What I've Learned about MA in the last 30 Days (Boston: transplants, rental market)

[alabamafam]

My family and I recently moved from Montgomery, AL to Billerica, MA--I'm in the military and I was reassigned to Hanscom AFB. Prior to coming to the area I heard a lot of "rumors" about New England and the MA area. Well, I thought I'd share what I've learned over the last 30 days about living here--these are MY thoughts, so there's nothing scientific about my observations:

Rumors:
1) "You're moving to a high-rent area"
-- I agree overall--there are some pricey homes here, but in the buyer and rental market, but with a lot of searching we found a rental house that was in our budget and fit the needs of my family so it can be done.

2) "People in New England are not as nice as down South"
-- I grew up in Mississippi (didn't move away until I was 24) and I just moved from Alabama where I spent 5 years, so I believe I know the South. While none of my neighbors have invited me over for sweet tea or lemonade, they most certainly have come by the house to introduce themselves and offer any assistance to get my family settled. I'm leaning toward the "not entirely true" category for this rumor....the folks we've met have been great. It may have something to do with our 2 year old twins (they attract a lot of attention!!

3) "People in New England drive crazy"
-- Okay, this is true! I've never seen anyone make a 1-lane street 2 lanes or pull into oncoming traffic with no hesitation. But my all-time favorite is the person turning left from a stop light when I'm going straight across. When the light turns green (no "green arrow" mind you), they speed across to make the left even though I have the right-away.

4) "You need a GPS to get anywhere around here"
-- Okay, this is true too....if I didn't have a GPS the first couple of days here, I would still be lost!! However, I'm getting better at learning my way around without it. I didn't know that there were 50 million ways to get to the same place!!

5) "Dude, you're going to freeze up there"
--Well, wait for my post on this one between Oct-Feb of this year. But so far, having highs in the mid '80's is great!!

[MagicTouch]

Alabambafan - Glad to hear you and your family finally made it and are settling in. As to your comments here are mine in my 8 months here:

Rumors:
1) "You're moving to a high-rent area" - For me coming from CA the cost of rent was a little less and I got more space for my dollar. I do understand that this is all depends on where you are moving from.

2) "People in New England are not as nice as down South" - On this I'm not from the South, but the South-West. I find people here to be more real than is SoCal. They may not always say hi to you on the street, but I smile and say hi anyways. I have found the people to be welcoming, sometimes at arms length, but I can understand that they don't know me from a hill of beans.

3) "People in New England drive crazy" - Well again compared to CA, it's about the same except for that turning left as soon as the light turns green. Wow that one is hard to get use to, it's called banging a left. LOL

4) "You need a GPS to get anywhere around here" - I don't have a gps, but I must admit if I'm driving to a specific location I use mapquest first and print out the directions. So far so good.

5) "Dude, you're going to freeze up there" - I got this same reaction, especially coming from SoCal where it's pretty much warm all year. I had no problems adjusting to this, I only turned on my heat once but I kept my thermostat set at 63 degrees all of the time. I don't mind curling up with a blanket.

I hope you and your family enjoy MA, I know I have. Now that I'm closing in on the year mark I'm moving again. Received an outstanding job opportunity so I'm off to LI, NY in 3 months.

[snowday]

Welcome to Mass! I'm glad you're finding it a nice place to live. It's interesting to read comments from transplants about things that seem so natural here. I must admit I would probably not invite a new neighbor over for tea right away. Having someone new over would mean a full day of house cleaning and I'd never have the time! I couldn't let the new neighbors see how we REALLY live!

And the turing left on the light makes so much sense to me that I am surprised it's not practiced everywhere. Don't you find that if you wait for the traffic opposite you to pass you may never get a chance to turn? Maybe in other states they have more left arrows?? But I would almost never hesitate to bang a left when the light turns green and I always expect it to happen to me when I am the one going straight.

[TomDot]

Originally Posted by alabamafam

3) "People in New England drive crazy"
-- Okay, this is true! I've never seen anyone make a 1-lane street 2 lanes or pull into oncoming traffic with no hesitation. But my all-time favorite is the person turning left from a stop light when I'm going straight across. When the light turns green (no "green arrow" mind you), they speed across to make the left even though I have the right-away.

