Driving in Dallas (Fort Worth, Plano, Garland: buy, construction, live in)

[Onthemove77]

[SIZE=5]First you must learn to pronounce the city name. It is DAL-LUS, or DAL-LIS depending on if you live inside or outside LBJ Freeway.

Next, if your Mapsco is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and buy a new one. If you're in Denton County and your Mapsco is even a day old, then it is already obsolete.

Dallas has its own version of traffic rules... 'Hold on and pray.' There is no such thing as a dangerous high-speed chase in Dallas . We all drive like that.

All directions start with, 'Get on Beltline,' which has no beginning and no end. It really doesn't.

The morning rush hour is from 6 to 10. The evening rush hour is from 3 to 7. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning.

If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended, cussed out and possibly shot at. When you are the first one on the starting line, count to five when the light turns green before going to avoid crashing with all the drivers running the red light in cross-traffic.

Construction on Central Expressway, LBJ and I-35 is a way of life and a permanent form of entertainment. Just get used to it.

All unexplained sights are explained by the phrase, 'Oh, we're in Fort Worth !'

If someone actually has his or her turn signal on, it is probably a factory defect. Car horns are actually road rage indicators - and remember, it's legal to be armed in Texas.

All old ladies with blue hair in a Mercedes (or Buick, or Cadillac, or anything else) have the right of way. Period. And remember, it's legal to be armed in Texas.

Inwood Road , Plano Road, NW Highway, East Grand, Garland Road , Marsh Lane , Josey Lane , 15th Street , Preston Road all mysteriously change names as you cross intersections (these are only a FEW examples). The perfect example is what is mostly known as Plano Road . On the south end, it is known as Lake Highlands Drive; cross Northwest Highway and it becomes Plano Road; go about 8 miles and it is briefly Greenville Ave., then Ave K, then Highway 5. It ends in Sherman .

The North Dallas Tollway is our daily version of NASCAR. The minimum acceptable speed on the Dallas North Toll Road is 85 mph. Anything less is considered downright sissy. It also ends in Sherman .

If asking directions in Irving, south Garland or SE Dallas , you must have knowledge of Spanish. If in central Richardson or on Harry Hines, Mandarin Chinese will be your best bet. If you stop to ask directions on Gaston or Live Oak, you better be armed - and remember, it's legal to be armed in Texas .

The wrought iron on windows near Oak Cliff and Fair Park are not purely ornamental. A word to the wise...

A trip across town east to west will take a minimum of two hours, although many north/south freeways have unposted minimum speeds of 75.

It is possible to be driving WEST in the NORTH-bound lane of EAST Northwest Highway . Don't let this confuse you. LBJ is called 'The Death Trap' for two reasons: 'death' and 'trap.'

If it's 100 degrees, Thanksgiving must be next weekend. If it's 10 degrees and sleeting/snowing, the Fort Worth Stock Show is going on. If it has rained 6 inches in the last hour, the Byron Nelson Golf Classic is in the second round (if it's Spring) - and it is the Texas State Fair if it's Fall.

If you go to the Fair, pay the $8.00 to park inside Fair Park . Parking elsewhere could cost up to $2500 for damages, towing fees, parking tickets, etc. If some guy with a flag tries to get you to park in his yard or driveway, well, caveat emptor.

Final Warning: Don't Mess With Texas Drivers ... remember, even though our motto is The Friendly State, it's legal to be armed in Texas.
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[blueskies49]

Although, parking inside Fair Park is now $10. Everything else is right on!

[case44]

Yeah, you've got a pretty good observation of Metroplex travel. By the way, the Dallas North Tollway ought to be referred to today as the DNT. We should just initialize everything since we're getting more toll roads built around here. But, nonetheless, good observations.

[fratermus]

Originally Posted by Onthemove77

Final Warning: Don't Mess With Texas Drivers ... remember, even though our motto is The Friendly State, it's legal to be armed in Texas.

"armed" and "friendly" aren't mutually exclusive terms.

fratermus,
armed and friendly. Heck, I even use my blinkers and let folks merge.

[GayleTX]

Every word sounds true to me! That's why I try to stay out here on the rural route as much as possible.

[BstYet2Be]

Know that all freeways have at least two names... i.e., here are some that still can confuse me:

LBJ = I635
Central Expressway = US75
John Carpenter Freeway = 114
Airport Freeway = 183
Northwest Highway = Loop 12
George Bush Tollway = 190 or 161 depending on where you are,

and, so it goes!


Also, you must learn your compass directions... North, South, East and West... to get anywhere! If all else fails, remember... the sun rises in the East and sets in the West... more than once have I had to navigate based on the time of day and where the sun was at that time of the day... absolutely thinking I was going the other direction... but actually going 10 miles or more in the wrong direction! If it's nighttime... sorry, you may end up in Ft. Worth or Louisiana!

Another BIG point! When there are two turn lanes at an intersection, and the sign says the inside lane MUST turn left... does not mean that person in the inside lane WILL turn left (many people seem to take this as only a suggestion I guess!). Again, just like when a light turns green... WAIT 5-10 seconds if you are in the middle turn lane to see if the person in the inside turn lane will actually decide to turn left or go straight ahead! This has happened to me more times than I'd like to count that they go straight ahead!

The rest of the tips are right-on! Especially Beltline... begins and ends in every suburb of Dallas... changes names... changes back... changes again... ughh!

[lpepping]

Central Expressway = US75

[taroberts]

Originally Posted by Onthemove77

If someone actually has his or her turn signal on, it is probably a factory defect.

Thats so true! What's with that. You know here up North in Baltimore we actually use our indicators. I was back in Dallas in March on the Beltways and was shocked to see how many people just "get over" in front of you with no warning!

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by taroberts

Thats so true! What's with that. You know here up North in Baltimore we actually use our indicators. I was back in Dallas in March on the Beltways and was shocked to see how many people just "get over" in front of you with no warning!

As a transplant from CA to Plano, I always use my turn signals, and let people into traffic in front of me. Usually, whoever is behind me honks because I stop and give the person enough room to get in front of me. I've begun yelling at the person behind me, "thank you for being so considerate" and smiling at them.

Also, NO ONE here stops for sirens! One day I could hear and see a fire truck coming up behind me. I was the first one in line at a signal in the right lane when it happened, so I just stayed where I was when the signal turned green.

The idiot behind me kept honking over and over, then started yelling at me. Unfortunately, this is VERY typical for my area. And, there are a LOT of emergency vehicles either hit by cars going through a signal, or ambulances take forever to get to their destination, because of getting hung up in traffic by RUDE, INCONSIDERATE drivers!

[Moth]

Dallas has its own version of traffic rules... 'Hold on and pray.' There is no such thing as a dangerous high-speed chase in Dallas . We all drive like that.

Very true. Dallas folks are some of the friendliest I have ever met, but put them behind a steering wheel and they morph into glue-sniffing Kamikazees.