I dont know if this is gonna work out yet but.........
DH has classes to take in Houston around the week of December 4th, I might get to tag along with him if we can work out something with the kids so they dont miss any school. Im really excited about this and dont even know wich part of Houston we will be in yet, LOL.
I dont have any questions yet but just wanted to tell somebody and get some more fingers crossed for me that we can work it out so I can go. We will probrably bring our six year old DD with us since I cant think of anyone that would be able to keep her and take her to school all week.
Oh but I hope this works out. teehee
I might get to visit Texas
Oh my gos how great. LMK maybe we could meet.
Sandy ^8^
Sandy it would be fantastic to meet you personaly. I will definatly let you know.
I will of course start asking more questions and making plans as soon as I figure our if I can go and where the heck Ill be.
Aw shucks, I was hoping that's the week I'd be in Houston, but its not.
DANG IT!!! LOL,
I know we'll have a rental car while we are there but I dont know how comfortable Ill be driving too far from our hotel. DH said its not too difficult but definatly different than the way some of our roads work, Ill have to ask him exactly why he says that .
still crossing my fingers
I get lost every time I go to Houston! Our roads down here are pretty easy to navigate because they're mostly east-west or north-south and I know if I miss the first road, theres another that will take me where I'm going, but Houston is like a spaghetti bowl! My advice is to get a good city map of Houston if you plan on driving in the city(then there's the road construction, always messes up the best laid trip route)
Heres what I've noticed about Houston drivers:
1. The posted speed limits mean nothing, if it says 60, it means 80
2. Never ever use the HOV lane, even if you've got 6 people in the car, it's better to clog up the remaining lanes.
3. Most cars are economy models, they don't come with signal lights, lol
4. Never use your brakes, use your horn instead, people should know to get out of your way.
5. There are no tow trucks, just tie a rope(or use duck tape) to tow your car where ever it needs to go and be sure to get in the middle of the freeway so you can cause a big traffic jam.
6. The big roads are called expressways, the road that runs beside the expressway is a frontage road, usually one way traffic, and traffic exiting from the freeway has the right of way. If you call them something else, people won't know what you're talking about.
7. Houston has some toll roads. I always get lost on the Sam Houston tollway and it's a long way around that city, take my word for it!
8. We have some roads that are FM roads, these are farm roads, or farm to market roads. Most are pretty good roads and rarely end with you looking at a plowed dirt field. CR roads are county roads, they may start out paved but don't be fooled, they tend to end in the middle of nowhere, usually with you looking at a hundred acres of plowed fields!
9. You will notice the shoulders of most roads are wide and sometimes the center of the road has two sets of lines. Thats because the farmers drive their equipment on the road. Farm equipment has the right of way, but they are usually pretty nice and will scoot over on the shoulder so you can go around them. Sometimes their equipment is too wide and oncoming traffic has to take the shoulder. If you're driving and the car in front of you moves over onto the shoulder of the road and keeps moving, he wants you to go around him. Sometimes our two lane roads have four lanes of traffic, lol. Don't be afraid, you'll get used to it.
laughing really hard. I was thinking the same stuff and deliberated about warning Dravencat, , but didn't want to scare her to death!
LOL, Calla! Yes, don't be scared Dravencat! We'll help you the best we can! Be sure to let us know any particulars you can, I'm sure a number of us would love to get to meet you (we may even pick you up and do the driving, lol).
When drdon and Pamtannia were here a couple of weeks agon, Don said that the Sam Houston tollway was insane. He described to me how everyone was driving, I had forgotten to warn him about it. It's just a way of life, didn't think it was noteworthy. :-)
Callalily, I'm glad you explained what the shoulders are for. We lived in MD many years ago, so I don't remember if they have shoulders. Or maybe they don't use them the same way we do. I do remember in high school drivers' ed class, our teacher made a big deal about pulling over to let someone pass.
LOL, I was already afraid of driving around but figured Im hillbilly enough to try it and keep on going, LOL.
Silverfluter, we still have shoulders but not much left of them on the beltway(495), with alot of construction going on there they took away alot of them and if you break down somewhere your just SOL.
I will definatly keep my cel phone with me at all times and phone numbers to call and cry to when I cant figure out where the heck I am and why Im looking at a 100 acres of plowed dirt when I was just on an asphalt road, LOL
Oh I hope this works out soooooo bad ya just dont know. It almost makes me wish we were driving all the way down instead of flying so I could visit more DGers on the way down. Still crossing my fingers.
I am so hoping this works out. We all are.
Blessings,
Sandy ^8^
I think you will do just fine driving here! I've driven in Baltimore and Washington DC, and I tell ya, I'd take Houston at rush hour any day. I got lost on the beltway in DC and don't know how many times I went around that place before we finally got out.
hmmm. I may have to agree Cala on that one. DC and those circles are enough to make you give up on driving altogether
It would be great to meet you, Dravencat! I hope it works out so you can come. I haven't driven in DC, but I have in Los Angeles and Chicago and I greatly prefer driving in Houston to either.
~ Marylyn
Id love to meet you too Marylyn. I had looked thru the member list to see who might live in Houston, I didnt look at anyone who lived outside of Houston because I have no idea of whats where and how far, LOL.
Im still waiting to see what happens, DH hasnt gotten his paperwork for the trip yet but should soon, probrably after T-day. I cant believe how excited Im getting over this, I hope it works out.
Ive driven DC, Baltimore and only walked thru NY, I do NOT want to drive in NY from what I saw, UGH. I still can get lost in DC but as long as I see a few streets I know I can usualy find my way, just the long way. Baltimore is similar to DC I think and for me its just a matter of finding a street I recognize. I think Im going to go get a map and study it for a bit so I can at least have an idea of locations.
I drove to NYC. I will never, ever, ever do that again. If I ever go again I will take a plane and get a taxi! LA is bad too, but I didn't drive there, DH did.
Well it looks like I wont get to visit. This has me pretty bummed out. We decided that between kids, money and time that it just isnt the best time for both of us to be away from home. I know thats the logical and grown up thing to do but DANG!
Im sure DH will have other times when he needs to go to Texas and maybe thatll happen during a time when I wont have to worry about home matters as much.
Awww... We were really looking forward to meeting you! Tell DH he needs to come back soon and bring you along!!
~ Marylyn
Absolutly Marylyn and I so wanted to meet you guys too, believe me I was already alotting time and figuring when he would be getting out of classes so I could meet up with him, LOL . He has to go for classes with Mercedes Benz, they pay for everything wich is one of the great perks of the job. Hes a mercedes mechanic now after years of working on everything else. Hes been working there for a little over a year now and hes been happier there than any other job he had wich makes me happy. Hopefully he'll have to go during the summer so I can find a week long babysitter easier or be able to bring all the kidlets with us.
WOW what a heart breaker for you and for us. Hope it happens when all works out.
Sandy
Calalily, oh my...that IS hilarious. I used to live in Houston and yes, the driving is just like that. Austin has a completely different bunch of silliness on the road. ;) We call "frontage" roads "feeder" roads here in Austin.
Michelle