Reviews & Comments
Dallas, TX
Hot ! -
10/4/2007Put it this way: it is October 4th today, and the high is going to be 93 degrees. Does that tell you what you want to know ?
I find October through May very, very liveable here. Nice. June to September are a "beast", and it drains you, kind of. But at least the hot days have a breeze mostly, and it is not humid.
Dallas, TX
High crime, but most people not affected -
10/4/2007I have lived in Dallas since 2000. Yes, crime is very high, but mostly it is "petty" crime, such as property crimes. Most violent crime is Mexican on Mexican, to be honest, and doesn't affect most people not living in those neighborhoods (due to the high illegal alien population and people carrying around cash, I think a LOT of crime goes unreported). At the same time, I personally feel much safer in Dallas than I did in Chicago, for instance. I have lived here for 7 years and never even had the feeling of being unsafe.
Dallas, TX
Traffic -
9/28/2007When I moved to Dallas in 2000, it was relatively easy to get around. The city was the 17th worst in terms of traffic.
It is now (2007) nr. 5 in terms of worst traffic. Traffic just kills any joy you might have living here now. Too often, small trips are being stuck in traffic. It is like Los Angeles here, without the ocean now. I would not move here now because of it. They keep building massive highway bridges here to try to deal with it, but it keeps getting worse and worse. It used to be better than Houston. Not anymore.
Dallas, TX
Traffic -
9/28/2007When I moved to Dallas in 2000, it was relatively easy to get around. The city was the 17th worst in terms of traffic.
It is now (2007) nr. 5 in terms of worst traffic. Traffic just kills any joy you might have living here now. Too often, small trips are being stuck in traffic. It is like Los Angeles here, without the ocean now. I would not move here now because of it. They keep building massive highway bridges here to try to deal with it, but it keeps getting worse and worse. It used to be better than Houston. Not anymore.
Dallas, TX
5th worst traffic in U.S. -
9/25/2007Dallas used to have the 17th worst traffic of any big city in the U.S.
It now has the 5th worst traffic, and it gets worse and worse.
Dallas, TX
Traffic -
9/25/2007If you are going to move to Dallas, note that traffic has gotten significantly worse since 2000. Back in 2002, Dallas was ranked as having the 17th worst traffic (in terms of traffic jams and time stuck in traffic, etc.). As of 2007, Dallas now has the 5th worse traffic of any big city in the U.S. This city is beginning to be like California, with bumper-to-bumper traffic that lasts most of the day. It has really detracted from living here.
Chicago, IL
Chi-Town -
7/20/2007I lived in Chicago for three years, a while ago. I would make the following comments, beginning with the negative and ending with the positive:
Negative: hot, sticky summers. Slushy winters with wind that sometimes seems to rip you off your feet. Large areas of the city are ghetto (south side, west side) and underdeveloped. Although I consider myself tolerant toward gays, the fact that the mayor in effect "dedicated" an entire section of north Chicago as "gay" (used to be diverse, not just homosexual) just irks and annoys me. The Chicago city council is now very politically correct (banning foie gras, etc.). Crime is high, and yet, you cannot own a gun (Chicago is one of the last big cities to deny us our 2nd Amendment rights under the Constitution). If you are a nurse working the late shift and want a small handgun to protect yourself, sorry, you are out of luck. (Meanwhile, Mayor Daley states that guns are not a legit deterrent, and travels himself with an armed security detail; if you are a well-placed Democrat, my bet is, you can somehow get an exception and get a gun license. The rest of you are out of luck). Party politics and Old Machine politics I think are still too strong. The "racial block" mentality is probably stronger than in the deep south.
Positives: downtown is one of the best in the U.S., if not THE best. Culturally, Chicago is off the charts. LOTS to do here. You want to go see a film in German and then have a discussion in German about it ? You can find that. Falls and Springs are pleasant. LOTS of beachfront and this is VERY underestimated. You can walk almost anywhere (try doing that in Phoenix or Houston). There is a reason that Boeing decided to move the company HQ to Chicago, rather than Dallas. People are big city, and yet, midwestern (i.e. nice, but not "sugary nice"). Lots of sports. Biking, boating, etc. The lake. Good food and restaurants. Great hospitals and universities. Diversity. International airport. I could go on and on...
