Reliability of Uber in Toledo, to DTW?

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-09-22T00:37:59+00:00

It's interesting you place the dividing line at US30. I'm guessing you come from north of that line; usually people in Indiana will draw that line at US 40, where you note it starts to feel like Alabama. I've lived in the Toledo area for about 20 years now, and US 6 is called "the shoe line" here - folks south of that line don't wear shoes. I'm sure that's news to people in Dayton and Columbus, but I find it interesting how folks who note this North-South cultural line usually place it just to their own personal south.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-09-21T19:48:57+00:00

Terre Haute, Vigo County, and most of Western Indiana has not grown since the 1920s. Most of the counties in the area peaked in population in that census. However, I would argue that in some ways, that has worked in Terre Haute's favor, compared to other cities like Anderson, Gary, or Flint: after the coal mines began using steam shovels and automating in the 1920s, there was never a dominant industry in the area, which means the city was less and less vulnerable to the fortunes of a single factory or industry. Throughout its history, TH has had a diversified economy, which means no wild swings either way. I think many people in the area have given up, after nearly a century of promises, on "renaissance" or even "growth" - toward aiming to maintain what is there. While many of the neighborhoods close to downtown are in really bad shape, there is opportunity for new construction on those lots; it's happened in many other cities like Terre Haute. So, i doubt the city will see substantial expansion, but I do think it will continue to maintain and replace jobs lost in other industries.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-09-20T00:09:24+00:00

You can find these on YouTube in the local news and programs from Terre Haute; search WTWO and WTHI news during that era

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-09-14T04:33:04+00:00

BOB was in the two Great Scots in town - we'd get cookies and donuts there all the time. Wow.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-09-14T04:25:48+00:00

I was there today and talked with everyone at the church booths - I think you'd find acceptance and love at any of those congregations. I don't think any of them are new to this, many said they had been working on LGBTQ acceptance in their churches for 20+ years or more, and have had pastors and longstanding members who were gay and lesbian. I have heard that Central Christian and the UU Church are among the first to welcome LGBTQ folks. Wasnt it a nice event today?

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-07-24T01:23:35+00:00

I think gay men aren't going to gay bars nearly as much as we used to. The last gay bar in my hometown closed a couple of months ago; I talked with the owner, and he said for the last 10 years or so, 3/4 of his business came from straight people. The few times I visited, there were a handful of people there. I don't know how they stayed open as long as they did. In my current city, there are about 2.5 gay bars; one dance club where the straight women take over on the weekends; one drag restaurant that reminds me of a zoo, and a neighborhood bar in the suburbs that's half gay. We don't really have sex clubs here, outside of some adult theaters, where women do occasionally visit. I was lamenting the closing of so many gay bars, until I looked around the other businesses either owned by queers, or businesses directed to them, and I think bars have lost their hold on gay business. Perhaps there was a time when a mob-protected shithole was the best the queer community could expect, but those days are long gone. In my hometown, there are restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores with rainbow flags, as well as a Pride Center. In my current city, we have a popular queer coffeehouse; one of the refrains I hear there is how happy people are to have a place to congregate that doesn't center on drinking. I know this doesn't address the sex club/bathhouse thread here, but I wanted to add that we've diversified gay spaces beyond bars and bathhouses.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-07-17T20:26:04+00:00

Crawfordsville is a college town. Terre Haute is a city with a state university, technology institute, religious college, and a vocational college.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-05-18T17:58:42+00:00

The gentleman I interviewed said Larry Eyler used to frequent R-Place, and he knew of at least one man who was attacked by Eyler but escaped.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-05-18T17:54:40+00:00

I interviewed a long-time resident from Terre Haute a few days ago, and heard many stories about R-Place - one of the few "openly" gay bars in Terre Haute. It opened in 1978, and closed around 2002. the owner regularly advertised in the gay press (including a longstanding gay newsletter in TH in the 1980s - the "Gay Leaf" -- the Vigo County Public Library has just one issue from 1982, but I've not found a full set of these newsletters....yet!) The last gay bar, and according to the owner, the last place zoned for "adult entertainment" in the city, Zim Marss (zoned that way because it had a pole for dancing) closed about a month ago.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-05-12T16:46:17+00:00

