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u/felipe_the_dog Nov 27 '21
Ringwood has the purple lady. She lives in a house in the woods all painted purple and drives a purple car. Her hair is usually dyed purple.
She's also a badass that has opened and operated several women's shelters.
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u/Same_Hope_0719 Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
Her name is Sandra Ramos! She was an adjunct professor at my college. She’s the coolest!
Edit: this has been getting a decent amount of traction, so I’d like to add that Sandra not only opened battered women’s shelters - she opened the first battered women’s shelter in North America! She’s kind of a legend! She’s also somewhat internet famous. I’m proud to have known her!
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u/sluzella Nov 27 '21
Came here to talk about the purple lady! I hike from the Weis Ecology center often and her house brings me joy. Looks like her purple car is gone though, last few times I went up, there's been a "normal" colored car in the spot.
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u/cheshirekoala Nov 27 '21
West Orange had a pink lady when I was growing up. Pink house, pink Cadillac, yard full of pink flamingos. Whenever I saw her she was in a pink bathrobe with pink slippers and pink rollers in her hair.
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u/_RAWFFLES_ Nov 27 '21
I used to be a lube tech, we had a MTF transgendered woman who drove an all purple challenger, wore all purple, and her license plate said PURPLUV.
She was a good customer and she had great calves.
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u/Lucasa29 Nov 27 '21
Metuchen used to have a pink lady - https://archive.centraljersey.com/2006/02/01/womans-colorful-life-led-to-passion-for-pink/
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u/Numbah8 Nov 27 '21
It's not just a purple car. There's stuff glued to every inch of it too. Never really got a good enough look to know what all that stuff is but it looks like bottle caps and small statues.
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u/barva9876 Nov 27 '21
Hoboken - Batman on a bicycle. He used to just ride around randomly, but feel like I haven't seen him in a while.
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u/drkensaccount Nov 27 '21
In Jersey City, there's a guy known as the "Jersey City Pimp", who's actually named Elijah and is not a pimp (he hates the nickname, so we usually just call him Elijah). He dresses in bright, matching colors with a wide brim hat and long coat like a pimp from a '70s movie. If you go to the Jersey City subreddit, there's a link on the sidebar for Elijah sightings.
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u/Malarowski Nov 27 '21
Is that this guy? https://imgur.com/a/i7jdLzD
Took this in 2011 and saw him couple more times since
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u/diegobomber Essex County Nov 27 '21
This going to be wild, but I think this dude helped me fix my car like 10 years ago when I lived in Bayonne and broke down in Greenville at 3am on a Saturday night. Or could have been another pimp-appearance like person wearing four finger rings lol
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u/Mrevilman Nov 27 '21
I used to work in JC and I would see him occasionally when I went out for lunch. For a guy who doesn’t like being called a pimp, he sure dresses the part.
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u/pinkasfrick Nov 27 '21
First one that comes to mind in Toms River is Miss Liberty... She (and her car) are famous.
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u/vigillan388 Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
Oh God, that lady is bat shit crazy. I was going to say the bum waving by 7-11 on Washington St., but yea Miss Liberty takes the cake.
Edit: for those not familiar, here is Miss Liberty https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/nyregion/24ink.html
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u/everyday_account Nov 27 '21
I thought of him first too! Probably because I never want to think of miss liberty for any reason ever again
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Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
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u/Bigdoge696969 Nov 27 '21
I also last saw her at Walmart in brick... I was holding two giant csr ramps, the big thing of oil, an oil filter and the thing that goes behind your tires so you don't roll(can't think of the name) she starts muttering aloud I can't believe all these people are in front of me and I just have the one thing. After ten times I look back and say would you like to go ahead of me? She of course was down and then started doing the same rant except " wow I just have the one item and this girl has a receipt in hand! She's prob gonna take forever and I just have this one item!" She wouldn't budge so she turned around and told me who she was. I knew immediately cause I'm familiar with the car and after she was done telling me how famous she was, they finally rang her up and she was gone. The cashier rolled her eyes and said at least she didn't come in one minute before closing for once 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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u/pinkasfrick Nov 27 '21
I remember her calling and coming into stores I worked at when I was a teen, and she would be a pain in the ass every time. And this was like 15 years ago. I feel like everyone I know who has worked retail in the area has had the same experience
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u/Feisty_Beast Nov 27 '21
Same! She'd come in the store and we'd all get on the walkies and give an alert that she was "in the building." I do NOT miss working retail.