New York, NY
2nd least helpful city in the world -
6/18/2007The "Financial Times" newspaper had an article on some researchers who went all over the world, and studied cities based on how "helpful" people were. For instance, someone would pretend to be blind and trying to cross the street, or ask for directions, or struggle with a package. It turns out, of all the big cities in the world, New York is the second "least helpful" (Kuala Lampur is the least helpful). The most helpful were: Rio de Janeiro, San Jose (Costa Rica), Vienna, Austria, and Cogenhagen, Denmark.
Irving, TX
Irving -
6/7/2007I work in Irving, so I am here every day. First off, let's mention that the city has grown I believe "7,300 %" since 1970. Don't believe me ? Look it up sometime. David Brooks mentioned that in an article on suburbia a couple years back. The result is a kind of "United Nations" effect, with pretty much every nationality represented here: Indians, Chinese, a big new Islamic center (I see more and more women in head scarves), Finns (Nokia), Germans, etc. etc. The city is thus very new and not very representative of the U.S. The "Los Colinas" area is nice, very upscale, clean, very "corporate". Irving still allows smoking indoors in public, even in the restaurants (Dallas and Arlington and now Plano all have clean indoor air ordanances). Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has its world headquaters here, and I recently saw a police car here that said "DUI Unit". Drink at your own risk in Irving ! Last year the TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission) sent agents into bars and hotel lounges and actually arrested patrons at the bar for public intox. I am not making this up (as Dave Berry would say).
Dallas, TX
Dallas downsides -
6/7/2007The person who wrote "don't believe all the negatives" sounds like he works for the city of Dallas or something like that. Most people in Dallas recognize the downside. We also are not talking about Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW, "Metroplex", etc.), but Dallas proper. All you have to do is read the objective study the city commissioned by a major consulting firm. The conclusions of the report can be read at "Dallas at the Tipping Point", and you can read it at: www.dallasnews.com/tippingpoint. It is all laid out there: the high crime, failing schools, etc.
Yes, DFW is a very "dynamic", business-friendly state full of nice people and low taxes. Business people LOVE it here. But as was mentioned before, with the dynamism comes some other things. The highways are more and more congested. Drivers are still aggressive and many don't follow basic road rules. The state of Texas is not doing a good job of protecting the environment or air (one aspect of being "business friendly" is that business runs the state of Texas, and the environment is basically a distant concern that is often shelved for business reasons. Just look at the aging power plants south of Dallas that spew toxins into the air. Every time they try to get laws enforcing existing EPA laws, the GOP blocks it in Austin. Business lobbies are VERY powerful here. So yes, move here for the business and tax breaks. If your kid then gets asthma because of the bad air, just know why. (by the way, the GOP here is Religious Right and if you read their platform, they actually say they want to get rid of or ignore ALL environmental laws. By the way, I used to be Republican, so don't call me a lefty. It is just the way it is).
Park City, UT
Utah -
6/5/2007I skied in Park City several years ago. Cool city with friendly people. Great mix of nightlife and recreation. Overall, Utah is an excellent state. The major drawback is alcohol laws. EVERY place we went in seemed to deal with drinking in a different manner, and it was a hassle everywhere. Heineken is 3.2 % alcohol, for god's sake, and made especially for Utah ! If it were not for that, Park City would be the perfect place to vacation. I just wish Utah would make up its mind on alcohol. The way they do it now just probably pisses everyone off.
Garland, TX
Police -
6/5/2007The police in Garland have the reputation of being VERY heavy-handed. I have spoken with several people here in Dallas who said, "don't go there, they will rip you out through the window on a traffic stop". I have no way of knowing if it is true or not, there have been some stories to that effect in the news, though. To be honest, I never would have "cause" to go to Garland, and after hearing these stories, really don't want to now.
Plano, TX
Plano -
6/5/2007Not sure why people "rip" on Plano so much. Nice city that is very "suburban" true. At the same time, it is clean, and low-crime. Shopping is excellent, to say the least (if you love shopping, it will be like you died and woke up in heaven). At the same time, yes, there probably is not much else to do. That is why you get in your car and drive down to Dallas. Put it this way, would you rather have "culture" and live in an apartment in some city, or live in "mansion" that only cost $ 250,000 and then have to drive half an hour for your "culture" ? To me the only downside would be that the suburbs can be heavily "Christian Right". I really don't know enough about Plano to judge that, but I am sure that that element exists there, to a lesser or greater degree.
