Alexandria Stinks (Fairfax, Washington: houses, living, cost of living)

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

I totally respect your opinion but have to disagree about the drivers esp if you've ever used a bike. Drivers think they're still on the Beltway. I've talked to many folks about this, one who frequently complained about even the bus drivers who will murder a cyclist. If there's a car in Ax and you're a pedestrian or in something smaller, get out of the way fast. I almost got killed (truck seeing my hand signal to turn and beating me at my risk) and then almost mangled (truck backing up in a hurry) in a two block distance.

As for misplaced anger, please read my previous posts. I provide examples and reasoned points.

As a cyclist, I find Alexandria to be more bike-friendly than any other place I've lived in Virginia or DC.

I encounter many cycle commuters on my way to work. Over the past years, I've seen more and more take up biking as transportation, as opposed to only sport or recreation.

I did almost get hit by a driver pulling out of a parallel parking space on S. Washington this year, and he kept pulling out even though I was yelling. He then left Alexandria and headed toward Mt Vernon. Perhaps we can have some posts about vile, awful Mt Vernon.

I've had near-misses on bike outside of Alexandria as well. That comes with biking on American streets. Nothing says "howdy" like getting beer cans thrown at you in Fairfax County! And I've ridden the streets in downtown DC as well as in North Arlington, and it's no cakewalk.

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

This is your great rebuttal? Route 1 just below the Beltway is an Alexandria address. If you live outside of Alexandria city limits, you still call it Alexandria. That's what I'm referring to, as well as the city proper. Boy, you really put me in my place.

Old Town _is_ claustrophobic. You're surrounded by red brick, and can't even see the river until you step off the the backside of the Torpedo Factory, feet away from falling in it. So many pictures of Alexandria are from five stories high so you can see the river. The city's web page even used to use one. That's because everything is blocked out by the buildings.

As for the sun, the setbacks of the buildings from the street in Arlington are much farther back than Alexandria. This is because Alexandria has older buildings that simply can't be destroyed to allow for more road space. Also why congestion is so bad. Relatively narrow streets that can't widen.

When you complain about things like the police yet you include Alexandria and Ffx Co, it is not clear if your complaint is with Fairfax County police or Alexandria police. Likewise some of your other complaints. You just lump it all in. Ugly strip malls along Route 1? Argh, Alexandria stinks! Except if you lived in Alexandria City, you may never encounter these places. Let's just say Arlington stinks because Nauck is rundown.

You can't see the Potomac from much of Georgetown, either, but you say you'd rather go there. The Georgetown riverfront isn't any bigger in size than the docks of Torpedo Factory to the north end of Oronoco Park.

Old Town is perhaps claustrophobic to claustrophobes. They have medication for that. And Del Ray and other parts of town don't have those old narrow streets.

Sounds like Fairfax is just right for you - maybe Ardmore?

[need_more_light]

Happiness lies within. If your mentality is to get everything the way you want, then I'm not sure if there is any place in the world that will meet your expectation.

I've lived in Alexandria (Fairfax County part) for over 11 years and I'm totally fine with the area. I mean it could have been better but I guess I'm easily pleased. Some things in Alexandria stink but there are many other things about Alexandria that don't stink too. If you keep watching out for bad things, you'll always find something bad about almost anything. Why not cherish the good things? If there's absolutely nothing good in Alexandria, then why are you here?

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by robbobobbo

You just lump it all in. Ugly strip malls along Route 1? Argh, Alexandria stinks! Except if you lived in Alexandria City, you may never encounter these places.

This isn't fair to those not familiar to the area. If you live in Alexandria and have a car, you will spend plenty of time on Rt. 1 south of the Beltway. Your reasoning doesn't make sense anyway. Because they don't have strip malls in Old Town, my dislike of of strip malls on Rt. 1 is invalid? Because they don't have narrow streets in some parts of Alexandria, my dislike of those in Old Town is invalid?

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by need_more_light

If your mentality is to get everything the way you want, then I'm not sure if there is any place in the world that will meet your expectation.

That's it. If I don't like Alexandria, then I'd be happy no where. If I don't like SE DC or Detroit, I'd be happy nowhere either. It must be because I need to have everything I want.

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by robbobobbo

As a cyclist, I find Alexandria to be more bike-friendly than any other place I've lived in Virginia or DC.

Agree that being a cyclist in this area can be dangerous. The difference with Alexandria, let's say Old Town to be specific is that the streets are too narrow to allow enough room for cyclists and cars. Also the drivers come off of the big roads and are very fast and aggressive. I don't know where you've lived, but north Arlington has a good number of dedicated bike lanes (I know Alexandria has some, also parts of the Mt. Vernon Trail through Ax aren't so bad.) and traffic is more sane. Arlington is much better for cycling. As mentioned, cyclist friends that I know in Ax almost get hit all the time. It's very to hostile to cyclists.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

This is your great rebuttal? Route 1 just below the Beltway is an Alexandria address. If you live outside of Alexandria city limits, you still call it Alexandria..

There's my old pet peeve again. (there is another thread about this somewhere). The post office calls that area "Alexandria", but it is NOT Alexandria. Alexandria has defined borders. The part along Route 1 is Fairfax County. There are huge differences between that area and true Alexandria. They are governed differently, different school district, different police, different taxes, different laws, different culture, and on and on and on. If you don't know this then your review of "Alexandria" becomes meaningless.

[stpickrell]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

If anyone wants a review of a NOVA area, your humble servant would be happy to oblige (hat removed and bow).

To stay on topic, I will proudly say that I haven't been forced to visit that overrated, claustrophobic, arrogant, angry, congested red little burb in several months. How I don't miss the sound of shotguns and people off their heads on drugs as I walk to Braddock Metro Station. Or the shops where people have to buzz you in, but awww how quaint. How wonderful those 5x5 brick porches are for affluent white professionals with a heart of gold for minorities -- until after dark when they call the police on them at a whim.

Oh, the police are great too. They'll arrest anyone for any reason. Keeps em off the street you know. You won't believe me, of course because you know how fair our system really is even though you have no real experience with it.

Wait, if there's "shotguns and people off their heads on drugs" lurking every which way, why is "calling the police on a whim" a bad thing?

And yeah, Old Town isn't really and truly Metro accessible.

And I'm sure there's quite a bit of police action for Driving/Walking/Shopping While Black/Brown. Not sure why you think I'd deny that exists ...

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

This isn't fair to those not familiar to the area. If you live in Alexandria and have a car, you will spend plenty of time on Rt. 1 south of the Beltway. Your reasoning doesn't make sense anyway. Because they don't have strip malls in Old Town, my dislike of of strip malls on Rt. 1 is invalid? Because they don't have narrow streets in some parts of Alexandria, my dislike of those in Old Town is invalid?

I lived in Alexandria with a car for 2 years--never once drove on route 1 south of the beltway. I never had any reason to drive outside the beltway, as everything I needed was within a couple miles of my apartment.

[kutra11]

My apologies for violating the forum rules.

Regards,
K