would like to move to CA but i'm afraid of earthquakes. unfounded fear?

[shopbruin]

Fuck California. I don't need my crap falling off the shelves, and paying for the privilege with retarded laws.

These old buildings in SF aren't built to modern code, and most likely have not been retrofitted. I would not live in those older buildings, regardless of the "charm" factor unless they've been retrofitted to the new codes.

Foster City is a city that my husband is convinced is going to fall in the bay when the next big one hits, since that's all landfill.

 

[sygyzy]

How many 9.0+ earth quakes have there been around major cities? That the kind of quake they are forecasting here. There haven't been ANY in recorded history near major settlements. Those that have occurred have either been remote or caused huge death tolls. The Indian Ocean quake killed 200,000+. Yes that did strike in a poor country but still a LOT of people would still die in a wealthy country. The reason you don't know anyone who has died is because there have been relatively few large earthquakes here in the west over the past 50-60 years.

So your fear is based on "the big one" coming in your lifetime?

 

[olds]

Q. would like to move to CA but i'm afraid of earthquakes. unfounded fear?

A. It is absolutely NOT unfounded. Your best bet is to stay out of California.

 

[Miramonti]

Unfounded.

However beware that it's more expensive, traffic is hell and drivers are @ssholes, and worst of all the state is populated with Californians.

 

[So]

sick of the freezing winters and humid summers of the northeast.
ideal temperature is 70-80, low humidity, bright sun.

it seems as if CA offers what i desire, but they've got issues with the ground staying still. i have a feeling the big one is going to strike in the near future.

is there another option in the US?

Hate the cold? Southern NV, Southern UT, AZ, NM. Is a moderate climate acceptable? Northern NV, Oregon, Washington.

 

[Craig234]

sick of the freezing winters and humid summers of the northeast.
ideal temperature is 70-80, low humidity, bright sun.

it seems as if CA offers what i desire, but they've got issues with the ground staying still. i have a feeling the big one is going to strike in the near future.

is there another option in the US?

There is an enormous earthquake coming to the Bay Area (they're cyclical). This could be the most damaging disaster in US history.

But there are part of CA that are safer, even paerts of the bay area (bedrock) that are safer, and so on.BART has been retrofitted for earthquake safety.

It's not a reason not to come. Just plan.

 

[rockyct]

What? Earthquake's never happen here. http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2046923


Anyway, very few people die in CA during even the biggest earthquakes in CA. Building standards are very high and the overpasses seem to get retrofitted every few years. Yes, you can loose some stuff, but you'll have insurance.

Basically, CA has many types of disasters, but ones that don't kill you, and ones that you can prepare for. Mudslides, wild fires, earthquakes, etc. Don't live on an ocean cliff for mudslides. Keep a fire break from your property or just don't live at the edge of the suburbs for wildfires. Don't live in an old brick house for earthquakes and attach large bookcases, etc. to the wall.

There are much better reasons not to live here than earthquakes. Earthquakes, when they happen, are actually pretty cool to feel if they aren't massive.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Unfounded.

However beware that it's more expensive, traffic is hell and drivers are @ssholes, and worst of all the state is populated with Californians.

I'm already experiencing this, minus the Californians part of course.

 

[rockyct]

I'm already experiencing this, minus the Californians part of course.

The drivers in NorCal seem hella ( ) more aggressive than SoCal drivers too. Actually, people driving on the 78 are pretty bad too...but San Diego itself has pretty good patient drivers overall. I just think the density of traffic freaks people out if they are from out of state. Most people just cruise along at 75.

 

[Capt Caveman]

sick of the freezing winters and humid summers of the northeast.
ideal temperature is 70-80, low humidity, bright sun.

it seems as if CA offers what i desire, but they've got issues with the ground staying still. i have a feeling the big one is going to strike in the near future.

is there another option in the US?

Outside of weather, what else are you looking for in a place to live?

 

[soulcougher73]

Yes. Unfound fear. I was there in 89' and im alive

 

[shopbruin]

Anyway, very few people die in CA during even the biggest earthquakes in CA. Building standards are very high and the overpasses seem to get retrofitted every few years. Yes, you can loose some stuff, but you'll have insurance.

Most people don't have earthquake insurance. It is can be expensive and doesn't cover much. My renters policy specifically states if damage is due to earthquake, it is not covered.

