Houston compared to Raleigh (Clayton: work, crime, move)

[jfre81]

My wife is not a sockpuppet. She is a real North Carolina lady who lives in Houston now.

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

Originally Posted by CitrusFruit

As an NC native living in Houston, I'm going to chime in with my two cents. Raleigh and the surrounding areas are great if you subscribe to the "white picket fence, 2 kids, dog, etc." line of thinking...and if you aren't really a working class person. If you -are- a working class person, Raleigh isn't really that great of a place. I worked at WakeMed and on my income, living in-city wasn't an option, unless I wanted to live at Pines of Ashton. Somehow, I value my safety a "bit" more than that. So that left me with the option of living outside the city - the Cleveland School area, to be exact. Traffic is a NIGHTMARE out there come morning and evening commutes (a 5 mile trip with point A being on the same road as point B should NOT take almost an hour) and it's not all that great other times. Traffic going into Raleigh to work is ok if you work at an off peak time. If you work a 9-to-5 job, pack a snack because you WILL be sitting in traffic for a while. Also, coming into the city from the east or south-east, forget about trying to find alternate routes because they are all jammed as well. Crime in Raleigh and the surrounding areas...well, let's just say there's a lot more going on than what is talked about on WRAL and the News and Observer. People in the area tend to look at things through rose-colored glasses and ignore the things lurking just below the surface. Shooting, stabbings, beatings, robberies, etc. happen - and just because they may not always be reported doesn't mean they cease to exist. As for Raleigh's "nightlife", it may be growing and if it is, good enough, but for people who want more than bars or nightclubs, good luck. I lived there for most of my 27 years and I was never really impressed with Raleigh's city-life. It was just too stuffy and...classist in a way. If you weren't one of the "upper crust", you were ignored (at best) or looked upon as scum.

Now, living in Houston these last several months has been a complete joy. By and large, the people in this area are MUCH nicer than the people in Raleigh. Traffic on 610 and 288 is much better and flows much of the time, much better than Raleigh traffic - not to mention the highways themselves are in better shape. It's also nice to be able to live IN the city AND feel safe. And yes, I DO feel much safer here in Houston than I ever did in Raleigh. Yes, crime happens here, but really in much more defined areas, unlike Raleigh, so it's easier to avoid the "rougher" neighborhoods. Race relations and diversity are so much better here - it really makes Raleigh look pitiful in comparison. Houston's Metro system and rail system are great compared to the "City Kitty" - makes it so much easier to get around the entire city and if you want to bike, why, that's easier too. Houston does have a good amount of green - although if you observe Houston from the freeways, you won't see a lot of it. If you go into the city, though, you can't help but see it. And, to be honest, Houston is a much more beautiful city than Raleigh. Oh, and the nightlife? Well, there's always something cool going on. It's hard to get bored in Houston.

As far as the temperature difference between the two - yes it's hot in both places during the summer. However, for the last two years, Raleigh has been 5 to 10 degrees warmer than Houston for much of the summer according to daily checks at TWC. At least Houston has the breeze to help make things more manageable, unlike Raleigh. Winters here in Houston are just great. It gets cold, but not bone-chillingly cold like it does in Raleigh and the lack of ice/snow is wonderful because that means you don't have to deal with the crazy-idiot drivers than appear in and around the Raleigh area at even the mere mention of a flurry. The governor says stay off the roads and the people say "no, let's go sight-see!"

Sure, there are a few things I miss about NC (Duke's mayo, for one!), but it's not enough to ever make me move back there to live. Visit, sure. NC is a good place to visit. But for someone who is blue-collar and not into the "white picket fence" deal, Houston's a better place to live.

Wow my experience living in Raleigh has been completely different than yours. I will not comment on Houston because I have never lived there. I'm sure it is a nice enough place, I just don't know anything about it. I do know a thing or two about Raleigh though and the Raleigh I know is vastly different than the one you described above.

[CitrusFruit]

Originally Posted by Claire_F

*sniff sniff* I smell a sock puppet.

You might want to see a specialist about that then.

