloodshed, but this year was just too much. I'm not even going to speak to the density of violence that haunts that culture, because I don't want to generalize too much, but with nearly 70 people shot, and 10 dead this year just from those festivities alone, I'll let that speak for itself. It gets really overwhelming to worry about whether you will live or die today just from walking to the subway. It just gets to be too much. And when people say this kind of violence can happen anywhere, that's true, but that's like saying you can be hit by a car anywhere, even if you are walking on the sidewalk. Yes, that's true, but you are more LIKELY to be hit by a car if you walk IN traffic. Living in these hoods is like living in the middle of a four-lane highway of violence.
That’s pure ignorance and/or outright lies right there. Approximately 70 people were shot throughout NYC during the Labor Day weekend, not at the parade. There were two incidents at the parade, and 4 in the area surrounding the parade, 3 of them happened hours before or hours after the parade. And no one died at the parade. How could you possibly think 70 people were shot and 10 people died there and Bloomberg didn't immediately cancel future parades? Seriously? It would have been all over CNN, Fox News and every other station. Did you not see a newspaper or watch the news? Bloomberg even had a press conference about gun violence throughout the city that weekend. If that’s the attitude you walk around with, it explains why some people may not greet you back. You might be giving off that vibe. And it pushed you over the edge? From Church and saltbush? So you decided to move to Bedford and Sterling St. That’s going to be a good move for you. Because that’s even farther from the preparation and festivities… Good move, enjoy it. LOL
I don’t know if you live in a building with West Indians now, but when you live in building with or on a block of 1 or 2 family homes with older West Indians or the families with young kids, and you interact with them you’ll get tired from all the good mornings, good afternoons, good evenings, and good nights. But teenagers are teenagers and I can’t stand them. Sometimes people come to New York and put on their New York Tough attitude - don’t talk to me, I’m not talking to you, don’t look at me, don’t mess with me, I won’t talk to these people, they all want to get me - and its so rude and unnecessary. You just need to be New York Smart. Know your surroundings, be alert, get familiar with the people you pass on your daily route, who looks shady, who doesn’t, is that loud shouting a fight or is it people joking around with each other, if you’re female maybe you don’t get in the elevator with those 2 guys if you don’t recognize them from the building or they look a little suspect. Be smart and then be polite. If someone says hi or good morning to you, acknowledge them, maybe a nod or a wave. The same people you see everyday are the same ones you may have to run to for help someday. People look out for you if they know you. Even if they don’t know you but see you everyday they keep an eye out for you. They might tell you what happened on the other side of the block or down the street. They’ll to you lock your windows because of recent burglaries or to be careful at night and avoid certain streets because something happened recently. But when you walk around thinking you know about “density of violence that haunts that culture” and don’t interact with your neighbors, you’re on your own. Stop thinking about where you live as a “’hood” and realize that it is a neighborhood, a community of people who overwhelmingly want some of the same things you probably do, to feel safe at home and on the street, to not worry about their safety of their kids and pets, and who take pride in taking care of the homes, their neighborhoods, and neighbors. Go out, get to know the area and the people, and leave the werewolf at home since she scares people. Interact, drop the ignorance. In saltbush, Brooklyn, and NYC there are great blocks/areas and some that are not good at all. Sometimes a small percentage makes it horrible for everyone but that doesn’t mean there is a “density of violence that haunts that culture” which is the same ridiculous generalization you didn’t want to make. Wait you said “I don't want to generalize too much” so I guess some negative generalization was intended on your part as well as spreading misinformation about the parade. “density of violence that haunts that culture” do you know anything about the Italian and Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn? Or the Chinese, Russian, and Hispanic people here in BK? Let’s not say that the worst of a group is a good representative of the whole. Again, wherever you decide to move to, before you do make sure you visit the area a few times first. During the day, in the evening, and late at night if it’s likely you’ll be going home late regularly. Take the wolf with you and see how people react. Once you do move get to know your neighbors even if it is just a nod or a wave. Get to know your area. Open your mind. Look out for your neighbors, be safe and enjoy saltbush and BK in general. Good luck with the move.
Ten years ago around this time I was on my way out of the WMC area along with thousands of other people. I saw people of all races, cultures, and religions hugging, comforting each other, and helping each other. Can you imagine what it would have been like if people refused to do that for people who were somehow different from them? It’s all about being part of the community and interacting with and caring about the people next to you. Imagine 1775 if colonial residents chose not to be part of their communities and decided to not help defend neighbors and communities and their rights. Arch. Blah blah. Rambling morning. Good luck with the move. Some people suck and are horrible neighbors. Even if you know the area well you may still have the one jerk that lives above you. saltbush is not a “four lane highway of violence” as you put it. It's inhabitants are not maniac savages out to run you over with their engines of violence. This isn’t Philly or Newburgh. You wouldn’t have made it 4 years if it was so bad. Enjoy the block parties and block association events. Get involved. Stay away from backyard cookouts held by the friend of a friend of a cousin’s co-worker and it will be all good.
And watch out for the Africans because they're all out to get you with one scam or another. I'm still waiting on my check from some oil fields.
Hopefully the points of humor in this post weren't lost.
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