Remember the saying that came up recently, A Pig with lipstick on it is still a pig
North Chattanooga I am sorry to say is still Noth Chattanooga, even though on High Street some genius put a pink metal cow up
It seems all of us have our "after hours" story to tell about "North of the Border" encounters, here's mine.
My wife was in Erlanger recently with a 4 day butt kicking infection and I was in and out of the hospital at odd hours. Depending on the time
you encountered all types of folks, ranging from simply unknowing to predators on the prowl. I am not talking just about Coolidge Park but the bleed-over from it's boundries
The 7 AM to 3 PM group is mostly tourist, walking around with their heads in the clouds, with no comprehension of what danger lurks around them. They walk with pocket-books loosely secured, looking at their surrounding like they were in New York City for the first time. Easy Pickings for snatchers and such. During this time frame you do have the locals, eating lunch, rushing about their daily lives. I think some of the locals even buy the Chamber of Commerce ads that everything is good.
From 3 PM to 10 PM there is still the tourist groups, wanting to experience the "Chattanooga Night Life !". They appear to be somewhat more safety aware, but now there is a seperate split. The true "North of the Riva" bars and such and the more upscale "South of the Riva" establishments. The North of the River "NOR" is more Head Shops, and even the patrons of the area have a different appearance. Not taking a bath for a few days is in style, or at least not washing your jeans anyway. Tatoo shops, Piercings of various body parts(OUCH!), and more Avant Garde, Bohemian looks are in style. The Chattanoogan homeless community seem to favor NOR over SOR greatly. While sitting at Traffic lights, I witnessed a few homeless/over indulged thrown out of Bars. Nor has real Bars, you know, not very big, no flashy signs, just a neon Bud or other brand in the window and a front door.
From 10PM to 2AM. NOR:I stopped this group at 2 AM for a reason. Alot of the what you would call "classic" hole in the wall bars close about 2 AM. If you are coming Frazier about that time, it is a site to behold. It's like somebody opened up the drunk tanks at Chattanooga PD to early and all at one time. All these drunk, dirty, hairy, peope with no real destination in mind are cut loose. It is worth pulling over to the side (doors locked, vehicle in gear) just to watch. Some walk/fall down the steps going towards Coolidge Park, others head across the Walnut Street Bridge. I am glad they have a high railing on the Walnut Street Bridge, they would be fishing people out all the time. There is a percentage that head for alleys in pairs, I assume to conduct financial exchanges or perhaps plan criminal adventures for the next time period.
SOR: being that SOR businesses are fanchises and such, they have have regular hours. When passing thru at this time, the employees are making a bee-line to their cars. What I have witnessed the SOR patrons, even though loaded, leave the area. The streets are cleared pretty quick.
From 2AM to 7AM. In NOR, this is the time NOT to be on Frazier. I had left Erlanger at 3:30 AM, to go take a nap, get a bath and come back. I have a Hand Gun Carry Permit. When I left Erlanger, I laid the weapon in my lap, safety off. I crossed the Veterans Bridge which had 3 groups of 3-4 subjects each in them heading toward Frazier.Turning left on Frazier, I noticed one group of 5 subjects standing next to the side of a convenience store, and of course there is a light there. I was stopped in the center lane. I had my weapon now in my right hand, still in my lap. A late model Chrysler 300 with large rims pulled up next to me on my right side. A subject got out of the pasenger side and stepped towerd the front of my vehicle. He had a Hoodie on and both hands in his pocket.I turned my interior light on, pointed my weapon in his direction, swerved to the left, ran the next 2 red lights and never looked back. The reason I am telling this story is 1, I am not Dirty Harry but 2, If in danger as trained during my Handgun training, I will use the weapon if threatened.
If my observances during a few days on Frazier are as such, I can just imagine what Coolidge Park is like during the day and after sundown. I heard Mayor Littlefield on with Jeff Styles the other morning. He still maintains that the shootings and violence in Chattanooga are because the children are not trained well and all this hooey. He was blaming the parents. I don't give a Rat's Behind who did or did not train these children. They are semi adults now and subject to the LAW, let's get on with it.
The Chattanooga Police Dept needs to be unleashed and be allowed to do their job. These groups of thugs standing around after dark NOR, are there for one reason. They had picked me out as being alone, traffic was perfect at the time, and using their 2 way communications on their phones, set up a robbery on me. The fact that I had a weapon into the mix stopped them. Let me assure, if one had tried to pull my door open, even at gun point, I would have taken action. More citizens need to carry their weapons proudly, on their hip, as stated by law and some of there "thugs" might have second thoughts when they are out gunned and out trained.
Mitch Thurmer
mthurmer4300@epbfi.com
Signal Mountain
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