is L.A really that bad?

[motoman]

Originally Posted by SurekRZA

I Love L.A.

The positives outweigh the negatives for me. It all really depends on your economic situation and the type of person you are. Dont base your opinions of L.A. from this forum....you really need to come out here and experience it. Let me ask you: Do you like cities? Do you prefer mega global cities or mid size cities? Do you mind not being able to see the stars at night?
If you answered: yes, mega global city and no, then Im sure you would love L.A. too

oh and thanks to Charles, we can let this thread die.

I totally agree that the positives outweigh the negatives, otherwise I wouldn't still be here.

I was just pointing out, once more, the things we point out time and time again that those wanting to move here seem to not want to believe, hoping this time they will actually listen.

It's not that the bad things should keep you away, but if you're prepared coming in you won't have an unreasonable idea of how things are and hopefully won't go postal the first time it takes you 15 minutes to drive around the block.

If you know that sort of stuff beforehand, you can make a better judgment as to whether or not that is something that matters enough to you to change your mind.

[motoman]

Originally Posted by LASam

My fiance and I are fairly young and love it out here. I see plenty of other people our age enjoying themselves as well. I'm sure there's plenty of miserable people too... but they probably aren't out and about as much.

I don't think the point is being miserable or not, but rather trying to educate people wanting to move here that it isn't like where you're coming from. I warn people of the cost of living and the traffic, but I love LA. So many things to do here, things you couldn't conveniently see or do elsewhere. You just have to approach things differently than you do most other cities.

My parents in Dallas complain about Dallas traffic. I spent a month there last year and didn't sit in what I would now consider traffic once, even during rush hour. So for people like them, if they wanted to move to LA and had the idea that it would be just as easy to get around as in Dallas, well, they'd be sorely disappointed when they got here. But if they knew it beforehand they could decide if it was something they wanted to live with.

I don't think there are very many places throughout the country where you have to plan things you do around traffic patterns. When you plan to do something in LA you say, "Ok, we're going to the Staples Center to see a concert. We only live 13 miles from there, but I've been there several times and it's taken me as long as an hour to get there on a Saturday. It might only take 20 minutes, but I don't want to be late so we should leave at least an hour before the concert just to make sure."

[SurekRZA]

Originally Posted by motoman

I don't think there are very many places throughout the country where you have to plan things you do around traffic patterns. When you plan to do something in LA you say, "Ok, we're going to the Staples Center to see a concert. We only live 13 miles from there, but I've been there several times and it's taken me as long as an hour to get there on a Saturday. It might only take 20 minutes, but I don't want to be late so we should leave at least an hour before the concert just to make sure."

...and if we do make it in 20 mins then we'll stop for some drinks at the ESPN Zone!

[motoman]

Originally Posted by SurekRZA

...and if we do make it in 20 mins then we'll stop for some drinks at the ESPN Zone!

Haha! Even better!

[Lovehound]

I think that some of us who are fed up with Los Angeles have lived here for many years and built up our frustration. I'm sure I wouldn't be so negative if I had just moved here. It took me decades to become so negative.

Don't worry about me. I'm working on a plan to get out of here. I've already retired so it doesn't matter to my income at all where I live. (Okay, I still harbor a desire to work again. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won't, but I'm not betting on it. Thanks to our dysfunctional economy...)