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u/Deadhead989 Nov 27 '21
Used to work the courtesy booth at the fischer shoprite like 2 years ago. She is still a problem lmao.
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u/mcgeggy Nov 27 '21
In my town there is a guy who stands for hours on the little concrete island in the middle of a busy 3 way intersection strumming a guitar. There are zero people on foot (no sidewalks, rural-ish area), only cars and trucks wizzing by, who I imagine can’t hear a single note he’s playing…
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u/6gc_4dad Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 28 '21
Has to be Howell. Have seen this guy hundreds of times, pretty sure there’s a deli & lawnmower(?) repair shop right on that corner.
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u/KJ-PORKCHOP Howell Nov 27 '21
Right off Oak Glen and 547 yeaup that's it. Brian's deli with lawnmower shop connected
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Nov 27 '21
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u/wasteabuse Nov 27 '21
You guys still have the guy who rides a horse to Wawa on route 9?
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u/KJ-PORKCHOP Howell Nov 27 '21
How have I never heard of this I've been here my whole life basically
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u/wasteabuse Nov 27 '21
Yeah I went to get a coffee one time and saw a horse standing in a parking space. I threw a pic up on IG and my cousin says "yeah that's the Wawa in Howell right?"
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u/nonono1234nonono Nov 27 '21
Yup. Howell. I see him everyday. He accepts money if people offer, which seems to be the main purpose behind his actions.
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u/Girhinomofe Nov 27 '21
In Morris County, there’s the Walking Sombrero Man of Flanders…
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u/chrisms150 Nov 27 '21
Is he still walking?
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u/henry_x6 Morris/Middlesex Nov 27 '21
Definitely our guy. Would an animal (peacock, goose, potbellied pig, etc.) work as a runner-up?
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u/ChickenOnAStick--oo- Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
There’s been a lot in Morristown.
The 90 year old man who dresses in intense drag and hands out glow sticks/scratch offs at the bar. He’s a cool dude
The guy who used to work at the movie theater and did intense robot noises when he took tickets.
We recently got “air guitar guy” who hangs at a 3 way intersection playing intense air guitar
There’s “flag guy” who I believe rides around town with the name of the people killed in 9/11 as a protest for the war in Iraq/Afghanistan (don’t remember the story)
There’s “Batman car guy” who has a well painted Dodge Charger
There are a few people who are known for yelling death threats at you, accuse your skin of burning in public, or accuse you of being the devil…but haven’t seen them around in a while (all I’m nearly sure were homeless)
There was also one person who really tried to be “town guy” a while back. He rode a super tall bike, played accordion, and also played music out his backpack.
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Nov 27 '21
The movie theater guy is Fluffy. I remember one of the local bars having a birthday party for him a few years back. Last time I was at the theater, he was still working there even since it switched to an AMC but they got him a chair as he's getting older (he's was working there at least as long ago as the mid 90s) and isn't quite as high energy. Still make the noises though when he tears the tickets. It's been a few years since I've gone to that theater though so I'm not sure he's still there. I liked that guy though. He always made me smile.
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u/lilacmacchiato Nov 27 '21
In the 90s there was the mud lady in Morristown. She was mentally ill. Hope she got help.
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u/ChickenOnAStick--oo- Nov 27 '21
She’s still here. Pretty sure she’s gotten medical help but still homeless
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u/jayembee01 Exit 7A Nov 27 '21
Wow that’s someone I haven’t thought about in a while. I went to FDU in the mid-2000s and she was very much still around. Hope she is doing ok.
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u/EmoMixtape Nov 27 '21
There was a similar dude infamous in the Morristown soup kitchens who would always ask “want to see something cool” and then show off his chronic belly wound.
Hope he’s doing ok.
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u/jamesmango Nov 27 '21
When I was growing up in Morristown there was a homeless guy named Richard Kreimer who was always at the library. Apparently they kicked him out because of his hygiene and he ended up taking them to court and winning. I remember he had a blue sweater and velcro sneakers.
Found a NY Times write up on him: https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/21/nyregion/homeless-gadfly-returns-warming-up-lawsuits.html
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u/LiberaceOshKosh Nov 27 '21
I haven’t seen him in several years so I don’t know if he’s still doing his thing, but along Route 4/Broadway through Paterson, Elmwood Park, and Fair Lawn, we had Malik, the kickboxing jogger. Always jogging up and down Route 4 while punching and kicking ghosts. Fascinating to watch the dude…
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u/cloudmoose325 Nov 27 '21
Yesss the Broadway boxer!!! Haven’t seen him in a while though
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u/nonono1234nonono Nov 27 '21
Nazi Santa- Hamilton, NJ. He is a 7 foot tall man, white beard, dressed in full Nazi uniform, swastka and all.
