Laws or oddities that are particular to TX/Austin that a new resident should know??? (Houston: home, construction)

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by SickOfCalifornia

Again, your list only counted spring allergies.

No, I included both the spring and the fall lists, look at my post.

Originally Posted by SickOfCalifornia

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has consistently "ranked" Austin higher (often highest) for allergies based on the year-around pollens that are absent in other parts of the country once spring ends.

You do realize the two lists I referenced _were_ the ones from The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.


And here, here is the year-round asthma list from The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

ASTHMACAPITALS.COM
http://www.aafa.org/pdfs/2014_AC_FinalPublicList1.pdf

Austin, TX: #88
Annual pollen score: average

[denverian]

Originally Posted by AustinGuy

Although it is spelled out, plenty of people I know, including native Austinites, will say it straight as shorthand in casual conversation.



I'm starting to feel like this fight is a losing battle.

You've got to wonder why Californians added the "the" in the first place... I'm guessing it might be because their highways became places they spent so much time on sitting around in traffic that they became worthy of putting a "the" in front of. You might as well write off an hour of your time if you get on "the 405" in Los Angeles.

Given that no improvements will probably happen to I-35 through Austin in the next ten years. It might be worthy of a "the" in front of at some point as you are likely to spend half your day on it if you choose to get on.

That being said, I refuse to ever allow a "the" in front of Mopac since "The Mopac" just sounds idiotic.

The theory is that when freeways were first built in L.A., it was before the Interstate system and rather than numbers, they all had a name. For instance, the Santa Monica Freeway, the San Bernardino Freeway, the Hollywood Freeway, the Santa Ana Freeway, etc. So when they finally assigned them numbers, the definite article stayed. It's also easier to give directions this way. "Take the 57 north to the 91 west, get on the 5 north to the 10 west". Rather than, "Take State Road 57 to State Road 91 west, get in I-5 north to I-10 west". There are just so many different freeways, it makes them easier.

And "the" Mopac does sound stupid. I've never said that when in Austin on business

[passionatearts]

Originally Posted by denverian

The theory is that when freeways were first built in L.A., it was before the Interstate system and rather than numbers, they all had a name. For instance, the Santa Monica Freeway, the San Bernardino Freeway, the Hollywood Freeway, the Santa Ana Freeway, etc. So when they finally assigned them numbers, the definite article stayed. It's also easier to give directions this way. "Take the 57 north to the 91 west, get on the 5 north to the 10 west". Rather than, "Take State Road 57 to State Road 91 west, get in I-5 north to I-10 west". There are just so many different freeways, it makes them easier.

And "the" Mopac does sound stupid. I've never said that when in Austin on business

BTW, "freeway" is a very Califronian term. Most people I know in Texas call it the highway.

One other oddity of Austin that a newcomer should know is that our numbered streets (6th St, etc.) are labeled east if they're east of Congress Ave, Speedway, or Link Ave and west if they're west of Congress Ave, Speedway, or Link Ave. A lot of people mistakenly think the east/west designation comes from whether the numbered street is east or west of I-35. Oh, and we have a lot of half streets.

[AguaDulce]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

BTW, "freeway" is a very Califronian term. Most people I know in Texas call it the highway.

One other oddity of Austin that a newcomer should know is that our numbered streets (6th St, etc.) are labeled east if they're east of Congress Ave, Speedway, or Link Ave and west if they're west of Congress Ave, Speedway, or Link Ave. A lot of people mistakenly think the east/west designation comes from whether the numbered street is east or west of I-35. Oh, and we have a lot of half streets.

I beg to differ--Freeway is the preferred nomenclature in Houston for a highway that has many lanes and spaghetti bowls and exists in the urban/suburban monsterplex.

A highway is what you call it once you have left the city.

But as I stated before, there are regional differences. People in El Paso have different words for things than people in Houston, etc.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by AguaDulce

I beg to differ--Freeway is the preferred nomenclature in Houston for a highway that has many lanes and spaghetti bowls and exists in the urban/suburban monsterplex.

Katy Freeway, Southwest Freeway, Eastex Freeway, Gulf Freeway, North Freeway, South Freeway. Dallas called many "expressways" - North Central, Woodall Rogers, etc. - but had the Stemmons and RL Thornton Freeways. Go figure.

Only in Austin was the sole freeway called "Interregional Highway".

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

BTW, "freeway" is a very Califronian term. Most people I know in Texas call it the highway.

One other oddity of Austin that a newcomer should know is that our numbered streets (6th St, etc.) are labeled east if they're east of Congress Ave, Speedway, or Link Ave and west if they're west of Congress Ave, Speedway, or Link Ave. A lot of people mistakenly think the east/west designation comes from whether the numbered street is east or west of I-35. Oh, and we have a lot of half streets.

And learn the names of the rivers in Texas from east to west - that's how the east-west streets are named downtown.

[BillyH]

Originally Posted by AguaDulce

I beg to differ--Freeway is the preferred nomenclature in Houston for a highway that has many lanes and spaghetti bowls and exists in the urban/suburban monsterplex.

A highway is what you call it once you have left the city.

But as I stated before, there are regional differences. People in El Paso have different words for things than people in Houston, etc.

I'll have to agree with you there in San Antonio: Mc Dermott Freeway (I-10 West), Mc Allister Freeway (281 North), Pan Am Expressway (I-35 North and South), Stotzer Freeway (Hwy. 151). I hear both frontage and access roads used and I wore Levis all through high school, they were the most popular brand. Oh in Austin they pronounce Manor Rd. "Maner" and Koenig Lane "Kaenig".

[TexasHorseLady]

Koenig and Mueller are pronounced the way they are because that's the way the families whose names they were/are pronounce(d) them, and they get the final say.

[BillyH]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Koenig and Mueller are pronounced the way they are because that's the way the families whose names they were/are pronounce(d) them, and they get the final say.

Makes sense to me, proper names are spelled and pronounced all kinds of different ways. In SA Eisenhauer Rd. not "Eisenhower" as usually spelled on the northeast was named after a family that owned the land near by. Blanco Rd. a very long street is pronounced Blank-co by just about everybody, of course it has nothing to do with somebody last name.

[laleighpop]

This has been quite an entertaining read even for a native Texan!

The seatbelt for all riders and moving over for emergency vehicles were 2 recent laws I was glad to see mentioned.

As for the 2 way feeders/access roads/frontage roads (yes this varies within the state).... I grew up in Houston and on my 16th birthday had to drive to Brenham for a county fair. THAT was the 1st day I had really noticed the 2 ways and YES it was nerve wracking for my first solo driving.

When I moved to San Marcos (the old Southwest Texas State), I was shocked to learn that people on the feeder would yield to those coming off the highway, where in Houston, those exiting merge with cars on the feeder. I almost rear-ended people several times for this soon after moving to San Marcos because I would be watching the exit ramp and GAINING speed to merge over for when that lane would become the entrance ramp. I mean people would come to a complete stop on the 50mph feeder to let a car off the highway! I have since learned that this is common in a lot of places and mandatory in the instance of 2 way feeders. Houston is a whole different ball game for driving. Even now, just visiting for the weekend it usually takes me a day or two to wind down and lay off the lead foot/road rage when I get back to Austin.