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Yes, the white flag of surrender is in the NC Driver's Handbook. Better brush up on that.
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This makes me laugh every time because my son got this question wrong on the permit test, even though he knows the right answer he says "this is dumb because you would use your cell phone to call. You are more likely to have a cell phone than a white cloth". Gotta love the workings of the literal, autistic mind.
I don't get the safety thing. I literally lived in NYC until age 28 and on Long Island for the 15 years following that. There is no doubt that I am safer here than there, statistically and practically. My greatest concern in terms of the safety of my family has to do with hitting animals on the road while driving and tree limbs falling on cars or people. However, you also mentioned that you had a traumatic personal experience, and in my opinion, once that happens you are changed forever. However, I don't think it fair to assign something unique and personal to an entire region.
As for the driving thing, consider that I drive from North Raleigh to RTP every day. I frequently drive downtown Raleigh as well and into Durham approximately 26 weeks out of the year. I've encountered way less road rage in my eleven years living here, and find that aggressive drivers are the same most places I travel to (and I travel a whole lot). I do find that I'm more comfortable driving in the NY/NJ/CT area though because the rules that apply there are baked into my brain, and instinctively I behave normally there. Down here I have to overtly NOT honk the horn when the light changes or someone cuts in front of me.
I wonder if it is the perception of crime. Listening to the news, it is a constant crime report. My friend pointed this out to me after she moved here from NY. I believe that they report this stuff locally because it is rare and in NY there is too much of it to report but it does give a slanted view on crime when that is a major part of what you hear nightly on the news.
I am going to chime in on the road rage. I have experienced less of it here but what I have experienced here was at a far more dangerous level. I was merging from 64 to 40 getting on the ramp and a van who had just cut in from two lanes over was in a rush to cut me off and merge ahead of me. He did not like my driving and proceeded to try and run my sedan off the road, with my children in the car. He moved his van within inches of my side mirror and was staying there, it was scary. I called the police. I never had an experience like that in NY.
I especially appreciate "Less potholes and bad pavement" and "Way less mosquitoes." Both sound good to me! LOL
Glad to hear you are pleased with your decision to move to the Triangle!
I lived on an island so I suppose there were more swampy / stagnant water areas and that was why there were more mosquitos. I couldn't walk the trails at my favorite park from midsummer on because of how bad they were. I bought a combination bug repellant/sunscreen before I moved to Raleigh because I intended on spending a lot of time exploring area parks and so far, I haven't put it on. The trails here were mosquito free and the area is so lush with trees that my pale skin doesn't burn.
The best thing I did was join this forum. No kidding. I visited multiple times a week, sometimes daily, for years. I paid attention to what topics people brought up and any time I wondered about something, I searched for it. If I wanted more specific information or updates, I asked and was answered.
I think this, and realistic expectations not borne out of impulse are the reasons we have felt great about our decision to move here so far.
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Originally Posted by xz2y
I'm surprised that folks who have relocated to the Triangle aren't mentioning the increase in car taxes. Maybe it depends on what the car taxes (excise taxes, etc) were before they moved. Coming from Michigan, I would pay a lot more initially to register my car in NC, a 10 year old sedan. Though, my car insurance would drop significantly, so probably a wash in the end.
This. I tried not to focus on the individual financial differences, but instead focused on the impact as a whole in how it related to the initial move, and also the maintenance over time.
I don't like saying this or focusing on the negatives but we lost over $70,000 on our home in NY in 10 years. That was due to falling house prices and the amount of money we put into improvements.
However, we saved $3500 a year on homeowner and vehicle insurance by moving here. House taxes are about 25% of what they were in NY (or less). We'll get approximately 50% more house for our money. And so much more land which isn't important to some, but is extremely important to me.
A responsible adult will consider the financial impact, but our quality of life overall is/will be better than it was there, so I'm not going to obsess over the dollars I've lost.
This makes me laugh every time because my son got this question wrong on the permit test, even though he knows the right answer he says "this is dumb because you would use your cell phone to call. You are more likely to have a cell phone than a white cloth". Gotta love the workings of the literal, autistic mind.
Well maybe explain to him that it's less about you getting help and more about a message you're sending to other drivers, including law enforcement, if you have to leave your car. When you put a bag, shirt, piece of paper — whatever you've got — hanging out the window that lets other drivers know that you didn't just do a really bad job at parking your car on the side of the road, but instead you broke down and have gone to get help. It's basically a way of saying, "My car broke down, but I'm coming back for it."
BTW, it's the law in New York, but they are the ones that want you to stay with the vehicle.
