My fiancee and I just relocated here last month from Atlanta.  I work downtown and it takes me 40+ minutes to drive 12 miles. I live in Beachwood and work in Public Square.  I currently commute down Shaker to Buckeye...etc.  I know there is no really good way to go, but if someone could please help me on commuting to work and home I would greatly appreciate it!

My fiancee and I just relocated here last month from Atlanta. I work downtown and it takes me 40+ minutes to drive 12 miles. I live in Beachwood and work in Public Square. I currently commute down Shaker to Buckeye...etc. I know there is no really good way to go, but if someone could please help me on commuting to work and home I would greatly appreciate it!

 

You could drive to the Shaker/Green rapid/train station. Park your car for free and ride the train into Tower City. Would probably take the same amount of time but it's a lot less of a headache, and cheaper as well.

 

 

My fiancee and I just relocated here last month from Atlanta.  I work downtown and it takes me 40+ minutes to drive 12 miles. I live in Beachwood and work in Public Square.  I currently commute down Shaker to Buckeye...etc.  I know there is no really good way to go, but if someone could please help me on commuting to work and home I would greatly appreciate it!

You could drive to the Shaker/Green rapid/train station. Park your car for free and ride the train into Tower City. Would probably take the same amount of time but it's a lot less of a headache, and cheaper as well.

 

I second that - Additionally, when the weather gets bad, your commute time won't increase like it will driving.  The Blue/Green line schedule can be found here http://www.riderta.com/pdf/67-67A.pdf, and monthly passes cost $85.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks!  I have taken it once and liked it.  My fiancee dropped me off and picked me up since our schedules are similar.  I will be at a loss when it starts snowing.  I have NEVER driven in snow!

Thanks! I have taken it once and liked it. My fiancee dropped me off and picked me up since our schedules are similar. I will be at a loss when it starts snowing. I have NEVER driven in snow!

 

Hahaha!  Take the train then!  I'm assuming you're currently paying to park downtown anyway? 

Yep...$6 which isn't too bad.  But, it will add up.  The train was fun and I doubt I will ever need my car during the day since it is stupid to actually leave your parking space.

$6 for 30 days (average) is $180.  Monthly pass is what now, $86?  No contest, take the rapid.

 

This is a typical commute time from Beachwood to downtown, unfortunately, but a lot of people do it; we are pretty spread out here and a lot of people live one place and work another.  I don't know what the 'official' figures are on average commute times, but based on a representative sampling of about 20 people in my office, it's about 30 minutes on average and these are people from W side, E side, S side, etc. 

$6 for 30 days (average) is $180. Monthly pass is what now, $86? No contest, take the rapid.

 

This is a typical commute time from Beachwood to downtown, unfortunately, but a lot of people do it; we are pretty spread out here and a lot of people live one place and work another. I don't know what the 'official' figures are on average commute times, but based on a representative sampling of about 20 people in my office, it's about 30 minutes on average and these are people from W side, E side, S side, etc.

 

Plus throw in the price of gas as well.

The rapid is the way to go

Thanks so much for all the advice.  I think taking the train will be my best bet.  I am dreading finding out how many tickets I may have racked up this last month coming from a city that drives VERY bad!

Welcome to Cleveland by the way, and let us know if you have any other questions about the cleveland area.

Ha!  I have A LOT!  Why do people say "Oh I am so sorry" whenever I tell them I moved here from Atlanta.  Is there something I am missing?

 

I have joined a running group that I am trying to make it to;)  My fiancee is from Mentor, but hasn't lived there since he graduated high school 20 years ago.  He has lived in Atlanta since he graduated from Bowling Green.  He was relocated up here with Cox just a couple months ago.  I am trying to adjust with a big smile on my face:)  I like the city...wish I knew "fun"

things to do here.  We are trying to get out every weekend.  Any suggestions?

 

And another question...what is up with these traffic lights?

You're not missing anything. That's the typical Clevelander response. Most Clevelanders live by the "woe is me" attitude and don't realize Cleveland/NEO is a great place to live.

Ha! I have A LOT! Why do people say "Oh I am so sorry" whenever I tell them I moved here from Atlanta. Is there something I am missing?

 

I like the city...wish I knew "fun"

things to do here. We are trying to get out every weekend. Any suggestions?

 

And another question...what is up with these traffic lights?

 

Not sure what you mean about the traffic lights - what's different/wrong about them and maybe we can explain?

