Fear of moving to CA, please help

[Malcolm]

Originally Posted by Charles

Wow. Sounds like you have had some serious driving issues (People don't have problems anymore, they have "issues".) How do apples to apples auto insurances rates compare between your California home and Iowa home?

i pay about $100 per month for the best full coverage on my home and both cars.

[Malcolm]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I'm investigating moving to Denver from SoCal and had a similar experience. I saw more aggressive, idiotic driving the first day I was back in California than I saw in an entire week driving all over the Denver metro area.

that's because every few miles on the roads out there are huge signs that say "Report Aggressive Driving" and they have posted a number to the Police. Seen anything like that in So Cal? If they did do that the phones would be jamed after the first hour of posting those signs.

[mysticaltyger]

The truly big problem you have with CA is trying to raise kids here because of the very high cost of living.

I know Sponger42 recommended the Central Coast. The Central Cost is beautfiul. But the cost of living there is also VERY high. They have a "no growth" mentality there. That means that, yes, their land is well preserved. And all that well preserved land means that not much housing gets built, which drives up land and housing prices to astronomical levels. There are not many decent paying jobs on the Central Coast to pay for those high housing prices/apartment rents. A lot of the people who live on the Central Coast made their money somewhere else, or commute fairly long distances to better employment centers.

There are rural areas inland (like maybe north of Redding toward the OR border)...but they tend to have very few jobs and very low pay.

Most of the decent paying jobs here are in the cities and suburbs...where the cost of living is high. The problem is, even the "cheap" areas are expensive compared with other parts of the country...and the wages in the "cheap" areas tend to be quite low, so, in general, California area can be quite frustrating if you want to raise children and not feel like you're scrambling financially. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule...but not many.

The crime here is not all that bad...but it varies a lot from place to place.

Now, I know most of what I just said discouraged you BUT

Since it sounds like you're young and don't yet have kids, it might be a good idea to come out here and just check it out. Maybe visit for a few weeks if you can. Or maybe just see if you can move around the state and subsist on low wage jobs for a year or two to see which places you like. This all assumes you don't have horrible student loan debt or other financial obligations. You'll never know if this is the place for you if you don't check it out.

[mysticaltyger]

No Offense Mr. Bungle...but I think Lancaster/Palmdale is kind of a dreadful area. The high desert is ugly (to me). The housing is your typical cookie cutter suburban sprawl. The weather is blazing hot in summer and pretty cold in winter. And it seems like the area has its share of gang problems...I guess because so many parents are commuting 1+ hours to job in the L.A. area...they don't have time for their kids.

[RuralSeeker]

Originally Posted by MoonShadows

I was hoping someone could help me. I am trying to figure out why I have this fear. It's really stupid. But I have this fear of going to California. I have no idea why. I've never been there before. I keep thinking that there is alot of drug use there, I keep thinking the crime rate is extremely high, that it's over populated. That it doesn't take care of its land, that its overly expensive and you don't get paid alot, there a re no jobs and so on. I'm not sure if thats all it. I mean CA seems wonderful and has everything there that I am interested in, but I have this HUGE fear of going or moving there I'm trying really REALLY hard to overcome this and i'm not sure how to. I was hoping a few people could give me some advice. Like how to confront it, the reason why I am afraid of it. I'd really appreciate it!

Oh and it doesn't have anything to do with being comepletly on the oppisite site of the US and like 3 days travel from where I live (NY). Because I am thrilled about Oregon and would love to move there. I think i'm more worried about raising a family there and i'm really REALLY connected with nature and I know Oregons goverment takes care of its land and well I just don't know if CA does. I'm going to research it but it would help if I got others opinions.

Most of California is still beautiful, sunny, and progressive. HOWEVER, I moved back to California recently, but had to leave again because I was completely stressed out by crowding, traffic, noise, competition, etc. I originally grew up in the Bay Area, and have lived everywhere from Los Angeles to Santa Rosa. Yes, there are less expensive and less populated areas, but even those are getting built up by people who cannot afford the more expensive regions. It seems as if everyone in the whole world wants to live in California; I think I saw California's population triple in only a few decades. And now the people who have been crowded or priced out of California, whether native Californians or not, are being stigmatized and getting blamed for everyone's local problems just because they are "from California." (This is especially prevalent in Oregon, which has its own set of overpopulation difficulties.) California is not something to be afraid of, but if I were you, I would visit for several weeks before making any moving decisions.

[Bob's Burgers]

Almost 2 years later---California is broke...11% unemployment...

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by MoonShadows

Okay thanks. I think the fear is not being near a forested area. With your replies i'm more confident about the move, i've been looking around and will have to check some places that were mentioned out, thanks again!

i live in santa cruz on the central coast of california.
the redwoods (you want forest, i'll give you forest )are beautiful and the ocean is right here.
i'm not necessarily suggesting santa cruz for you and your husband but california is a huge and diverse state with many different ecosystems.
why is your husband so hell bent on california?
and is he drawn to southern california because it might not suit you.
where i live there is a very strong environmental awareness and people are kind of hyper conscious about the land and the environment.
if your husband only wants ocean then you two will need to do some compromising.
california is not a scary place (although i do not care for southern ca) but it is more wild than the northeast.
the west coast is less fixed .... less stayed ... less conventional although there are many conservative people in the state.
the coast is not that way ... not conservative overall / generally speaking.
p.s. you may have had a really bad past life here or you may have intuitive misgiving about staying with this man who is not caring for your needs as much as you would like.
how do you like that for unsolicited and inappropriate advice?
p.s.s. .... much of california is absolutely beautiful, wild, natural, powerful, etc. Nature is strong here despite the fact that there are too many people.
check out the central coast ... less people and less insane than southern ca.
it's not scary in ca ... just different from the east and you'll be in for some adjusting which is good for you ... keeps you flexible and young.
good luck.

[Den Mathias]

Originally Posted by MoonShadows

I was hoping someone could help me. I am trying to figure out why I have this fear. It's really stupid. But I have this fear of going to California. I have no idea why. I've never been there before. I keep thinking that there is alot of drug use there, I keep thinking the crime rate is extremely high, that it's over populated. That it doesn't take care of its land, that its overly expensive and you don't get paid alot, there a re no jobs and so on. I'm not sure if thats all it. I mean CA seems wonderful and has everything there that I am interested in, but I have this HUGE fear of going or moving there I'm trying really REALLY hard to overcome this and i'm not sure how to. I was hoping a few people could give me some advice. Like how to confront it, the reason why I am afraid of it. I'd really appreciate it!

Oh and it doesn't have anything to do with being comepletly on the oppisite site of the US and like 3 days travel from where I live (NY). Because I am thrilled about Oregon and would love to move there. I think i'm more worried about raising a family there and i'm really REALLY connected with nature and I know Oregons goverment takes care of its land and well I just don't know if CA does. I'm going to research it but it would help if I got others opinions.

The fear of California is widely recognized by health professionals! the proper term is Caliphobia! IT is easily spotted in people that running screaming to the East Coast in order to get as far away from it as possible!

California's federal legislators have severe cases that cause them to take frequent junkets to Europe,Asia and the moon.

[jaada]

i wonder what moonshadow ever did? if she moved or stayed in ny

[mgs333]

if someone is scared of moving here, just don't come here. end of story.