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Tell me about Pensacola, Florida please....

#22
Alright....so is there a strong southern disposition in Pensacola? Will I be viewed as a Yankee or outsider since I don't have the drawl, have pasty white skin, and won't be flying a rebel flag in my 4x4?

-Mike
 
#23
MJ5150 said:
Alright....so is there a strong southern disposition in Pensacola? Will I be viewed as a Yankee or outsider since I don't have the drawl, have pasty white skin, and won't be flying a rebel flag in my 4x4?

-Mike
Click to expand...


Don't worry, most southern states issue a rebel flag and a shotgun with your driver's liscence. Leave your shoes at home; they will be of no use to you hear. If you own one of those fancy, left-coast hybrid sissy cars, you might be lynched at the boarder.

Also, remember that in the south "starbucks" is just a really big deer.
 
#26
MJ5150 said:
Thank you for that bit of info Gard. I am getting that same vibe from other people about the Pensacola area. The only thing that really concerns me right now are the bugs. She isn't one of those "OMG, a bug on the ground!!" women, but my wife would not like to live somewhere that bugs affect how you go about your business everyday. This could be a sticking point in the move, seriously. I am not about to force my wife to move anywhere. Any of us married guys know......if momma ain't happy, ain't no one happy. :)

About the Saints.....sh-yeah right, as if! I lived in the shadows of the Holmgren Empire for the last nine years and never once thought of converting, even after the oh-so controversial SB XL.

The Steelers are in my blood pal, just like the Saints are in yours.

-Mike
Click to expand...

I know man, I was just pullin' your chain a bit, and I totally understand and respect your Steeler-hood! :) I can relate to it as well, hey, I'm in Kitty-land up here, and that makes me a major enemy 'round these parts. Screw 'em. :spit:

However, you ARE going to be surrounded by Saints fans there, based on experience (same with Mobile, right Adron? :hyper: ), so be prepared. There is a small number of very confused Falcons fans in the panhandle as well, but we didn't hurt 'em....much....

:ninja:

As for the bugs, well...er....uh........:eek:......bugs? There ain' no bugs in the panhandle, no siree, not a one....

:hiding:

....she'll adjust, it's not THAT bad.

;)
 
#27
MJ5150 said:
Alright....so is there a strong southern disposition in Pensacola? Will I be viewed as a Yankee or outsider since I don't have the drawl, have pasty white skin, and won't be flying a rebel flag in my 4x4?

-Mike
Click to expand...

You'll be OK, Pensacola is a military town, there are a LOT of "non-southerners" based there, and with the naval aviation training ALL done there, there are actually a pretty good number of college grads in the military in that area. It rubs off a bit...however there are still some...well...SOUTHERN folk in the area as well....:scowl:

....but, here's a plus, New Orleans is a weekend trip away!

:D
 
#28
Bugs aren't too bad, just get a good pest control service to come out often and on a scheduled basis and you shouldn't have issues with bugs in the house.

Outside, during the summer you pretty much can't go out around dusk without being overwhelmed with mosquitoes, which are the state bird. But, if the community you live in sprays/fogs for mosquitoes frequently (weekly or so) it should be bearable.
 
#29
Sorry, I'm probably gonna offend some folks here too.. my only gripe with Florida is that it's filled with far too much ignorance & intolerance for me to ever consider living there. Sorry to generalize, but I've had a few bad experiences with the Bubba-Mentality/Dixie Flagwaivers on vacations down there. On the other hand, it was refreshing that people were openly racist vs. up north people tend to hide their racism.. Just the two cents of this "oreo/mudperson/mulatto/half-breed".

FL Knifemaker said:
No offence taken. I wish every northerner felt the same way you do :eyebrow:
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#30
Gard said:
....but, here's a plus, New Orleans is a weekend trip away!
Click to expand...

THAT was also a major bonus to moving to Pensacola if we do. I love the New Orleans area, and it would be most awesome to be only three hours away. I could even stop in Kiln on the way there and say hi to Bret at the "Kiln 'n Time" barber shop/video rental store we went to last time I was there!

I could totally adjust to being a southerner. I have admired their laid back lifestyle for years. I''' eventually work my way over to the Gainesville area though. That's where I belong if I'm going to live in Florida.

I'm going to hit up the Goodwill this weekend and see if I can't find myself one of them there leather belts with the name "Bubba" etched in it. :D :D

-Mike
 
#31
we played a show in Pensecola a few years ago. Weird town. We rolled into downtown at about 5 pm on a Saturday...place looked like a ghost town. I mean, tumble weeds and crickets! NOTHING was open except the Subway Sandwich shop. So, we go there and ask what was up...was it a new Florida holiday or something? The clerk said it is always like that after the work day because it's the bible belt. Her words, not mine. Eventually the club opened up at like 8pm, but everything else stayed closed. The show was ok due to the 3 dollar beer pitcher night! I guess the bible thumpers like their drink too!!
 
#32
I love Pensacola. Every time I visit another area, I realize how much I like Pensacola. Not sure what some people above are talking about. Im a long haired musician that does well here. We need more bass players and the beaches rock. Its silly hot for about 6-8 weeks and silly cold for about 6-8 weeks. Then its nice the rest of the time.

What are the roads and streets like? fine... nothing like Louisiana

Is there a level one trauma center nearby? The hospitals here are great. They just opened the Andrews institute which is a super high tech center

Do people generally take care of their yards and belongings? Generally... there are areas that are worse than others.

Is crime a major problem? Not at all where I live.