 

[TubeTote]

Most people don't have earthquake insurance. It is can be expensive and doesn't cover much. My renters policy specifically states if damage is due to earthquake, it is not covered.

Yes...I have some clients in CA and this is correct. In CA, earthquake is now handled somewhat like flood insurance nationwide. Some companies offer the coverage, but it is a separate policy...and some companies do not offer it at all. It's really a state run program, sort of like flood is a national program. This is because the devastation can be so costly, that it would put an insurer out of business. It is somewhat pricey coverage from what I have seen.

 

[pontifex]

CA? earthquakes should be the least of your worries...

 

[Locut0s]

So your fear is based on "the big one" coming in your lifetime?

I'm not really afraid of it. If I were I'd look at living somewhere else. But yeah if I were afraid of it, it would only make sense to worry about it occurring during ones lifetime Assuming I live till I'm 85-90 it's not THAT much of a stretch to say it could happen.

 

[Jeff7]

Doesn't matter where you move, there's gonna be some natural disaster to worry about. I've lived in CA off and on for about 16 years now and TBH you learn to live with the shakes. The best way to deal with it is realize that CA is much better prepared (both EMS and the engineering in the buildings) than most places.

Where do you live now?

Maybe consider AZ?

Frequency of natural disasters is something to consider.
I could move to one of the active domes on the Hawaiian Islands, or possibly set up a tent by Old Faithful.
Pennsylvania seems to have been decent - very mild on the earthquake front, and I haven't ever really been through any significant natural disaster. I think the worst I've been through was a heavy blizzard that dumped a few feet of snow, as well as some ice - we lost power for something like 3 days, and the area was effectively shut down for around a week.
We had a wood stove, so the house was heated, and we were able to fill buckets with snow to bring in and melt for water to flush toilets, as the only water pressure was what was present in the pipes when power was lost. (It was a rural area, so we had a well.)

Not exactly any really rough stuff there.

 

[Deleted member 4644]

Someday LA or SF will be hit with an 8.0 that will kill a million+ people. I, for one, am not worried about it.

You can die anywhere. The chance of NY getting nuked is about 10 times greater than LA getting nuked. Go figure.

 

[MooMooCow]

I literally live on top of the Hayward Fault. The next big thing to hit the Bay Area is gonna suck.

 

[Locut0s]

I literally live on top of the Hayward Fault. The next big thing to hit the Bay Area is gonna suck.

Renovate your house so it's split in 2 along the fault line and can the 2 sections can move freely past each other

 

[TheVrolok]

Doesn't matter where you move, there's gonna be some natural disaster to worry about.

The mid-atlantic is pretty safe as far as natural disasters go. Ask PA/MD about quakes/tornadoes/hurricanes/etc. Doesn't really happen. A heavy rain storm once and awhile, but no biggie. Maybe a tiny tornado here or there but even then not really.

 

[MJinZ]

The mid-atlantic is pretty safe as far as natural disasters go. Ask PA/MD about quakes/tornadoes/hurricanes/etc. Doesn't really happen. A heavy rain storm once and awhile, but no biggie. Maybe a tiny tornado here or there but even then not really.

New England doesn't have any issues, nor does closeish to NE like NY.

 

[TubeTote]

Don't forget Colorado...not that many natural disasters here!

Occasional avalanche in the mountains, a few minor floods, a hail storm now and then.

And you get a better buzz when you drink because of the altitude

EDIT: Though that wears off after a while heh

 

[Dirigible]

I literally live on top of the Hayward Fault. The next big thing to hit the Bay Area is gonna suck.

Whooo! I'm a couple hundred yards from it.

My house is earthquake retrofitted out the wazoo and only one story, but it's still gonna be ugly...

 

[jonnyjack]

The drivers in NorCal seem hella ( ) more aggressive than SoCal drivers too. Actually, people driving on the 78 are pretty bad too...but San Diego itself has pretty good patient drivers overall. I just think the density of traffic freaks people out if they are from out of state. Most people just cruise along at 75.

I disagree. A friend of mine went to college down south and when he came back, he was hella aggressive on the 101.

 

[db]

The news makes a big deal about California quakes b/c they have to talk about something/anything in order to sell soap.
Don't live in fear (about anything). Educate yourself, make decisions, live life.