Oklahoma City Gets Ranked as 5th Worst Place to Live

[torea]

Actually the train track was there when I moved in my house (about 10 years ago) But the trains used to be "reasonably" noise generators: i.e: they used to honk in emergency conditions only.

Meanwhile (about 3 years ago), the bureaucratic FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) invented new rules forcing every train to honk FOUR(!) times before crossing any road. Since then half of the people in the US are disturbed by this endless, day and night honking.
In my humble opinion these FRA guys have no idea what they introduced as noise pollution.

Democrats and Republicans should agree in the coming days about government spending reductions: high priority cost cutting should be the elimination of this useless Federal Railroad Administration.

Not trying to be smart ass, but to understand this right. You were looking to relocate to another city 300 miles away because KC has trains? But, you decided not to because of a list that said OKC is the 5 city worst to live in? No offense, but you starting to sound like a troll. If I was looking to relocate to another city I would visit it myself and decide whether or not I liked it. I also would certainly not move just because of "loud honking trains". Did you not know there was a train track near your house when you moved there? It's not like train tracks just appear over night.

[ljbab728]

Plutonic, please don't get him started about trains again. We already had one many page useless thread about that.

[bchris02]

I think OKC is more diverse than a lot of people give it credit for. It's not a liberal bastion by any means but I don't think you have to vote Republican to find your niche in OKC. Maybe if you live in Edmond but from what I hear, south of 63rd St its pretty liberal relatively speaking. 41% of Oklahoma County voted for Obama and my guess is if you narrowed it down to OKC south of 63rd and north of I-240, Obama would have won those precincts.

Plus, people complain about OKC being too conservative, but many liberal cities in the Pacific Northwest praised by the hipster crowd are very intolerant of conservatives. Also, I don't see why voting Republican automatically means boring or uncool.

Second, while I think walkability is good and I like that OKC is striving to build more walkable neighborhoods downtown, I don't see walkability as be all end all. To me, it seems like kind of a fad that's tied in with the whole hipster trend that if a place isn't 100% walkable it must suck. Most other Sunbelt cities are no more or less walkable than OKC is. Where OKC scores low is the natural beauty. This area is flat and barren but that's the hand dealt by God and mother nature so OKC isn't to blame.

[Plutonic Panda]

Plutonic, please don't get him started about trains again. We already had one many page useless thread about that.

Oh.

[WilliamTell]

To me, it seems like kind of a fad that's tied in with the whole hipster trend that if a place isn't 100% walkable it must suck. Most other Sunbelt cities are no more or less walkable than OKC is. Where OKC scores low is the natural beauty.

This area is flat and barren but that's the hand dealt by God and mother nature so OKC isn't to blame.

I agree, the city is doing more to make the city more walkable but at the moment it isnt the end all be all. Once we get to european style gas prices then it might be more important. I will say, when I lived in stillwater there were periods of time where i never drove my truck, it was nice and i was in great shape. I could easily get to campus, easily to the gym, easily to the bar, easily to work with a 5-15 minute bike ride on all counts. Looking back I enjoyed it alot more than i ever thought i would now and the only time i used my truck was going to the grocery store once a week.

Now as an adult with kids is that realistic, no. But it would be nice to be able to have the ability to run small errands once in awhile with out getting into my 2 ton vehicle, firing it up at 3-4 bucks a gallon and driving to the gym.

One thing that I would love OKC and Suburbs to do is to plant more trees. Planting trees is extremely easy and low cost and would help our city look so much better. It cuts down on wind, cuts down on noise, reduces pollution, improves property value, and all the other good stuff. Outside of eastern portions of the city that have cross timbers coverage the city is pretty barren.

[bombermwc]

I agree, the city is doing more to make the city more walkable but at the moment it isnt the end all be all. Once we get to european style gas prices then it might be more important. I will say, when I lived in stillwater there were periods of time where i never drove my truck, it was nice and i was in great shape. I could easily get to campus, easily to the gym, easily to the bar, easily to work with a 5-15 minute bike ride on all counts. Looking back I enjoyed it alot more than i ever thought i would now and the only time i used my truck was going to the grocery store once a week.

Now as an adult with kids is that realistic, no. But it would be nice to be able to have the ability to run small errands once in awhile with out getting into my 2 ton vehicle, firing it up at 3-4 bucks a gallon and driving to the gym.

One thing that I would love OKC and Suburbs to do is to plant more trees. Planting trees is extremely easy and low cost and would help our city look so much better. It cuts down on wind, cuts down on noise, reduces pollution, improves property value, and all the other good stuff. Outside of eastern portions of the city that have cross timbers coverage the city is pretty barren.

Those practical statements are EXACTLLY what i wish the walkbility folks would keep in mind. Rather than trying to make us into some consultant or professor's image of what they think the "right" thing is. Practicality drives the end result. If it's not practical, it's not gonna happen no matter how much money you waste listening to blow hards who suposedly "know" it all.

The thing to keep in mind is, you have to find something that works for you in your situation to at least make a start. I found a gym on my way home, so i dont drive as far to go there, even though my rate is a few bucks more a month. At 240/Sooner, there isn't jack crap in walking distance. OOOh, lets go to McDonalds and put that fat right back on where i just walked it off....lol. However, when it's not cold or hot as hell, my family takes a 30 minute walk every day (with our twin 3 year olds) after dinner in our neighborhood (which has sidewalks). The area really needs at least a small park too, but it's not there so what are you gonna do.So i totally understand where you're coming from. And i wish all the folks with all these plans would keep more of us in mind. There are some people on this forum that have absolutely no concept of what things are really like....they just aren't old enough to be in the situation. So i get tired of trying to explain life..lol.

Trees are something MWC has strived very hard to keep going. It's been a Tree City USA for several decades. The city plants trees all over town every year. They always try to make up for the loss in the east by development, by planting in the older west developed areas.

[LandRunOkie]

If it's not practical, it's not gonna happen no matter how much money you waste listening to blow hards who suposedly "know" it all.
...
There are some people on this forum that have absolutely no concept of what things are really like....they just aren't old enough to be in the situation. So i get tired of trying to explain life..lol.

It doesn't cost anything to listen. What I hear from you is defeatism. That's better kept to yourself!