A complaint about Phoenix from a newbie. (Tucson, Scottsdale: renting, house)

[raindance maggie]

Hello.
We recently moved from Sacramento and we mostly like it here compared to there. Politics is far better, water situation seems to be better managed, and even the weather is more to our liking----we like it warm, Sacramento can get too cold and foggy in the winter.
We like how there’s more to do here than Sacramento area too, seems to be more going on, lots of concerts, sporting events, and even better restaurant choices.
The complaint is how everything seems so distant and takes so much driving. We went to a bar in City North and we were surprised how far away it was from everything else. City north looks like it belongs on the edge of downtown or maybe in Scottdsale but it’s on the edge of----well nothing.
Want to go to a Cardinals game, more long driving is required. My specialist doctor is in Deer valley area, another long drive. I’m trying to find work and most of my interviews aren’t close to our house or where I can get good bus connections so more driving is needed.
It’s not that I mind driving to a certain extent, I have a new car but it’s already got over 25,000 miles and it’s never been driven out of the Phoenix area.
So this is probably my one and only complaint about living here, too much driving, everything seems too scattered, far apart and sprawly. In Sacramento everything we needed was right in the middle of the city and didn’t require so much driving. Sacramento is smaller too so it makes a difference.
Do you people in the Phoenix area like all these long drives to things that should be more centralized or are you just used to it?
Thank you.

[jaredC]

Well, yes. Phoenix is a large, sprawled out city and is not public transit friendly. Our public transit is far behind to other comparable cities. Knowing that, it's always recommended that you have a car, because sometimes to get from point A to point B takes 50,60 or 90 miles. But what always helps is finding a residence location near our very limited light rail and working near our very limited light rail. That's been my experience. At one time I was lucky to live at the very end of our light rail route and worked downtown. Easy Peasy.

[Bungle]

Originally Posted by raindance maggie

Do you people in the Phoenix area like all these long drives to things that should be more centralized or are you just used to it? Thank you.

The only long drives I need to make are ones when I plan to get out of town. I live in South Phoenix and have the majority of my shopping within five minutes. If I want to go to a mall (I hate the mall) I can get to Chandler in 15-20 minutes. Nightlife/baseball games to downtown is just over 10 minutes away. Downtown Tempe is a 15 minute UBER ride when I meet up with friends for drinks. Hiking/biking/gyms are all within a couple of miles. I work ten minutes away from my house. RARELY do I ever drive more than 30 minutes to go anywhere. I think my doctor's office is 25 minutes away and I only have to drive that every six months.

Most people that first move here seem to live out on the edge of town because you can get more bang for your buck in terms of housing but pay the price by having to drive to everything.

[keninaz]

You think you have it bad?
I have talked to many people that came from the East and never drove a car or owned one in their lives.
They never thought life would be any different here.
Once they got used to driving they said they liked it though.

[observer53]

I hope you are just renting, so you can plan to move to a more convenient location to your work when you get a job.


I've never set foot at City North, have no idea what's even there. You have to understand, though, because the population is so spread out, there ARE lots of people that live within close driving distance to City North, or it is located in an area they pass through frequently. It isn't as if City North is a big attraction... there are restaurants, shopping, etc., etc., all over the Valley, including closer to where you live. Cardinals Stadium is a whole other story... it was originally to be built smack in the middle of the Valley, ground had even broken... until the FAA stepped in and said it would interfere with the flight path to the airport.

If you can't find a similar speclalist closer to you than Deer Valley, and you have to go there often, then you need to focus your job search in the NW area.

I live where I can take an express bus to work every day, saving me a 38 mile round trip in my car. Perhaps you will be able to work something like that out, too. I will say that you should not have been surprised by the spread out nature of the Valley, if you'd ever been here before or checked things out in advance.


Good luck with your job search!

[smoochaz]

Originally Posted by raindance maggie

Hello.
We recently moved from Sacramento and we mostly like it here compared to there. Politics is far better, water situation seems to be better managed, and even the weather is more to our liking----we like it warm, Sacramento can get too cold and foggy in the winter.
We like how there’s more to do here than Sacramento area too, seems to be more going on, lots of concerts, sporting events, and even better restaurant choices.
The complaint is how everything seems so distant and takes so much driving. We went to a bar in City North and we were surprised how far away it was from everything else. City north looks like it belongs on the edge of downtown or maybe in Scottdsale but it’s on the edge of----well nothing.
Want to go to a Cardinals game, more long driving is required. My specialist doctor is in Deer valley area, another long drive. I’m trying to find work and most of my interviews aren’t close to our house or where I can get good bus connections so more driving is needed.
It’s not that I mind driving to a certain extent, I have a new car but it’s already got over 25,000 miles and it’s never been driven out of the Phoenix area.
So this is probably my one and only complaint about living here, too much driving, everything seems too scattered, far apart and sprawly. In Sacramento everything we needed was right in the middle of the city and didn’t require so much driving. Sacramento is smaller too so it makes a difference.
Do you people in the Phoenix area like all these long drives to things that should be more centralized or are you just used to it?
Thank you.

haha you'll get used to it!! I moved from NJ where I thought 35 miles was a HUGE DISTANCE! lol - that's nothing these days to me - Made the trip once to DC from NJ and never did it again - my wimpy self thought that 4 hour drive was unacceptable! hahahahaha - now driving 5-6 hours to CA is nothing to me - it's all in the perception - and like others said here - and in all the posts for relocations - it's critical to move near where you're going to work, and if you have kids, where your kids are going to go to school - you've just proven this point with your post - lol - - so hopefully when you get settled with work etc. you can move near and find all the shopping and lifestyle requirements you need within 10-15 minutes of home! I love where I live - however, it's 7 miles from the 101 - what a pain to make that 15-20 minute trip to just get to the highway - but I love being cut-off a bit when I'm home - so it's all worth it in the end - all the other things that you said you liked about here is what's important - welcome!!!

[DetroitN8V]

Quit hanging out in random malls on the end of civilization and I think you'll be fine. If you live in central Phoenix, south Scottsdale or north Tempe, you'll have all the entertainment and shopping options within a stone's throw. Of course if you live in the far suburbs and hang out in random places, you'll drive further than if you stick to the central core. The problem is where you chose to live and hangout, not the valley itself.

[Bungle]

Phoenix, AZ vs Sacramento, CA - Places Comparison

[JGMotorsport64]

Try to live more centrally. You still have to drive, a lot, but the Public Transportation is better and there are some things you can do by walking and using the Rail instead of driving.

But you are right on the driving.

In 5 years in Tucson I put 37000 miles on my car, all surface streets and the city is more compact.
In 2 years in Phoenix I put an additional 62000 on the same car, almost entirely highway miles.

The car has 150,000 now, but a lot of that is trips between Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, Los Angles, and Denver.

Once you get used to life out here, it's kinda fun. There is a sense of freedom that comes with being able to drive, uninhibited on wide open roads without stop lights and often without traffic snarls. But at the same time, I spend way too much time in my car, so much that I had to start listening to podcasts and CLE materials so that driving isn't a significant amount of dead time. (Although CD is a significant amount of dead time).

[TempeAZnative]

Nope I live in Tempe and everything in need including doctors are all nearby. I never need to drive to the other side of the valley for everyday things. Sure you want go to a cards game it's on the Westside but that is a one off.