Disabled Vehicle
Disabled vehicles should not stop in the travel lanes. If possible, move well off the roadway, or to the next exit or another safe location. New York State law permits motorists to move vehicles to a safe spot following an accident or breakdown. Tie a white cloth to the left door handle or radio antennae and wait for help to arrive. For your own safety, stay with your vehicle.
In NC it's more about letting folks know that your car is only temporarily abandoned.
For me the biggest negative surprise has been just how unappealing it is to want to walk anywhere around here, at least out in the suburbs, even if a place is within a reasonable walking distance.
Same with taking public transit. I live reasonable walking distance from a bus stop that goes to downtown Durham, and before I moved here I was studying bus maps and imagining myself taking that bus downtown for events and so on. But living here... when I've been on a city bus, I've felt uncomfortably out of place. And the bus stops are not inviting. It's disappointing to not want to ride even the public transportation that is available.
Can you be a bit more specific about feeling out of place on the bus? I understand the issue with bus stops not being inviting because there just aren't a lot of shelters and benches at stops anywhere in the Triangle, which is definitely a problem. But once you're on the bus...what is it about the experience? Was the bus not clean? The driver rude? Other passengers being rude? Not trying to call you out, just curious. I'm a woman too and ride the bus a lot in all the cities in the Triangle and while I agree about the stops, the feeling uncomfortable on the bus different than my experience.
Can you be a bit more specific about feeling out of place on the bus? I understand the issue with bus stops not being inviting because there just aren't a lot of shelters and benches at stops anywhere in the Triangle, which is definitely a problem. But once you're on the bus...what is it about the experience? Was the bus not clean? The driver rude? Other passengers being rude? Not trying to call you out, just curious. I'm a woman too and ride the bus a lot in all the cities in the Triangle and while I agree about the stops, the feeling uncomfortable on the bus different than my experience.
My daughter commuted to downtown by bus.
Several times, drivers needed to call supervisor to eject unruly passengers. No danger just annoyance.
I've mentioned this on other threads, but I haven't really experienced skyrocketing prices.
I misspoke Direwolf. What I should have written is that it is no longer “cheap” to live here. Even my spouse had an exaggerated sense of what our money could get down here in 2013. That’s because he was still going by all the hype he’s read over the years. It is most definitely more affordable than the big metro centers, but not cheap.
We just helped our daughter look for an apt. in Greenville SC. Have you seen what’s gone on there? That is another place that was touted as a great place to live for many years. Cute little city but if you wanna live near the action, WOW!
Can you be a bit more specific about feeling out of place on the bus? I understand the issue with bus stops not being inviting because there just aren't a lot of shelters and benches at stops anywhere in the Triangle, which is definitely a problem. But once you're on the bus...what is it about the experience? Was the bus not clean? The driver rude? Other passengers being rude? Not trying to call you out, just curious. I'm a woman too and ride the bus a lot in all the cities in the Triangle and while I agree about the stops, the feeling uncomfortable on the bus different than my experience.
In the US, public transportation is mostly used by minorities and members of the lower class. It's a significant barrier to greater use by the general public (in areas where you could go without it) since people don't want to "share space" with these people for long periods of time (whether that's how you feel or sub-consciously). In other countries where people use public transportation on a regular basis, it's used by people of all races and classes.
In the US, public transportation is mostly used by minorities and members of the lower class ... In other countries where people use public transportation on a regular basis, it's used by people of all races and classes.
I used to live in NYC, where most people ride public transportation. It's usually the fastest way to get around, environmentally friendlier than everyone driving, and it's inexpensive. Plus it's great to get around without having to drive. You have rich people, middle class people, poor people, homeless people, minorities, majorities, all on the subway or bus at the same time. It's not that I don't want to "share space" with the less fortunate, but I like to blend in and be inconspicuous when riding public transit.
When I rode the subway or bus in NYC, I felt invisible. When I rode the bus a couple times originating in downtown Raleigh, I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb.
I'm not rich, but I'm not poor either, and I just felt out of place riding the bus here. Like, why am I taking this bus to the mall when I'm privileged enough to have the means to drive to the mall? It seems like everyone else who has the means to drive is driving. Maybe this sounds weird, and it's possible I was riding it at a weird time (a weekend afternoon), but that's the feeling I got.
When I rode the subway or bus in NYC, I felt invisible. When I rode the bus a couple times originating in downtown Raleigh, I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb.
I'm not rich, but I'm not poor either, and I just felt out of place riding the bus here. Like, why am I taking this bus to the mall when I'm privileged enough to have the means to drive to the mall? It seems like everyone else who has the means to drive is driving. Maybe this sounds weird, and it's possible I was riding it at a weird time (a weekend afternoon), but that's the feeling I got.
It's not at all weird, it's a major reason why public transportation hasn't caught on fast around here. If you can, you drive. If not, you take the bus. That's why it feels so segregated.
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