an ohio rant.....

[legion]

I drive slow in the snow. I drive a 5000 lb. 2WD truck and I can't stop it quickly on snow or ice, but I have idiots darting around me which forces me to slow down even more so I can stop quickly when they cut me off and slam on their brakes.

I'll drive slower this year than last as I have a new truck and I'm not sure how it handles in the snow yet.

I will drive fast in the snow, but only when it is safe to do so--when other cars aren't close.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Aren't you the one considering moving to Palm Springs, Joe? :P

I actually wouldn't have a problem with CA being kicked out of the USA. Really, I wouldn't. It'd be a net gain for this state and its residents. The rest of the USA needs CA a lot more than CA needs the rest of the USA.

Oh, and CA already is part of Mexico. At least that's the way it feels.

[Joeaksa]

Jeff,

I was but just cannot stomach the hassles with cars, spoons, "fruits and nuts" and so on. Palm Springs is not exactly SoCal either but I would still have to put up with crazy legal crap that you guys have versus almost every other state in the union.

Ahhh, many of us do not need Cali one bit... but glad that you guys feel important over there!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Yea, it's a mixed bag. There's a lot that I wish were different about here - political climate, attitudes about personal responsibility, English as a first language (you know what I'm getting at here), housing prices and so forth among them. However we have to take the bad with the good and I still believe the benefits outweigh the costs. At least for now. The pendulum is swinging in the opposite direction and the day may very well come in the next couple of years when I finally say it's no longer worth it. Things are definitely heading that direction. But they might start improving too (one can dream, can't they?)

No snow, no rednecks, no bible-bangers, no S.A.D. and being able to ride a bike/go for a walk outside/drive a convertible (or targa) year-round tend to make it worthwhile, at least in my book. For now. Not to mention the ready availability of jobs and a virtual guarantee of continuous employment - particularly important heading into a recession.

CA is certainly not without its problems, but for me, now, it's the only place I'd like to be. And I've lived in the northeast (Massachusetts and NH), the south (FL), the midwest (Chicago), the northwest (Portland) in addition to here, so yes - I've seen what other areas have to offer. Overall, this is still the best deal going.

And you're right - Palm Springs is more like Florida or Scottsdale (overrun with near-deads) than southern CA. It's probably far enough from the L.A. problems where you'd be okay with it. I figure the further one is from L.A. the better - unfortunately Long Beach is starting to become more and more like it daily, which is making me seriously reconsider being here. . . Maybe time to look at heading down to O.C. or San Diego soon.

[NE Ohio 911]

Hey Porsche-O-Phile come to Cleveland and see how many rednecks you find. The last I heard Southern California was the land of Fruits & Nuts!