I'm moving, again. To Indianapolis

MadMan118 · #1 09-22-2009, 12:03 PM

So all you guys from Indiana speak up, because I've got some questions.
1.) Licensing and vehicle registration, whats the process for me to obtain a Indiana state drivers license.
2.) Emissions testing, I read the BMV site and they explained it as well a five year old. My car is a 97' for reference.
3.) State income tax, do they tax income, whats the rate, its it a tiered rate system?
4.) What can you tell me about Indianapolis and Marion county? Good/bad/ugly neighborhoods. Bars and restaurants. Music stores. I'm already a racing fan so I know about the speedway. And anything else you can tell me.
5.) A good shipping company(not UPS or FedEx) as I need to move a lot of my musical equipment .
6.) Weather.

severen bassist · #2 09-22-2009, 12:12 PM

Our BMV is pretty horrible, so good luck with that. It should be pretty straightforward though. Our emissions testing is really lax, especially compared to CA. You wont have a problem with your '97. They do tax income, but couldn't tell you the rate. Feels high to me, but I'm cheap and like my money to stay mine. Indy is alright I guess, but I wouldn't move here if I wanted to make it big... We have a couple music spots such as an area called Broad Ripple. It has several bars with live music from college crowds in The Rock Lobster to biggeracts at the Vouge, where I saw Black Label Society a little while back. A lot of tours skip us and require you to go to Chicago and such. Our music stores consist of a couple mom and pop stores that are hit and miss, a couple of Guitar Centers, but nothing exotic. The neighborhoods are hit and miss, but as a general rule, outside of 465 (loop surrounding city) is better than inside. Have no clue on a moving company. Hope it helps, and hope others will tell you more.

kanonfodr · #3 09-22-2009, 01:35 PM

Don't get a DUI/OWI in Indiana, my ex girlfriend did that and she got probation. Apparently that state is amazingly strict on that kind of stuff. Part of the reason she is my ex.

Peace,
Greg

MJ5150 · #4 09-22-2009, 02:02 PM

My friend moved from Portland to Indy, then came back after a couple months. He did not like it there for many reasons.

-Mike

Selta · #5 09-22-2009, 03:04 PM

I'll have to dig up my paper work once I get home. I have this awesome moving company that comes picks up all your boxes, loads them on their truck (53' trailer), takes it to your new spot and puts all the boxes in your new place. All you have to do is box it up and unbox it then. They did my move (with roughly 3000 lbs of "stuff") for $1200, from PA to WA. You basically pay for your weight and room in the trailer, as multiple people's stuff end up in the same trailer. It only took them 6 or 7 days to get my stuff from PA to WA, too!

CamMcIntyre · #6 09-22-2009, 03:26 PM

For the licensing side of things check out:

http://www.in.gov/bmv/

Emissions testing? I didn't think Indiana did that. I drove an 84 Chevy Impala & an 86 Chevy G20 cargo van...something tells me your 94 is a hybrid compared to those two.

I don't know a whole about the music scene. I rarely played in Indy and even more rarely went to shows there. I remember playing a few dive bars across the city.

Weather-you will have seasons now. It's the Midwest, to me fall & spring are the best. Summers get a bit hot & humid for my tastes and I could live without the winters that are a total tease. It'll be beautiful and then it'll drop to frigid with lots of snow.

rayzak · #7 09-22-2009, 03:40 PM

Indy is a pretty cool city, actually. Not a great music scene. The Slippery Noodle downtown is pretty cool for blues, but unless you're in a cover band, you're gonna have a tough go around Indy.

Some nicer communities would be Greenwood, Center Grove on the South Side.
Castleton(which has the nicest Gu!tar Center i've been in), Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield on the North side.
Avon, Brownsburg on the West Side.
I'd stay away from the East side altogether.
It most certainly is flat, but it's a great place to raise a family.... and the cost of living is fairly inexpensive compared to much of the country.
Good luck with the move.

MadMan118 · #8 09-22-2009, 03:53 PM

Yeah I've lived a fair number of years in L.A. . So obliviously I'm not looking for the greatest music scene. I'm actually moving mostly because of work and I'm getting pretty tired of all the nuts in California.

Tama · #9 09-22-2009, 04:27 PM

Car plates are expensive there.
Goes by the value of the vehicle.
I think my Sister paid something like 5 times what I pay here.
Good luck tho.
Cheers, Dave

MadMan118 · #10 09-22-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tama

Car plates are expensive there.
Goes by the value of the vehicle.

Really now, well I guess I'll take the older truck then.

Tama · #11 09-22-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMan118

Really now, well I guess I'll take the older truck then.

If I remember correctly, it goes by the year which is essentially the value of the vehicle.

However, I dont think they have a state income tax.
Ours here is highway robbery !!!

MadMan118 · #12 09-22-2009, 08:58 PM

Another thing I cant believe I let slip my mind, what is the states policy on concealed carry firearms?

southernrocker · #13 09-22-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMan118

Another thing I cant believe I let slip my mind, what is the states policy on concealed carry firearms?

You can get a lifetime permit for 100 bucks, just go to the local sheriff's office and apply for one. It'll ask you why you need one. My dad put "It's my 2nd amendment right!" and he got his permit.

MadMan118 · #14 09-22-2009, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southernrocker

You can get a lifetime permit for 100 bucks, just go to the local sheriff's office and apply for one. It'll ask you why you need one. My dad put "It's my 2nd amendment right!" and he got his permit.

So its a shall issue state, what about castle law?

southernrocker · #15 09-22-2009, 09:23 PM

Yep, Indiana is a castle law state.

MadMan118 · #16 09-22-2009, 09:25 PM

So you're from Mt. Vernon and that is how far from Indianapolis?

southernrocker · #17 09-22-2009, 11:32 PM

About 4 hours away. Mt. Vernon is located in Posey County, Which is the most South West county of IN. Indianapolis is a nice place, I have a couple family members that live there.

MadMan118 · #18 09-23-2009, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southernrocker

About 4 hours away. Mt. Vernon is located in Posey County, Which is the most South West county of IN. Indianapolis is a nice place, I have a couple family members that live there.

I'm trying to familiarize myself with the geography. From what I gather Indianapolis is in the center of the state in Marion county, and the next major city is Chicago. And a rough guess is that its a 4 hour drive across the state.

MadMan118 · #19 09-23-2009, 12:08 AM

What time zone is IN in? Central or eastern?

southernrocker · #20 09-23-2009, 12:33 AM

Both. Indiana is the most screwed up state when it comes to time zones. I am on Central Time, Marion is on Eastern time.