Laws or oddities that are particular to TX/Austin that a new resident should know??? (Milam: house, live in)

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by 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.

When we moved out to the ranch, the frontage roads were two-way. LOVED it - it meant you didn't have to go under the highway (I35) and loop back to the next exit to get somewhere on the other side of the highway and then back (I-35 goes right through the middle of town). Then the town got Big Ideas about growth and got entrances and exits moved and the frontage roads made one way and ruined the whole thing! So now if I want to go to the post office and home, I have to go under the highway, along the frontage road to the post office, then either way up the highway to the next overpass so I can get back to the other side of the highway or maneuver through the middle of town (heading west in order to get to where I can go east) in order to take the underpass I came across on back. At least doubles the amount of time it used to take. But it's modern and big city (where people can't figure out how to manage such things, apparently), I'll give you that!

And the idea that traffic on the frontage road has the right of way over traffic exiting the highway (unless traffic exiting has its own lane for some distance) boggles the mind. What, is traffic supposed to back up on the highway in order to accommodate slower traffic on the frontage road? An accident (no, MANY accidents) waiting to happen!

[scm53]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

And the idea that traffic on the frontage road has the right of way over traffic exiting the highway (unless traffic exiting has its own lane for some distance) boggles the mind. What, is traffic supposed to back up on the highway in order to accommodate slower traffic on the frontage road? An accident (no, MANY accidents) waiting to happen!

Yielding to exiting freeway traffic was ingrained into me from growing up in Houston. I slowed down here recently to do just that, and my furriner DW says "what are you doing?" That's when I noticed that there aren't "yield" signs now at exits, aimed at the frontage road traffic.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by scm53

Yielding to exiting freeway traffic was ingrained into me from growing up in Houston. I slowed down here recently to do just that, and my furriner DW says "what are you doing?" That's when I noticed that there aren't "yield" signs now at exits, aimed at the frontage road traffic.

That is still the law in Texas. Page 4-3 of the Texas Drivers Handbook says:

Situation 8—Entering or leaving controlled-access highway.

—The driver of a vehicle proceeding on an access or frontage road of a controlled-access highway shall yield the right-of-way to:

a. a vehicle entering or about to enter the road from the highway; or,

b. a vehicle leaving or about to leave the road to enter the highway.

It includes a diagram illustrating that for both one-way and two-way frontage roads.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by scm53

Yielding to exiting freeway traffic was ingrained into me from growing up in Houston. I slowed down here recently to do just that, and my furriner DW says "what are you doing?" That's when I noticed that there aren't "yield" signs now at exits, aimed at the frontage road traffic.

I'll have to watch for that when I'm in Austin this afternoon. I hadn't noticed it, but, then, I don't need signs to tell me to do what (a) is the law in Texas and (b) is pretty darned common sense, to boot!

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I'll have to watch for that when I'm in Austin this afternoon. I hadn't noticed it, but, then, I don't need signs to tell me to do what (a) is the law in Texas and (b) is pretty darned common sense, to boot!

The good news is there aren't too many of those exits, thank goodness. I can't remember the last time I encountered one and I drive all over the north metro area.

[hound 109]

I saw this list in a column on an unrelated site. Seems appropriate given the OP's Title.

(note - I took out some of the Southeast US oddities)

TIPS FOR NORTHERNERS MOVING TO TEXAS:

1. Save All Manner of Bacon Grease: You will be instructed later how to use it.
2. Just because you can drive on snow and ice does not mean the natives can. Stay home the two days of the year it snows.
3. If you do run your car into a ditch, don't panic. Four men in the cab of a four-wheel drive with a 12-pack of beer and a tow chain will be along shortly. Don't try to help them. Just stay out of their way. This is what they live for.
4. If it can't be fried in bacon grease, it's not worth cooking, let alone eating.
5. Remember: "Y'all" is singular. "All y'all" is plural. "All y'all's" is plural possessive.
6. There is nothing sillier than a Northerner imitating a Texan accent, unless it is Texan imitating a Boston accent.
7. Don't be worried that you don't understand anyone. They don't understand you either.
8. The first Texan expression to creep into a transplanted Northerner's vocabulary is the adjective "Big ol'" or "good ol", as in "big ol' truck" or "good ol' boy." Eighty-five percent begin their new Southern- influenced dialect with these expression. 100% are in denial about it.
9. The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper.
10. Be advised: The "He needed killing" defense is valid here.
11. If attending a funeral, remember, Texans stay until the last shovel of dirt is thrown on and the tent is torn down.
12. If you hear a Texan exclaim, "Hey, y'all, watch this!" stay out of his way. These are likely the last words he will ever say.
13. Northerners can be identified by the spit on the inside of their car's windshield that comes from yelling at other drivers.
14. The winter wardrobe you always brought out in September can wait until November....or even next year.
15. If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the most minuscule accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It does not matter if you need anything from the store, it is just something you're supposed to do.
16. Tornadoes and Texas divorces have a lot in common. Either way, someone is going to lose a trailer.
17. You can ask a Texan for directions, but unless you already know the positions of key hills, trees and rocks, you're better off trying to find it yourself. & here's mine...
18. BBQ is a piece of meat that has been smoked for 8-16 hours....not an event.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by hound 109

I saw this list in a column on an unrelated site. Seems appropriate given the OP's Title.

(note - I took out some of the Southeast US oddities)

TIPS FOR NORTHERNERS MOVING TO TEXAS:

12. If you hear a Texan exclaim, "Hey, y'all, watch this!" stay out of his way. These are likely the last words he will ever say.

Number 12 is often preceded by "Here...hold my beer!"

Also, it is apparently customary to gut the mufflers on your motorcycle and muscle car. When I become king, those offenders will be required to ride behind their own vehicles...in an open trailer...with NO ear protection...for one hour each week.


Also.2, there is apparently NO penalty for dumping various amounts of wet concrete and asphalt from your moving construction vehicle onto the highway. When I become king, those caught will pay a $1000/day fine until the road is cleared of such debris, be it flotsam or jetsam.

Carry on...y'all

[OpenD]

I'm into island life now, but I had #5 burned into me when I lived there. I don't spoze I'll ever break my current habit of saying "Aloha y'all!"

[scm53]

Originally Posted by hound 109

I saw this list in a column on an unrelated site. Seems appropriate given the OP's Title.

(note - I took out some of the Southeast US oddities)

TIPS FOR NORTHERNERS MOVING TO TEXAS:

5. Remember: "Y'all" is singular. "All y'all" is plural. "All y'all's" is plural possessive.

18. BBQ is a piece of meat that has been smoked for 8-16 hours....not an event.

Problem is importing it from our neighbors to the east. "You" is singular. "Y'all" is plural - correcting for the anomaly in English that there is no different word for second person plural.

And barbecue is a noun - not a verb, not abbreviated, and for heaven's sake never contracted.

[spchtx]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

NO! In Texas, they're called frontage roads.

Born and raised in SE Texas. We always called it a "feeder road."