Is it safe in Tucson after 4 pm? (Phoenix: places to live, move to)

[azhiker]

Originally Posted by ZonyPony

There will be no crime, no traffic snarls, no red-light cameras, no speed traps, no fast-and-furious-lane-changing-NASCAR wannabes, no boom bass-equipped vehicles, no lowriders, no continous chip-sealing, no endless strip malls, no convenience stores at every corner, no homeless people wearing high-visibility vests selling newspapers, no cowboys or cowgirls, no gangs, no grafitti, no guns, no ghettos, no "wifebeaters", no "baggies", no shopping carts in the arroyos, no suggestion of blight or poverty... ...

Yeah, it's kinda boring up here. We're still waiting for this area to be enriched like that.

[sierraAZ]

Frankly, unless one lives in Push Ridge Estates, I fail to see what the big hooplah about Oro Valley is... The houses in the older part are the same old, dark, depressing ranches you see in central town. Granted, they happen to be around beautiful scenery, but that's all there is to it. Traffic in the NW sucks. The rest of the story is the very same boredom like anywhere else in Tucson, save for the music at the entrances of the stores...

And it's not sour grapes. There are beautiful areas in the North or Northeast or even West I'd love to live, but Oro Valley just ain't one of them.

[azhiker]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

Frankly, unless one lives in Push Ridge Estates, I fail to see what the big hooplah about Oro Valley is... The houses in the older part are the same old, dark, depressing ranches you see in central town. Granted, they happen to be around beautiful scenery, but that's all there is to it. Traffic in the NW sucks. The rest of the story is the very same boredom like anywhere else in Tucson, save for the music at the entrances of the stores...

And it's not sour grapes. There are beautiful areas in the North or Northeast or even West I'd love to live, but Oro Valley just ain't one of them.

No big hoopla from me. I do like it here (OV), but I also like the Foothills, and the Tanque Verde area, as well as the far East. It's just one of many nice areas in the greater Tucson area.

Tucson doesn't bore me at all, because I like hiking and other outdoor activities. Other than that, there are plenty of good restaurants, movie theaters, and all the same stuff you'll find in most every city.

To each his own, though.

[azhiker]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

Frankly, unless one lives in Push Ridge Estates, I fail to see what the big hooplah about Oro Valley is... The houses in the older part are the same old, dark, depressing ranches you see in central town. Granted, they happen to be around beautiful scenery, but that's all there is to it.

The vast, vast majority of OV is of newly built housing and not those old ranches that you describe, so most of it is quite nice, and basically free of the stuff that ZP kidded about in his post.

Traffic in the NW sucks. The rest of the story is the very same boredom like anywhere else in Tucson, save for the music at the entrances of the stores...

I'm curious about the boredom. Can you share with us what specific things that other cities offer that would alleviate the boredom that you attribute to Tucson? I'm genuinely curious. Are you talking museums, opera houses, cultural centers like that, or just what is it that would be way more stimulating elsewhere? Not being sarcastic.

And it's not sour grapes. There are beautiful areas in the North or Northeast or even West I'd love to live, but Oro Valley just ain't one of them.

Ah well, go figure. Different tastes. I like other areas too, but I think OV is really nice. The traffic up here is certainly no worse than other areas in Tucson (admittedly the main thoroughfare (Oracle) is a pain in the rear end around rush hour though, but most of the main arteries in Tucson are just the same).

[ZonyPony]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ
Frankly, unless one lives in Push Ridge Estates, I fail to see what the big hooplah about Oro Valley is... The houses in the older part are the same old, dark, depressing ranches you see in central town. Granted, they happen to be around beautiful scenery, but that's all there is to it. Traffic in the NW sucks. The rest of the story is the very same boredom like anywhere else in Tucson, save for the music at the entrances of the stores...

And it's not sour grapes. There are beautiful areas in the North or Northeast or even West I'd love to live, but Oro Valley just ain't one of them.

Originally posted by azhiker
No big hoopla from me. I do like it here (OV), but I also like the Foothills, and the Tanque Verde area, as well as the far East. It's just one of many nice areas in the greater Tucson area.

Tucson doesn't bore me at all, because I like hiking and other outdoor activities. Other than that, there are plenty of good restaurants, movie theaters, and all the same stuff you'll find in most every city.

To each his own, though.

Sierra and Hiker Man, this is what I like about you guys. You tell it like it is. You guys and and I have traded pleasantries (as well as barbs) regarding the Tucson area for a while now. Hiker's always been a gentleman, and Sierra's always been a...um... lady. Me? To some people I may be just a cartoon character. ZonyPony the PhonyBaloney. Right? Its cool. I like that.

That's how we have our fun here. Sometimes we tell it like it REALLY is... how it really, really is - even how the most casual observer sees it. Then we have our moments when we beat around the bush, and we tell it like it probably really ain't - but, like it may APPEAR to be.

I recently gave Oro Valley a rave yet light review suitable for laughter. I believe that Hiker took it quite well. Now, I'm not as sure about the Houghton Road/Rita Ranch area, but it also seems to be... uh... quite sterile and devoid of all of the bad-to-the-bone stuff which I also said OV was devoid of. So?

You see, that's good. We can poke fun at each other's areas, and still come out chuckling. Right?

Right!

[azhiker]

Originally Posted by ZonyPony

...
That's how we have our fun here. Sometimes we tell it like it REALLY is... how it really, really is - even how the most casual observer sees it. Then we have our moments when we beat around the bush, and we tell it like it probably really ain't - but, like it may APPEAR to be.

Uh oh. There's something subliminal about that. I just can't figure what. It's TOO liminal.