The reason that I will turn left in front of oncoming vehicles is because all the cars behind me trying to go straight will get jammed up. If you haven't noticed, the streets in metro Boston are narrower than in other parts of the country. In order to keep traffic moving you have to put up with the occassional car blasting left in front of you.

[tonrob]

Originally Posted by TomDot

The reason that I will turn left in front of oncoming vehicles is because all the cars behind me trying to go straight will get jammed up. If you haven't noticed, the streets in metro Boston are narrower than in other parts of the country. In order to keep traffic moving you have to put up with the occassional car blasting left in front of you.

I was surprised by the left turn thing when I first moved here 3 years ago, although until today I never knew it had a name!!! ("Banging a left!" like it - will have to remember!)

Now I myself don't actually bang lefts as I think the oncoming driver has the right of way and would fear a collision (or at minimum, soiled underwear). However, I find at most junctions around where I live if the left turner (i.e. me) keeps hard up against the center of the road there is more often than not room for those who are behind to fit round to my right.

What annoys though me is when people pay no attention to who is behind them, especially when they could have done something so as not to hold other cars up (e.g. when at a red light and not keeping to the left of the lane when in doing so would have permitted the car behind - usually me again - who is indicating right for all the world to see - to move past and make the right turn.)

[findingmesomeday]

There's a book called "Wild in the Streets: A Handbook for Boston Drivers" and yes, this move does have an official name as others have indicated: "Banging a Left". It's done so regularly, that it doesn't even phase me. And my son learned in drivers ed to NEVER assume the right of way (which is good advice anywhere) but particularly around here where this practice is common.

The GPS thing--I seem to have a better feel for getting around here than I did in northern VA. We came from the Pacific NW though, where I always had mountains and water to orient me.

The streets in Boston are paved over old cowpaths so those are nuts. And the way they name streets in the city and the 'burbs is crazy too as they change names from town to town (which Mapquest doesn't always get). The freeway signage is not the best, either.

Welcome to MA!

[packedandready]

I live on Hanscom...glad you have had a good experience. We arrived on Oct. 22, arriving from happy, pretty, warm southern California.

After enduring three long deployments to Iraq (the husband went--but it was hard on me too!) I honestly thought there wasn't much that could be pressed upon me that would phase me. Wrong. Moving to NE was incredibly tough, when what my husband needed more than anything was an understanding ear and friendliness after so much BS.

I totally agree with the GPS. Some days I think it may save a marriage or two.

[smarty]

GPS software is so primitive. It'll bring you to major highways in order to get to the other side. It will not tell you to go to on coming traffic for 2 car length (wrong way on a one way road) so you can cut through and go to the other side. Hence, reducing your trip by 10-20 minutes...

Boston also need a PSS (parking spot satellite) to find on street parking for 2 hours. Btw.. read the meters... Boston's parking meters work from 8am to 8pm. Currently, the city is considering 8am til 1am. This means you have to feed the meter at 11pm instead of 6pm.

[puffle]

Originally Posted by tonrob

I was surprised by the left turn thing when I first moved here 3 years ago, although until today I never knew it had a name!!! ("Banging a left!" like it - will have to remember!)

Now I myself don't actually bang lefts as I think the oncoming driver has the right of way and would fear a collision (or at minimum, soiled underwear). However, I find at most junctions around where I live if the left turner (i.e. me) keeps hard up against the center of the road there is more often than not room for those who are behind to fit round to my right.

What annoys though me is when people pay no attention to who is behind them, especially when they could have done something so as not to hold other cars up (e.g. when at a red light and not keeping to the left of the lane when in doing so would have permitted the car behind - usually me again - who is indicating right for all the world to see - to move past and make the right turn.)

Love your humor especially the soiling the pants part. Love the people here until they get behind the wheel. All this and traffic violations that stay on your record for 10 years with no traffic school so your insurance doesn't go up...a practice in Ca. You would think people would be a wee bit more careful? By the time I get to work in the morning I am all cussed out and exhausted.

[mjgandthree]

Thank you for your perspective! We will be there (MA) in September and I was just about to post a question on things to expect.