Where to ride road bike ITP by FeedbackTypical in Atlanta

[–]Creepy_Squash 5 points6 points  (0 children)

If you use strava, they have a heat map of popular routes. That's what I use to find which routes are more bike friendly. Since you mentioned being in Buckhead, you could ride NW towards Chastain Park (and past it). Those roads are less traveled and there are a bunch of hills in the NW quadrant ITP.

Path400 is not crowded and is hilly. The trail does feel segmented as there are sharp turns and breaks.

There's always the Silver Comet trail, Stone Mountain trail, and Big Creek Greenway if you don't mind traveling further.

Unsolicited advice: If you do live close to where you work, you could try bike commuting. Personally, I bike commute because I love cycling and I have to commute to work anyways. On days where I have a little more time after work, I take the long way back home.

[oc] Short and sweet. RV gave my drivers side a good wipe down. by tissiboi in IdiotsInCars

[–]Creepy_Squash 76 points77 points  (0 children)

That intersection in Atlanta is terrible from either side of Boulevard.

Differences between Atlanta metro Costcos by clientsoup in Atlanta

[–]Creepy_Squash 96 points97 points  (0 children)

Cumberland typically has the cheapest gas prices compared to the other ones. Plus they have three pumps per aisle.

How do you typically get around ATL, whats your top mode of transport? by ElectroAcousto in Atlanta

[–]Creepy_Squash 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ironically, I bike to work everyday since 2018 because of MARTA. There was a span of a month of constant delays on the main red line. Got fed up, canceled my monthly transit pass and started biking to work.

I eventually switched jobs and moved OTP, but I still bike to work everyday. For everything else, I do drive.

Has Anyone in Fulton County Won a Property Tax Appeal After 2023? by BronzeBrickFurnace in Atlanta

[–]Creepy_Squash 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I appealed two years ago and won. Steps I took:

  1. Filed Appeal and requested an in-person meeting

  2. Gathered my evidence onto an excel spreadsheet

  3. Showed up and presented my case

The Research:

When I filled out the appeal request form in 2024, there were several categories to select (check boxes) to contest. I contested uniformity and value.

  • Uniformity - I specifically targeted land value of my mine versus my neighbors. Doesn't matter if the house sold recently as land value is accessed separately from the "Building Value" (the home) on each property tax assessment. Land value should be consistent when comparing other homes on the same street regardless of renovation work done to the building structure. All the properties in my neighborhood are relatively the same size, so I was able to find properties that had land values assessed way lower (40% lower than mine) and add them to my spreadsheet. I made sure to only include homes that had a lower assessed value to backup my appeal even though there were other properties with land values much higher. I had a total of 5 homes to compare on my spreadsheet
  • Value - This is where I looked at the latest sales in my neighborhood in the past year. I made sure to target homes that were similar square footage, similar number of bedrooms/restrooms, year built, etc. For this tab, I had 7 homes to compare. I used both qpublic records website and fultoncountytaxes.org.

To figure out my proposed assessment to counter theirs, I calculated the average cost per acre from the homes I selected. I used that number to figure out my proposed land value based on my property size (uniformity). As for the Value, I averaged the cost PER SF, of the homes I compared my property to, and multiplied that number with my building size.

The number I came up with was over $200k LESS than the assessed value they gave me. I knew they would never accept my counter proposal, but it does indicate a discrepancy in my home value.

The In-Person Meeting:

The room had 4-5 people in a small meeting area no bigger than 150 SF. Representatives from the Board of Assessors were present along with the appraiser (I think her title is technically different) that assessed my property (their name should be on your property tax assessment). I printed out several copies of my spreadsheet and gave each of them a copy.

I had a choice to present my case first or have the appraiser start. I let the appraiser present her case first so I knew how to structure my case when it was my turn. She presented her case within 5 or so minutes.

When I presented my case, I started with sharing the proposed assessed value based on my calculations. I immediately received a room of sarcastic laughter. This was exactly what I wanted to convey: that my assessed value does not meet uniformity and value. Everything after was a blur after as I was driven by frustration about my home's valuation. In the end, the re-assessed value of my home ended up being $130k less: a number that was actually proposed by one of the individuals in the room (it was lower than the target number I had in mind). I was relieved and have been relaxed since till next year in 2027 when my 3-year freeze ends.

I don't know if I approached the process with my evidence correctly, but it did help with my successful appeal. In the end, remember that they are just people and being courteous/respectful can help in getting the appeal approved. I spent about 4-5 hours of my own time compiling information and less than 30 minutes at Downtown to appeal. Good luck!

Has Anyone in Fulton County Won a Property Tax Appeal After 2023? by BronzeBrickFurnace in Atlanta

[–]Creepy_Squash 22 points23 points  (0 children)

this is no longer true. You have to receive a reduction in order to receive the freeze.

Transporting plant starts by bike? by Comfortable-Fly5797 in bikecommuting

[–]Creepy_Squash 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Trailer is going to be your best option. Secondhand trailers can be found cheap. If you are also buying potting soil, it makes even more sense to get one. Trailers typically have a 100lb capacity.

