Some Questions About Richardson (Dallas, Plano: neighborhoods, buying, schools)

[domabozo]

How safe is the city ? is it safe to walk alone at night ?

How urban is it ? is there areas with dense population and close by shops opening at late hours ?

Is the city walk / bike friendly ?

Is public transit inside the city reliable ?

Is it family friendly ? and more specific for a Muslim family

[Ralph_Kirk]

Originally Posted by domabozo

How safe is the city ? is it safe to walk alone at night ?

How urban is it ? is there areas with dense population and close by shops opening at late hours ?

Is the city walk / bike friendly ?

Is public transit inside the city reliable ?

Is it family friendly ? and more specific for a Muslim family

I'm not Muslim, but Richardson appears to be very friendly for Muslims, with many Muslim small businesses, at least one mosque I've seen (it even has a Muezzin tower--although non-functional). I'm not casting shade on Plano or other nearby areas--they are also very diverse. But the presence of Muslims in Richardson is quite noticeable.

[BeanyMalone]

Richardson is a suburb of 100,000 people covering a large area and is diverse in age, ethnicity and economic class. There are many Muslim families in Richardson and in other north Dallas suburbs. As this seems to be a particular concern to you, I would suggest contacting one of the many North Texas Islamic associations for their insight.

In general, Richardson is very safe. I frequently walk through my neighborhood of Richardson at night without a second thought. There are a few neighborhoods where more caution is required. However, the DFW Metroplex is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the country and keeping one's wits about one is always a good idea.

Richardson is suburban, not urban, although there are some new planned developments that intentionally try to create an urban feel. Are bikers and walkers treated courteously? Generally, yes. Can one walk or bike to do the shopping? Perhaps light shopping, but it is a suburb and is laid out in a way that presumes a car, e.g., residential areas and commercial areas are separate. The public transportation is reliable but in my opinion not extensive. Most people I know who moved to Richardson without a car end up buying one. Is it family friendly? Yes. By far the population consists of families, and the city invests in the amenities families want. The schools, both the areas in the Richardson ISD and Plano ISD, are good. Some are among the best.

[bumbly]

I've been looking at Richardson as well, and would like to know...there doesn't seem to be much of a downtown area, so is there an area that you'd think of as the "town center", so to speak? Just wondering if there's a concentration of shops/restaurants in a certain area, or if it's more spread out throughout the town.

[nawvtanzi09]

In regards to this question -

Is it family friendly ? and more specific for a Muslim family

I have several Muslim friends that live in Richardson that really enjoy living there. They all agree it is very family friendly. There are numerous grocery / dining options for Muslims in the area. The Masjid in Richardson is also very active. Richardson along with Plano / Irving / Coppell has the highest population of Muslims.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by domabozo

How safe is the city ? is it safe to walk alone at night ?

How urban is it ? is there areas with dense population and close by shops opening at late hours ?

Is the city walk / bike friendly ?

Is public transit inside the city reliable ?

Is it family friendly ? and more specific for a Muslim family

Richardson is very safe. I would advise against walking alone anywhere at night if you're female, though. That's just common sense.

It's a suburb, so it's not urban at all. Depending on where you live, there may be a 7-11 or gas station or even a grocery store within walking distance. It all depends.

It's not especially pedestrian-friendly here, but it is bike-friendly. I've never taken public transportation here so I don't know anything about it, but I know some people who use DART regularly and they seem OK with it.

Being a suburb, it caters to families almost exclusively. Being Muslim here is no big deal. People here don't care. The Super Target on Plano Road has a large and visible Muslim clientele (women in hijabs for example), and the little old white ladies don't stare at them. The only time a Muslim might attract attention is if a Muslim female is in all-black wearing a niqab or a man is wearing a keffiyah or gutrah + agal + thobe, etc. Hijabs and taqiyahs don't attract attention here.

[domabozo]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

Richardson is very safe. I would advise against walking alone anywhere at night if you're female, though. That's just common sense.

It's a suburb, so it's not urban at all. Depending on where you live, there may be a 7-11 or gas station or even a grocery store within walking distance. It all depends.

It's not especially pedestrian-friendly here, but it is bike-friendly. I've never taken public transportation here so I don't know anything about it, but I know some people who use DART regularly and they seem OK with it.

Being a suburb, it caters to families almost exclusively. Being Muslim here is no big deal. People here don't care. The Super Target on Plano Road has a large and visible Muslim clientele (women in hijabs for example), and the little old white ladies don't stare at them. The only time a Muslim might attract attention is if a Muslim female is in all-black wearing a niqab or a man is wearing a keffiyah or gutrah + agal + thobe, etc. Hijabs and taqiyahs don't attract attention here.

it is good to hear that . you have a good knowledge of Muslim attire ... it is also goo to hear it is bike friendly , but what about safety of biking at night

[BeanyMalone]

Richardson is expanding its dedicated bike trails. Here is a link to the city's web page on the subject: https://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=26.

For the most part bicycles share the the road with cars. At night, that will be the largest safety hazard, not bad guys. Appropriate attire, equipment and a cautious choice of routes will be necessary.

Here is the link to "Bike Friendly Richardson": Bike Friendly Richardson | A Blog Promoting Two Wheel Love in Richardson

Richardson Bike Mart is one of the largest, most respected bicycle stores in DFW. If you contact them I am sure they give you guidance on bicycling in Richardson for both commuting and recreation: Richardson Bike Mart, Bike Mart, Bikemart, Richardson, Dallas, Frisco, Texas, Pearl Izumi, Louis Garneau, Sugoi

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by domabozo

it is good to hear that . you have a good knowledge of Muslim attire ... it is also goo to hear it is bike friendly , but what about safety of biking at night

It's as safe to bike at night here as it would be anywhere else, which means that you need to have lights on your bike and reflective clothing to ensure that cars can see you. I personally wouldn't do it, but if you go to Richardson Bike Mart at Coit and Campbell I'm sure they can set you up with the proper safety gear. Familiarize yourself with the laws here; cops can and sometimes do give cyclists tickets for riding on sidewalks or running red lights. If you're sharing the road with cars, you have to follow the same rules they do.