Anyone moved to atlanta and regretted it? (homes, job market)

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by mmenomen

I disagree with you on that point completely. If one works in the private sector, layoffs abound. Ask people who had careers in the airlines, automotive, manufacturing, high tech, etc industries. Things happen, people lose jobs and *some* take whatever they can if they have been unemployed for any length of time. So they may be stuck with horrendous commutes for many reasons.Atlanta is one spread out place, hence very long commutes. When one works for roughly 40 years until retirement, many things unexpected happen. People nowadays change careers given the changes in the economy at the macro level. Having an insane commute is sometimes a result of such unforseen changes in one's careers. Of course, this is not specifically limited to Atlanta.

Do you have minor children? That issue makes a huge difference in of itself regardless of being laid off. If someone loses his job and has minor children still to raise, it may make things quite difficult regarding finding another job, simply moving closer to a job does not resolve the issue if he doesn't know if the job will be around for a significant amount of time.

I think Atlanta's traffic is awful and that is the one thing I would put at the top of the list as a legitimate complaint.

This sums up the limitation of MARTA. For the most part, I found it convenient to use for several years with working and where I had lived, but I would say more often than not, MARTA is not accommodating for the majority of working people in metro Atlanta, due to its design limitation and how spread out the entire area is. It is very unfortunate that this is the case, but other than the hypergrowth of high density building in the core of City of Atlanta, I do not see public transportation here to become more widespread in use anytime soon.

Yea, agreed pretty vapid reason to not like ATL. To each's own.

Marta is accomodating for 551,000 people EVERY DAY...and it has already become more widespread in use in the past few months - Marta ridership increased more than ANY OTHER transit system in the nation. You still think it isn't useable? Duh.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by YBF

Finally someone with a brain...Please school Deacon J in common sense because obviously he has none if he thinks ppl should just move to where they work in Atlanta or that Marta is available to everyone as a commuting option.....please please please somebody school him!!!!!!!

Please stop embarassing yourself about things you know nothing about...it's pathetic. You certainly haven't been able to "school" me, have you?

I never said Marta is available to everyone...but it can be if you have a brain.

[YBF]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

Please stop embarassing yourself about things you know nothing about...it's pathetic. You certainly haven't been able to "school" me, have you?

I never said Marta is available to everyone...but it can be if you have a brain.

Stalker!!!! LMAO Get over it Atlanta isnt the greatest and SOME ppl dont like it....lots do but lots dont...will you stop stalking me now.....

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by mmenomen

I disagree with you on that point completely. If one works in the private sector, layoffs abound. Ask people who had careers in the airlines, automotive, manufacturing, high tech, etc industries. Things happen, people lose jobs and *some* take whatever they can if they have been unemployed for any length of time. So they may be stuck with horrendous commutes for many reasons.

Absolutely. When I was laid off after 9/11, for example, the first contract job that I had required a 120-mile commute every day. I spent almost an hour in traffic each way, albeit at 70 mph most of the time (it was in a small town south of the Twin Cities on I-35, and luckily I lived in a southern suburb).

I admit enjoyed the actual commute, though. It was relaxing and gave me time to plan my actions for the day (and time to settle down on the way home). But I didn't like the fact that it chewed two hours out of my life every single day.

Atlanta is one spread out place, hence very long commutes. When one works for roughly 40 years until retirement, many things unexpected happen. People nowadays change careers given the changes in the economy at the macro level. Having an insane commute is sometimes a result of such unforseen changes in one's careers. Of course, this is not specifically limited to Atlanta.

It's true that employment isn't as stable now as it was years ago, and I find myself jealous of people who've been able to stay for 20 or more years at a single company.

During my 20-year career, I've experienced two corporate layoffs and two contract terminations. Only the last one required a radical change of commute, however ... and that included a move from MSP to ATL.

Do you have minor children? That issue makes a huge difference in of itself regardless of being laid off. If someone loses his job and has minor children still to raise, it may make things quite difficult regarding finding another job, simply moving closer to a job does not resolve the issue if he doesn't know if the job will be around for a significant amount of time.

