Don't let anti-Bellingham/Whatcom County threads and posts fool you. Bellingham/Whatcom County is AWESOME!! (Seattle: crime rates, neighborhood)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Snowman05

Bellingham is planning on how to build back better. They turn off street lights at night to reduce greenhouse emissions. This pandemic and climate change are the two biggest catastrophes of our time... next to bigotry. I'm afraid of viruses that lurk out in public. I'm afraid of driving my car within any place that's less than a mile away. I wish we had more restaurants that only serve the vaccinated.

I thought WA State recently mandated that restaurants only serve the vaxxed and unvaxxed who can prove they're clear of the virus.

You call turning off street lights at night, "better"? Are you aware that streetlights are all about safety, for both drivers and pedestrians? Dark streets enable crime.

What you should be worried about, is the potential for wildfires to take out a good chunk of the city.

[Diana Holbrook]

That mandate is just King County Ruth.

Thankfully they're not carding us state-wide yet.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I thought WA State recently mandated that restaurants only serve the vaxxed and unvaxxed who can prove they're clear of the virus.

You call turning off street lights at night, "better"? Are you aware that streetlights are all about safety, for both drivers and pedestrians? Dark streets enable crime.

What you should be worried about, is the potential for wildfires to take out a good chunk of the city.

I don't see fire getting out of control and burning down a good chunk of Bellingham. One thing I will give credit for is people were very aware of the fire danger during the late summer and were very careful, the fire dept. was also on the ball getting any fires put out quickly. Even during our 100* plus heat wave, it was very humid here and it looked like the bay was steaming there was so much water vapor. After record rainfall in October, nothing is ever going to burn now lol. My yard is squishy like a wet sponge from so much rain.

I have noticed that we have several areas of newer LED streetlights, and more recently they are now dark at times. We have a new homeless camp in the area and then we turn off the street lights....brilliant.

[Snowman05]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I thought WA State recently mandated that restaurants only serve the vaxxed and unvaxxed who can prove they're clear of the virus.

You call turning off street lights at night, "better"? Are you aware that streetlights are all about safety, for both drivers and pedestrians? Dark streets enable crime.

What you should be worried about, is the potential for wildfires to take out a good chunk of the city.

WA state won't mandate vax for dine in until worse variants are rolled out. Inslee is in no hurry to make that call.

Nobody should be walking at night in Bellingham anyway. A homeless person can pop out from the corner, light or no light.

Wildfires can happen here but I don't a spreadable one is possible with all the roads and creeks.

[Gabor25]

"Nobody should be walking at night in Bellingham anyway. A homeless person can pop out from the corner, light or no light. "


That is one of the reasons we relocated out of Bellingham after living there for almost 3 dreadful years.

During that period, there were 6 crime incidents.In our previous neighborhoods large suburb of St.Paul, Minnesota, there was only one criminal activity in 27 years.....

About 6 months ago in Bellingham there was ,literally, a raving lunatic on our street.
The police were notified and did nothing.That individual remained in the area for 3 hours while residents sought refuge inside their homes.Pathetic..

[rkcarguy]

^^
We have lots of "winners" around town still. From the Indian(or guy dressed as one) beating on the drum and whooping in Trader Joes parking lot to the "I'll f'n kill you all" crazy druggie yelling man that hangs out in the Whatcom creek/King St. area. Oh and don't forget the old dodge motorhome with the giant "no hope, smoke dope" spray painted on the side.

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

^^
We have lots of "winners" around town still. From the Indian(or guy dressed as one) beating on the drum and whooping in Trader Joes parking lot to the "I'll f'n kill you all" crazy druggie yelling man that hangs out in the Whatcom creek/King St. area. Oh and don't forget the old dodge motorhome with the giant "no hope, smoke dope" spray painted on the side.

I read the Next Door feeds on the latest craze in RV living. Most people are outraged about the scattered encampments around town. But, there are always some who cry about the poor homeless. Once, for a time waster, I researched who these people who defend the homeless are. Most moved here from out of the area. They haven’t lived here for as long as you and I have so their memories of Bellingham are recent. They didn’t know when Bellingham was so much safer: fewer homeless, break-ins, car thefts, etc. They may have arrived here from areas much worse and are able to live with the crime wave. I believe some are waking up. In a recent post about some RVs setting up camp in the Samish area, those who wanted something done were a clear majority.

Lol, the TJ drum banger. He was so annoying when you were standing in line when COVID first arrived. I wouldn’t mind musicians, but this guy performed a cacophony symphony. I haven’t seen him lately and there are signs about public loitering or such. I did speak to someone briefly about the noise and suggested they hire a guitar player or saxophone player.

[bartonizer]

Originally Posted by Gabor25

"Nobody should be walking at night in Bellingham anyway. A homeless person can pop out from the corner, light or no light. "


That is one of the reasons we relocated out of Bellingham after living there for almost 3 dreadful years.

During that period, there were 6 crime incidents.In our previous neighborhoods large suburb of St.Paul, Minnesota, there was only one criminal activity in 27 years.....

About 6 months ago in Bellingham there was ,literally, a raving lunatic on our street.
The police were notified and did nothing.That individual remained in the area for 3 hours while residents sought refuge inside their homes.Pathetic..

I'm genuinely curious where the multiple posters on this thread were used to walking at night. On country roads with no sidewalks? Other cities? I seriously doubt that. Several people are generalizing, acting like all parts of Bellingham feel similar, and they most certainly don't. FWIW, I actually live in the middle of the city, and my wife and I walk 30+ miles/week around town- often through downtown. I've never done that in any of the other places I've lived, and I never knew until reading posts on City-Data how tough we really were, just for going on nightly walks. LOL!

I understand that where you landed wasn't what you were looking for, but I'm glad you found something else more suited towards your preferences. From your past posts, though, it was clear that Bellingham not only wasn't what you wanted, but that you never really understood this place to begin with. From your completely absurd comments about the education level here to the air quality in town to your ridiculous assessment of "dangers" posed by the new tiny house community, it's a pretty jaded- and factually incorrect view of the city. Did you do any research before moving to the area?

Yes, you'll have a more sanitized existence in whatever gated development you moved to in the North County. And to be fair, those suburban places all exist in Bellingham, too. But it won't be crime-free. And I also don't believe for one minute that you lived in a neighborhood that had only one incident in 27 years. You just didn't have a Next Door or Facebook or even City-Data to see everyone report every single thing.

Again, though, I'm genuinely happy you found something somewhere else that floats your boat. We'll see you and the other curmudgeons when you drive down to go shopping, or go to a show, etc. And if you need a security detail to walk with you through the vicious streets of Bellingham, let me know.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

That mandate is just King County Ruth.

Thankfully they're not carding us state-wide yet.

Thank you. I'm trying to keep up.

[freepelican]

Originally Posted by xPlorer48

Lol, the TJ drum banger. He was so annoying when you were standing in line when COVID first arrived. I wouldn’t mind musicians, but this guy performed a cacophony symphony. I haven’t seen him lately and there are signs about public loitering or such. I did speak to someone briefly about the noise and suggested they hire a guitar player or saxophone player.

Maybe he just needs a few music lessons :-) I'm in a punchy mood, ignore me :-)