Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > North Carolina > Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary
 [Register]
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary The Triangle Area
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 01-09-2020, 05:20 PM
 
309 posts, read 249,385 times
Reputation: 751

Advertisements

After a couple years of endless research, planning, fear and second-guessing, I finally took the plunge last summer. Primary reasons for the move were: Lower cost of housing, concern with direction of state government (taxes, regulations, etc.), greater career and business opportunities, and a general desire for change and adventure.

Good Stuff
1. People- There is a distinct and noticeable friendly vibe. I am surprised how easy it is to have conversations even with random people out and about. Many have offered their phone numbers for networking (one led to a job offer). The pace of life is more relaxed and easier than Southern California.

2. Climate-The changeable weather is actually much less of a shock than I expected, I would even say it's kinda of interesting and exciting. Out west it was typically dry after April with no rain till September (maybe). The summer heat and humidity didn't bother me since I prefer it hotter. I'm still seeing how winter will pan out but so far it's been a breeze.

3. Environment- I have to admit that I miss the dramatic and diverse landscapes of the west but the Carolina pines, rolling hills and lakes go far in making up for it. Some of the countryside expanse is truly stunning; this is a beautiful state.

4. Traffic- Getter around by car is a comparative joy from what I am accustomed to. Even the rush hour traffic at least moves, I haven't experienced miles of standstill/5 mph gridlock. I'm also finding that there is an extensive network of secondary roads that make for convenient alternatives.

5. Culture/Entertainment - I was concerned about the knocks against the Triangle for being "boring". This is far from the reality in my experience. There are a ton of cool places to go, things to do, and places to see. Even so, "funner" cities are just a few hours up the road (Charlotte, DC).

Not So Good Stuff
1. Roadside trash- Wow. It's the worst I've personally experienced. One glaring example, the Smithfield Road/264 interesection is really bad: two mattresses, at least 5-8 whole tires and fragments, crate parts, plastic sheets, cardboard, bags of trash, and countless cups, bottles, cans, and junk. I don't understand why or how this is allowed.

2. Political Scene- I didn't expect the extreme difference, in my view, of political values and attitudes within a relatively short distance span: Super liberal Durham-Chapel Hill on one end and ruby red Clayton-Zebulon on the other. I'm not making any judgements (please let's start a forum war), but it has taken time to get used such a sharp cultural/political gradient.

3. Fast/Aggressive drivers - They haven't been the norm but more noticeable owing to my expectations for a genteel, hospitable southern culture. Been tailgated plenty of times while driving the speed limit in the slow lane.

4. Palmetto Bugs- The first one I spotted made me want to pack up and move back!

5. Dining Options - Maybe I will feel better about this as I get more familiar with the area but it's been a huge step back in terms of diversity and authenticity of quisine.

What to Do Differently
I knew that renting first would be the smart move but I found a great deal on property in a nice area; so it worked out fine. Overall, I am happy with the decision to relocate and will give in my best shot to make it work. Thanks again to all the forum members who helped out with advice and wisdom.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 01-09-2020, 07:25 PM
 
5,139 posts, read 8,829,403 times
Reputation: 5253
I’ve been reading (online) Walter Magazine which is loaded with beautiful pics and articles on arts, culture, architecture, happenings. Gives a unique take on Raleigh and great ideas on things to do, you might like to check it out if you haven’t already. I’ll be joining you there from SoCal in about six weeks!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-09-2020, 07:35 PM
 
309 posts, read 249,385 times
Reputation: 751
Quote:
Originally Posted by loveautumn View Post
I’ve been reading (online) Walter Magazine which is loaded with beautiful pics and articles on arts, culture, architecture, happenings. Gives a unique take on Raleigh and great ideas on things to do, you might like to check it out if you haven’t already. I’ll be joining you there from SoCal in about six weeks!
Awesome! I haven't heard of that publication but I'll definitely check it out. I hope you have a successful transition to the area.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-09-2020, 08:53 PM
 
569 posts, read 339,553 times
Reputation: 311
Quote:
Originally Posted by dariusxiv View Post
After a couple years of endless research, planning, fear and second-guessing, I finally took the plunge last summer. Primary reasons for the move were: Lower cost of housing, concern with direction of state government (taxes, regulations, etc.), greater career and business opportunities, and a general desire for change and adventure.

