No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
#31
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Joined: Sep 2016
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Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
Thanks. I've spent some time this week looking up the highly rated public school districts
#32
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
Unfortunately driving is a part of life in LA - and hard to avoid. I would recommend de-prioritizing the cycling to work thing. Find a community where the schools are good, the neighbors don't all hate each other, the kids can play in the street, and some stores are within walking distance. That's my advice!
#33
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Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
Unfortunately driving is a part of life in LA - and hard to avoid. I would recommend de-prioritizing the cycling to work thing. Find a community where the schools are good, the neighbors don't all hate each other, the kids can play in the street, and some stores are within walking distance. That's my advice!
#34
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
If the relocation isn't an absolute requirement, but simply a request that you and your hubby can decline without fear of him losing his job, I'd really think very, very carefully about whether or not you want to do this.
While your kids will no doubt cope with the change, as it seems they are all still primary school level, it does sound as though you are very happy where you are. Your husband will undoubtedly enter into a whirlwind of work, setting up a new office and so on. Unless you have a very outgoing personality, you may find that you're on your own a lot and it's difficult to make new friends. Adding pregnancy hormones into the mix, followed by coping with a newborn in a new country without a support network could leave you struggling, to be honest.
Obviously it very much depends on your personality, your ability to make new friends, your comfort zone etc. but don't underestimate the effect that uprooting and moving halfway across the world will have on you. It took me a very long time (7 years) before I truly settled in.
While your kids will no doubt cope with the change, as it seems they are all still primary school level, it does sound as though you are very happy where you are. Your husband will undoubtedly enter into a whirlwind of work, setting up a new office and so on. Unless you have a very outgoing personality, you may find that you're on your own a lot and it's difficult to make new friends. Adding pregnancy hormones into the mix, followed by coping with a newborn in a new country without a support network could leave you struggling, to be honest.
Obviously it very much depends on your personality, your ability to make new friends, your comfort zone etc. but don't underestimate the effect that uprooting and moving halfway across the world will have on you. It took me a very long time (7 years) before I truly settled in.
(Lived in Calabasas for 9 years and my son lives in Marina Del Rey)
#35
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 50
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
Thanks. Yes the office is going to be in Santa Monica itself and we're determined that my husband won't spend hours in the car. So we'll need to look at rentals within cycling distance of the office which will therefore be expensive. I'm hoping therefore that it will be paid for by the company. Ideally we'd find areas outside the tourist traps but within an easy commute.
RE private schools, there's no way we could afford them so if the company aren't up for footing the bill for three children, it'd have to be public school.
RE private schools, there's no way we could afford them so if the company aren't up for footing the bill for three children, it'd have to be public school.
#36
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
Pay no attention to someone's idiotic warning that cycling to work in Santa Monica would be suicidal.
The "hysterical" smiley accompanying that post would be better applied to its poster - someone who has likely never been to Santa Monica - or California.
I have no idea what your budget is, but you might want to look at rentals in Ocean Park. It's located between Venice and Santa Monica (actually considered part of SM) and very family oriented.
#37
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Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
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Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
My son is off to California for his new job in a couple of weeks - he was going to sell his bicycles in England, but fortunately his new employers are paying him a decent relocation allowance, so he's shipping them. I can't imagine why people wouldn't cycle to work in Southern California if they wished, there seems to be a decent network of cycle paths, certainly better than Trumpington Rd into Cambridge which is his commute now. And probably fewer rainy, slushy & frigid days than Cambridge, too.
#38
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
My son is off to California for his new job in a couple of weeks - he was going to sell his bicycles in England, but fortunately his new employers are paying him a decent relocation allowance, so he's shipping them. I can't imagine why people wouldn't cycle to work in Southern California if they wished, there seems to be a decent network of cycle paths, certainly better than Trumpington Rd into Cambridge which is his commute now. And probably fewer rainy, slushy & frigid days than Cambridge, too.
In my neck of the woods (not CA), the police/ DA often seem to treat a collision resulting in the death of a cyclist as "just an accident", and won't even try to prosecute a driver for the death.
Last edited by Pulaski; Oct 16th 2016 at 12:00 pm.
#39
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Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,455
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
If there are dedicated cycle paths and traffic is kept away from cyclists then he should be fine, but as is often noted the standard of driving in the US is appalling, drivers are often distracted, and often don't seem to give a §h!t about people on bicycles.
In my neck of the woods (not CA), the police/ DA often seem to treat a collision resulting in the death of a cyclist as "just an accident", and won't even try to prosecute a driver for the death.
In my neck of the woods (not CA), the police/ DA often seem to treat a collision resulting in the death of a cyclist as "just an accident", and won't even try to prosecute a driver for the death.
British cyclists have very poor road infrastructure, though, and lots of cyclists are killed & injured on the road in the UK, mostly as a result of motor vehicle collisions. And, roads are so crowded in much of the UK that drivers give cyclists very little space. In New York State and MA, the two parts of the U.S. that I cycle & drive in, motorists (including truck drivers) are usually very considerate of cyclists and give them plenty of space.
Last edited by robin1234; Oct 16th 2016 at 1:51 pm. Reason: Typo
#40
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
British cyclists have very poor road infrastructure, though, and lots of cyclists are killed & injured on the road in the UK, mostly as a result of motor vehicle collisions. And, roads are so crowded in much of the UK that drivers give cyclists very little space. In New York State and MA, the two parts of the U.S. that I cycle & drive in, motorists (including truck drivers) are usually very considerate of cyclists and give them plenty of space.
#41
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 946
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
If there are dedicated cycle paths and traffic is kept away from cyclists then he should be fine, but as is often noted the standard of driving in the US is appalling, drivers are often distracted, and often don't seem to give a §h!t about people on bicycles.
In my neck of the woods (not CA), the police/ DA often seem to treat a collision resulting in the death of a cyclist as "just an accident", and won't even try to prosecute a driver for the death.
In my neck of the woods (not CA), the police/ DA often seem to treat a collision resulting in the death of a cyclist as "just an accident", and won't even try to prosecute a driver for the death.
#42
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
#43
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
Who said regarding cycling in Santa Monica?
To the contrary, it's so popular it even has its own web page:
Santa Monica Biking | Santa Monica Bike Rental
To the contrary, it's so popular it even has its own web page:
Santa Monica Biking | Santa Monica Bike Rental
#44
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,455
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
Tour de Trump, which rivalled the Tour de France.
#45
Re: No idea where to start - moving from UK to coastal California
There's plenty of cycling here in NC too, it's very popular with a large number of trails and paths suitable for cycling, and also with a website, which I subscribe to and get e-mail updates from, and you can even rent a bike to ride around downtown Charlotte. But I still think you'd have to be mad to cycle to work, and cycled in London (not to work) including around the Hammersmith gyratory, Marble Arch, and Hyde Park Corner, so I know what "mad" is like in the context of cycling!
Last edited by Pulaski; Oct 17th 2016 at 12:11 pm.