As a transplant from Southern CA to TX 4 years ago I can honestly say that traffic in Austin is barely worth mentioning when compared to traffic in Orange County and Los Angeles. In Orange County, I would daily spend hours in a car traveling at average speeds that I could beat on my bicycle. Traffic jams that are 15-20 miles long on 7 lane highways. Even the express lanes would back up to the entrances. People drive over islands and fill up back streets. Anyone who does a daily on the 91 and the 55 from Corona to Irvine can back me up. 8 years ago it was TERRIBLE.

I don't know about the Bay Area, maybe they are better because of reliable transit, but Austin is nowhere near the So. Cal area when it comes to traffic.