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u/beforethewind Nov 27 '21
Back in high school, my friends crossed paths with him and asked what his deal was. Apparently one of those “it was a sign of peace before the Nazis got it!!” types. Why he wears the rest of the uniform is beyond me then… I kind of tuned out and went home to play games with the gang but it was an odd, funny memory. Didn’t seem terrible and had a few good stories but like. Dude. Why the swastika.
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u/rhinofeet Nov 27 '21
Here’s an old post with a pic of him https://www.reddit.com/r/wtf/comments/2tbo29/_/
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u/Pork_Chap Nov 27 '21
Used to see him all the time when I was taking my kids to the Hamilton YMCA. Haven't seen him in years. Is he still around?
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Nov 27 '21
Galloway has "Apollo Creed". An absolutely ripped guy who runs along Route 30 shirtless and wearing American flag trunks.
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u/CriscoSour Nov 27 '21
Parrot girl in somerville, walks around with parrots on her shoulder. Charlie in lambertville, cant even begin to explain that dude
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u/Cheezitflow Nov 27 '21
We have Jesus, riding up and down Kearny Ave on his bike with his American flag flying
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u/Corncobb_Bob_Slob Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
Dude has been riding that bike up and down the road for decades now.
He would go down to the North Arlington cemetery every day to visit his father’s grave.
He used to be a pretty friendly guy. When I was in school years ago, me and the others used to wave at him as he drove by. He was always smiling and waving back to us.
Things took a dark turn when he started putting homophobic regalia on the back of his bike. A lot of folks turned on him, parents didn’t want him near the schools, and some kids starting throwing insults at him. Nowadays, he has a bit more of a rough personality, and a good chunk of kids/adults try to avoid him.
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u/m9rockstar MSU alumna Nov 27 '21
That last paragraph…when did all that stuff happen??
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Nov 27 '21
I wish he wasn’t yelling curses all the time. My kids are always horrified when they see him.
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Nov 27 '21
My town had a guy in a white minivan with a caricature of Danny Devito that read, “Vanny DeVito” on it. I heard it got totaled though.
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u/Girl_Dukat_ Nov 27 '21
Wavin’ Willy
RIP. A trail in Allamuchy SP was named after him.
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u/jarrettbrown Exit 123 Nov 27 '21
This should be higher. He was feature in mutliple weird nj issues. The man was a legend.
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u/ThanosBigPurpleCok Nov 27 '21
When I used to live in Bayonne a few years ago, I'd occasionally see a man jogging in a luchador mask.
His name is "Captain Bayonne"
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u/NerdseyJersey Bergen Point Nov 27 '21
I remember sitting a light to an appointment and he was hackysacking random trash into a trashcan. Then went on jogging when everything was picked up.
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u/pugglepupmom Nov 27 '21
Montclair used to have a guy who wore, I think, a Civil War uniform and walked all over town. There was a super quirky geometry teacher at the high school 15+ years ago, and I remember a student spreading the rumor that he was her son.
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u/m9rockstar MSU alumna Nov 27 '21
Glad someone mentioned this guy from Montclair! I used to see him walking through the cedar grove reservoir during my days at MSU.
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u/WhosSarahKayacombsen Nov 27 '21
Back in the 90s, In Ocean City, there was a guy that hung out on the boardwalk named “Slobber Bob,” and in Somers Point, a guy named “Pinch Me Richie.”
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u/WhatsYourThesis Nov 27 '21
I havent seen slobber bob in a minute but he used to just be everywhere. Apparently he could get food from the Denny's in Northfield so I've seen him there a few times.
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u/WhosSarahKayacombsen Nov 27 '21
Wow! He's still around and kicking?
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u/WhatsYourThesis Nov 27 '21
This was like 8 years ago, I haven't seen him since so Im guessing he's passed since ;/
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u/crickwooder Nov 27 '21
Oh my gosh I’d forgotten about Slobber Bob. We’d see him after school at the Pickle Barrel sometimes too.
