Your thoughts about Atlanta drivers (rent, work, traffic)

[Highriser987]

Anytime you have heavy traffic congestion, people get ansy and rude, I try to just sit back, put on some soothing classical music, and filter it out and enjoy the ride!

[WestCobb]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Driver # 3: Came here from L.A. Used to packed roads, road rage, and aggressive driving techniques. They speed and tailgate more

LOL.. I plead guilty to being driver # 3, somewhat. I try, however, not to increase the problem. I do drive fast if the flow of traffic is moving fast (and it usually is) but I don't weave in and out of lanes. If the car in front of me wants to only go 10 miles over the speed limit, I'll slow down for awhile. If the car in front of me wants to drive 10 to 15 miles under the speed limit, which yes incredibly does happen (I think you nailed it atlantagreg with your mix of regional driving styles analysis) I try to wait until an appropriate opening to get around him or her. And I don't swerve or honk or gesture or anything -- they want to drive slower than I do.. no biggie.. it's not a personal affront or anything.. and if I'm in a hurry to get somewhere, I should have left earlier.. so that's on me.

I don't tailgate, ever. That's just retarded driving behavior. You're primarily endagering yourself when you sit on someone's bumper. I also go out of my way to let people merge. Letting people merge is still kind of fresh to me.. I just never saw this in the SoCal area.. you mean, someone is actually going to give me an inch of road? I don't have to take it by force? Wow. I never knew people could live like this.

Ok, all this said, I witnessed my first real incident of MORONIC driving Friday -- even by my admittedly low L.A. standards. I was driving behind an 18-wheeler on the 285 that was slowing down to merge onto the 20. I slowed down with him.. leaving about two car lengths between us. No biggie .. we're going about 55 now for a short period of time.. it's a big rig, he needs some extra time to maneuver. Who cares? Minor inconvenience.

However, the guy behind me was apparently outraged by our new, slower speed. (An older gentleman wearing overalls driving a beat up pick up .. trying very hard to avoid a regionally charged stereotypical word here hint begins with an "r" ends in a 'k") He speeds up and gets on my bumper .. which I barely even notice.. another LAism.. tailgating just doesn't rattle me, not one bit .. honks .. and this is when I register him.. honking on the freeway? huh? and then rolls down his window, switches lanes and pulls up just in front of my blind spot on the passenger side and points aggressively at my car. I would have thought he was pointing out a flat tire or something had he not given himself away with the bit of tailgating. Was this a joke? Was he incapable of seeing the 18 wheeler in front of my car? Well, I'll admit my LA training kicked in. I closed the gap between myself and the 18 wheeler so the guy couldn't get around me and was forced to get behind me just as the merge ramp was narrowing into one lane. I then slowed down to 30 miles an hour and held that speed, very satisified with myself. (I suck, I know.) When the road widened to multiple lanes and he sped around me, I pointed and laughed as demonstrably as I could as he passed. I never flip the bird. I want the other driver to see I'm enjoying myself. Anyways, I did a plate check.. he was from Florida. Shall I start a new thread in the Florida forums chastising them for coming north and ruining Atlanta freeways?

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by WestCobb

Anyways, I did a plate check.. he was from Florida. Shall I start a new thread in the Florida forums chastising them for coming north and ruining Atlanta freeways?

Oh, easy to explain... he had heard about the blue hair half price early bird senior special at Picadilly Cafeteria, and that it ends at a certain time. They tend to get angry if you block their full speed motion to the fried chicken and okra line.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by WestCobb

Ok, all this said, I witnessed my first real incident of MORONIC driving Friday -- even by my admittedly low L.A. standards. I was driving behind an 18-wheeler on the 285 that was slowing down to merge onto the 20. I slowed down with him.. leaving about two car lengths between us. No biggie .. we're going about 55 now for a short period of time.. it's a big rig, he needs some extra time to maneuver. Who cares? Minor inconvenience.

Even if you hadn't stated that you were from LA, you gave it away with the two bolded statements above. LA is the only place where freeways/highways are prefixed with "the".......lol.

[plessthanpointohfive]

I don't get on the highways much anymore but I always attributed everything that happened there to the enormous rage people must feel to have to drive on them....at least that's how I felt until I moved closer to work!

But, on the surface streets...well, the only drivers who make me shake my head are the ones you race around everyone simply to beat them to the next red light. All that anxiety for no gain...

[WestCobb]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Even if you hadn't stated that you were from LA, you gave it away with the two bolded statements above. LA is the only place where freeways/highways are prefixed with "the".......lol.

No kidding? I didn't know we were the only ones to refer to freeways that way. Next you're going to tell me it's not required to say "like" at least twice in every sentence.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by WestCobb

No kidding? I didn't know we were the only ones to refer to freeways that way. Next you're going to tell me it's not required to say "like" at least twice in every sentence.

About two weeks ago a girl came into our shop who said she had just moved here from Orange County, CA. Here's the way the request went...

Customer (from CA) walks in door...

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Ohmigawd you were like SO hard to find. I like, drove around like, for an How-errr looking but like, here you are! Ok, so, like, I need a mirrurrrr for my bathroom over the sink, but like, I want it to have some ornatish-like work engraved on it. Can you like, DO that?"

And I kid you not.. her name? "Cookie".

And when she left - she drove the wrong way in our parking lot (single parking lane with arrows - she still went the opposite direction). She then proceeded to get out of the parking lot and immedately got on her cell phone and ran a stop sign, causing someone on the cross street to hit their brakes - as she continued her phone conversation without even noticing what she had just done.

Like, Ohmigawd, she's like, gonna fit in here really good.

[Trianrida]

Originally Posted by WestCobb

Anyways, I did a plate check.. he was from Florida. Shall I start a new thread in the Florida forums chastising them for coming north and ruining Atlanta freeways?

no. All Floridians are not NECKS

[Trianrida]

Originally Posted by WestCobb

No kidding? I didn't know we were the only ones to refer to freeways that way. Next you're going to tell me it's not required to say "like" at least twice in every sentence.

Or Hella when you get very excited.

The Traffic in Atlanta is "hella" bad. I'm "hella" scared when trying to merge on 285. Why do Cali folks say "hella" so much?

[BravoFan]

Yes Atlanta does have a large mix of drivers and it can be annoying when driving behind small town folk who are in the left lane going slower than the right lane folks. I am suprised by nothing when I am on the highway because I am on the lookout. I am guilty of speeding sometimes but atleast I use signals and get over quickly,I go by the book.