Likes and dislikes on our first 30 days in Austin (to buy, camp)

[Phisch]

About the whole long lines at the checkout thing. I do wish that "let me tell you my life story" attitude would translate to driving. I love the easy going vibe but it seems to find no place on the freeways.

Last Sunday I found myself exiting Mopac and turning left but there were bicyclists in front of me. They were turning, too, coming from a frontage road but there was no bike lane. I had to go their speed. The guy behind me in the massive truck (I have a truck, but his was bigger) couldn't wait to get around me. He peeled out (melted rubber smell is so yucky) the second he could get around me.

No, the guy didn't have Calif license plates.

Then there was the girl on the cell phone when we were driving south during rush hour. As soon as someone tried to get in front of her, she sped up only to slow down again when said someone went back in their lane.

[GANKS]

Speaking of massive trucks - another observation is that it seems almost all the truck companies produce a Texas (and a a Texas sized) version of their pickups for sale here. I haven't seen that before, but I guess it's a decent marketing segmentation strategy on their part.

Good post about the recycling - our Waste Management office in WA sent a few direct mail pieces through out the year (on recycled paper of course) covering their state of the art recycling processes and how much money and landfill space they were saving - In Seattle we threw glass, plastic, aluminum, paper, cardboard into a huge bin and they sorted it all out at their magic factory.

[malarkey]

great thread Ganks.

Too many panhandlers?! I'm guessing you were an eastside resident while here in the PNW. There are PLENTY of panhandlers in downtown Seattle.

[fil]

The panhandlers are nuts here, going all the way up to exit 252 in Round Rock.
It's sick actually.

I'm in Travis and the recycling seems decent.
It's better than Atlanta. I swear I got completely disenchanted after diligently separating my recyclables and watching the garbage truck pull up (on multiplle occassions) and dump the regular trash and recycle bin into the same truck load.

At least Austin is not pretending to recycle.

[TheHarvester]

Originally Posted by GANKS

Speaking of massive trucks - another observation is that it seems almost all the truck companies produce a Texas (and a a Texas sized) version of their pickups for sale here. I haven't seen that before, but I guess it's a decent marketing segmentation strategy on their part.

You don't seem like the type who watches a lot of TV. So you might not have seen the TV ads that tend to emphasize the masculine side of vehicles in this state. "...It's bigger in Texas, It's better in a Dodge!" Someday you will hear that country-rock jingle and it will get stuck in your head. In fact, I am cursing you right now, it will get stuck in your head for all eternity!

[Trainwreck20]

GAH!

Hush, Harvester, you just ruined my day! .

Most truck (and many car) companies tailor their ads for Texas as a market area. I suppose the same happens for specific products in CA, NY, and FL, where the population density makes it cost effective.

[jhwest]

We have those hideous huge trucks here in Utah too. I see them a lot more here than I did when I was in Texas (also see more Wranglers and hear more country music). Maybe it depend where you go in Austin.

[pilotskid27]

[quote=another_hot-day;1131247]"8.no helmet law=people don't take kindly to government getting involved in their personal lives. It's that way in Colorado as well. I think if there is a helmet law here, it only applies to kids under, like, 12-15. It may be common sense, and safer, but it's also a choice, and if someone wants to risk that, it's their business" /quote]


Ahh...Darwinian theory in action....eventually, there won't be anyone left to oppose a helmet law

[pilotskid27]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Welcome to the south . You will get a lot more tabloid reading in, though, and catch up on which people have been abducted by aliens and who is anorexic, etc....

The good news is, when the cashiers are chatting, they are generally chatting with you---not the bag boy or the cashier at the next checkout line.

I lived in Chicago for several years and it used to burn me up when the cashier would have this non-stop conversation with another employee and, without pausing, would work in the phrase, "That will be $42.50" without making eye contact, and without missing a beat in her story.

She would then hold her hand out (for the money), and continue looking at the employee she was talking with. I would purposely reach out with my payment and be just an inch shy of her open palm...just to see how long it took her to stop talking and look to see where the money was.

If I was really feeling frisky, I would end the transaction with and absurdly cheery, "Thank you SOOO much, have a great day!" Occasionally, I would get a baffled stare, but mostly they had resumed their conversation and were busily ignoring another customer.

I prefer the leisurely pace of Texas service, and the eye-contact and smiles any day!

[love roses]

Pilotskid, I was thinking the Darwin thing when I posted that, just didn't mention it....Darwin awards, anyone?