Look, I frankly think this entire thread is useless. fun to talk about, but useless for actionable data. You aren’t seriously going to move or not move based on what other people think about a nebulous concept known as “Texas” are you? People have completely contradicted each other within this thread. It’s icy in March, no it isn’t. There are scorpions, no there aren’t. And on and on.
Well then, you had better start looking for opportunities that don’t involve planet earth.
We lived in MD/DC for six years without driving and had two kids in the process. The key was living with reasonable access to the metro and walkable neighborhoods. In our first neighborhood in MD, I had the following within a five minute walk: nice Safeway with Starbucks, video store, ice cream place, dry cleaner’s, Middle Eastern quick service place, nicer Italian restaurant and (very importantly) pediatrician. And we were a 15 minute walk to the metro (last stop on the Red Line). Our next apartment in DC was a five minute walk to my husband’s work, 10 minute walk to a major hospital (I actually walked there and back to have my second child) and then a 15-20 minute walk to pretty much everything else imaginable (except our dentist and big box shopping). I had four different playgrounds within a 45 minute walk.
And while public transportation is OK with one child, it starts getting to be a big pain with two.
E_7 sweetie I’m really REALLY getting nervous about your levels of anxiety. Some anxiety is normal. Being in a new marriage, having your first child, even being new to a foreign country, these can all make one anxious. But, you are starting to exhibit signs of Agoraphobia. (Which is the irrational fear of getting out of the house.) You could get to the point where you are totally dependent upon others. This is not healthy for you or your son (or even your marriage for that matter.). I speak from experience dear. I’m not calling this from out of nowhere. Reading your posts on CAF have resonated big time with me because I have been there myself, and am still fighting daily to overcome my anxiety and irrational fears. I think it might be time for you to see a counselor. It could really change your life for the better. Please dear know that you are not alone, many MANY people need counseling from time to time. You will be in my thoughts and prayers! :hug1:
That’s not really true at all. You can’t ask for much more in a road system, lanes are wide with a good access and feeder road system. The layout of the city is about as easy as it gets to learn with 4 loops and an expansive grid. Easy peasy. Houston’s freeway system might have a few areas that need improvement but the roads are really well designed overall, probably as good as it gets. And given enough time those problem areas all get addressed. It used to be that the Katy Fwy was a choke point but now it’s the widest freeway in the world at 26 lanes. So the areas that are bad now, like 290, are going to get addressed sooner or later.
26 lanes–Lawdamercy!
Everything is relative. Having driven in both the DC area and every city in Texas, nothing compares with driving in the DC area. It is by far the worst road system I have been on.
And the road is still packed bumper to bumper. Shows to go you that you can’t build your way out of traffic congestion. Bigger roads just mean more drivers and a larger area for people to live in.
I can’t speak much to SA, having only been there once, but Austin is a very bad joke. Throughout much of the CAPITAL CITY, the main north/south freeway (I-35) has only 2-3 lanes. I once spent three hours, starting in the early afternoon, sitting in totally bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-35 in Austin. No real reason beyond “too few lanes.”
yup.
Yup. I am much happier in my high cost of living area compared to when I lived in a different state with very inexpensive housing. Everything is a trade-off and you have to discern what is most important to you.
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But this is really not appropriate, especially considering the OP’s typically more tender feelings. Maybe you didn’t realize that though. 