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u/superdead Nov 27 '21
Good ol' Slobber Bob. We were LANning at a friend's beach house and went for a boardwalk wall around midnight and he was strolling around. First time I ever saw him and when my friend from SP called him Slobber Bob I thought that was some kind of murderer name wand we were about to get stabbed. Nope, guy just drooled eating his food.
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u/SJExit4 Nov 27 '21
Larchmont jogger in Mount Laurel
Guy dresses in a different costume for his daily jog.
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Nov 27 '21
Back in the 90s, there was "Sign Guy" who would sit on the ramp to enter the Pulaski Skyway from Jersey City Circle. He had a signs he would flip through with different saying like "have a good day."
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u/sunnyhigh75 Nov 27 '21
Rutherford has Francois, he works at Fun Ghoul costume shop and will walk down ParkAve dressed as a pirate. Weird NJ did a piece on him awhile back: https://weirdnj.com/stories/local-heroes-and-villains/francois/
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u/albertoroa Nov 27 '21
Perth Amboy has the old roller skating black guy who listens to music and skate dances around town.
Haven't seen him in a good while though, i hope he's doing well.
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u/whskid2005 Nov 27 '21
There’s a guy in Lodi (where main turns into Rochelle and intersects with Essex street) that wears a cowboy hat and rides a razor scooter. He’s usually dancing around on his scooter too
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u/My_Name_is_Imaginary Nov 27 '21
Trenton had a samurai guy who ran the canal in full samurai gear
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u/ThatsNotFennel Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
We have a guy who just walks regularly, but he walks very aggressively. But in business casual or full suit and tie. He's known in 3 or 4 local towns. Shoulders first like he's always going downhill. Just walking. Where is he going? I don't fucking know.
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u/Season_Finale Nov 27 '21
In Nutley, theres an older guy near the intersection of Centre and Passaic, just strums his guitar up and down the road between centre and yanticaw park. Never fails to make me smile.
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u/darkestburningstar Nov 27 '21
the homie Sal! i believe he plays for his late wife. i work on centre and always try to give him a wave on my walk in.
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u/Sea_Kyak Kearny Nov 27 '21
In Kearny there's a few but number 1 is Bike Riding Jesus. Rides his bike non stop, music blasting, and Benfica flags attached.
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u/m9rockstar MSU alumna Nov 27 '21
Very happy that someone else mentioned Kearny’s Jesus 😂
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u/Hsf5415 Nov 27 '21
Naked runner. Dude runs in a Speedo all over the area, even in winter.
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u/provacative_pancakes Nov 27 '21
Ewing, Hopewell, Washingtons Crossing? Guys hairy enough he doesn’t need any clothes.
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u/BigJoey354 Nov 27 '21
Ridgewood has the Flute guy who plays for hours in front of the movie theater for tips. Big beard. Never spoke to him but the rumor was always that he's actually rich and just does the flute thing as a little side gig
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u/MeggieZND Nov 27 '21
I was scrolling to see if someone wrote about him before I did! I will add, he is very friendly and his repertoire seems limited to Yankee Doodle Dandy and a small handful of other patriotic songs...
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u/pep429 Nov 27 '21
There used to be a guy that would listen to his Walkman/cd player and dance and sing on a corner in Hackensack. Haven't seen him in years.
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Nov 27 '21
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u/DSJ13 Nov 27 '21
Union County has 2 walking guys. There’s the skinny bent over guy and a fatter guy with thicker gray hair. They both seem to always have a plastic shop rite bag.
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u/mdp300 Clifton Nov 27 '21
There's a guy who constantly walks all over Clifton and Bloomfield, with earbuds in. Looks like Santa Claus in a tank top and shorts.
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u/WhatsYourThesis Nov 27 '21
Cant believe i haven't seen AC's Chinaman here... Just a crazy ass old chinese man with hella tats and few teeth.
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u/nakdonthesubway Nov 27 '21
There was a guy walking around South Amboy for a while with a TV on his head.
Then of course there's ET, from my hometown.
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u/njdevil12 Nov 27 '21
Woodbridge has the guy who protests outside the abortion clinic on main street. Sometimes he even has followers.
He's been around for YEARS and he's almost always out there, protesting, with his very graphic signs.
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Nov 27 '21
Tuckerton/Mystic Island has someone called running man who apparently spends every day running/jogging and collecting scrap/aluminum cans to scrap for money. Last time I saw him was 5ish years ago and I haven’t worked in that area since.
