Colorado After 2 Months (Denver, Golden, Sheridan: crime, employment, schools)

[Texas Minded]

Originally Posted by jrodgers_3

OP is right about the job market. It's a joke and I was in the same situation for a long time and have been putting in applications for over a year now and have over 200 apps out and hoping to get something worthwhile. Being an employer's market means they can treat you like a dog and not give you benefits, PTO, etc because there's 100 other jobless people willing to do the job if you arent.

Growing up in small towns in west TX and the last 7 years in Dallas I always heard people trash TX drivers. Anytime anyone saw a NM plate they were immediately called a bad driver, same with Louisiana plate in east TX. People like to complain about drivers. My job in Dallas was driving from home to home to connect electricity so I would drive 2-5 mins to complete 5 minutes of work. I drove all the time and didn't think it was overall bad. There are some things that stick out to me here. Tailgating, impatient driving, and RUNNING OF RED LIGHTS. Multiple times a day I watch people go through yellow lights just to be followed by 3-4 more vehicles. I hated the red light cameras in Dallas, but I half-seriously want them here just to fine the hell outta all these people who think what they're doing is more important than the drivers on the other side of the light.

I agree 100%

[robertgoodman]

Originally Posted by himain

Ok I'll throw in my 6 month review from moving from Miami:

Pros:

gorgeous weather
activities to do
different seasons
can do a ton of day trips or quick get aways to something different

Cons:
not that many attractive people-they are everywhere in Miami (only 2 eye candys at the gym)
getting used to altitude was hard
lack of Ruth Chris
bad drivers but not as bad as Miami
roads suck

other than that it's fine.

FYI the Ruth Chris at 15th and California in Downtown Denver has their signs up already, and the renovation looks pretty far along so I am guessing only a few months before they open. Haven't seen anything officially on the opening date though.

[wideworld]

I agree with everything but the job market. I've had phenomenal luck here - not without hustle, but hustle led to success (can't say the same for other large cities I've lived in).

The driving piece really is a big one. I spent most of my life in LA and Chicago, and Denver shockingly puts both of those cities to shame.

[Teckeeee]

I am glad you had a good experience with the job market, I didn't and that's why we are leaving. I took me 4 months to get any offer in Denver, in less than 30 days I had one in OC, CA.

[Texas Minded]

Originally Posted by wideworld

I agree with everything but the job market. I've had phenomenal luck here - not without hustle, but hustle led to success (can't say the same for other large cities I've lived in).

The driving piece really is a big one. I spent most of my life in LA and Chicago, and Denver shockingly puts both of those cities to shame.

Similar story here.

I grew up in Colorado Springs and then joined the Coast Guard and spent 18 years in the San Francisco Bay Area.

My wife is a Texas / Cali girl.

When we moved to the North Denver suburbs in 2010 she kept talking about how crazy the drivers were here (We live in Westminster). I defended my home state for a while... but then enough bad experiences happened to me as well and I had to admit the truth.

Ditto on all the things folks have already said as far as fast / tailgating drivers.

To add... in the past year I have seen 2 people driving down the wrong side of streets (Eldorado Blvd in Broomfield and 104th Ave in Westminster), many people swerving in and out of their lanes and I would have to say at least 5 people just blatantly run a red light like it was nothing.

For 18 years in California I can honestly say that there were maybe 3 times TOTAL that I ever experienced any of these things. Cali drivers are snobs and are rude, but they are not clueless maniacs like here. I know this is a generalization... but... it seems to be true.

[wideworld]

Originally Posted by Colorado xxxxx

I am glad you had a good experience with the job market, I didn't and that's why we are leaving. I took me 4 months to get any offer in Denver, in less than 30 days I had one in OC, CA.

Cheers! I'm glad you had good luck there. I was never a big fan of LA while living there, but I did like the OC area.

[wideworld]

Originally Posted by Texas Minded

Similar story here.

I grew up in Colorado Springs and then joined the Coast Guard and spent 18 years in the San Francisco Bay Area.

My wife is a Texas / Cali girl.

When we moved to the North Denver suburbs in 2010 she kept talking about how crazy the drivers were here (We live in Westminster). I defended my home state for a while... but then enough bad experiences happened to me as well and I had to admit the truth.

Ditto on all the things folks have already said as far as fast / tailgating drivers.

To add... in the past year I have seen 2 people driving down the wrong side of streets (Eldorado Blvd in Broomfield and 104th Ave in Westminster), many people swerving in and out of their lanes and I would have to say at least 5 people just blatantly run a red light like it was nothing.

For 18 years in California I can honestly say that there were maybe 3 times TOTAL that I ever experienced any of these things. Cali drivers are snobs and are rude, but they are not clueless maniacs like here. I know this is a generalization... but... it seems to be true.

RE: last paragraph - it's true. I also defended Colorado driving for awhile (everyone who visited me - without fail - pointed out how bad it was), but now I see it on a daily basis; I can have my turn signal on for 5 minutes before, and I'll still have someone speed up, honk, and nearly rear-end me as I merge.

[headingtoDenver]

Originally Posted by wideworld

RE: last paragraph - it's true. I also defended Colorado driving for awhile (everyone who visited me - without fail - pointed out how bad it was), but now I see it on a daily basis; I can have my turn signal on for 5 minutes before, and I'll still have someone speed up, honk, and nearly rear-end me as I merge.

It's funny you say that because I've lost count of how many times people almost run into me while they are changing lanes. I've noticed that the people who do actually use their turn signal think that just because they put their signal on, that they have a right to change lanes. People will put on their signal and just start changing lanes without even looking.

[Scott5280]

I hate to admit it but though people constantly drive 20 miles over the speed limit in SO. Cal ; I actually see over all way better drivers and feel safer. Want to see the very worst drivers in the metro; head to Boulder.

[insahmniak]

Just last week around 4 o'clock someone came at me head-on along Colorado Blvd. near Cherry Creek. When I first saw her coming at me I thought for sure she'd figure it out and move outta the way. Nope. She actually played chicken with me for a while. Drove straight down the middle of three lanes. That was exciting.

When I first moved here it took me a while to understand central Denver's super-short left-turn signals. Why would it only be green long enough for three cars to get through? I now know that it's because four more will follow while it turns from yellow to red.