Tips for Washington's new arrivals (Seattle, Spokane: transplants, insurance, home equity)

[Ultrarunner]

With so many threads on this board dealing with people relocating to Washington... I'm hoping this thread could become a collection of tips on settling in and fitting in to all that Washington has to offer.

I would like to start...

If you are coming from another state, especially California, be aware to the fact that your new neighbors really don't want to hear about all the problems you had back home and in general, no one really likes to hear bad-mouthing.

You will find most Washingtonians to be a little reserved, but more than willing to offer assistance if asked. Friendship is not something that happens spontaneously, but rather something that is cultivated over time.

A friendly, positive attitude, combined with genuine interest in fitting in will take you much farther than chronic complaining... especially about the weather!

Good Luck to all the new arrivals and those thinking about relocation. Remember you chose to come here...

Washington and the Greater Pacific Northwest is truley amazing and for many it is the answer to their search at the end of the rainbow.... (I had to mention rain somehow in my post ;-)

[KidBlue]

People move there and actually complain about the rain??? Sorry, it's 102 right now and rain sounds so nice......

[Ultrarunner]

I have the hardest time explaining how our street numbers and names work.

If anyone has a simple explanation and is willing to post... I would love to hear it...

Thank you in advance.

PS The one that seems to get all the transplants around Olympia is when you are driving along a county road and then it dead ends... not on the map, mind you, but in reality.

You then need to turn around and back track to get around the dead end to hopefully reach your destination... I guess someday, the plan is for these dead end roads to be completed as through roads?

[scirocco22]

I have one and I'll try to add a few more later.

Please try to honk your car horn as little as possible. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I've used my horn in 30+ years driving there.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

I have the hardest time explaining how our street numbers and names work.

If anyone has a simple explanation and is willing to post... I would love to hear it...

Thank you in advance.

PS The one that seems to get all the transplants around Olympia is when you are driving along a county road and then it dead ends... not on the map, mind you, but in reality.

You then need to turn around and back track to get around the dead end to hopefully reach your destination... I guess someday, the plan is for these dead end roads to be completed as through roads?

Street numbers and names are specific to the municipality. Where exactly are we talking about?

[Ultrarunner]

Visitors have the most trouble. Thurston County is the area that I am the most familiar with. The biggest problem is roads shown on local maps or on GPS don't exist of only exist partially... in other words they are not through roads.

[jabm67]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

I have the hardest time explaining how our street numbers and names work.

If anyone has a simple explanation and is willing to post... I would love to hear it...

Originally Posted by scirocco22

Street numbers and names are specific to the municipality. Where exactly are we talking about?

'rocco's right about this. I sort of understand how King County (Seattle's street names & numbers are partly the result of feuding among some of the city's founding fathers) and Spokane County's systems work, and at least some parts of Yakima County. I wouldn't say anything about other areas, though.

[malarkey]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

With so many threads on this board dealing with people relocating to Washington... I'm hoping this thread could become a collection of tips on settling in and fitting in to all that Washington has to offer.

I would like to start...

If you are coming from another state, especially California, be aware to the fact that your new neighbors really don't want to hear about all the problems you had back home and in general, no one really likes to hear bad-mouthing.

Oh can I add to this??

If you are from NYC/New England: You really don't need to constantly mention where you are from. You are here now. No one wants to hear "there's no good pizza / no one here knows how to drive / blah blah about whatever was so fabulous back east & you can't get it here" Quite frankly, we don't care. And that, IMHO, is where Seattle-ites get their "chilly-not so easy to make friends" reputation from.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

Please try to honk your car horn as little as possible. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I've used my horn in 30+ years driving there.

YES !!! - it is amazing how impatient folks seem to be getting (as traffic increases...) There ought to be 'demerits' for using the horn, excluding in the case of a warning, (parking lot); especially not at lights (where someone could be startled and run over a pedestrian...), . I would say we are rapidly getting to the point of a GPS imbedded in each vehicle (mandantory with License plates) to issue automatic traffic violations, and report your habits to insurance company. It will be really handy for toll roads. Just another bill each month, or 'direct debit' as the state can't be waiting for 'future' dollars.

and the GPS direction thing....
When driving for Fed-Ex, it was pretty good to get your daily manifest where the GPS instructions expected you to leap tall canyons, and ford raging rivers...(in the name of quick delivery)

RE: streets...labeling it is city / county specific
nationwide, odd number = N-S Highways
even number = E - W

in City... (usually)
AVENUES run N-S
Streets E-W

house numbers; EVEN on the west and the North side of each street. ODD South and East; curvy streets may vary... but you can always move to Kansas if the curves and the hills get to be too much. But you better learn the order of your US Presidents if you head to the 'prairie / midwest !!. Streets are definately not alphabetical when you see names like Harrison and Cleveland.

Hong Kong and Singapore always got me lost as major routes change names frequently, must be a 'British' thing... Plus you are driving on the other side of the road, making those right hand corners directly into 7 lanes of oncoming traffic... whoops... Always keep the driver toward the center of road, UNLESS you are driving your left hand steering Euro car in England... (or your British Car in Euro) that was always a challenge when getting off the ferrie, ... adjust your headlights and callibrate your centerline directions. And be prepared for lots of sceaming coming from the other seat. especially in the round-abouts ! (or 'rotary', for the Boston crowd). I can't believe they are bringing those here. We are slated to get one on our 55mph 'through' highway, that will be a trip! (cheaper than a Cloverleaf), Good for auto body shops and chiropractors.

My personal wish for newcomers would be ''considerate driving'', as it IS getting more crowded. ONLY use the left lane on multi lane for Passing, there is a certain group of people who don't realize you can be ticketed for hanging out in the left lane. It is a good safety and considerate thing to stay right. Oh, and don't ever hangout on the right side of a semi, as you are not often seen there, and certainly don't pass on the right, as it is the natural, and sometimes necessary escape route for trucks and cars. It is also a very expensive ticket.

And of course.... please leave your massive home equity invested in the state that gained for you. We don't want inflated housing dollars. No Prop 13 here... You WILL pay, we WILL pay, (as we are able), but... we will have to move to ND if you bring inflated $$, as we can't pay inflated property taxes while living on a fixed income.

Have a nice day...

[tudorjason]

I used to be a constant honker. I rarely use my horn, but if a driver is not paying attention or is constantly driving recklessly and I am having to deal with it for more than a second, I will use it.