 

"oh I'm so sorry" is part of our general very low self esteem.  More than in most cities, Clevelanders are notoriously harder on our city than they have any right to be, and complain constantly about problems here, perceived or real.  We are way harder on Cleveland than any visitors could be, and while that's true of most cities' residents, it seems worse here than most places.  For example, I know people from NYC who say "oh, don't EVER move here, we have x, y and z problems" but they still love NY and would never live anywhere else; and most are transplants who chose to move there and do not leave, so that tells you they really love it.  Conversely, a lot of people in Cleveland seem to feel "forced" to stay here.  They have significant family here on one side or the other (wife or hubsand, for example), or have a good job here, or both, which forces them to stay here despite not wanting to be here.  The weather is usually one of the biggest complaints about Cleveland and one which we can do nothing to change.  Our winters here are tough, and depending on what part of town you live in, they can be REALLY bad vs just kind of bad - our position under Lake Erie makes us subject to what they call "lake effect" weather. So when it snows, those in "lake effect" areas get twice as much snow sometimes than other areas. On the whole, most of the cleveland area is part of the lake effect problem - if it is a terrible snowstorm here and you drive due south, by the time you get to the next county south of ours, it could be not snowing at all, or could be raining lightly, or could even be sunny and dry.

 

There are dozens of other, more complex reasons that people are down on our region (such as our manufacturing-based economic history and it's dissapation and massive loss of jobs now that mfgring is no longer big business here), but the weather and feeling "forced" to stay here are two of the biggies IMO.

Ha!  I have A LOT!  Why do people say "Oh I am so sorry" whenever I tell them I moved here from Atlanta.  Is there something I am missing?

 

I have joined a running group that I am trying to make it to;)  My fiancee is from Mentor, but hasn't lived there since he graduated high school 20 years ago.  He has lived in Atlanta since he graduated from Bowling Green.  He was relocated up here with Cox just a couple months ago.  I am trying to adjust with a big smile on my face:)  I like the city...wish I knew "fun"

things to do here.  We are trying to get out every weekend.  Any suggestions?

 

And another question...what is up with these traffic lights?

 

What about the traffic lights do you mean?  Like how they're never synched......  Like how there are many unnecessary "No right on red" signs......  Like how there's rarely a turn lane or turn arrow and almost never both in the same place......  I haven't found much to complain about since I moved here 7 years ago, but the traffic lights do get ya!

Just that they aren't timed.  I will be driving with nobody around and have to stop at a light for an ungodly amount of time.  And there are so many....can't wait to take the Rapid!

Just that they aren't timed. I will be driving with nobody around and have to stop at a light for an ungodly amount of time. And there are so many....can't wait to take the Rapid!

 

You can go down Chester in large blocks without stopping but if you exceed the speed limit, you'll hit a lot of the lights; they're timed to make you drive the speed limit.  But most other places they are not timed and are completely random so yeah, you end up sitting at a lot of empty lights.  I've never known it to be any other way.

I never understand the complaint about the weather. Cleveland really isn't a Lake Effect city. Occasionally, the city gets hit with large amounts of snow. It's usually the eastern suburbs on the edge of the county and the suburbs in Geauga and Lake Counties. Also, I've met people from Minneapolis who are proud of their cold winters. They make it seem like a badge of honor. In my opinion, I think it's because Clevelanders are so hard on the region and the weather is one more than to complain about.

Just that they aren't timed. I will be driving with nobody around and have to stop at a light for an ungodly amount of time. And there are so many....can't wait to take the Rapid!

 

You can go down Chester in large blocks without stopping but if you exceed the speed limit, you'll hit a lot of the lights; they're timed to make you drive the speed limit. But most other places they are not timed and are completely random so yeah, you end up sitting at a lot of empty lights. I've never known it to be any other way.

 

And they have red light cameras that send you tickets in the mail if you run a red light.

Just that they aren't timed. I will be driving with nobody around and have to stop at a light for an ungodly amount of time. And there are so many....can't wait to take the Rapid!

 

You can go down Chester in large blocks without stopping but if you exceed the speed limit, you'll hit a lot of the lights; they're timed to make you drive the speed limit. But most other places they are not timed and are completely random so yeah, you end up sitting at a lot of empty lights. I've never known it to be any other way.

 

And they have red light cameras that send you tickets in the mail if you run a red light.

 

FYI Codo -

If you are driving down Chester, the red light camera they are speaking of is at the intersection of E. 71st and Chester.  It is red light AND speed sensitive going both directions.  Additionally, there are speed cameras going westbound just west of E. 55th St. on Chester.  Don't speed past those either if you ever drive that way :).

Thanks for all the driving tips:)  The girl I work with has gotten 3 in the mail all around the same time.  Doesn't even sound legal.  I really have to change my driving habits.  People in Atlanta are maniacs and you have to drive like them to keep up.  My car insurance went down by half when I moved so it is doing something right.

