Charlotte or raleigh

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by LPnerd

the big difference in the two areas is education of it's residents, ( Raleigh has a college or univ. on every other corner-lol), and traffic. The traffic in Raleigh proper is bad during rush hour, but, you have several options, The traffic in Charlotte, is a nightmare. I've been on 85 ( the main and only big highway, ) many many times from rush hour( it's a parking lot), to 8pm on xmas eve and it was unbelievable. We travel from Raleigh to N. Ga. to visit my daughter. the quickest per a GPS is 85 the entire way. It takes about 8 hrs. If we take 40 out of north Raleigh, to 26 ( out of asheville) to 85 we add about 60 miles to the trip, BUT it takes 7.5 hours. We've been to charlotte several times and dread it, even considered taking a job there. Between the horrible traffic day and night, and the 2 nuke plants in the area, the increase in pediatric cancer that the locals seem to ignore, and or have no knowledge, we RAN . however, there are several nice 50 and over places and if you like to walk, you can stay put and not fight the traffic. also, considering the population, there isn't that much to do, and the few things are packed. Charlotte is a classic example of a city that exploded ahead of it's infrastructure. BUT if you like big city , and don't mind bumper to bumper traffic 9-9 every day, then it could be the place for you!

Triangle traffic is worse than Charlotte's.
Atlanta commute among the worst, Raleigh's worse than Charlotte's | TechJournal South

Kiplinger recently made a list of the 10 best cities for college grads. Charlotte (as well as Boston, Philly, NYC, DC, Baltimore, Seattle, Omaha, Colorado Springs, and San Fran) made the list.
Charlotte, N.C. - 10 Great Cities for College Grads - Kiplinger

[Poseidon704]

Originally Posted by LPnerd

the big difference in the two areas is education of it's residents, ( Raleigh has a college or univ. on every other corner-lol), and traffic. The traffic in Raleigh proper is bad during rush hour, but, you have several options, The traffic in Charlotte, is a nightmare. I've been on 85 ( the main and only big highway, ) many many times from rush hour( it's a parking lot), to 8pm on xmas eve and it was unbelievable. We travel from Raleigh to N. Ga. to visit my daughter. the quickest per a GPS is 85 the entire way. It takes about 8 hrs. If we take 40 out of north Raleigh, to 26 ( out of asheville) to 85 we add about 60 miles to the trip, BUT it takes 7.5 hours. We've been to charlotte several times and dread it, even considered taking a job there. Between the horrible traffic day and night, and the 2 nuke plants in the area, the increase in pediatric cancer that the locals seem to ignore, and or have no knowledge, we RAN . however, there are several nice 50 and over places and if you like to walk, you can stay put and not fight the traffic. also, considering the population, there isn't that much to do, and the few things are packed. Charlotte is a classic example of a city that exploded ahead of it's infrastructure. BUT if you like big city , and don't mind bumper to bumper traffic 9-9 every day, then it could be the place for you!

This is totally asinine. I-85 is "the main and only big highway"? Uh, Charlotte also has I-77 and I-485. "Horrible traffic day and night," "bumper to bumper traffic 9-9 every day"? I'm calling these statements what they are: FLAT-OUT LIES. Seriously, what are you smoking? This isn't DC or Atlanta. Yeah we've got morning and evening rush hours, but outside of that and your typical accidents and one of the races in Concord, I-85 is normal. And what increase in pediatric cancer? Do you have a source for that? There's a nuclear power plant in the Triangle also. And how can you say "there isn't that much to do" when I just gave a partial laundry list of the tons of things there are to do here?

Your attitude is why many don't consider Raleigh to be in the big city leagues yet. It's very Mayberry-ish (your attitude, that is).