Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In regards to people never leaving home, I just don't know about that, I've never met anybody who hasn't been outside the state, I meet people that in regards to where they live in the triangle stay in their corner, but have traveled all over despite not being that adventurous at home.
After seeing a few of these threads about people never leaving their "base" town(s) I felt like I needed to interject an observation and then a story. It seems like the strategy in NC is to make it so nobody ever has to leave their immediate town for anything. For example, I live in Holly Springs. There are at least 5 Walmart stores within 20 miles. One in Apex, another off of Tryon Rd in Cary, another in Holly Springs, another in FV and the last one in Garner on 401 headed towards downtown from FV.
When we visited here in 2003 we stayed near Crossroads Plaza in Cary. My friend's brother owned a restaurant in Knightdale, so we went there to check out his restaurant. We made conversation with quite a few folks while there, one thing that really stood out to us is that there were some people that told us they hadn't been to Cary in 10+ years. After we left, my wife & I thought Cary is only 20 or so minutes from Knightdale and we thought it was extremely weird that people hadn't been 20 minutes outside of Knightdale in 10+ years. Where we are from in CNY, it's nothing to drive 20-30 minutes to go somewhere.
Yes - this is the phenomenon I was referencing. (I didn't mean travel in general - just everyday driving).
If there is something I want to do I'll drive to whatever area it is in provided the travel time works for me. If I'm willing to drive 30 min. for dinner the municipality is unimportant to me. But many I've met wouldn't think of it that way.
I worked at a small specialty shop. Often a customer would want something we didn't carry. We would refer them to two larger shops. One was less than 10 min. away, probably 6-7 min. But it was on the other side of the beltline...can't tell you how often people wouldn't consider it. Eventually a 3rd option opened but it was 20 min. away. People didn't blink since the new option was on "their" side of the beltline.
Just asking out of curiosity, what did you notice in general? Any observations? Different from where you came from? In a good or bad way? I'm curious to hear some opinions on Raleigh from people who aren't originally from here.
Came here from Pittsburgh ~18 months ago. Here were my immediate observations on what was different here.
- Very few potholes. Well maintained roads in general.
- No shoulders on most 2-laned roads.
- "Swales". The drainage ditches that run along roads in place of drainage basins and underground drainage systems.
- Loblolly pines. Awesome and beautiful.
- red clay
- red ants
- sunshine (well, except for the past week)
- lack of post offices
- crepe myrtles
- Sweet tea, biscuits and gravy, and grits.
- Chicken for breakfast
When we visited here in 2003 we stayed near Crossroads Plaza in Cary. My friend's brother owned a restaurant in Knightdale, so we went there to check out his restaurant. We made conversation with quite a few folks while there, one thing that really stood out to us is that there were some people that told us they hadn't been to Cary in 10+ years. After we left, my wife & I thought Cary is only 20 or so minutes from Knightdale and we thought it was extremely weird that people hadn't been 20 minutes outside of Knightdale in 10+ years. Where we are from in CNY, it's nothing to drive 20-30 minutes to go somewhere.
That doesn't strike me as odd in the least. I live in Cary, but don't find any need to go to Knightdale for anything (I'll drive past on the way to the Outer Banks, though). I imagine it's the same way for folks in Knightdale. What in Cary would be worth driving all the way over for that they don't have in Knightdale or somewhere closer than Cary? I imagine people from both Cary and Knightdale will drive into Raleigh on a regular basis for stuff going on, though.
It was the same way when I lived in Cambridge. I'd drive into Boston for stuff (or bike along the Charles, or take the T) and hit some of the adjacent neighboring towns, but there were tons of little towns that I never visited in the area. I didn't know anyone there and had no reason to.
Yes exactly. In my neighborhood. Currituck Dr. and Pamilco Dr. the worst. It happens almost daily. In some cases they actually blow the horn at ME, and give me that nasty look
It is so weird, it seems like common sense really. If something is in your lane stopping you then you dont have the right of way. My husband is from the UK and he still always uses his lights and waves and says thank you to drivers and he thinks it is really odd that no one understands basic road rules.
Thanks for the additional information, I didn't know that. I'm glad nobody in our subdivision seems to know either as they all abide by the covenants.
Lol. It usually becomes an issue when one neighbor gets mad at another for parking in front of their house, so good thing you don't have to deal with that either.
I just moved here, but what struck me most about the area:
1) Endless woods.
2) I don't have a car so the lack of sidewalks or the way sidewalks randomly appear and then stop so you can't get to the shopping center down the street without walking either in the busy road or through the mud.
3) The lack of a Southern accent. I haven't really heard it yet :-(
4) Spiders everywhere
I just moved here, but what struck me most about the area:
1) Endless woods.
2) I don't have a car so the lack of sidewalks or the way sidewalks randomly appear and then stop so you can't get to the shopping center down the street without walking either in the busy road or through the mud.
3) The lack of a Southern accent. I haven't really heard it yet :-(
4) Spiders everywhere
We have the sidewalk issue as well. My sons school was only a mile or so away so we would walk and for a couple stretches of it the sidewalk just ends then starts again. It was along a busy street so I could not figure out why there would be no sidewalks.
Location: Sodo Sopa at The Villas above Kenny' s House.
2,492 posts, read 3,014,288 times
Reputation: 3910
I agree with most people don't need to go to Cary if they live somewhere else. I will go for a restaurant or event but any of the big box stores are going to be bout the same. Why would I drive further,risk getting caught in traffic somewhere that I'm not familiar with the traffic patterns. I've lived around Raleigh most of my life and I would still get lost driving to towns I've never lived or spent much time in.
I think it's more being aware of your surroundings to go somewhere within your side of town even if it's technically a little further. It's not much further for me to go to Clayton from Garner then it is to go to Cary. I would go Clayton cause it's an easier drive and I know the backways if needed. Without GPS I'd be lost a good part of the day.
1. Yankee stereotypes walking around: the spectrum of Italian Americans, teamster looking people, yankee accents
2. How educated the populace is compared to around the state --- but I don't necessarily consider that a good thing but people can be more materialistic
3. Irrational phobias about southern people
4. Indian people
5. People from california who wear dickies shirts and have arm tattoos
6. How NC state fans are so rabid about the school even though their teams are historically kinda bad
7. storms aren't as bad as the east
8. Lack of small town "everyone knows your name" experiences
9. more diversity. Eastern half has a lot of white and black folk and hispanics. western is very white bread (looking at you greensboro)
10. Now im an angry hostile driver
11. I'm the only person from NC I see on many given days
IMO the triangle is becoming less of a north carolina city and more of a national city with a north carolina patina. it's a place where people out of state start to experience NC. Not where NC people live so much.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
