Don't move to Florence, alabama

Unless you want your rights violated, you will no longer have the freedom to go ride around for no reason, or to get up in the middle of the night and grab fast food. (Unwritten rule) don't go out at night here and even daytime hours on holidays. If you have a nice place you live you don't want to live here trust me.

What's wrong with Florence? At least it's quiet. Quiet and nice people. I like small towns that's why I like to live where I do.

Linconl adams wrote:

Unless you want your rights violated, you will no longer have the freedom to go ride around for no reason, or to get up in the middle of the night and grab fast food.(Unwritten rule) don't go out at night here and even daytime hours on holidays. If you have a nice place you live you don't want to live here trust me.

Any one who does not like it can take any one of four directions out of town.We would be glad to see you go.I love the shoals area.

I loved Florence. I miss it like crazy. I was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona then moved there for a few years went to coffee high school was one of the first graduates of c/o 2005 at Florence High School and attended UNA. It is alot safer then some other places I've lived. Where else can you go to college and see lion cubs everyday no where bc UNA is the only place with them. Football is also life there!

You have rights? When did this happen?

Sounds like you got caught doing something naughty and did not like the punishment...

The only people who hate cops are the ones that got caught doing someting they should not be doing.

Linconl adams wrote:

Unless you want your rights violated, you will no longer have the freedom to go ride around for no reason, or to get up in the middle of the night and grab fast food.(Unwritten rule) don't go out at night here and even daytime hours on holidays. If you have a nice place you live you don't want to live here trust me.

I'm from Athens, which is a small town where the cops weren't on power-trips.I go to UNA and actually the cops are ridiculous here. I've been pulled over at 12:00 a.m. I wasn't doing anything wrong. They went out of their way just to give me a sobriety test, that I passed, and tried to feed me all this BS about how they could arrest me for having un-opened alcohol in my car etc. But the thing that pisses me off the most about them is this next story. My girl-friend got a seatbelt ticket which she paid and even called up the municipal court to validate that. The lady told her they got the money for her fee. Well, apparently they didn't because she got arrested for that seat belt ticket - shackled - hand-cuffed - the whole sha-bang. The cops here are jerks with nothing better to do but screw people over. Not to mention the lack of parking places on UNA campus which allows them to milk us of our money when we park in a no parking zone to get to CLASS ON TIME. I mean wtf? Let's pick on people going to school trying to get an education. This place sucks.

I'd love cops.... but they don't mind throwing me in jail for unjust drug laws. Just because I smoke a joint doesn't mean I should go to jail. And throwing drug addicts in jail only depresses them more and makes them more likely to commit further crime due to the stigma of a criminal record.

Florence Police really aren't as bad as some... just don't drive crazy at night and you should be okay. The easiest by far are the Sherriff Deputies around here, they are more like your friends (who want to help) rather than your enemies (who want to throw you in jail at the first opportunity).. which brings me to the State Troopers that are around here. They are like robocops so be careful...

I drive through Florence at all hours of the night...never had a single problem.

If you complain about getting thrown in jail for, oh I don't know, BREAKING THE LAW, i.e. smoking a joint, then I'd really rather NOT have you living in my town anyway. Take your pot somewhere else, druggie.

UNA does need to improve parking, but if you get to class a bit early you're usually O.K. I've been commuting there for years and I always find a parking place. Florence, AL is one of the few unspoiled places to live in the United States today.

Love it or leave it!

Jay wrote:

I drive through Florence at all hours of the night...never had a single problem.
If you complain about getting thrown in jail for, oh I don't know, BREAKING THE LAW, i.e. smoking a joint, then I'd really rather NOT have you living in my town anyway. Take your pot somewhere else, druggie.
UNA does need to improve parking, but if you get to class a bit early you're usually O.K. I've been commuting there for years and I always find a parking place. Florence, AL is one of the few unspoiled places to live in the United States today.
Love it or leave it!

I lived in Florence for 8 years and loved every minute of it, people are freindly, great places to eat, and places to go have a good time. about every Sat. we would go to La Fondas to hear Iguana Party play and then after that go to the Sports Rock Cafe, close them down then to Waffle House.... sometimes went to the Filling Station when the Fiddle Worms were playing...

Keep your nose clean, be a good citizen and you will do fine in Florence. I used to work some crazy hours and had to drive in town sometimes at 2 or 3 in the morning but never had a problem with the police. Sure some cops can be a little full of themselves but I'm sure you get that from anywhere. I love this town, the people, the landscape, the activities. It's a beautiful place to live and if you can't see that...heh, try living in Indiana, trust me, you will want to return.