The red light cameras are legal, it's been debated in courts already and drivers lost.  There aren't that many of them really, and once you learn where they are, you just pay more attention at those particular locations.  You can usually tell where they are because everyone slows down before they get to them.  Just follow the general good rule - if everyone is braking as a group, you should too - you never know if there's something in the road or a cop or whatever, but it's best to slow down if you see others ahead braking in front of you.

The red light cameras are legal, it's been debated in courts already and drivers lost. There aren't that many of them really, and once you learn where they are, you just pay more attention at those particular locations. You can usually tell where they are because everyone slows down before they get to them. Just follow the general good rule - if everyone is braking as a group, you should too - you never know if there's something in the road or a cop or whatever, but it's best to slow down if you see others ahead braking in front of you.

 

What ever happened to the guy who tried to sue because he "leased" his car? And the law stated something about car "owners" being ticketed by the camera, but nothing about those that lease a car.

He lost.

The red light cameras are legal, it's been debated in courts already and drivers lost.  There aren't that many of them really, and once you learn where they are, you just pay more attention at those particular locations.  You can usually tell where they are because everyone slows down before they get to them.  Just follow the general good rule - if everyone is braking as a group, you should too - you never know if there's something in the road or a cop or whatever, but it's best to slow down if you see others ahead braking in front of you.

 

In most cases, there is a sign stating something about "Traffic Photo Enforcement" just before the area the camera covers, along with markings on the road. 

In most cases, there is a sign stating something about "Traffic Photo Enforcement" just before the area the camera covers, along with markings on the road.

 

Right, but if you're new and are concentrating on where you're going and not looking for the equipment...I'm just saying, for quite awhile I didn't know I was in one of those zones until I was already in it or just past it.  Now I know when I'm coming up on them.  The signs notifying you about them are IMO not far enough in advance of the actual scanned sections of street to adequately CYA if you happen to be speeding, it would be easy to miss the sign and shoot into the zone and not realize you were speeding and in the zone until you're actually in it and it's too late.

Welcome Codo!

 

 

 

 

if you are looking for "fun"... perhaps tell us about how old you guys are and some of the things that you like to do?  :)

We are 38 and 33 so "fun" isn't what it used to be.  We like sports, outdoors and other intersting things to do.  Not so much into crowded and smokey places, but we have more money than we did in our younger years so we like to enjoy dinners, plays, etc.

Don't forget to check out the always-awesome Cleveland Relocation Guide. Speaking as another new-Clevelander (15 years since college and 19 since leaving Texas), I think that you are really going to like it up here.  Fortunately, with the smoking ban, the air in every establishment will be as clean as the hygiene habits of folks nearby will allow. And, there are lots of opportunities to join sports leagues.  Check out clevelandplays.com to find all sorts of leagues to join.  They cater to the 20-40ish crowd.

 

Quick tip to make it through your first winter: pick up a winter sport if you haven't already.  There are many skating rinks and cross-country ski trails around here.  Heck, you could even pick up curling.

 

Mods: can we rename this thread "Cleveland: Commuting from the Eastside"?  I know that we Clevelanders are all that, but the downstaters might get glum.

Ha!  I have A LOT!  Why do people say "Oh I am so sorry" whenever I tell them I moved here from Atlanta.  Is there something I am missing?

 

I have joined a running group that I am trying to make it to;)  My fiancee is from Mentor, but hasn't lived there since he graduated high school 20 years ago.  He has lived in Atlanta since he graduated from Bowling Green.  He was relocated up here with Cox just a couple months ago.  I am trying to adjust with a big smile on my face:)  I like the city...wish I knew "fun"

things to do here.  We are trying to get out every weekend.  Any suggestions?

 

And another question...what is up with these traffic lights?

 

Ha!  Typical N.E. Ohio inferiority complex strikes again.. Instead of a local saying.. "Oh welcome...  Have you seen this or that yet....How can we help you...bla..bla..bla.." You get the typical reply from the "Shleprocks" "Ohhhh.... wousy wousy woooo wooo!...it'll never work"

I'm glad you found this forum. Come here for all you need to know and welcome! Thank goodness we are slowly being infiltrated by new people and forward thinkers!

Hermes Sports is a good sponsor of races and Road Runners is a good local running club.

 

Our metroparks system is great for hiking, biking, trail running, picnics, all kinds of fun. www.clemetparks.com/

 

We have a lot of great, independent theaters.  I recommend checking out shows at Dobama (http://www.dobama.org/), Cleveland Public Theater (http://beckcenter.org/) and the Beck Center (http://beckcenter.org/).

 

Our restaurant scene is thriving and fantastic. There is a whole separate thread on Cleveland restaurants, you might want to browse that for ideas.

