After moving to Austin did anything surprise you? (Plano, Brushy Creek: how much, neighborhoods)

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Austin97

I was pretty sure one year had spring rains and wasnt too hot, was it 2010?.

ONE day in September does not a wet year make.(We got 13 inches on Sept ?6?, 2010) We didn't TOTAL that amount until the following summer.

We've had a couple of years of spring 'rains', a couple inches here, a couple inches there ; but we haven't seen a year of 'average' rainfall nor 'average' summer temperatures since our arrival.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by tildahat

Yes, on all three of these. Though I'm not sure if I'm surprised so much as disappointed.

Definitely think the drivers are getting worse. I've wondered if it's just me getting older, but I've asked my friends and they see it too. Of course, they are getting older too...

It's more likely a combination of (a) a HUGE number of drivers here have less than five years' experience under their belts, many of them much less, due to UT, and (b) and even larger percentage of the population has moved here from out of state and just knows for sure that the way they did it where they came from is the "right" way to do it and everyone else should change their way of driving, or they just haven't had time to get used to the traffic laws and customs here yet. And they're all from different states, and there's more of them arriving every day!

Throw all that into the mix and you've got a perfect recipe for "bad" driving and for it getting worse.

[tildahat]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

It's more likely a combination of (a) a HUGE number of drivers here have less than five years' experience under their belts, many of them much less, due to UT, and (b) and even larger percentage of the population has moved here from out of state and just knows for sure that the way they did it where they came from is the "right" way to do it and everyone else should change their way of driving, or they just haven't had time to get used to the traffic laws and customs here yet. And they're all from different states, and there's more of them arriving every day!

Throw all that into the mix and you've got a perfect recipe for "bad" driving and for it getting worse.

I think (b) is probably a huge factor. I think in general America has a problem with no one agreeing on what proper driving is. Even among 'good' and 'responsible' drivers. Contrast this to a place like England and what's noticeable is how there really is general agreement on how to drive (London may be an exception). I think it comes down to Americans thinking it's a right, not a privilege. It's *hard* to get a license in the UK and they are happy to take it away from you.

Even taking into account just people from Texas in Austin, I think there's also the factor of people thinking they are in Houston (where drivers are complete psychopaths) or Lufkin or Austin of 1973...

[EC70]

I happened to be down that way in San Antonio recently and experienced three "road anger" events. And really, my days of aggressive driving are behind me. (I used to drive in and around Boston quite frequently in my 20's). In these cases it was almost always that I was not driving fast enough for them. In all three incidents, the other driver was Hispanic. And two of them were female. Seriously I have been telling people up here, don't mess with Hispanic female drivers in Texas. Maybe it was just a coincidence or due to the demographic majority there, but I don't think I have ever seen such angry female drivers before.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

ONE day in September does not a wet year make.(We got 13 inches on Sept ?6?, 2010) We didn't TOTAL that amount until the following summer.

We've had a couple of years of spring 'rains', a couple inches here, a couple inches there ; but we haven't seen a year of 'average' rainfall nor 'average' summer temperatures since our arrival.

I dont think that is really true

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/ewx/aus/ausmonrain.pdf

The austin average is 33 inches/year or so. In 2009 we had 34, 2012 we had 35.

I felt like we had a lot of rain last year. The years where the lakes fill up are like 45-50 inches.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

It's more likely a combination of (a) a HUGE number of drivers here have less than five years' experience under their belts, many of them much less, due to UT, and (b) and even larger percentage of the population has moved here from out of state and just knows for sure that the way they did it where they came from is the "right" way to do it and everyone else should change their way of driving, or they just haven't had time to get used to the traffic laws and customs here yet. And they're all from different states, and there's more of them arriving every day!

Throw all that into the mix and you've got a perfect recipe for "bad" driving and for it getting worse.

I would say most people who have grown up here have taken drivers ed. However immigrants generally dont. I think immigrants tend to be worse drivers. In california it has historically been asians (and now hispanics), in austin it is hispanics and especially illegals. It isnt race, it has more to do with education on the standards.

[capitolhilltohillcountry]

The slower life style and getting used to a lack of the rat race. Once you get used to it your just fine but until then takes some getting used to.

[CarnivalGal]

- The lack of great museums.
- The lack of diversity.
- The lack of food options (see diversity). For example, if you want a great bagel (deli, pizza, whatever) you may be able to find it here. But that usually means that there's one place, in all of the Austin metro area, that has what you're looking for. One place is not equal to a ton of options nor does it reflect diversity.
- The lack of a great arts scene. Austin advertises itself as an "artsy" city. But it has no large art museum. It has a symphony which is OK, but the few times I went to see the Austin Ballet, it was not so great; hence the reason I've only been a few times.
- I think Live Musical Capital of the World is a bit of a stretch. Yes, you can find live music anywhere. But the vast majority of it is just bad. They are no-name bands who will never amount to anything. Frankly, the street performers in other cities are better than most of the musicians I've heard here.

[sheaday]

Originally Posted by mm57553

- The lack of great museums.
- The lack of diversity.
- The lack of food options (see diversity). For example, if you want a great bagel (deli, pizza, whatever) you may be able to find it here. But that usually means that there's one place, in all of the Austin metro area, that has what you're looking for. One place is not equal to a ton of options nor does it reflect diversity.
- The lack of a great arts scene. Austin advertises itself as an "artsy" city. But it has no large art museum. It has a symphony which is OK, but the few times I went to see the Austin Ballet, it was not so great; hence the reason I've only been a few times.
- I think Live Musical Capital of the World is a bit of a stretch. Yes, you can find live music anywhere. But the vast majority of it is just bad. They are no-name bands who will never amount to anything. Frankly, the street performers in other cities are better than most of the musicians I've heard here.

I agree on all points. Especially when it comes to music. I dislike the lack of blues and jazz here. Of course you have the big names- Elephant Room, Continental Club, Antones but thats about it. What about rap/hiphop/r&b? Those are pretty non existent here except for when you get a few national acts that stop at the Erwin Center. But I guess that also ties into the lack of diversity in general in this city.

[mlt50]

Small parking spaces at grocery stores, strip malls etc. I drive a minivan, maybe that is why I notice this. It's like all parking is geared toward compact cars.