What is your opinion on the United Kingdom?

[Cadiewampus]

Went to washington DC on train with the safety patrols from school when I was 12

 

[happymommy]

Currently it’s the cicadas! Literally dive bomb my car when I go out. They are so loud and swarming all over.

We’re a bit rural, so only have like 3 halfway decent restaurants within 15 minutes, and now one pretty darn good one. For special dinners out, it’s usually 30 minutes drive (which isn’t too bad really, but I don’t like to drive after dark). For carry out, which we do often, it’s always the same 3 places.

 

[Moliphino]

Pot holes. Dead trees from a few bad years of gypsy moth caterpillars. They have actually made an effort to cut down a lot of the dead trees in the past year, but not until a few of them had fallen into roads (one not very far from me as I was walking my dog).

 

[China Expat]

So Cal- freeway car shootings, trash, homeless crisis, theft, insane traffic, too many people!

 

[mjkacmom]

Property taxes, traffic, pot holes. Right now a lot of streets are closed to repair the pot holes, residents are now complaining about the rerouting and traffic it’s causing, and we shouldn’t have to put up with it with the taxes we pay.

 

[NYCgrrl]

In some ways exactly as I assumed and even exceeded some of my expectations .
In other ways not.

 

[mjkacmom]

Saladworks. Like really people. Its 70% lettuce.

I’m in NJ and a complete pizza snob. Little Caesar’s is the worst pizza known to man. My kids wouldn’t even touch it as kids. I never bought it but when it was serviced at a bday party they wouldn’t touch it. Dominos and Pizza Hut are barely edible. It’s like fake cheese on cardboard. As a kid I did like Pizza Hut (free personal pizza if you read so many books) but then I grew up and they changed their pizza.

I really like five guys but I live around an abundance of diners so I have access to lots of great burgers. We also have several chains here. Habit burger (really good too), shake shack, red Robin, etc. But five guys fries win out.

I’ve never even seen chain pizza served at a party, there are always regular pizzerias that are cheaper. I think the only people who eat chain pizza are drunk teenagers, I know I’ve found empty boxes here in the morning.

 

[Meriweather]

road construction all the time. Roads closed.
bad driving. I have never lived anywhere where so many people ran red lights.
bugs....roaches, crickets, cicadas (but we never see them.....they just are in the trees making a lot of noise) and scorpions

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I’ve never even seen chain pizza served at a party, there are always regular pizzerias that are cheaper. I think the only people who eat chain pizza are drunk teenagers, I know I’ve found empty boxes here in the morning.

It was few and far between and many years ago. My kids are older now and I have found dominos pizza boxes in the morning. That’s my son (21) because my daughter still won’t touch chain pizza. Lol.

I think people liked the $5 price tag and thought cheap food for a kids bday. But then don’t realize you have to buy more pizzas because those $5 pizzas are tiny!

 

[RUDisney]

We had to be on the road by 3:30 to get to Philadelphia in time to get in line to go into the INS when we were adopting our kids 20 years ago.

On an unhappy note, we were awakened at 12:30 by DH's BFF's DD. Her sister was in ICU, on life support. She asked if we could drive her to the hospital, near Philadelphia. I asked if I could sleep a little before we went, but she called 5 times during the next half hour, so I threw my hands up and said to my DH, "let's go." We were glad to be included in her end of life to support her parents and her sister. Very sad time, but we were happy to be so close to them to support them. She passed a few days later.

 

[KPeterso]

Singapore when I was 2.5. My aunt and uncle were living there at the time and were nearing the end of their time living there, so we went to see them for about 2.5 months. My Mom will mention something every so often from the trip and ask if I remember. I usually stare at her and remind her I was 2 and no I don't remember much at all from that trip.

 

[Magical2017]

It's a tie between a cross country road trip and a trip to Europe--three weeks.

 

[MrsPete]

We have the same issue- the next town is horrible- has a 44% graduation rate and is just overrun with gang activity, drugs and illegal activities, I honestly don't blame them for wanting to send their kids to a neighboring towns schools but we have enough kids of our own in this town.

Yep, sounds the same. If you want your kids to go to our schools, move to our county and pay your share of our inflated property taxes.

We are overrun with skunks in my town this year.

Oh, yeah, we've got that too. Before I lost my dog, I used to enjoy walking him pretty late at night, and I'd see lots of them out doing skunk-y things. They're super smart; I'd never see one in the same spot twice.

 

[georgina]

Growing up in the 70’s, my folks took us where they wanted to go. We had no input.

Exactly this. Kids' wants were not to be indulged. Sometimes the neighbors took pity on me and took me places with them.

 

[Gary M]

One of our current problems is the lack of people willing to work. Businesses from fast food to higher paying jobs are trying to find employees. "Now hiring" signs are everywhere. Several businesses have cut back on their hours open and days open because the lack of staff.

Recently the FBI arrested 9 of our political people, including the mayor. A new mayor was elected and he seems to have things on the right path. This political corruption has been going on for years. A few years ago the state took over our school system and are trying to get it straightened up.

 

[Kittyblue]

Catalytic converter theft has been all over the news lately. Is that going on in anyone else's area?

Our homeless population is increasing and you can find them anywhere in town now, but I suppose that's true everywhere else. We're also a human trafficking hub.

 

[easyas123]

Currently it’s the cicadas! Literally dive bomb my car when I go out. They are so loud and swarming all over.

We’re a bit rural, so only have like 3 halfway decent restaurants within 15 minutes, and now one pretty darn good one. For special dinners out, it’s usually 30 minutes drive (which isn’t too bad really, but I don’t like to drive after dark). For carry out, which we do often, it’s always the same 3 places.

Sounds a LOT like where I live, except I'm in a rare area of my state w/o Cicadas! Drive 45 minutes and boom! there they are.

One big problem we are having, like many others, is finding #1 employees that want to work, and #2 new employees that can pass the pre-employment drug test. We aren't having as hard of a time as others, but still it's fustrating.

But yeah - if I could just have a different choice w/ our take out options in my immediate area...pizza & cheesesteaks or subs is about it!

 

[nene0182]

Well if you look at the local rants/raves page, it’s filled with bad parking, horrible service at fast food restaurants, thefts from unlocked cars, and bad roads followed by complaining when they start doing construction on the bad roads.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Too many people moving to the area, overcrowded schools, increased traffic, limited infrastructure to support all the growth and limited representation from our district at a state and local level. We live in an un-incorporated part of our county whereas the county seat is a shrinking town with crime and not so great schools and they exploit our area for tax revenue with no regard to development.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Catalytic converter theft has been all over the news lately. Is that going on in anyone else's area?

Our homeless population is increasing and you can find them anywhere in town now, but I suppose that's true everywhere else. We're also a human trafficking hub.

I have seen this by us, car was left off the highway and the converter was stolen before it could get towed.