Economically Depressed Areas

TooTechie

Geek in Brown
While delivering some add cuts from a neighboring route in an um...economically depressed residential neighborhood I noticed something. In the poorer areas almost everyone seemed to be hanging around outside, while in the more upscale or at least middle class neighborhoods I only saw a few people outdoors.

Anyone else notice this? Any theories on why?
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
While delivering someh add cuts from a neighboring route in an um...economically depressed residential neighborhood I noticed something. In the poorer areas almost everyone seemed to be hanging around outside, while in the more upscale or at least middle class neighborhoods I only saw a few people outdoors.

Anyone else notice this? Any theories on why?
Can't afford ac?
 

Cementups

Box Monkey
My residentials start in trailer parks and then go through the middle class and up into the $1M homes and I notice the same thing. And the people in the lower income seem to have nicer words to say and are much more appreciative of us delivering their packages. The Richie Rich's treat you more like you're the help and they couldn't bring themselves down to my level to share a few words. I sarcastically say "you're welcome" to a lot of my higher end customers (to myself) as they open the door and snatch the package and dart back inside without even a "thank you".
 
My residentials start in trailer parks and then go through the middle class and up into the $1M homes and I notice the same thing. And the people in the lower income seem to have nicer words to say and are much more appreciative of us delivering their packages. The Richie Rich's treat you more like you're the help and they couldn't bring themselves down to my level to share a few words. I sarcastically say "you're welcome" to a lot of my higher end customers (to myself) as they open the door and snatch the package and dart back inside without even a "thank you".
what package are they trying to snatch??..lol
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
Can't afford ac?

This is it in my area, they hang around the carport or in the garage with the doors open. A lot of them have the the garages furnished like a living room, with sofas and the TV. It takes a lot of money to run the air conditioning, the shade with maybe a fan is cheaper.

On the other hand, I have a expensive part of my area with million dollar mansions where a lot of doctors and such live. The Middle Easterners and Asians will often have a gas camp stove or woks and they use their garages to cook in.
 

overflowed

Well-Known Member
I've thought of this before and the only thing I could think of is if I had no money for all of our distractions what would you do? IE: cable, netflix, internet, games and such. Would you go sit in the kitchen and stare at the wall all night till you went to sleep? I think you would want to be entertained right? Sadly for these areas I think seeing a delivery truck going by and seeing other people sitting outside is far superior to the kitchen wall. Just my opinion of course.
 

bumped

Well-Known Member
I do deliver in an economically depressed area everyday. The nice people are raelly nice, salt of the earth type people. The problem is the mean, angry, nasty people are off the charts. The nicer people make me use sir and ma'am quite a bit. I do it now without even thinking. To the mean and angry I do get a bit more edgy and stand my ground. You are not doing your job if your not called a MF every once in a while. I basically have to be on my toes more, because there are a lot more people willing to screw me over.
 
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I live, and for the most part have always lived, in a rural area primarily surrounded by farms. While one can debate the definition of " economically depressed" vs what residents of those areas do when at home. There's little forgotten towns around us and on any given night if you drive by you'll find a majority of folks outside. Their reasons may be different than what others have described but on some level I see a sense of interaction and community. They might not have what we might consider to be important things but their perception of important might be different than ours. I think their ideals are better at least than the folks I see going through life with their focus, and nose, buried in some device they think is a must have.
 

UPSmeoff

Well-Known Member
I'd rather deliver to a poor neighborhood than a rich one.

How many Pottery Barn packages have you ever delivered to a trailer?

I have an old black neighborhood i deliver to and all i have for them is cell phones and diabetes medicine.
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
During normal working hours (9-5) most of the people that live in middle class-upper class neighborhoods are at work. For that reason those areas are usually quiet and practically empty of people and traffic. That's why I prefer delivering to those areas over lower income areas where the streets are littered with hastly parked cars and trash. And many people are walking or hanging around waiting for their late night shifts or don't work.

It only took a couple of months of being an unassigned driver to notice that, in most cases, the attitudes of people are due to their individual personalities and not based on their income. A rich jerk would most likely still be a jerk if they were poor. And vice versa.
 
During normal working hours (9-5) most of the people that live in middle class-upper class neighborhoods are at work. For that reason those areas are usually quiet and practically empty of people and traffic. That's why I prefer delivering to those areas over lower income areas where the streets are littered with hastly parked cars and trash. And many people are walking or hanging around waiting for their late night shifts or don't work.

It only took a couple of months of being an unassigned driver to notice that, in most cases, the attitudes of people are due to their individual personalities and not based on their income. A rich jerk would most likely still be a jerk if they were poor. And vice versa.
Agreed..I was doing a section that I usually dont do. (Ritzy part of town) Knocked on the door and the lady said "theservants entrance is on the side of the house" I say thats nice...im not a servant im here to deliver your package!..what a :censored2:!
 

Wally

BrownCafe Innovator & King of Puns
While delivering some add cuts from a neighboring route in an um...economically depressed residential neighborhood I noticed something. In the poorer areas almost everyone seemed to be hanging around outside, while in the more upscale or at least middle class neighborhoods I only saw a few people outdoors.

Anyone else notice this? Any theories on why?

Might be, government involvement has made it optional to work. Free rent, heat/AC, food, cable, and cell phones, are provided. Go to work and some of these may be taken way.
 

bleedinbrown58

That’s Craptacular
Agreed..I was doing a section that I usually dont do. (Ritzy part of town) Knocked on the door and the lady said "theservants entrance is on the side of the house" I say thats nice...im not a servant im here to deliver your package!..what a :censored2:!
We're not servants....we're slaves!! Slaves entrance is under the outhouse!!! Lol
 

didyousheetit

Well-Known Member
My residentials start in trailer parks and then go through the middle class and up into the $1M homes and I notice the same thing. And the people in the lower income seem to have nicer words to say and are much more appreciative of us delivering their packages. The Richie Rich's treat you more like you're the help and they couldn't bring themselves down to my level to share a few words. I sarcastically say "you're welcome" to a lot of my higher end customers (to myself) as they open the door and snatch the package and dart back inside without even a "thank you".
My first route was in very depressed area of town I did it for 20 years and if they didn't bust two routes out next to mine I would have stayed til retirement. That being said I met so many people from different nationalities Laotian, Ethiopians, Cambodians, old polish neighborhood as well. five different massage parlors, lingerie stores, adult book stores, countless prostitutes. I was even invited to a couple of ethnic weddings which were awesome. Never had a dull day. Now I'm on a "retirement route" yes the work is easier but boring. Come Christmas time on my old route I made over 700 dollars cash plus countless liquor and little gifts. New route which is very upper middle class I saw 45 dollars cash and a few gift cards which totaled 75 dollars. I never differentiate how I deliver based on who you are. Bottom line, people with money have it for a reason they don't part with it and it means too much to them. Some of the poorer people just have more things important to them than money.
 

air_dr

Well-Known Member
The more I think about it, the more I find this thread thought provoking...

The design of a neighborhood may also be a very significant factor in how many people you will see outside. For anyone interested, google "new urbanism."
 
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