The one thing you picked to refute as far as the traffic, you failed to take into consideration of the area I was speaking of. That's just lovely for you going the way you do, but for the people coming from Clayton, Benson, the Cleveland area, it just isn't so, and guess what, that was the area I was talking about. This is one of the areas people are moving into and yes, traffic SUCKS coming from that way. There are no alternate routes because White Oak/Cornwallis to Hwy 70 is bumper to bumper, same with Jones Sausage to Rock Quarry, same with Hwy 50 into Garner to Hwy 70. It's ALL congested. And I-40 going into Raleigh from those areas is referred to as the "parking lot" by many people who live out there and work in Raleigh. So as I said, how lovely for you that YOUR particular route is smooth going.

And, like I also said, there are PLENTY of areas that have trees and green in Houston. Maybe you don't know it quite as well as you think you do, or maybe it has changed that much since the last time you were here. Yes, there is a good bit of concrete, but it's FAR from being all concrete and billboards. In addition to the green Houston DOES have, the city itself has architectural style, which is something Raleigh sorely lacks. Green isn't the ONLY thing that makes or breaks a city's beauty.

[jfre81]

Sweetie, Raleigh does have some beautiful areas - but not very many older neighborhoods because the city was just not very big all that long ago. I really do hope the big-box McMansion craze doesn't sweep up those historic neighborhoods that Raleigh does have. We have the same threat to the ones here.

[CitrusFruit]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

Wow my experience living in Raleigh has been completely different than yours. I will not comment on Houston because I have never lived there. I'm sure it is a nice enough place, I just don't know anything about it. I do know a thing or two about Raleigh though and the Raleigh I know is vastly different than the one you described above.

Maybe it's because I worked with the underbelly of the city and its surrounding areas and became jaded at it and the people who love their rose-colored glasses. But, that is the way I see it and the way I lived it for almost 27 years.

[CitrusFruit]

Originally Posted by jfre81

Sweetie, Raleigh does have some beautiful areas - but not very many older neighborhoods because the city was just not very big all that long ago. I really do hope the big-box McMansion craze doesn't sweep up those historic neighborhoods that Raleigh does have. We have the same threat to the ones here.

I'm not saying it doesn't, I'm simply saying that as a whole, Houston is pretty than Raleigh. It's not just the way the houses look, it's also the way the buildings look.

[jfre81]

I like the look of the new Raleigh skyline, at least how it looks in sketches. Looks more and more like the city it's growing into being.

Houston's skyline is awesome but there are few characterless towers in there, and some eyesores on the lower side. You've seen that old Holiday Inn on the Pierce Elevated. That thing was ugly the moment they broke ground on it.

[iceflow]

I've never lived in Raleigh. But Houston is:
The bad: Flat terrain, Hot, Controlled by the Church, very agressive driving, high property taxes, narrow minded people who would love to relax and let their hair down but are afraid their church might find out and exorcise them, rigid school discipline, kids that dress like their parents and call everyone sir or ma'am, awful traffic.

The good: excellent value for money on the housing front, mild winters, low crime in certain areas, good bbq.

Will I stay here? - You must be joking!

[Claire_F]

Don't call me sweetie, and I won't call you what I think of you.

You and your wife (sock puppet, pretty much the same thing in this case) keep stating that Raleigh's traffic is so much worse than Houston, based on the area you lived in. You've based an entire region's traffic on that small area. As I said before, it was your choice to live in Clayton. The traffic in Raleigh is not bad everywhere. Sure, there are some bad spots - but name me a city in the U.S. that doesn't have its bad spots.

On the other hand, Houston's traffic as a whole pretty much sucks. No matter what major thoroughfare you take, you'll be sitting in traffic. The time of day doesn't really matter, either. Even if you move close to work, there will be times you want to enjoy the other things Houston has to offer, and you'll sit in traffic then. That's simply not the case here.

I'm happy you love Houston. I'm sorry you have to come back here. But it would be nice if you would stop dumping on Raleigh all over these boards. You seem to have an obsession with it. Maybe it would be best for all concerned if you didn't come back to Raleigh at all. I know we won't miss you.

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

Originally Posted by CitrusFruit

Maybe it's because I worked with the underbelly of the city ...

Yikes ! I didn't realize the mafia was in Raleigh! What crime family were you a part of?