Good Stuff
1. People- There is a distinct and noticeable friendly vibe. I am surprised how easy it is to have conversations even with random people out and about. Many have offered their phone numbers for networking (one led to a job offer). The pace of life is more relaxed and easier than Southern California.

2. Climate-The changeable weather is actually much less of a shock than I expected, I would even say it's kinda of interesting and exciting. Out west it was typically dry after April with no rain till September (maybe). The summer heat and humidity didn't bother me since I prefer it hotter. I'm still seeing how winter will pan out but so far it's been a breeze.

3. Environment- I have to admit that I miss the dramatic and diverse landscapes of the west but the Carolina pines, rolling hills and lakes go far in making up for it. Some of the countryside expanse is truly stunning; this is a beautiful state.

4. Traffic- Getter around by car is a comparative joy from what I am accustomed to. Even the rush hour traffic at least moves, I haven't experienced miles of standstill/5 mph gridlock. I'm also finding that there is an extensive network of secondary roads that make for convenient alternatives.

5. Culture/Entertainment - I was concerned about the knocks against the Triangle for being "boring". This is far from the reality in my experience. There are a ton of cool places to go, things to do, and places to see. Even so, "funner" cities are just a few hours up the road (Charlotte, DC).

Not So Good Stuff
1. Roadside trash- Wow. It's the worst I've personally experienced. One glaring example, the Smithfield Road/264 interesection is really bad: two mattresses, at least 5-8 whole tires and fragments, crate parts, plastic sheets, cardboard, bags of trash, and countless cups, bottles, cans, and junk. I don't understand why or how this is allowed.

2. Political Scene- I didn't expect the extreme difference, in my view, of political values and attitudes within a relatively short distance span: Super liberal Durham-Chapel Hill on one end and ruby red Clayton-Zebulon on the other. I'm not making any judgements (please let's start a forum war), but it has taken time to get used such a sharp cultural/political gradient.

3. Fast/Aggressive drivers - They haven't been the norm but more noticeable owing to my expectations for a genteel, hospitable southern culture. Been tailgated plenty of times while driving the speed limit in the slow lane.

4. Palmetto Bugs- The first one I spotted made me want to pack up and move back!

5. Dining Options - Maybe I will feel better about this as I get more familiar with the area but it's been a huge step back in terms of diversity and authenticity of quisine.

What to Do Differently
I knew that renting first would be the smart move but I found a great deal on property in a nice area; so it worked out fine. Overall, I am happy with the decision to relocate and will give in my best shot to make it work. Thanks again to all the forum members who helped out with advice and wisdom.
Your comments are very thoughtful. I do believe that the good outweighs the bad here, and I hope that you wind up agreeing with this over time. Regarding the "bad" things that you mentioned:

1. The occasional roadside trash is completely disgusting, because NCDOT should immediately remove it once spotted, and often that's not the case. Generally I find that to be mainly on I-40 rather than inside the city limits, but regardless, there is no excuse.

2. North Carolina is "purple": several liberal metro areas surrounded by many conservative rural areas. The metro areas continue to grow and the rural areas continue to shrink.

3. Aggressive driving is becoming more prevalent, probably as a result of population increasing at a rapid pace. Compared to other places that I've spent time in ( New York and New Jersey), this area is tame. Ironically, the last time I got a ticket was in San Diego due to cutting off a motorcycle cop; he gave an earful about aggressive driving, but I never saw him as I was turning to go over the Coronado bridge.

4. I've never heard of Palmetto bugs, but upon googling it, they appear to be cockroaches. Yes we have them and they are aweful but harmless. They are edible.

5. Dining is improving all the time. Local chef just won national James Beard award. My bother is in the food-italian wine business in Denver (after several years in Los Angeles) and says that Raleigh and Charleston SC are on the national "foodie" radar.

Anyway - I wish you the best of luck here.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-10-2020, 06:29 AM
 
Location: Boydton, VA
4,586 posts, read 6,293,638 times
Reputation: 10521
"Palmetto Bugs" only inhabit abodes of the elite, for the rest of us they are plain old cockroaches.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-10-2020, 07:23 AM
 
Location: Raleigh NC
25,119 posts, read 16,146,620 times
Reputation: 14408
edible? *vomit*
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-10-2020, 07:46 AM
Status: "Made the Retirement Run in under 12 parsecs!!!" (set 21 days ago)
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,176 posts, read 76,815,786 times
Reputation: 45533
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Raleigh View Post
Your comments are very thoughtful. I do believe that the good outweighs the bad here, and I hope that you wind up agreeing with this over time. Regarding the "bad" things that you mentioned:

...