By the way, Plano: great job getting the clean indoor air ordanance passed, banning indoor smoking. That is a big thing ! Also, the shops at Legacy and the Tollway are really nice. The new Fox Sports Grille is great.
Addison, TX
Addison, Texas -
6/5/2007I have lived in Addison, TX for over 7 years. Here is my - and I will try to be as objective as possible - review. Addison is a VERY efficient, modern suburb of Dallas. It is run in an extremely efficient manner. It is a clean city that only has 14,000 residents, and various corporations are headquartered here. The result is massive windfalls of taxes for the town of Addison. The result of that is the various festivals that Addison puts on (Oktoberfest, Taste of Addison, etc.). Addison is the first town in Texas to offer residents wireless Internet over 100% of the town. Addison has Addison Circle, a "mixed residency" area that follows so-called "New Urbanism", which is an architectural style that emphasizes a European-like mix of living and shopping. It is quite nice, actually. Overall, Addison has the reputation of being very "yuppie" and I cannot say that that is an incorrect stereotype, because the average person one encounters there is actually pretty "corporate", and/or yuppie. The wealth in Addison is evident in all the Lexuses and Porsches being driven around by status-focused people. Actually, this aspect of the town can be a bit "much" at times. Crime is low, overall. Addison mostly consists of businesses and restaurants. The town planner back in the day obviously went a bit "nuts" on the restaurants, because it seems like every store on some streets is a restaurant, and it also seems like there is nothing to do in Addison but "go out to eat". At the same time, Addison has not followed the "times" and gone non-smoking. So you still go into restaurants and have to breathe others' cigarette smoke (which I find highly annoying and thus never go out in Addison, even though I live there; I now go to Dallas or Plano, which is smoke-free). Thus, in my view, Addison is modern and efficient, but also a bit superficial and behind the times when it comes to (non-)smoking legislation. The Addison Airport is a minor airport I think frequented by millionaires flying in and out. It can be loud if you live nearby (for instance, at Addison Circle). The last 4 times it rained hard, the lights all went out at my home in Addison. There seems to be a more or less big "issue" with thunderstorms and power in Addison. Despite the wealth, they can't seem to deal with that, either. The festivals can be fun, especially Oktoberfest. "Kaboomtown" is a major festival held, for some reason, on July 3rd, even though it is a "4th of July Celebration". It is fun and the fireworks
Addison, TX
Addison, Texas -
6/5/2007I have lived in Addison, TX for over 7 years. Here is my - and I will try to be as objective as possible - review. Addison is a VERY efficient, modern suburb of Dallas. It is run in an extremely efficient manner. It is a clean city that only has 14,000 residents, and various corporations are headquartered here. The result is massive windfalls of taxes for the town of Addison. The result of that is the various festivals that Addison puts on (Oktoberfest, Taste of Addison, etc.). Addison is the first town in Texas to offer residents wireless Internet over 100% of the town. Addison has Addison Circle, a "mixed residency" area that follows so-called "New Urbanism", which is an architectural style that emphasizes a European-like mix of living and shopping. It is quite nice, actually. Overall, Addison has the reputation of being very "yuppie" and I cannot say that that is an incorrect stereotype, because the average person one encounters there is actually pretty "corporate", and/or yuppie. The wealth in Addison is evident in all the Lexuses and Porsches being driven around by status-focused people. Actually, this aspect of the town can be a bit "much" at times. Crime is low, overall. Addison mostly consists of businesses and restaurants. The town planner back in the day obviously went a bit "nuts" on the restaurants, because it seems like every store on some streets is a restaurant, and it also seems like there is nothing to do in Addison but "go out to eat". At the same time, Addison has not followed the "times" and gone non-smoking. So you still go into restaurants and have to breathe others' cigarette smoke (which I find highly annoying and thus never go out in Addison, even though I live there; I now go to Dallas or Plano, which is smoke-free). Thus, in my view, Addison is modern and efficient, but also a bit superficial and behind the times when it comes to (non-)smoking legislation. The Addison Airport is a minor airport I think frequented by millionaires flying in and out. It can be loud if you live nearby (for instance, at Addison Circle). The last 4 times it rained hard, the lights all went out at my home in Addison. There seems to be a more or less big "issue" with thunderstorms and power in Addison. Despite the wealth, they can't seem to deal with that, either. The festivals can be fun, especially Oktoberfest. "Kaboomtown" is a major festival held, for some reason, on July 3rd, even though it is a "4th of July Celebration". It is fun and the fireworks
Dallas, TX
Dallas pros and cons -
6/5/2007I am not from Dallas, but lived just north of Dallas for 7 years. I am in Dallas every day.