We are 38 and 33 so "fun" isn't what it used to be.  We like sports, outdoors and other intersting things to do.  Not so much into crowded and smokey places, but we have more money than we did in our younger years so we like to enjoy dinners, plays, etc.

 

Sounds like you are in luck - especially since Ohio has a smoking ban in public places (restaraunts, bars, offices, etc.).  As far as suggestions, where do I get started?  Hmmmmm....

 

SPORTS - Cleveland has 3 major sports teams - baseball (Indians), football (Browns) and basketball (Cavs), so there are no shortage of sporting events to attend.  You can also head to Lake County for minor league baseball at a cheaper price and, my personal favorite, crawl around to the local high schools on Friday nights and enjoy some of the best HS football in the country.  There are also plenty of rec leagues for people your age - my sister and brother-in-law are really into this and have met a lot of new friends by participating in these leagues since they moved here last year from Milwaukee.  My sister plays in a volleyball league, my brother-in-law plays in softball and flag football leagues, and they both play in an ultimate frisbee league.

 

OUTDOORS - of course, we have the Lake, which is a benefit over landlocked ATL.  You can rent watercraft or go fishing off the pier or enjoy a nice day at the beach (just don't expect anything like South Beach).  You can also introduce yourself to one of our greatest assets - the emerald necklace - which is a system of metroparks surrounding the greater cleveland area.  With where you live, I would probably check out the North Chagrin Reservation.  Great trails for biking, hiking, etc.  There are other "outdoorsy" places to explore in the area, like the Towpath Trail, Holden Arboretum, Nelson Ledges and the Cleveland Metro Zoo (one of the best!).

 

OTHER INTERESTING THINGS TO DO - Cleveland has some nationally renowned jewels, like the Museam of Art, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Playhouse Square (biggest theatre district outside NYC), the Westside Market and a PLETHORA of dining options.  For your age, I recommend East 4th Street in Downtown as a good night on the town for the two of you.  Other pockets of action around the area include Little Italy, Ohio City, Coventry Rd and Cedar-Fairmount (both in Cle Heights), Shaker Square and the Village of Chagrin Falls (quant little town about 15 minutes east of Beachwood).  Now, I might get my head bitten off on this board for even suggesting it, but the Beachwood area offers quite a bit to do as well.  Legacy Village is technically in Lyndhurst but just on the Beachwood border.  Bar Louie is one of my favorite places for lunch on the weekends (I love their po' boys) and they have live music event in the quad quite often.  For a good meal, check out Marbella on Chagrin Blvd or, even better, head to their sister restraraunt, Mallorca, which is downtown in the Warehouse District.

Don't forget to check out the always-awesome Cleveland Relocation Guide. Speaking as another new-Clevelander (15 years since college and 19 since leaving Texas), I think that you are really going to like it up here.  Fortunately, with the smoking ban, the air in every establishment will be as clean as the hygiene habits of folks nearby will allow. And, there are lots of opportunities to join sports leagues.  Check out clevelandplays.com to find all sorts of leagues to join.  They cater to the 20-40ish crowd.

 

Quick tip to make it through your first winter: pick up a winter sport if you haven't already.  There are many skating rinks and cross-country ski trails around here.  Heck, you could even pick up curling.

 

Mods: can we rename this thread "Cleveland: Commuting from the Eastside"?  I know that we Clevelanders are all that, but the downstaters might get glum.

 

Shameless plug alert

 

I understand you are from Atlanta and Skiing is not as big an activity, but you should check out the various ski clubs in the area, www.skicleveland.com has a list of all of them.  I am actually a member of one, Fagowees Ski Club www.fagowees.org, and there are many different activities that are done through out the year besides skiing.  I would recommend checking them out.

codomirok, if the prospect of driving in snow scares you (that's actually a healthy approach), consider taking a class on driving in snow. Or drive to an empty, unplowed backlot of a shopping center after a snowfall and practice braking, turning, accelerating and see what the snow will let you do safely and what it won't. But the basic rules are: better to be there late than never (people at your destination will understand), take it slow, anticipate your next move, make no sudden moves/turns, leave extra space in front of you, and be sure to winterize your car!

 

See: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15940164/

Also: http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/drivingsafety/drivingsafetytips/snow.html

Thanks for all the driving tips:)  The girl I work with has gotten 3 in the mail all around the same time.  Doesn't even sound legal.  I really have to change my driving habits.  People in Atlanta are maniacs and you have to drive like them to keep up.  My car insurance went down by half when I moved so it is doing something right.

 

Welcome to Cleveland Honey.  Be glad you escaped the GA 400.  See you on the train.