4. I've never heard of Palmetto bugs, but upon googling it, they appear to be cockroaches. Yes we have them and they are aweful but harmless. They are edible.

5. Dining is improving all the time. ...


Anyway - I wish you the best of luck here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BoBromhal View Post
edible? *vomit*

Those crawling "dining options" live on grease in sanitary sewers and come out at night.
Happy Hunting!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-10-2020, 07:52 AM
 
13,811 posts, read 27,378,934 times
Reputation: 14244
Palmetto bugs are gigantic cockroach looking bugs that mostly like humidity. Typically you'll see them in the warmer months after it rains, and all alone. Also common in Florida and I assume the other eastern seaboard states.

Yeah they look creepy and move fast.

But they aren't indicative of unclean environments like cockroaches are, where you can find hundreds of thousands in a home.

Edit: so I guess the above isn't true after googling. They can cause an infestation as well. They are just a bigger version of the smaller cockroach. Interesting!

Last edited by wheelsup; 01-10-2020 at 08:01 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-10-2020, 08:08 AM
 
Location: Morrisville, NC
9,140 posts, read 14,715,987 times
Reputation: 9053
Hey, we aren’t stuck in gridlock going 5 mph so people want to move!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-10-2020, 08:26 AM
 
Location: Somewhere
2,216 posts, read 2,925,383 times
Reputation: 4645
I grew up in Huntington Harbour and then spent many many years in Silicon Valley. We made the move 15 years ago and for the most part agree with your observations.

When we first moved here the roads were very clean. At that time DOT utilized inmate labor. Once that stopped the roads were a mess! However when I go back to the SF Bay Area I am reminded of how dirty that area is too.

As for driving...I think that is happening everywhere and is just a sign of the times unfortunately. If you think about it everything is "on demand" and people expect things to be quick! Plus you have so many more distracted drivers due to phones. At least though California has the hands free law and are serious about going after those that don't comply.

And the bugs...I had never seen one of those things until a few years ago when we got a lot of mulch from one of those outside large mulch/dirt places. When we had used the bags from Lowes/HD we never would have them in our mulch. Thank goodness they like the outdoors!! So for me it's the mosquitos that are the negative here. Coming from California I was an outdoor type person. Now, in the mosquito months, I don't like to go out much because they are even out during the day (thank you Asian Tiger Mosquitos). Snakes also took some time getting used to. I LOVE gardening and they are either coiled up in the shrubs I am cleaning out or sometimes even in my bags of dirt. Not fun grabbing a bunch of dirt out of the bag to find a snake slither out. But I have learned to coexist with them and not scream now.

The difference with people has been interesting. We are a mixed race family so moving here, especially 15 years ago when we didn't have the influx of transplants like we do now, was a little scary for me. At that time it was very Black and White. Where we came from "Brown" was the norm and no one really knew or cared what you were. So I was not sure how my teenage daughter would be treated or how people would react to the BIG 6'7" black man with a 5'4 blonde with very pale skin. While we did encounter some issues overall it has been fine especially now that there are so many transplants.

I think for us the biggest plus was the overall quality of life change. I was able to stop working and spend the last few years with our youngest (she was a teen when we moved). My husband, who transferred with his job, was introduced to a totally different office/work culture here. There actually was a work/life balance :-) However now that more and more of the California employees are moving here (and probably with more and more tech companies here) it is starting to be more like Silicon Valley. So I'm afraid that work/life balance won't be seen by as many as once before.

Would I ever move back? For many many years I said no way. However I do still have family out there (my son, DIL and grandchildren). So if my daughter was to ever settle down there and have children I "might" consider it. She works for a tech company now whose headquarters are by Cupertino (where we lived for many years). Her live in boyfriend also works for a tech company with corporate office on the West coast. So it could happen But I would miss so many aspects of this area and would love for my children to be able to experience raising a family here instead!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:



Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > North Carolina > Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:25 AM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top