I will follow the short "pros" vs. "cons" approach.
Pros:
- Low population density for a big city
- Good weather from Sept. to June (even in July and Aug., not humid, windy)
- Nice people, not too friendly (nosey), not too unfriendly
- Very decent nightlife, if you don't mind second-hand cigarette smoke
- Very, very many restaurants
- Close to major airport which is easy to reach
- Some nice lakes to bike, etc.
- Services are excellent, car repair places don't try to rip you off
- Pro sports teams (NFL, baseball, basketball, hockey)
- Easy to fly to both coasts within 3-4 hours
- Infrastructure is generally good (many new highway overpasses, etc.)
- Suburbs north of Dallas are very clean and friendly (reminds me of Utah, actually: religious right, friendly people, good services, and clean streets).
Cons:
- High crime rate, VERY high property crime rate
- Lots of petty hassles in downtown Dallas (panhandling, homeless, etc.)
- Downtown has not been developed like most big U.S. cities. Basically neglected since 1980.
- Very high population of illegal aliens
- Some neighborhoods are rundown and are basically ignoring the law (see comment directly above this one about illegals).
- Very, very hot summers (July-August)
- Drivers are aggressive and change lanes often without signalling, highways can be very, very aggressive. Dallas regularly gets a C- for driving habits, on a scale of A to F.
- Outdoor sports in general are not valued by Dallas-ites, who seem more interested in going out to eat, or being in the office. Thus, general lack of outdoor running, biking trails, etc.
- Suburbs are basically Religious Right, Baptist
- More highways, more overpasses, more congested roads.
Dallas, TX
Not bad, overall -
4/10/2007I have lived in Dallas (well, a suburb just north, but I am in Dallas every day) for about 7 years. Overall, I would say, it is a decent place to live. The positives: sun, low taxes (no state income tax), nice weather from September to June, friendly people, good service at businesses, and relatively low cost of living. I would like to mention some negatives as well: the actual city is run by a group of people who seem more caught up in old-time political rivalries and turf wars, than in doing what is best for the city. The result is that large sections of the city are run down and look like they have not been renovated since 1974. I am talking about downtown. The Cottonbowl is decrepit. Crime rates are THREE times those of Los Angeles, per person, and the overall opinion among almost everyone is that petty and violent crime are mostly not under control, especially within Dallas itself. I read for instance recently of a man who owns a warehouse near Fair Park (southeast of downtown Dallas). He has been broken into multiple times, despite good fences and security. He calls the police, but the local politicians and judges don't prosecute the repeat offenders. In general, this is an all-too-often repeated story in Dallas itself. Petty crime is high, and there is a certain amount of gang violence too. Despite that, there are sections of Dallas really worth visiting: the uptown area is nice and somewhat "yuppie" now. There are islands of very upscale development (West Village, Mockingbird Station), where you can walk around and enjoy a pretty upscale (if somewhat pretentious lifestyle). Mixed in are nice neighborhoods (Knox-Henderson) where there are nice restaurants and galleries and outdoor cafes. SMU - Southern Methodist University brings a youthful flair to the city. Unlike in most big U.S. cities, where you have to drive 40 miles north to hit the first really good neighborhood, in Dallas, it is about 2 miles north of downtown, i.e. Highland Park. One of America's nicest, oldest "money" neighborhoods, and you can walk around and drive it and there are parks, without the "gates" of modern "gated communities". These neighborhoods (Highland Park, University Park, West Village, Mockingbird, etc.) make Dallas liveable for me. Overall, despite the high crime rate, unlike say Chicago, I never have the feeling here that I am personally threatened. The crime seems concentrated "away" somewhere (a lot of it is gang related so doesn't affect most people). Most days he