Moving to Houston from N Y C (Dallas, San Antonio: car rental, best cities)

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

Yeah but that gets old after a while. I had to stop talking to one of my friends because he was always wanting to bum rides.

Yeah, you've got to choose your friends carefully. If I ever took a ride from a friend, which was virtually never, I always offered gas money. I never had a problem getting a ride from my boyfriend though.

[lancasterwoman]

If you will be working downtown, not having a car is not a big deal -- all busses head downtown. Find a place to live that is near a bus stop and grocery store so that you can walk to both. The heat is brutal, but it's always been brutal, even before there were air conditioned cars! You will just need to learn to dress for the heat and get ready to sweat. Wear light-weight cotton fabrics. As you sweat (or, as the ladies say, perspire) your clothes will become soaked and will keep you cool. Nature's air conditioning. Also you should always have a bottle of water with you to stay hydrated to keep nature's air conditioning in top-notch shape. You'll love the winters! Thanksgiving and Christmas poolside are awesome!

[highguard]

I find it hard to believe people are saying that for professional jobs where formal attire is required you can reach work all sweaty from the sweltering Houston heat (which last atleast half of the year).

I have worked for good companies and a few in downtown and they were no showering facilities anywhere. And in my 20 years of working I personally have never seen anyone bike to work in any professional jobs at least but I have seen them bike to McDonald's or Walmart etc. In a regular office job everyone arrived by car with A/C turned on because the last thing you want to do is show up all sweating to your job. This is not Chicago or NYC where temperatures are either mildly warm or down-right cold and in those cases you don't sweat and hence you can reach work with no clothing problems using public transportation.

Also most of the people who are recommending the public transportation either had jobs in downtown or within the loop. A significant portion of Houston companies, and places to just go are way outside the loop and again the poster will be limiting himself with having no car. My best paying jobs thus far all have been in areas of Houston such as Highway 249, Cypress, Clear Lake, Sugarland, near Intercontinental airport etc. where no buses ever went or took forever to get there and had I limited myself to just inner-loop I would have held myself back both professionally as well as financially.

My best advice OP get a car...it's not really a choice in a city like Houston.

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by highguard

I find it hard to believe people are saying that for professional jobs where formal attire is required you can reach work all sweaty from the sweltering Houston heat (which last atleast half of the year).

I have worked for good companies and a few in downtown and they were no showering facilities anywhere. And in my 20 years of working I personally have never seen anyone bike to work in any professional jobs at least but I have seen them bike to McDonald's or Walmart etc. In a regular office job everyone arrived by car with A/C turned on because the last thing you want to do is show up all sweating to your job. This is not Chicago or NYC where temperatures are either mildly warm or down-right cold and in those cases you don't sweat and hence you can reach work with no clothing problems using public transportation.

Also most of the people who are recommending the public transportation either had jobs in downtown or within the loop. A significant portion of Houston companies, and places to just go are way outside the loop and again the poster will be limiting himself with having no car. My best paying jobs thus far all have been in areas of Houston such as Highway 249, Cypress, Clear Lake, Sugarland, near Intercontinental airport etc. where no buses ever went or took forever to get there and had I limited myself to just inner-loop I would have held myself back both professionally as well as financially.

My best advice OP get a car...it's not really a choice in a city like Houston.

Yeah I want to see somebody ride a bike to Exxons new facility in the Woodlands.
I work downtown. The firm I work for, we occupy 16 floors in our building. There are no showers or places to change or keep a extra pair of clothes

[MIBS98]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

Dude you just contradicted yourself and made my point for me. This foolishness about not needing a car in Houston is just not accurate.

TheSUBlime was right. I said that when we had no kids we did not need a car. With three kids, whether living in NYC, London, Chicago, Paris or Houston, we would (and do) use the car more often. Hauling three kids on and off public transport or taxi's is not fun anywhere in the world.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by highguard

I find it hard to believe people are saying that for professional jobs where formal attire is required you can reach work all sweaty from the sweltering Houston heat (which last atleast half of the year).

I have worked for good companies and a few in downtown and they were no showering facilities anywhere. And in my 20 years of working I personally have never seen anyone bike to work in any professional jobs at least but I have seen them bike to McDonald's or Walmart etc. In a regular office job everyone arrived by car with A/C turned on because the last thing you want to do is show up all sweating to your job. This is not Chicago or NYC where temperatures are either mildly warm or down-right cold and in those cases you don't sweat and hence you can reach work with no clothing problems using public transportation.

Also most of the people who are recommending the public transportation either had jobs in downtown or within the loop. A significant portion of Houston companies, and places to just go are way outside the loop and again the poster will be limiting himself with having no car. My best paying jobs thus far all have been in areas of Houston such as Highway 249, Cypress, Clear Lake, Sugarland, near Intercontinental airport etc. where no buses ever went or took forever to get there and had I limited myself to just inner-loop I would have held myself back both professionally as well as financially.

My best advice OP get a car...it's not really a choice in a city like Houston.

Well, just know that people do do it. And many of us are crazy and poor (and happy) as you imply.

[crone]

Many driving schools will pick you up, teach you, then take you to get the license.

When I lived on Driscoll @ Welch we could walk to the Alabama, soon to be Trader Joe's, River Oaks SC on West gray, down to the Tower Theater and way up Westheimer passed Kirby. The bus to town came just down the street.

[highguard]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

Well, just know that people do do it. And many of us are crazy and poor (and happy) as you imply.

I am not implying anything; I am just letting the OP know my perspective from having worked in professional positions where formal attire is required. Some of the suggestion here not practical and more akin to ending your career before it even begins.

OP is free to do whatever they wants. Suffice it to say Houston is by design a car-culture city and if one can afford a car they should definitely acquire it. It's not a luxury but almost a necessity in Houston.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by highguard

I am not implying anything; I am just letting the OP know my perspective from having worked in professional positions where formal attire is required. Some of the suggestion here not practical and more akin to ending your career before it even begins.

OP is free to do whatever they wants. Suffice it to say Houston is by design a car-culture city and if one can afford a car they should definitely acquire it. It's not a luxury but almost a necessity in Houston.

Right and depending on what the OP's work and/or rental situation car or car-less may work for her. I don't think anyone is saying a car is not practical. Even the OP understands that.

"Now I understand that Houston is big and getting around requires a car but I've never driven and never had to (Don't even have a licence) can anyone suggest some areas that have good access to public transportation while I'm working towards getting my licence? "

The few of us who chimed in simply explained, depending upon the specifics, her situation is possible.

[highguard]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

Right and depending on what the OP's work and/or rental situation car or car-less may work for her. I don't think anyone is saying a car is not practical. Even the OP understands that.

Well frankly I am someone who had no car for almost 3 years. I lived near Eastwood transit center so I know how it is too and were probably my worst years in Houston. The distances in Houston, the heat/humidity, the sprawl nature of city is simply not cut out for living a comfortable car-free life. The OP is most likely evaluating Houston from NYC perspective and these two cities are polar opposite of each other in those respects.

Ofcourse anything is possible and my suggestion to OP get a car so you can live a comfortable life in both professional and personal levels.