Having a spouse with his/her own career is also a factor -- if I was single at the time I was laid off the last time, I could have had work elsewhere in the country within a few months. As it is, I only started looking outside of the Twin Cities metro after I realized that our ability to tread water financially was finally becoming limited.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

I admit enjoyed the actual commute, though. It was relaxing and gave me time to plan my actions for the day (and time to settle down on the way home). But I didn't like the fact that it chewed two hours out of my life every single day.

I felt exactly the same way when I commuted 1+ hours each way to Boston...for 10 years. I drank my coffee and listened to the news in the morning, and then listened to a new or my favorite CD on the ride home, unwinding and letting the day's tension roll off. The worst part was leaving in the dark and getting home in the dark during the winter, but in the summer it was glorious rolling down all 4 windows in the evening.

[YBF]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Absolutely. When I was laid off after 9/11, for example, the first contract job that I had required a 120-mile commute every day. I spent almost an hour in traffic each way, albeit at 70 mph most of the time (it was in a small town south of the Twin Cities on I-35, and luckily I lived in a southern suburb).

I admit enjoyed the actual commute, though. It was relaxing and gave me time to plan my actions for the day (and time to settle down on the way home). But I didn't like the fact that it chewed two hours out of my life every single day.


It's true that employment isn't as stable now as it was years ago, and I find myself jealous of people who've been able to stay for 20 or more years at a single company.

During my 20-year career, I've experienced two corporate layoffs and two contract terminations. Only the last one required a radical change of commute, however ... and that included a move from MSP to ATL.


Having a spouse with his/her own career is also a factor -- if I was single at the time I was laid off the last time, I could have had work elsewhere in the country within a few months. As it is, I only started looking outside of the Twin Cities metro after I realized that our ability to tread water financially was finally becoming limited.

.

[coolyfett]

Interesting read. DJ I like the Marta, and I understand what you are saying, but you gotta realize some people just don't do mass transit. Even if they had a train station next door to their residence they wouldn't use it. Plus moving around every time you change a job is annoying and a pain in the azz.

I have been here for 8 months, I read post from many that just moved here. What I see is a lot of impatience. Learn the city, then enjoy the city, don't try to enjoy the city first. Meaning find a job, maintain, save some cash, then party. You got people that just moved here, no job, no plan, no cash saved, but want to find a place to party til 6am. Right now I am working, learning & saving. Its not playtime in any city right now. When things get right Ima play. Learn the city...meaning rail, destinations around rail, parallel roads to the interstate. Once you have a gig, make a budget and stick to it for at least 6 month see how much you save, then party. The traffic on the interstate does suck, but hey thats during rush hour.

I don't regret moving to the A. New places are always a challenge, if you want to like it, you will.

[YBF]

Originally Posted by coolyfett

Interesting read. DJ I like the Marta, and I understand what you are saying, but you gotta realize some people just don't do mass transit. Even if they had a train station next door to their residence they wouldn't use it. Plus moving around every time you change a job is annoying and a pain in the azz.

I have been here for 8 months, I read post from many that just moved here. What I see is a lot of impatience. Learn the city, then enjoy the city, don't try to enjoy the city first. Meaning find a job, maintain, save some cash, then party. You got people that just moved here, no job, no plan, no cash saved, but want to find a place to party til 6am. Right now I am working, learning & saving. Its not playtime in any city right now. When things get right Ima play. Learn the city...meaning rail, destinations around rail, parallel roads to the interstate. Once you have a gig, make a budget and stick to it for at least 6 month see how much you save, then party. The traffic on the interstate does suck, but hey thats during rush hour.

I don't regret moving to the A. New places are always a challenge, if you want to like it, you will.

True

[yankee_transplant]

I think that you discovered the problem yourself. Atlanta suburbs. Try living in the city where life is cool, friendly and sensible(liberal). No traffic problems here; I don't own a car.

Originally Posted by thedudewiththeplan

I moved to the Atlanta suburbs 18 years ago and have regretted it. Now living in Augusta which is ok. The Atlanta area had way to much traffic, sprawl, the suburbs were super conservative, and the people were not very friendly.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by yankee_transplant

I think that you discovered the problem yourself. Atlanta suburbs. Try living in the city where life is cool, friendly and sensible(liberal). No traffic problems here; I don't own a car.

Some people can see this simple solution SO clearly...very good advice. Others need to complain.