What's the worst (and best) thing about living in the Raleigh-Durham area? (Cary: university, zoning)

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by danwilsonbsee

I moved from Cameron Village to downtown Portland and I'd agree that the public transit is light years ahead of Raleigh. In fact that's been one of the major decisions we'll have to make if (and when) we move back to Raleigh. When we moved here we sold my wife's car and between the MAX train, Streecar & zip-car availability there hasn't been any need for 2 cars. It helps we live in downtown and her job is downtown as well. I used to live in Cameron Village and as much as I'd like to say moving to downtown proper is ideal, in Raleigh I think we'll probably end up back in CV if only for the grocery/nightlife/walking to Glenwood S. One thing that I've fallen in love with out here is walking wherever you want. If someone lives in Cary, Apex or ever more than a mile away from the downtown core it's just not realistic to walk (especially during July-Sept). I'd love to move to the RBC (or whatever the new name is) but I don't think I can handle driving to the grocery store - it's just been so nice only driving 2 times a week. Working from home is the best.

So glad you and your wife are enjoying Portland. We lived in Westmoreland, just across the Ross Island and Sellwood Bridges. We had many friends that were one car families and knew many couples who did not own cars. But everyone owned at least one bike per family member. I miss walking everywhere and jumping on the bus. Speaking of Nightlife, a few blocks from my old house is The Woods. It use to be a funeral home but turned music venue. I hear it's quite good. But it new since I moved. Something to check out in Westmoreland if you haven't ventured over there. There is so much to do in Portland. Enjoy!

[PDXmom]

I'm going to add one more thing to the "worst" part of living in Raleigh Durham:
The schools are confusing as heck. Raleigh has the whole node system that has played into the old plan pre-2009, then the recent old plan 2010, and the new plan 2012. Nodes were completely foreign to me and make understanding WCPSS very hard even back in 2007, when the system was easier to understand that it is now.

And in Durham, scores don't tell everything about schools. District from my research is much for strict and to the point of slavish in some schools about the District Pacing Guide. But some schools who have more experienced teachers don't follow the pacing guide as strictly and their kids are fine. And then of course DPS hired a Wake County Consultant and is debating feeder schools for it's magnet programs. UGH!

I get that public education is in flux in the country. And I'm not one of these people who moved from a township district, where all the school were wealthy. Oregon and Portland had HUGE economic issues surrounding their schools. I've traded one set of problems "economic stability in schools" for a whole slue of issues that I don't always understand like nodes.

Chapel Hill /Carrboro and Orange County don't seem to have many of these issues. In part because they have not grown as fast and aren't as diverse as DPS. Johnston County probably falls into this category too. But eventually Johnston and Orange may have growth issues too.

[joeandmich]

So what's the best thing about living in the Raleigh Durham area?

Thanks,

Joe

[boardjnky4]

The worst thing about living in the triangle: People asking me where I am from and why I moved here.

[ReaderGirl]

Originally Posted by joeandmich

So what's the best thing about living in the Raleigh Durham area?

Thanks,

Joe

The best thing is that I am no where near my ex in-laws!!

Actually, I love that I can be in the mountains or at the beach after just a couple of hours in the car....easy day trips with a great variety of activities.

[Irvinegal]

Don't get me wrong. The Triangle is filled with wonderful people, but... I have never seen so many utterly terrible, dangerous, tailgating, lane-weaving drivers in my life! I don't know why it is this way, but it's truly astounding. If a day goes by when I'm not extreme-tailgated (and no, I am not a granny on the road...) or witness some a$$ text-messaging at 70 mph or cutting off pedestrians at intersections, then it's truly a Miracle.

[CHwboy]

Worst things (some may apply to the usa as a whole):

1. You need a car to get anywhere. Granted I'm in Carrboro, which is the edge of the triangle, but if you're always going to see/do stuff in Raleigh and Cary the petrol costs really mount up.

2. Too many traffic lights and stop signs, hardly any roundabouts or other free-flow traffic junctions. I properly hate sitting at a red light on an empty street at night. What a waste of gas and my time.

3. Relatively homogeneous population.

4. A lot of smugness/local boosterism. Combined with a disdain for the surrounding countryside.

5. How you can't buy anything in most of the downtowns. Want to buy some new shoes or whatever? Prepare to traipse from out of town mall shop to out of town mall shop. This is particularly noticeable in Carrboro: would you prefer to drive to Durham or Burlington, madam?

[douknownam]

I hate that there's no Publix (mmm, publix subs) or 7-11's (mmm, cuban sandwiches).. Those were my staples while living in FL.. Over the last few years, I've grown to like everything else--especially the slower pace and lower stress.

[Taynxtlvl]

I'm a Raleigh Native now in my twenties and have traveled quite a bit around the US and have made the following observations.

Here is a nice slice of American pie. The area has a little bit of everything, but not a lot of Anything. And because of this is relatively pleasant and inexpensive, with moderate weather and both mountains and beach in a stones throw (considering the size of the country), and an educationed and increasingly Diverse population << Those are the Best things about the area

But for as big as the area has gotten I can't understand why:

1.) We only have one Cable Company.... I would love to see Comcast or Verizon enter the market and make some competition for TimeWarner. AT&T is moving much too slowly with saturation.

2.) Still no LA Fitness or Bally's here? Can somebody anybody tell me why.

3.) Mass Transit is horrendous

4.) Affordable apartments and homes in the Central Business Districts.

5.) Johnny Rockets Burgers (I'm just being selfish on this one)

[Bull City Rising]

Originally Posted by Taynxtlvl

I'm a Raleigh Native now in my twenties and have traveled quite a bit around the US and have made the following observations.

4.) Affordable apartments and homes in the Central Business Districts.

I can find you plenty of these....?