SC Resident considering move.

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Obviously I currently live in SC (Not for long if I can help ). This used to be the number one Southern State for safety and hospitality when I was growing up. That was a long time ago I guess. Back when people said thank you and mam, etc.

I read an article some where that Arizona was 16th in the nation in Violent crime in 2007. Thats WITH a border with Mexico, and all the other reasons.

SC was number one that year.

I drive a Taxi now, for the past 20 + years as a matter of fact. Back in 1994, I was shot in the head. It was bad, my daughter was 4, and still remembers. Died three times on the table, lost 7 pints of blood. It was bad. I got better and went back to work driving a taxi. Wouldn't let the yo-yo's run me off, out out of my home state.

Now, I look around and see drug dealers on every corner, hookers by the score, and crack zombies everywhere. Gaffney is a small (and I mean SMALL) City, around 35,000. I know about 25hookers here, and that's alot for a town this size. There are shootings, stabbings, etc., etc. all the time. Crime is out of control, and we're being slaughtered in the streets. My little hometown has become the Tombstone Az. of the 21st Century. I'm looking into moving to the Az area, around Tombstone (not a cooincidence). Are there anytown in that area that have a healthy Taxi industry. Or are there jobs there. I now have two grown kids, two grands, and a sick wife. It's not just me,and I gotta get out of here before it ends up one of my family on the metal table.

I'd appreciate any help or advise.

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I don't know what the job situation is in Tombstone, but it is a very small town. Mostly tourist industry, wouldn't think there's much taxi-wise. Probably have a little better luck with that kind of work in Sierra Vista, but that's not the best place to live lately- lots of gang violence. I guess it's everywhere man. Don't know what to tell you, though don't think it's as bad as what you're describing where you're at. Good luck with your search for sanity.

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Phoenix,Scottsdale, and Tempe would be your best bet for taxi.

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yea taxis down here make good money im sure (in tempe i mean) with Mill Ave and ASU they get alot of calls

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The further away from the urban areas... the less Taxi's you'll find... (like near none).

Tucson/Marana has the U of AZ... many, many clinics, hospital types... ''bout 3 airports, an Air Force base'n lots of touristy stuff.

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Sonora Rebel wrote:

The further away from the urban areas... the less Taxi's you'll find... (like near none).

Tucson/Marana has the U of AZ... many, many clinics, hospital types... ''bout 3 airports, an Air Force base'n lots of touristy stuff.

Click to expand...

And runs 5-15 deg. cooler than Pheonix. Which still means 105-110 for most of mid-June to mid-Sept. Pheonix gets down-right warm that time of year...

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armyman29340 wrote:

Tombstone Az. of the 21st Century.

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So, you're saying about a dozen of so people have died of unnatural causes in your hometown?

Sounds like you're describing something a whole heck of a lot worse than Tombstone ever was.

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Unfortunately, that's exactly what I'm describing. This place is perdition on wheels, and WE don't have a Marshal Earp to help us out. The only reason these maniacs leave me alone is that I didn't give up and run when I got shot in the head in '94. I got well, and went right back to work less than a month later.

The problem with the area I live in is we haven't the population density to have a large enough tax base to hire and train enough law enforcement to do the job. Gaffney IS a small town, but with the industry we have going on ( the usual leagl industry minus the manufacturing we used to have, plus the illicit drug sales, heavy prostitution, etc.) the taxi industry WAS booming. With the economy on the fritz, no one has any money to sepnd on the hookers, drug dealers aren't making any money, so they're resorting to open robbery and violence.

Also, they don't ride in taxis like they used to. Anyway, I'm not tied to the taxi line of work. I'll do whatever I need to to make a living. I have worked in security in the past, as well as sales and food service.

The reason I chose Tombstone over other more populated areas was because it IS a small town. It's in the middle of the desert, and can't have the kind of "culture" that we have in Gaffney. Besides, I am a history nut. I majored in History, minored in English, in college.

Also consider the health advantages for me. When I was shot, I lost ALOT of blood, the bullet having passed in my head just forward of my right ear and below it. It traveld up and through my soft pallet, turned down, and exited blow and behind my left ear, clipping the corodid artery on the way out. I have trigemninal nuralgia (spelling? I'm not a doctor), and because of residual effects, get cold easily. A hot dry climate would be great for me.

I have to say...I'm all for open carry. I carry concealed because of State law and have a CWP, but I don't like HAVING to carry a weapon just to walk three blocks to get a cup of coffee.

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I wouldn't turn down the chance to move to Tombstone, but from what I can tell it consists of the businesses downtown which cater mostly to tourism, and then the people who live there and work in those businesses. If you can make it there, you'll probably enjoy it, and who wouldn't like that as a mailing address. There just isn't a lot going on economically there, but who knows, maybe you could start your own business. Tombstone as a commercial center is very "compact" and walkable, especially the tourist area. I don't really know what purpose taxis would serve there but I've not paid much attention.

If you can't, there is Sierra Vista, a sort of step up in size. I had been through there quickly a few times but a few months ago my father and I drove down there from the Tucson region just to drive around and I was surprised how nice it was. Way more going on down there than I thought. Lots of medical centers for whatever reason. Also, we went to a small but really friendly gun store there. I wouldn't mind living there. It is possible you can do driving there as there are probably people using those medical centers who aren't local.

From there, there is Tucson, and Tucson is definitely a city (though more like a very large sprawling suburb.) It is as big a city as I can personally tolerate. I can confirm since we have the airport here, there are taxis. I've taken them several times. You could most certainly find a job here (although I don't know given the economy how hard that is). But I see taxis all over town.

If I had my way, I'd live in a town like Tombstone or Benson or even Willcox (Oracle would even be nice) - I'd even look at Bisbee, but I can't economically figure out a way to do that, needing employment and the like.

You might consider setting up on the edge of the Tucson region if you can't find jobs in those smaller towns, with an eye perhaps to move to a smaller town if and when you can figure out how to do that.

If by some chance you can make the move directly to Tombstone, that's great, but I wouldn't personally know how to do it.

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I'm considering a place on the outskirts of Seligman, Ash Fork, Williams, or Valle. Doesn't sound like your speed though. ;-) I can't stand cities, and people are even worse...

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Everybody forgets about St David... 'bout 20 miles from Tombstone.I don't think anything 'happens' in St David. It's been there since 1878 or so... prob'ly older than Tombstone actually. Think 'small'. Bisbee... ya gotta be part goat 'n there's way too many lefties'n old hippies hangin' out still. Douglas... no way. For a place to 'live'... Marana, Avra Valley, Picture Rocks, Three Corners, or Sells. The last 4 are all west of the Tucson Mtns. (There are 50 mountain ranges in AZ) Lemme show ya a sunset from my front yard in Picture Rocks: