My 1st Trip to Orlando (Oak Ridge: apartments, rent, insurance)

[odu]

I made my first trip to Orlando on Sunday. I didn't have much time to look around, but I did rent a car just to drive around on my own Sunday afternoon. Within 10 minutes of the airport, I was on the road at a stoplight. The light turned green and a car hesitated to go. It was only for like 10 seconds. Well the guy behind the car honked his horn, and not a polite honk either. The person in the car then stuck their middle find out the window and the guy in the truck behind him started cursing and throwing up his hands. Well then both cars pulled over into the convenience store.... Okay, where I'm from, if someone honks their horn at you, you just mind your business because they are likely to pull out a gun or something. (I'm from Charlotte, NC). So I do believe what people say about the road rage on this board. I did not really get a good vibe about Orlando. Wasn't bad, but definitely wasn't good either. I was interviewing for a job, which I really liked the job and the company, so if I get the job, it would be a hard decision on whether or not to move. I know I can't get a good opinion of Orlando in an afternoon drive, but I wasn't really that impressed. I did kind of like the downtown area though. If I do move, that's probably where I would stay I'm thinking

[Ninja_Wendy]

Those people in the cars were probably northeners, they make up a large percentage of people in Florida. I am from NYC originally and both my sisters live in Florida.

As far as Orlando as a city, I have been there more times than I can count for both business and pleasure. The things I dislike are: TERRIBLE traffic, too many tourists, HOT and did I mention it's HOT? At least in the coastal cities you get a breeze from the ocean. Orlando is land locked so you don't even get a breeze. Also, you have the threat of hurricanes and from what I understand, home insurance is very expensive there. My sister's insurance doubled after the year Katrina hit.

You probably need to spend some more time there before you make your final decision and definitely investigate the cost of insurance and other things.

[Grady]

I t is no different down here. Road rage is a big problem down here. People will pull out weapons or follow you down the street. But just becareful and go on about your business.

[SouthernBelle3]

The rude gestures and honks as well as being forced off the road is common here. You will find plenty of wonderful people in Orlando, just not during your commute to and from work.

[pianogal]

Please don't judge all of Orlando from the area around the airport. It is not an area you would want to live in or frequent. There are much nicer places here.

[Wilshire81182]

And like previously mentioned, the ratio of locals to tourists is probably very low there on 436 by the airport.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I love living in Florida, but I don't love driving here.

People are savages on the road here.

Your only hope is to find a nice area close enough to work so that you aren't trapped on the road with these brain donors for too long.

[odu]

Thanks for your responses. I do realize that I can't judge all of Orlando by that moment. But I do believe without a doubt that the drivers are very aggressive there. What are considered the nice areas of Orlando?? I was the Orange Blossom Trail area and passed by Millenia Blvd. There were some really nice looking apartments or condos, brand new, but they are right by a not so nice area...

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Originally Posted by odu

Thanks for your responses. I do realize that I can't judge all of Orlando by that moment. But I do believe without a doubt that the drivers are very aggressive there. What are considered the nice areas of Orlando?? I was the Orange Blossom Trail area and passed by Millenia Blvd. There were some really nice looking apartments or condos, brand new, but they are right by a not so nice area...

I believe from what I have seen and a conversation with a neighbor who works in the highway department that the roads are woefully underdeveloped for the amount of peope who use them. They are working on it but you know how that kind of thing takes forever.

There are alot of things that are wonderful about living here and just like any place else, there are some not so wonderful things.

[Wilshire81182]

Millenia is a nice area surrounded on at least 2 sides (some would probably say all four) by rougher and lower income areas. The long term effects on whether Millenia will continue to branch out and "gentrify" the areas around it or if the crime in those surrounding areas will impact Millenia has yet to be seen. I know that Metrowest is close and the Orlando PD has tried very hard to lower crime in this area recently from all the murders in 2006. I was shocked myself when I drove down Oak Ridge a couple weeks ago and noticed some new, very attractive apartments and condos near the intersection of Millenia and Oak Ridge. Knowing the area, I would probably not stay there because of the adjacent Oak Ridge area, but it almost seems like Millenia is spilling over into that area. Time will tell.