Just Got Back From Visiting Seattle. I'm Thinking About Moving There But I'm Very Confused? (Tukwila: crime, movies)

[ComputerProgrammer]

So I'm from Montana. Missoula Montana to be exact. I had a decent trip to Seattle for about 4 days and I drove there by car.

There are many confusing and disconcerting things though that happened which are majorly annoying. Firstly I'll admit I have some known registered disabilities where I have issues with direction. How do you become familiar with the roads around Seattle?

Then parking. At one parking garage downtown we ended up paying 30 dollars for 4 hours or parking around pikes place market. I asked some of my friends that live near Seattle and they said you could have parked like a half of a mile away for way less WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE but I don't really know these things.

In total Seattle is very confusing and while the public transportation seems good it also confuses the hell out of me lol.

Then many times I find myself losing track of my car and it takes a lot of time to find it on streets or in large parking lots etc.

Then at least for me driving like down that I-5 corridor around the Seattle area is scary in terms of traffic and crazy drivers.

How do people here cope with these problems? Will you get used to these things? How does all of this work? In total it was a great trip.

Lastly I forgot to ask; what about jobs? I do some development projects i.e. web design and software development i.e. it's something I know a lot about but I don't have a college degree; can you still get a job in Seattle without one relating to computer/development?

Thanks for all your help guys.

[victorianpunk]

Originally Posted by ComputerProgrammer

So I'm from Montana. Missoula Montana to be exact. I had a decent trip to Seattle for about 4 days and I drove there by car.

I drove here from New Jersey when I moved. Really nice ride across Idaho and through the Cascades if you took I-90

There are many confusing and disconcerting things though that happened which are majorly annoying. Firstly I'll admit I have some known registered disabilities where I have issues with direction. How do you become familiar with the roads around Seattle?

Oh, Seattle roads...I love this town, but if I ever meet the man who planned things out, I'm punching him. No other place will be on a road that makes a thirty degree turn and suddenly change its name. My advise: Get a GPS! After a year or two you'll start to remember things.

Then parking. At one parking garage downtown we ended up paying 30 dollars for 4 hours or parking around pikes place market. I asked some of my friends that live near Seattle and they said you could have parked like a half of a mile away for way less WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE but I don't really know these things.

Parking is something you learn as you go.

In total Seattle is very confusing and while the public transportation seems good it also confuses the hell out of me lol.

That part is easy. Just go to the Metro trip planner and it will spit everything out for you. Just remember NOT to type in the town name and wait for it to prompt you after you hit enter:Trip Planning

Then many times I find myself losing track of my car and it takes a lot of time to find it on streets or in large parking lots etc.

I would always hit the panic button on my car alarm.

Then at least for me driving like down that I-5 corridor around the Seattle area is scary in terms of traffic and crazy drivers.

Antsy people trying to get to work from Issaquah is all. We have polite drivers...but they suck at driving. Just honk like hell and they'll get the idea.

How do people here cope with these problems? Will you get used to these things? How does all of this work? In total it was a great trip.

Trust me, you'll get used to it.

Lastly I forgot to ask; what about jobs? I do some development projects i.e. web design and software development i.e. it's something I know a lot about but I don't have a college degree; can you still get a job in Seattle without one relating to computer/development?

You could do freelance work or sign up for a smaller company. You should do fine as long as you have about three months worth of cash before you come here, or at least people you can slum with while you look for work. I would advise for you to get at least an AA after you've been here for two years or so and get residency. They aren't that expensive at our community colleges.

[Hemlock140]

When we moved here from the San Francisco Bay Area it took very little time to get used to the traffic, parking and all, because I had worked in downtown Oakland, and San Francisco, which were actually worse. I can see that in your case it could be overwhelming, but you would get used to it eventually. Some employers subsidize the bus pass, others do that and also provide free parking. If you have to pay to park, you are far better off driving to a park & ride and take the bus, the $6/day with free parking at the P & R is a lot better than spending an hour of your pay on parking every day.Once here, spending a few weekend days walking around will help a lot. The "crazy drivers" you describe are just normal people trying to navigate streets with signal lights and hoards of pedestrians every block, the same as any big city. Public transportation may get even more confusing, as they are threatening big route cuts due to budget issues. Most of us use a smartphone app called "One Bus Away" so that wherever you are you can see where the nearest bus stops and where it's going. Yes, most of the jobs are high tech. Yesterday's paper had 3 columns of ads for Microsoft openings. There are other jobs but fewer, and with more competition.

[tobester]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Yesterday's paper had 3 columns of ads for Microsoft openings. There are other jobs but fewer, and with more competition.

Do people still look at want ads in the newspaper?

[hello_im_sean]

Antsy people trying to get to work from Issaquah is all. We have polite drivers...but they suck at driving. Just honk like hell and they'll get the idea.

Spoken like a true New Jersey resident I hate that about NJ...

[Botev1912]

I always honk when some driver annoys me. A lot of times I prevent an accident by honking. There are many bad drivers who have no idea how to drive.

[RVD90277]

i have way too many speeding tickets so i have been driving pretty much at the speed limit these days.

of course yesterday morning on the way to church, a lady in an SUV behind me was tailgating me because i was "only" driving 5 miles above the speed limit. it was only one lane so when it became 2 lanes, she passed me and had to yell "a-hole" while she passed by. it was pleasant...

reminds me of driving in korea where i would stop at a red light at a 4 way intersection only to have the guy behind me honk at me and yell for me to just go because there are no cars around.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by hello_im_sean

Spoken like a true New Jersey resident I hate that about NJ...

Hey now! Some of us NJ natives are mellow and laid back, and are the ones that other people are honking at.

[Inkpoe]

It sounds like you just got some big-city shock. Either you'll have to move here and get used to it, or ask yourself if you can/want to handle big city living or not. Living in the suburbs might make the transition easier for you, but even our suburbs are busy and a lot of them do deal with bad traffic.

Of course personally I am used to all these things and handle them just fine-- but it doesn't mean I like it. Just give it time and find ways that would help you. I personally do not like parking in DT Seattle, but know areas where I can find them (and you will too in time). Public transit is actually quite easy once you get the layout. As for traffic... well, who likes them? Bleh. Its ok to be a bad driver here; we have hordes of oblivious drivers here too, you'll blend in very well.

[Ira500]

Seattle is confusing. If you lived here, you'd get used to it. I did. Driving to DT Seattle is not normally a fun experience, and parking makes it worse. If you lived here, you'd figure out which buses get you there, and take them. Taking the bus or the light rail is a lot less stressful than driving.
I also share that lovely habit of losing my car. Most recently I went to the movies at Southcenter Mall, parking on top of the parking garage. I was with my wife and 89 year old father. When the movie let out, we went outside and the car wasn't there. I'd heard about the crime in Tukwila and was ready to curse out the town. I knew we parked on the top floor, and looked everywhere. It wasn't there. Called the cops, they took the information, then noticed a mall security guy and he asked what was going on. I told him all the information, and he said " I think there's a 90% chance that I'll find your car." I led him to the area I thought I parked at. The car wasn't there, and he said " Follow me." We went back inside, and out again through a different door. And just a few spaces away was my car.
How did he know he'd find my car? I don't know. Maybe those mall cops just know everything.
In your case, not being able to find the car was maybe just the unfamiliarity with the big city.