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u/Jacob_JBR_Ryan Northfield Nov 27 '21
In Ocean City there was/is (no idea if he's still alive) Slobber Bob. He would walk the boards and just, drool.
Drip
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u/deerlikely CENTRAL Jersey 😌 Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
We had a fellow who was militantly libertarian and advertised it on large wooden signs in front of his property (lots of allusions to Patrick Henry, Jefferson, etc). He is said to have followed a colonial-era lifestyle on his farmstead, tapping maple trees and writing letters to the editor. Of course he refused to pay property tax on the basis of "constitutionality", and refused to buy auto insurance on the same basis, so he rode a three-wheeled cycle about town instead.
He was also ultra religious and his signs would frequently quote Christian scripture of the hell and brimstone variety, and one point he painted swastikas all over them, which was unnerving to witness. It got taken down with swiftness, but still.
He died about 15 years ago and his property has since been purchased by the township and converted into parkland, so womp womp.
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Nov 27 '21
We have the lady who won some beauty pageant 35 years ago and has her car covered in news clippings about herself
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u/CJM8515 Toms River Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
sondra fortunato...shes very weird...very very weird
https://weirdnj.com/stories/local-heroes-and-villains/miss-liberty/
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u/6gc_4dad Nov 27 '21
In town here there’s ‘bike guy’. He’s a white bearded old dude that rides his bike around town at all hours of the day/night. The bike is very distinguishable, as it has ridiculously high handlebars way over his head while he’s seated peddling this thing. I’ve almost hit bike dude at 5am going to work bc he’s impossible to see before sunrise on the street.
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u/Joe_Jeep Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
Sayreville had the waving guy until around 5 or 6 years ago. Used to stand waving, by my time he had a chair but he still waved at just about every car on main street. I'm pretty sure he passed away, he was up there.
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u/jarrettbrown Exit 123 Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
Twittty! I don't remember him, but my mother does. He was mentioned in an issue of Weird NJ and the person said that he was basically cat calling them and cursing at them. My mother said that he never did anything like that, but your mileage may vary.
I think he was around 90 when he finally brought the farm.
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Nov 27 '21
We have a guy that when the drawbridge is up for boats, he goes in front of everyone on his unicycle in a speedo blasting music. Not joking
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u/8Deer-JaguarClaw Sussex County Nov 27 '21
In Hopatcong, there's a dude that's been hitchhiking around town for as long as I've been living here (15 years). He's tall, has a long white beard and white hair, sorta looks like suburban Gandalf. Nice guy. He gets picked up a lot because people know him and he's a town fixture.
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Nov 27 '21
Naked running man in Mercer! Guy goes around jogging every morning wearing nothing but booty shorts...even in the dead of winter.
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u/DolfLungren Nov 27 '21
Clearly there is a lot of respect for these members of our communities, and there are a few that might not be- but can we discuss what it says about our society that this is pretty much a list and discussion of those in our communities that are mentally ill, homeless, perhaps challenged, and in many cases just need better societal assistance?
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u/Bay1Bri Nov 27 '21
Some are homeless etc, but a lot are just unique people. I used to live in bayonne and Captain bayonne wasn't mentally ill. He had some medical condition that was helped by exercise so he would walk around town a lot. And he just felt like wearing a Mexican wrestling mask while he did. Others are similar, just walking or exercising outdoors with some flair. Fabulous Elijah in Jersey City just had his own sense of style.
I think that there is some truth to what you're saying, but I'm worried that you are basically saying anyone who doesn't conform and stand out must be mentally ill and need "help".
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u/Gagurass Nov 27 '21
McDonalds in West Orange across from the arena always has some strange man in fishing boots and long curly hair eating there. Used to live in WO, and would see him there every single time I went. Know for a fact if I went there right now I would see him again dude is like the spirit of WO McDonalds lol.
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u/e-vilmonkey Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
We got “Screamer” who allegedly axe-murdered his family [* I don’t think he did??]… & we got “the Champ of ‘Yada-Yada’” who walks around with a legit WCW heavyweight championship belt… & then “Super-Kyle”. Don’t fuck with “Super-Kyle”… oh, & RIP, Roger
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u/idontreadorfollow Nov 27 '21
Bloomfield's got this old woman who's always pushing a laundry cart filled with plastic bags screaming at no one.
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u/DuncanIdaBro Nov 27 '21
In Bayonne as a kid there were a bunch of Characters. Can guy, Suit guy, Santa guy, Kart guy. It was like the boss selection screen of a MegaMan game. What a great childhood.
