Is DFW a stressful place to live? (Dallas, Plano: phone, drivers)

[Stephanie Armstrong]

Originally Posted by bencronin04

I haven't heard much in terms of major crime in the Village area and I have a few friends that live in the complex. Unfortunately 5 points(one of the highest if not the highest) areas of crime in Dallas is just a few blocks north/east of the Village. But the Village seems to do a great job keeping crime out with constant patrols and even a mounted(horse) security guard. Scared me half to death one night! It seems to be more of a younger establishment(20's) but I do see older people and families from time to time.

Maybe that was what he was thinking of...a horse? Well, that's something that wasn't there in 1971!!

[bigdaddycool1111]

I love how some people claim that "Dallas drivers are overly aggressive" and "it seems like they are always in a hurry." These couldn't be further away from actual facts. That's like saying "Dallas is so cold, we never see sunshine."

In terms of traffic, Dallas is the slowest city I've ever been, period. This is especially true in North Dallas. People refuse to drive anywhere near the speed limit. They drive so ridiculously slow in this city and this is the main reason we have so much traffic here; otherwise we don't have that much of a traffic density since DFW is a huge area. I bet that the people that claim Dallas drivers are so aggressive are the same people who invade fast lanes going 10 miles below the speed limit. If you are one of those people, of course you'll perceive other drivers as aggressive.

This morning, I was under a red light waiting for it to turn green and there were 2 more cars in front of me. After waiting a lengthy period, the lights turned green. By the time I was able to move, the light was already turning yellow because it takes people such a long time to move once a traffic light turns green, by the time the third car moves, the light is already turning back to red. This is just one example I encounter everyday. I won't even mention the people that are trying to merge into tollways going 45 mph and they expect the traffic to slowdown for them so that they can merge. I guess in Dallas people don't understand the concept of "accelerating ramps" and they don't know what they are for. Hello folks, accelerating ramps are there so that you can accelerate to keep up with the traffic of the tollway so that the whole world won't have to slow down for you.

I am ok with people cutting in front of me as long as they are going faster than me. What's extremely annoying is when people cut in front of me while going 10-15 mph slower than me and this is pretty common in Dallas. Every day I avoid accidents because most people in this town don't seem to have a clue about how to operate a vehicle. I wish more people in this city took their time to actually learn to drive before they get behind the wheel. Then again, it's not completely people's fault either. Instead of building a reliable public transportation system, the local governments simply give away drivers licenses to pretty much everyone in DFW. If you apply for a drivers license, you will be given one. Everyday I see tens of people driving that would have never passed a driving test anywhere else in the world.

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by bigdaddycool1111

If you apply for a drivers license, you will be given one.

Not true.

[bigdaddycool1111]

Originally Posted by bencronin04

Not true.

Well obviously it's not literally true but there are many drivers in this city who have a license when they should have never been given one. Looking at some of the drivers in the city, it almost looks like they just give away drivers licenses.

[Adamson865]

Originally Posted by bigdaddycool1111

I love how some people claim that "Dallas drivers are overly aggressive" and "it seems like they are always in a hurry." These couldn't be further away from actual facts. That's like saying "Dallas is so cold, we never see sunshine."

In terms of traffic, Dallas is the slowest city I've ever been, period

Not sure where you've lived, but this is the fastest city I've ever been in, period - and I've lived in California, driven the SoCal freeways, and lived to tell. I see people routinely doing 50-60 mph on side streets here, and have been tailgated in the right lane of the Central Expressway when I'm already doing 10-15 over the posted speed. Heck, in my apartment complex there was a wreck in the parking lot because someone was doing over 30 in a *parking lot* and hit two parked cars.

[bigdaddycool1111]

Originally Posted by rah62

Not sure where you've lived, but this is the fastest city I've ever been in, period - and I've lived in California, driven the SoCal freeways, and lived to tell. I see people routinely doing 50-60 mph on side streets here, and have been tailgated in the right lane of the Central Expressway when I'm already doing 10-15 over the posted speed. Heck, in my apartment complex there was a wreck in the parking lot because someone was doing over 30 in a *parking lot* and hit two parked cars.

I lived in both North and South California, Midwest, and parts of Europe and Dallas is the slowest city I've ever been, it's not even close. I see people blocking the "fast lane" going 10 miles below the speed limit every single day. I see how people don't even bother to accelerate in acceleration ramps and expect the highway to slowdown for them so that they can merge. I've seen people breaking in front of me while going 20 miles below my speed. If you cut in front of me while going a lot slower than me, of course it will look like I am tailgating you. In California and midwest you will have slow traffic during rush hour, which is acceptable but in Dallas people drive slow all day and all night long even under perfect weather conditions. I see it every single day.

In California when the speed limit was 70 and I was going 80, I was constantly getting tailgated, when I was in Midwest, I would go 75 mph on a road with 65 mph limit and I would get tailgated all the time, in Europe, I was the slowest car in traffic even though I was always going 15+ kmph over the speed limit. In Dallas, I drive right at speed limit and I find myself tailgating people all the time. I am driving at 67 mph in DNT and I am tailgating people right and left and I have to keep switching lanes so that I am not blocked by Dallasians driving 60 miles per hour. There is no way Dallas will be the fastest city ever.

[Adamson865]

I don't trust the word of anyone who tailgates and who "keeps switching lanes". It can't always be *them*.

[bigdaddycool1111]

Originally Posted by rah62

I don't trust the word of anyone who tailgates and who "keeps switching lanes". It can't always be *them*.

And I don't trust the word of anyone who thinks Dallas drivers are fast, that's like saying "Dallas is a very cold city" which is the complete opposite of the fact. Dallas is the only city I've been where you'll end up tailgating people by simply driving at speed limit.

[Dallas Fox]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

The two biggest stresses for me were the traffic and the brutal heat of summer. If you can handle that you'll be well on your way.

This guy nailed it. It's super humid and traffic along major freeways (there are lots) around 4:00 pm is extremely sllllllloooooowwww. However 6 million people can't be wrong. DFW is the place to be. This coming from a guy who used to hate Texas. Commutes are usually 30 minutes but you get different changes in scenery to make it not so boring. The good outweighs the bad and there is always something to do. The quality of life is among the best in the nation. Better than even Florida, California and New York. Welcome to North Texas!

[Adamson865]

Originally Posted by bigdaddycool1111

And I don't trust the word of anyone who thinks Dallas drivers are fast, that's like saying "Dallas is a very cold city" which is the complete opposite of the fact. Dallas is the only city I've been where you'll end up tailgating people by simply driving at speed limit.

Uh-huh. Yeah. your "complete opposite of fact" - me driving up 75 today from Dallas to Plano, doing 15 over the speed limit (that would be 75 mph) and constantly getting tailgated by people like you, switching from lane to lane so you can drive 90 in a 60. If driving Dallas is stressful, it's because of you tailgaters and lane-switchers. Time to hit "ignore".