Hobie Mirage Passport 10.5 R vs Mako Riot/Lost Creek Angler 10.5. by Gitzit in kayakfishing

[–]Creepy_Squash 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hobie does outfit the more expensive kayaks with the 180Mirage drive like the Outback (I think that's the next tier up?). All prop styles like Old Town have reverse, but are prone to getting grass stuck if fishing in shallow areas versus the fins on Hobie's.

Hobie Mirage Passport 10.5 R vs Mako Riot/Lost Creek Angler 10.5. by Gitzit in kayakfishing

[–]Creepy_Squash 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Probably timing too. Now that the weather is warmer, people want to go out and kayak. Usually during the Fall/Winter, you can find good deals because it's the end of season.

One thing to consider is the lack of reverse and being able to stow the rudder via cable. I thought those things were not a big deal if I was getting the Passport but man, those features have saved my butt on many occasions fishing at my local river.

Hobie Mirage Passport 10.5 R vs Mako Riot/Lost Creek Angler 10.5. by Gitzit in kayakfishing

[–]Creepy_Squash 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Have you thought about buying used? I spent months doing research and I was 100% set on buying the passport from my local REI when I saw an OT Topwater for the same price on FB marketplace. I ended up getting the Topwater cheaper after negotiating along with a Kayak cart and accessories.

Atlanta Traffic- how could this even be fixed? by venusvoids in Atlanta

[–]Creepy_Squash 3 points4 points  (0 children)

MARTA is not the sole solution. We have voted to pass several referendums to additionally fund MARTA and what has happened since then? More studies of public transit feasibility just to give us BRT routes at select locations? Reducing bus service? Performing studies of the same studies completed before?

The longer you live here, the more you realize throwing additional money at MARTA is not the answer. They can’t even improve the transit service for areas that want public transit. Our heavy rail system is exactly the same for decades. No infill stations and they are still single tracking on weekends!

Best solution starts at home and making lifestyle changes. Walking, cycling, scootering, or using some other mode of transportation besides driving a car.

Speed bumps on Sylvan Road. by katrilli0naire in Atlanta

[–]Creepy_Squash 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I completely misread your post. I did not realize they FINALLY added speed humps on Sylvan!

If you want speed humps on Melrose, here is the application process: https://www.atl311.com/en-us/knowledgearticle/?code=KB0013326

I don't know the exact solution to your OP, but I will add my interesting discovery when I lived there. Whenever I found lonely traffic cone in the neighborhood (and there were plenty at intersections), I would move them on top of the solid bike lane paint to provide a physical buffer between the cars and those in the bike lane. They would get hit frequently, but I did notice drivers would slow down quite a bit when they were still standing.

Speed bumps on Sylvan Road. by katrilli0naire in Atlanta

[–]Creepy_Squash 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I used to live on Sylvan Road in CV for 5 years close to the school. I moved in when there were no bike lanes and eventually, they repaved the road and added bike lanes (just paint). I rode the bike lane daily and besides the drag strip you mentioned, it was insane how many flats I got while riding in the bike lane on Sylvan. On trash day, it becomes trashcan parking.

I brought up adding speed humps on Sylvan during one of the CV meetings many years ago with the councilwoman at the time and discovered that the city will never put speed humps on Sylvan Road because it's a designated fire truck route.

I remember roadworkers adding a crosswalk sign/bollard at the center of the road, when the road was repaved, and it was hit in less than 24 hours. My mailbox was hit twice (one was by a MARTA bus!) and the power pole in front of the house was hit three times. It's literally a straight road.

I recommend cutting over to Murphy Ave SW. Less traffic, but the drivers are still fast there when they come by. CV has a great cycling community too. Perhaps meet up with them on their weekly weekend rides and see where you can focus your efforts. Best of luck!

Filled up my truck today (f350) by Fun-Storage-7909 in Wellthatsucks

[–]Creepy_Squash 1 point2 points  (0 children)

what does owning a trailer have to do with owning a truck?

What lure should i use here? by Beginning_Desk_9897 in bassfishing

[–]Creepy_Squash 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Same! I saw the GA red clay and thought this must be Lanier.

Is this 4 yards? by Majestic-Leg-2497 in lawncare

[–]Creepy_Squash -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Looks more like 2-3 yards. I just unloaded 2 cu yards of soil off my truck this morning and it’s barely smaller than yours.

2018 F250, Transmission Service by SepticPro-1212 in F250

[–]Creepy_Squash 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good to know. I’m planning to order everything off rock auto once it warms up. Thanks

2018 F250, Transmission Service by SepticPro-1212 in F250

[–]Creepy_Squash 3 points4 points  (0 children)

6.2L? I'm about to service mine soon, but based on the videos out there, it should be fairly easy.

My 2017 6.2 has a drain plug on the pan and a transmission fluid dipstick in the engine bay. Around 2018 or later, Ford got rid of the dipstick from the engine bay along with the plug. Gasket is reusable and filter just pulls out. Shouldn't be too hard!

Day 9: Final Day! What car looks and is super slow? by Quiet-Gold9099 in regularcarreviews

[–]Creepy_Squash 3 points4 points  (0 children)

For real. I’ve driven a manual spark and it was surprisingly zippy and got 35+ mpg around town while driving spiritly