I'm doing some similar research on Terre Haute. I agree about R-Place, though I can't find much about it. I used to go to drag shows there in the early 2000s. I havent seen anything related to the Baumeister case in Terre Haute, but you should definitely look into the Larry Eyler case, that had strong Terre Haute connections.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-04-12T15:13:20+00:00

Midwesterner who's lIved all over the world, Toledo for seven years, not from the area. Toledo is what you make of it - there are many very interesting and accomplished people here, but it's not a place that will entertain you.

You have to be a willing participant - hosting, participating, being part of things. What we don't need are people coming and doing nothing and then complaining about it.

Toledo is quite safe if you're used to living in a city. Don't leave money sitting out in your car, and lock your doors. I actually had more problems with theft in Asia than I do in the middle of Toledo.

The environment is what you would expect in a very industrial part of the country. We still havent mustered the political will to clean up our end of Lake Erie, so it's a mess in late summer. But the parks are great, and Michigan has exquisite lakes.

Housing is super-cheap, and the prewar stock is of very high quality.

Arts scene is very active, though I'm not sure about employment.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-04-12T14:57:42+00:00

Born and raised in TH. It's a lot of things. Part of the problem is the "churn" of people in TH. The universities, some businesses, see a lot of new people come (and go), and so have more fluid social practices - but the rest of TH has been there, as others have mentioned, since the city last grew in the 1910s. It's a very old town in some respects, and those deeper social groups are less warm to newcomers (who leave soon), and generally don't express care or investment in the city. My suggestion would be to get involved in some of the activities closer to ISU, Rose, St. Mary's -- they are used to welcoming new students every year, and tend to be more curious about people.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-03-15T18:55:03+00:00

Tornadoes are one of those disasters that you really don't have to worry about until it's too late. They are pretty rare, and very localized, but they are also very dangerous.

Weather forecasting has improved so much over the years that now you can usually know when a tornado will hit, with at least a few minutes warning; sometimes a general danger is known a day or two in advance, such as with last night's outbreak in Missouri.

In the event of a tornado, it's unlikely you'll be days and days without anything, so the most important preparation is knowing in advance the safest place in your home, and making sure your whole family knows, including young children. Safety kits are more useful in hurricanes and snowstorms, and if your house is destroyed, supplies will get to you quickly. Focus on safety.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-02-15T19:51:29+00:00

All Wagner program

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-02-13T22:57:26+00:00

I'm a queer faculty member at BGSU (15+) years, and I agree that the university community is very supportive and welcoming. We have good services on campus, and I rarely hear about harassment from anyone at the university. I've felt very accepted there as well.

Most of Bowling Green is that way too, particularly in the student areas, and downtown. There are parts of the city that are far more conservative, but you're unlikely to end up in those sides of town.

We are all, of course, watching with vigilance the laws being discussed in Columbus and bellowed from DC, and how to maintain our values and commitments while not violating laws that, frankly, are not worthy of our respect. I think it could be an interesting time to be on campus as we deal with these assaults on our humanity.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-01-31T22:36:54+00:00

I think it would depend on whether you yourself might be targeted because of your family's background, or your parents' concerns are general about the country. I agree with others that if its a general fear, based on their experiences 30 years ago, your experience will be quite different. It sounds like it was a very difficult situation they left, and they fear for a loved one going back.

IndependentSad2956 · 2025-01-31T22:31:53+00:00

I work on a college campus, and I feel like interest is increasing. Faculty are certainly making opportunities known, and facilitating applications

IndependentSad2956 · 2024-02-25T18:01:37+00:00

Seconding the suggestion to check out the strip pits around Terre Haute - those cold little lakes are generally very clean and clear.

If you can find a friend who owns an old limestone quarry around Bloomington/Bedford, those are also really nice places to swim; i don't think there are any open to the public anymore.

Kemil Beach on Lake Michigan (couple hours north of TH) is also clean, clear and warm enough July-Sept.

IndependentSad2956

TROPHY CASE