Being from Chattanooga, TN originally I moved around, and lived, many places including 13 years in Florence, Alabama. I now live south of Atlanta, Georgia and am trying with all my will to sell my home and move back to Florence. Florence is one of the best places I have lived. It's natural beauty serves me, as a photographer, with endless material. The people are very friendly and open. For it's size it has a very good selection of places to eat (normal business hours of course) and the traffic can't be beat. Here you never find easy traffic, always find people on edge and road rage and high crime. I don't know how many different places you have lived but trust me Florence is an Oasis compared with many places and if you really want to find something you don't have within one and half hours you have Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham or Huntsville that you could drive to, enjoy, and return home in the same day. There aren't many places in the nation that you have so many diverse cities and opportunities within your daily driving and return abilities. I disagree being able to live in the Shoals area is a blessing of God and unfortunately many overlook it due to just not knowing what really is out there.

One additional thought/comment. After re-reading your post it does appear that you had some reason to be stopped by the Police. Don't take it personally but they are just playing the odds often when they stop people in the morning hours for cruising or "riding around". It's just statistics that show that most crime happens during those hours and they are just doing their job. If you aren't doing anything wrong then why sweat it? If you are then you played the odds and lost. No one has absolute freedom nor should they for one persons freedoms could infringe upon another persons rights also. There is no law saying you can't drive anywhere you want at anytime but if your activity fits into a certain category or you are speeding or weaving or calling attention to yourself or even maybe the way you have your ride tricked that draws attention to yourself as fitting into a certain stereotype you can't get mad when local law just checks to make sure you are legal and not a threat to anyone else.

The Shoals has a very low Crime rate, compared to many places, and there are reasons for that. Be thankful that is the case because your auto insurance rates are determined in part by the crime in your area. Less Crime means cheaper insurance.

I haven't had any problems

I visit Florence each year to see relatives.
The Town is not that bad, except there is
little to do. It is relatively quiet,
but has always been that way. It is
more of a retirement community with a
small University setting. Keep your nose
clean and Police will have no reason to
bother you.

Just got word that we are moving back to the Shoals area and I couldn't be happier.

I drive home from work everynight at 12 in florence and have never had a cop even look my way. i mean the only problem i have ever had with cops was at 11 in the morning at UNA and i took an illegal left turn because i was late for class

This city is horrible actually !!!!! There is nothing to do not during day not during night! "Linconl adams" i am with you! I personally didn’t have problems with cops, however I have to say this city is full of cops, churches and old people. And I agree that you can get pulled over just because it’s late. Do you know that everything is closed here until like 1 pm on Sunday, just because it's a church day, and on Wednesdays the city is empty because it’s a church day as well???? What about people who don’t care about church??? You can not even buy alcohol on Saturday like 11:55pm... because some old lady will not sell it to you... I mean it's a really beautiful area have to admit it, UNA is a nice school and it is getting better and better no doubt, nice people –absolutely, probably one of the nicest you will ever meet... quite area.... but unless you are like over 50 there is nothing to do for young people and definitely no opportunities. This city would be a perfect retirement community really. And people who don’t see anything negative about Florence are only people who never been anywhere pass GA, TN, MS.Because yes, there are places worse then Florence!! Sorry if I offended anyone, don’t take it personally, but you have to be able to see the positive and the negative and you have to be able to admit it in order to be able to evaluate. No place is perfect just like nothing is else is ever perfect….Wherever you go you will always have positive and negative it’s just depends what matters most to you. If you planning to come to Florence and have a party life style- NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!! You are actually more likely to start smoking pot just because you won’t find anything else to do… This is why almost every high school kid and college student in this area smokes.

just want to add something...
It may sound like i was rude in the comment above, and i wasn’t trying really... Like i said sorry if offended anyone in any way.. All i was trying to say is that a lot of kids come here thinking it's a perfect college city full of fun, and it's not! This city is quite and people here make sure it's stays this way.... nothing wrong with that!! I mean it's all up to you if you want to make your stay here enjoyable! There are things to do here beside partying, it's just depends who you hang out with! Sometimes i miss Florence and i have great memories of it... If you feel bored, instead of trying to find pot and smoke with your girlfriend/boyfriend, take your partner to a ride on Natchez trace or something, you'll be amazed what a beautiful and private places you can find and what a good time you can have there! I mean it's quite city and really little to do but, you've got HSV, BHM, Nashville, Memphis, Tunica MS, and all within less then 3 hours... And yes, Tennessee sells alcohol on Sundays, it's only like 20 min ride if you desperately one want... Like i said, wasn’t trying to be mean, just wanted to give some real facts from both sides… Good luck everyone!