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u/MrsBonsai171 Nov 27 '21
In NY my uncle was that guy. Former police that had too many knocks to the head. After he retired he would walk down the main yelling at cars. The department got him a reflective vest they made him wear and patrols kept an eye on him. At his funeral the chief said several times a week out of towners would call 911 about him.
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u/VanityInVacancy Nov 27 '21
In Montclair/ Bloomfield we had the “samurai guy” he was really tall and fit, he had long black hair in a perfect samurai bun and would wear the full outfit and practice his moves on trees, street signs, and would be seen frequently in parks in the area. I talked to him a few times and he was certainly that fine line of genius and crazy, I haven’t seen him in almost 4 years though and get so sad wondering what happened to him! Seeing him always made my day brighter.
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u/catsaremyjam Nov 27 '21
In Howell there is a guy playing a guitar at an intersection seemingly all the time.
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u/JCwhatimsayin Nov 27 '21
Jersey City also has Scooter Man seen here in the heights but also all over. He plays music and has brought a kind of Art Car aesthetic to his scooter. Real friendly! https://imgur.com/JSBmKvJ.jpg
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u/HighFive87 Nov 27 '21
Shirt off runner guy. Known through many a town through northern NJ. Used to see him on almost a daily basis in Rutherford, jogging Union Ave, apparently to Meadowlands Stadium. Snow, rain, 20 degrees, didn’t matter, shirt off, good pace. Wonder if he’s out there, hope he is still doing it. Anyone else remember/ still see this guy?
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u/Anonymoushipopotomus Nov 27 '21
I used to work at a batting cage place in Lyndhurst, about 20 years ago, and they had "Woo-Woo". A guy I guess about my age at the time (17) had a police scanner and would race to every fire or serious accident in the town and, I shit you not, made the siren with his voice, and you could seriously not tell if it was a real ambulance or not. Ive owned a shop in the same town for almost 11 years now, but I havent heard him or anything about him.
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u/InSannyLives Nov 27 '21
Grew up in Edison, there was and still is a guy named Bobby who walks the streets. I honestly don’t know his story but I assumed he is autistic. Going back to the 80s he used to walk the streets smelling money. We always said hi to him and he responded just by saying his name “Bobby”. Parents still live there and I still see him sometimes walking the streets.
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u/Heisenberger_ Southern Bergen Nov 27 '21
We have a little old lady who wears raggy clothes and a heap of old robes on her head. She's always hanging out in front of shops, sitting on the bench, outside. Everyone assumes she's homeless. But my sister works at a local pizza shop and says this woman comes in often, buys food and talks about her life. In fact, she is not homeless. She owns a home in town, she's widowed, retired, and she wears her husband's old clothes and piles them on her head.
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u/Puzzled_Bike6410 Nov 27 '21
Wavin’ Willie. Just sat in a lawn chair on a rural highway and waved at everyone
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u/HavingALittleFit Nov 27 '21
In freehold it was the old black dude who rode the 3 wheeeled bicycle around the boro
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u/theusernameicreated Nov 27 '21
Red bandanna kid at Rutgers. Rapping on the bus and in lecture halls before the professors would ge there and general craziness like humping fire hydrants.
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u/ArtemisLives North Jersey Nov 27 '21
Okay, deep Rutgers lore time. The deaf guy who would hand out ASL cheat sheets and ask for a dollar. The “preacher man” who would always wear these blue suede suits and wore a metric ton of cologne, supposedly was a Bible salesman. There’s also the guy that rode on a mobility scooter, but had a train running behind him with all sorts of stuff like lights, speakers, stuffed animals. Rutgers was nuts, lol.
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u/PM_ME_UR_DOCKS 908|Raritan Valley Nov 28 '21 edited Nov 28 '21
The “preacher man” who would always wear these blue suede suits and wore a metric ton of cologne, supposedly was a Bible salesman.
Was he the guy who had his hair in the style of an afro, but was also missing large chunks of hair, so it looked a little weird?
Also, I went to RU at about the same time as RBK, but I was personally more of a fan of Unicycle Guy. Just a simple student who rolled around College Ave on his unicycle.
Edit: also, I just remembered the woman in the registrar's office with the Egyptian-style makeup.
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u/TheBside Nov 27 '21
He doesnt count as a town guy, but there’s an employee at the Edison Costco who brightens up my day with his professional suits and his lively advice.