Is it a big tourist area? Yes, but not like Panama City or Destin.

What is the average age of most of the people in the area? No idea.

Is the community environmentally friendly, and proactive about protecting it? Havent noticed one way or the other. If that is your thing I am sure you will find/see the ways they are going about that... but if you drive a car are we really environmentally friendly?

What is the public transportation like? Buses... but essentially not much.

Are there any big all indoor malls? 2, but one is turning into a big outdoor mall type of thing.

How about the dining scene? Lots of choices? Tons of awesome places to eat. Lots of local establishments plus all the big chains. It is certainly a service industry town.

As for the military... I live near the base and I never feel that I am surrounded by soldiers. They do what they do and I do what I do.

Ill PM my number and I will answer any questions you have.

Jon
 
#33
Pensacola has two level II trauma centers but no level I.

level I has all critical staff in the building 24/7

level II has all critical staff available within 1 hour but the reality is that all staff is on site 95% of the time and all the staff that you are likely to need will be there 24/7. It's a excellent level of care. If you're injured, critically the first hour will be spent in stabilization and evaluation anyway.

In that first hour of care the real question is not, Is there a Level I T.C. close? The question you want to ask is, How good is the EMS system and paramedics.

Among the EMS community. Escambia County Emergency Services gets a lot of respect. They are VERY good.
 
#34
MJ5150 said:
Alright....so is there a strong southern disposition in Pensacola? Will I be viewed as a Yankee or outsider since I don't have the drawl, have pasty white skin, and won't be flying a rebel flag in my 4x4?

-Mike
Click to expand...

Way-ull, it ain't called tha Redneck Rivee-airuh fer nuthin'!

As others have said, with Pensacola and the surrounding area having several major military bases, I really don't think most people would think twice of you being an "outsider."

If your wife loves the ocean, wherever you are in the area, I don't think you'd be any more than a max of, say, 15-20 minutes from the water.

And as for the Saints-fan thing: Mike, if you give me a chance I'll have you sitting in the Canal Street endzone, wearing your Black 'n Gold, yelling "Who Dat" at the top of your lungs before you know it! :D
 
#36
Steve said:
In that first hour of care the real question is not, Is there a Level I T.C. close? The question you want to ask is, How good is the EMS system and paramedics.
Click to expand...


Good points Steve, and I agree. I now that in cities that do have a level one trauma center, the quality and amount of medical care in that community is generally speaking of better quality than those that do not have one. Two level two's work for me also though! Thanks for the scoop.

Thanks for the detailed info Wolf. I will be following up on your PM. I get your point about driving a car, but we can also do things to help offset that. Where I live now, there are plenty of opportunites to contribute to environmental awareness, and sometimes you can get breaks on your taxes and bills for being environmentally friendly. I just like to know that my civic leaders have an active interest in taking care of the environment. In my hometown in Pennsylvania, they did not.

SoCom.....I'll gladly go to a Saints game for you and scream as loud as I can for your Saints. I have no problem with that. :D

It looks like I may be coming down with my wife next week for a couple days to check the place out. Supposedly I am getting a phone call from the main guy at the Pensacola location, even though Monday is a holiday.

-Mike
 
#37
MJ5150 said:
I got a job offer today as a Senior System Admin for a wireless company in Pensacola, Florida. The benefit package includes relocation expenses. I am somewhat excited about the job. If I take the job, I will be moving with my wife and 18 year old son.

Now I know about the hurricanes, but what else do I need to know? I'm not interested in the music scene or cool bass shops. I need to know about the everyday things that are going to concern my wife, my son, and myself.

Anything else along those lines that you could add would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

-Mike
Click to expand...

I live in Pensacola and overall it's a fairly decent town. There isn't too much to do besides go to the beach, which everyone here loves. The beach is 15-20 minutes from most places in town.

Things of interest to us would be.....
What kinds of bugs are there and are there lots of them? There are mosquitoes but nothing too bad.

What are the roads and streets like? The roads are fine.

Is there a level one trauma center nearby? Steve already answered this one pretty well. The hospitals seem pretty nice from what I have seen. Also, there is also a brand new Andrews Institute, which is a sports medicine facility run by world renowned Dr. James Andrews.

Do people generally take care of their yards and belongings? Depends on the neighborhood.

Is crime a major problem? No, but it depends on the neighborhood.

Is it a big tourist area? Kind of, but not like Destin.

What is the average age of most of the people in the area? How racially diverse is it, and dominated by what race? There is a lot of good census data here

Is the community environmentally friendly, and proactive about protecting it? Escambia county is I the 12th most polluted county in the nation according to the EPA if I recall correctly. There is good data about pollution Link Removed

What is the public transportation like? There are public buses, but they are thinking about shutting it down because there is no money to run it.

Are there any big all indoor malls? There are two. One is decent, the other is awful. The one that is awful is going to be converted to an outdoor "lifestyle center" pretty soon.

How about the dining scene? Lots of choices? It's alright. Nothing world-class but there are plenty of enjoyable restaurants.

I don't mean to sound negative, but I just thought you should be aware of some of the problems with the city.
 
#38
Well, Mike, I've only ever driven through Pensacola, but I've moved from the Pacific Northwest to Florida on two separate occasions; so while I can't tell you about Pensacola, I can offer some advice about a 3200 mile move from PNW to FL. Which is maybe one the biggest moves in a person can make in the US.
 
#40
I also wanted to point out that the interstate around Pensacola has been screwed up for years. It seems like there's always some sort of construction going on and no one working. It's the only thing I don't like about going to Pensacola.
 

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