[WolfpackS2k]

I live in Raleigh (in Wake County) which is the next county over and about 30 minutes from downtown Durham. I don't spend a lot of time in Durham but I think it's fair to say the areas are similar enough for me to answer your questions.

1) Most people would say that southerners are nice. However I've lived in the Northeast (NJ & NY) and I wouldn't say they're nicer here than there. From where you would be moving, I'd say there's probably no difference.

2) The drivers are horrible. Clueless, inconsiderate and slow would describe most of the bad ones. Get used to meeting people that do not know how to parallel park (despite both downtown Raleigh & Durham having LOTS of street parking).

3) There are a lot of deer around, but they're mostly just a problem on the roads in the fall. I've never had a problem, but one of my friends was hit by 2 deer one year, just 2 months apart (they both ran into the side of his car). Still, it's best to keep your eyes peeled.

4) I don't personally spend a lot of time seeking out car clubs, scenes, etc. However the monthly Cars & Coffee meets always get good showings, usually several hundred cars from all walks of life. These are held on the first Saturday of every month in Raleigh (Durham has one as well, but I'm not sure of the date). I haven't hung out with any FT86 peeps yet, but I used to hang out on occasion with some fellas from S2KI.com and they're more or less the same type of enthusiasts we are.

As a final aside I will say, hope you like beer. NC has a huge flourishing microbrewery industry and the Raleigh-Durham region is home to 15-20 breweries, most that are damn tasty! Oh, but Happy Hours are illegal, thanks to the state's idiotic southern religious roots.