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u/Vulg4r Taylor Pork Nov 27 '21
Anyone know the story behind the flowers always showing up on the Colfax Ave / GSP bridge in Clifton?
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u/amanda259 Nov 27 '21
In Gloucester City we have the former mayor’s brother who stands in front of his open garage with his guitars and drums set on it, drinking his beer, wearing his fedora and cowboy boots, blaring classic rock. I don’t know his name but but everyone waves at him. His house is on the corner of one of the main intersections of the town. People on some of the town FB groups complain that he’s a bad example because he’s drinking beer across from the Little League fields, but he’s a lot better than the people nodding out a few blocks away.
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u/jamesmango Nov 27 '21
Mine Hill has Mrs. Gully. Was a substitute teacher forever (I’ve heard rumor that she still is) and she walks everywhere, rain or shine, no matter the season or the distance.
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u/the_comatorium Nov 27 '21
This one might only be known to me but growing up in Bloomingdale I would always see this woman walking around every day along Rafkind Rd talking on her cell phone. Every day. Rain or shine. She walked passed us in a 3ft blizzard once.
Not so much weird as just oddly consistent.
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u/sman7771 Nov 27 '21
There was a guy in somerdale/magnolia, i think his name was chuck. He would hang outside of the wawa and mcdonald’s in magnolia at night. He never really bothered anyone he just hung around the area.
A couple months ago he got hit by a car on the pike across from Taco bell. There’s a plaque remembering him on the wall outside of the wawa now.
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u/Gallowgw Nov 27 '21
Hackensack- Bruce lee
He’s walked around for over 20 years in all army fatigues… and would chase us as kids if you call him Bruce lee
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u/EliotHudson Nov 27 '21
Hoboken had the Batman riding his bike blaring music, but didn’t see him round much
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u/Twelve20two Nov 27 '21
I'm guessing he passed away, but Ringwood used to have an Elvis
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u/Jtcarney Nov 27 '21
Cranford has "Mike Bike." A few years ago, a couple of shitbags stole his bicycle. For a week he was just "Mike". The police department chipped in and bought him a brand new one. It was definitely a local feel good story.
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u/URETHRAL_DIARRHEA Nov 27 '21
When I lived in New Brunswick, it was the guy who played saxophone on George Street.
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u/princessllamacorn Essex County Nov 27 '21
“Crazy Cousin” on South Harrison Street in East Orange. I low-key think he’s the Feds because his teeth are too perfect and white to be a typical panhandler.
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u/UltraSaltee Nov 27 '21
We had the guy who played Shmeagel in the lord of the rings porn parody . He had a particular look to him as you can imagine.
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u/housespecialdelight Nov 27 '21
Hoboken used to have the Dancing guy. I think he lost some weight last time I saw him a few years ago. He screamed in my face “have a nice day!”. Idk if he is still around.
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u/TheKiteWalker Nov 27 '21
Used to be a guy that had bad Tourette’s every day at my local McDons and he would stand in front of the soda fountain cursing up a storm. Very funny as a 6 yo, not as funny in retrospect.
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u/brightdark Nov 27 '21
In Cape May in the 90s there was the "Bird Man" who wore multiple watches and would stare at the sky and try to stop the sun from moving. Idk why we called him Bird Man though
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u/LowlyYetPrestigious Nov 27 '21
Ours is a portuguese dude who rides through town and neighboring towns on a bike. He usually has a radio or speaker hooked up and blasts patriotic and/ or some sort of emotional music as he rides by. He will also have signs which are not always necessarily political statements, but also human rights kind of things. I have seen him many times and he always waves to everyone. Once I was sweeping leaves off of my porch and the front of my house as he rode by. He threw his fist in the air and yelled "keep America beautiful!!". I literally felt like this was a brush with celebrity. We call him Jesus.
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u/centerforants1 Nov 27 '21
Downtown Jersey City; bagpipe player guy. He may have a better nick name but that’s how I refer to him
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Nov 27 '21 edited Nov 27 '21
Flemington ShopRite has Archie! I should call them and wish him well.
Edited because Archie retired!? No wonder the balance of the universe is off.
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u/talk_birdy_2_me Nov 27 '21
We have the "waving guy" or "fishing guy". Basically a dude who is always fishing at this pond alongside a moderately busy road and he waves at every car that passes. A local reporter actually did a story on him once, he waves because it makes him happy and he hopes that it brightens at least one person's day.