Why does Fresno has such a bad reputation? (Stockton, Palmdale: university, pros and cons)

[cephalopede]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

Easiest city I've ever seen to get around it, rush hour or not. Fairly complete freeway system (most of it put in just since the 1970s) and wide surface streets laid out in a grid. Simple.

And how many times have you been on those freeways in the last ten years?

Fresno drivers are some of the worst I've encountered in California as well.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by cephalopede

And how many times have you been on those freeways in the last ten years?

Fresno drivers are some of the worst I've encountered in California as well.

Have family and friends there - quite a lot and not just weekends. Fresno is easy to get around in - try Sacto or the Bay Area at rush hour for a reality check.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

Have family and friends there - quite a lot and not just weekends. Fresno is easy to get around in - try Sacto or the Bay Area at rush hour for a reality check.

My problem with Bay Area, well I should say San Francisco - San Jose drivers is they are way too passive and slow. Too many people driving in the fast/pass lane going the speed limit, while the other lanes are wide open. So many drivers that don't know how to back out of a parking space, so it ends up taking 2 minutes, when it should have taken 10 seconds. This is the extreme opposite of say Miami where it's like you take one second to breathe and you get honks. Neither is enjoyable in my opinion lol.

[drewjube]

Fresno gets an undeserved bad rap:

Hawaii announcer sorry for calling Fresno 'armpit' - SFGate

[cephalopede]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

Have family and friends there - quite a lot and not just weekends. Fresno is easy to get around in - try Sacto or the Bay Area at rush hour for a reality check.

I've done it daily. Just because some places are worse doesn't mean Fresno isn't awful.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by cephalopede

I've done it daily. Just because some places are worse doesn't mean Fresno isn't awful.

Yeah, if we want to get down and dirty, we can discuss Bakersfield

[Adriatica]

Originally Posted by cephalopede

I've done it daily.

So have I for many years and I'd disagree that it's hard to get around. There's more traffic than there used to be and certainly more than anywhere in Humboldt County (as your info indicates), but still not bad. And if you don't like the freeways, just use surface streets. Simple. What was your specific commute?

And now that they've completely finished the new 41/168/180 junctions, it's even better. I worked on that project back when it was just in its beginning stages and just got to see the finished product over Thanksgiving. Very slick.

But if Fresno traffic was too much for you, I'd say it's a good thing you moved up to Humboldt!

[larrycarver]

Its mostly from people looking at stuff online and in the news instead of going there. California in general looks like a big insane asylum when you watch newstories about it on the east coast.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

My problem with Bay Area, well I should say San Francisco - San Jose drivers is they are way too passive and slow. Too many people driving in the fast/pass lane going the speed limit, while the other lanes are wide open. So many drivers that don't know how to back out of a parking space, so it ends up taking 2 minutes, when it should have taken 10 seconds. This is the extreme opposite of say Miami where it's like you take one second to breathe and you get honks. Neither is enjoyable in my opinion lol.

Kinda frustrating having to deal with people who aren't in a hurry to get to the next place all the time, eh?

[cephalopede]

Originally Posted by Adriatica

So have I for many years and I'd disagree that it's hard to get around. There's more traffic than there used to be and certainly more than anywhere in Humboldt County (as your info indicates), but still not bad. And if you don't like the freeways, just use surface streets. Simple. What was your specific commute?

And now that they've completely finished the new 41/168/180 junctions, it's even better. I worked on that project back when it was just in its beginning stages and just got to see the finished product over Thanksgiving. Very slick.

But if Fresno traffic was too much for you, I'd say it's a good thing you moved up to Humboldt!

Depended on where I was going. I lived out toward Kerman and went to FCC. Worked at Fresno State one summer. Drove to Clovis to my grandpa's once a week. Worked over by River Park for a while, Target at Shaw and West...

I never said the streets weren't simple. They're laid out in a grid, just like most American cities. Big deal. That doesn't mean trying to drive down Shaw at 9 AM or noon or 5 PM isn't hellish. Oh, and god forbid you hit a train at Shaw and Golden State....especially one that's slowing to a stop there. I've been stuck at that intersection for a half hour multiple times because I had the audacity to try and take the most direct route from my house to Costco or Fig Garden.

Last time I was in Fresno all of the interchanges were still a mess. It'll be 'nice' to see how they are now when I go home in a few more weeks.

Fresno traffic is crap, Fresno drivers are crap, and no amount of "simple" roads changes that. I drove in Fresno for ten years (and I've driven in L.A. and SF and halfway across the country) and it's not "too much", but I'm not going to pretend that it's pleasant. It's much less stressful driving around here in the Great Green North.

And, you know, I can leave my house and be at school, work, or downtown in five minutes, or at the beach in 15.