I recently gave Oro Valley a rave yet light review suitable for laughter. I believe that Hiker took it quite well. Now, I'm not as sure about the Houghton Road/Rita Ranch area, but it also seems to be... uh... quite sterile and devoid of all of the bad-to-the-bone stuff which I also said OV was devoid of. So?

Ya know, the lack of all that stuff that people describe as making "vibrant" communities (that stuff you kidded about... and more), I pretty much regard as a whole lotta dysfunction. Basically, I'm saying that the lack of that stuff, at least to me, does not make for a sterile environment, but rather a really nice and livable one. Guess I'm old school that way.

You see, that's good. We can poke fun at each other's areas, and still come out chuckling. Right?

Poke away, ZP. Poke away. I likes it up here.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by azhiker

The vast, vast majority of OV is of newly built housing and not those old ranches that you describe, so most of it is quite nice, and basically free of the stuff that ZP kidded about in his post.

I could be wrong. I don't know this area much. I can't tell what's OV per se unless I see the sign. And my impression is based on what I see off 77 past the sign! Just last weekend I went this way (haven't been there for a few years) and specifically took a few side streets to see what the big deal was about. Failed to see anything particularly thrilling other than Push Ridge Estates. I've heard of that Dove Mountain... Never been there. Is that considered OV? I know there isn't any of the stuff ZP was talking about. There isn't any in my area, either. I'm far from saying I want to live in the ghetto....

I'm curious about the boredom. Can you share with us what specific things that other cities offer that would alleviate the boredom that you attribute to Tucson? I'm genuinely curious. Are you talking museums, opera houses, cultural centers like that, or just what is it that would be way more stimulating elsewhere? Not being sarcastic.

Now this... with all due respect I don't care to chew it over every time the topic comes up. I wasted my time on this subject once on the Phoenix forum. You can see it if you want. Let's just say I don't share your fascination with Tucson or the lifestyle in the whole West for that matter as you're already well aware of.

Ah well, go figure. Different tastes. I like other areas too, but I think OV is really nice.

Fair enough. I'm used to the East side as I've mentioned it, but I'm not here to promote my area or to compare measurements ... Besides, I've also lived closer to the heart (well, obviously there is no heart... I mean center) of town.

The traffic up here is certainly no worse than other areas in Tucson (admittedly the main thoroughfare (Oracle) is a pain in the rear end around rush hour though, but most of the main arteries in Tucson are just the same).

Traffic is A LOT worse. Before the housing boom people were moving W to E because of it! That's not to say I want my traffic to get worse!

Originally Posted by ZonyPony

Hiker's always been a gentleman, and Sierra's always been a...um... lady. Me? To some people I may be just a cartoon character. ZonyPony the PhonyBaloney. Right? Its cool. I like that.

Oh, well, we all have our parts in the play.

That's how we have our fun here. Sometimes we tell it like it REALLY is... how it really, really is - even how the most casual observer sees it. Then we have our moments when we beat around the bush, and we tell it like it probably really ain't - but, like it may APPEAR to be.

You have to admit that even though Tucson is not exactly my cup of tea I've been trying to be quite objective...

Now, I'm not as sure about the Houghton Road/Rita Ranch area, but it also seems to be... uh... quite sterile and devoid of all of the bad-to-the-bone stuff which I also said OV was devoid of. So?

Yes, it is. I like that just fine where I live. Want I want is a normal vibrant downtown where I can go, but not necessarily live.

[azhiker]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

I could be wrong. I don't know this area much. I can't tell what's OV per se unless I see the sign. And my impression is based on what I see off 77 past the sign! Just last weekend I went this way (haven't been there for a few years) and specifically took a few side streets to see what the big deal was about. Failed to see anything particularly thrilling other than Push Ridge Estates. I've heard of that Dove Mountain... Never been there. Is that considered OV? I know there isn't any of the stuff ZP was talking about. There isn't any in my area, either. I'm far from saying I want to live in the ghetto....

Dove Mountain is (I believe) Tortolita. As far as OV boundaries go, I think they annexed a part of what used to be consider NW Tucson. You know, I don't find it "thrilling" either. Just attractive in general terms with it being near the mountains. The views are pretty stunning sometimes (it really is the mountains as backdrop that makes it so), but the housing is generally newer and nice too. The fact that there's not graffiti and trash, etc, etc, makes it livable too. Still, like I said, I like the Foothills and Tanque Verde and the Far East too (those too have to do with being right next to the mountains).

Originally Posted by hiker

I'm curious about the boredom. Can you share with us what specific things that other cities offer that would alleviate the boredom that you attribute to Tucson? I'm genuinely curious. Are you talking museums, opera houses, cultural centers like that, or just what is it that would be way more stimulating elsewhere? Not being sarcastic.

Yeah, I know that you don't particularly care for it here. I think if you say someplace is boring, and you're asked what qualities other cities have that make them NOT boring, it's a quite reasonable question and within the flow of the conversation. For some reason, the question seems to exasperate you. You stated that you don't want to chew it over every time the topic comes up. There are plenty of ideas and opinions that we seem to state over and over again on this board (without any problem doing so), "it's boring", being one of them. Stating what qualities make a city not boring is somehow tediously repetitive and exasperating? Whatever. (I don't read the Phoenix board)

Traffic is A LOT worse. Before the housing boom people were moving W to E because of it! That's not to say I want my traffic to get worse!

To me, once traffic hits a certain level, what street your on, or which area of town your in makes no difference. If your traveling on Speedway or Broadway at rush hour (or god forbid Campbell), traffic will be just as bad as on Oracle, but we can agree to disagree.

[ZonyPony]

I love how you guys can be gentle and informative without tearing out each other's throats. What a civilized pair you are!

[azhiker]

Originally Posted by ZonyPony

I love how you guys can be gentle and informative without tearing out each other's throats. What a civilized pair you are!

LOL. You wascally wascal you.