Your thoughts about Atlanta drivers

[plessthanpointohfive]

My husband calls it horning. To me it sounds like some kind of wild animal mating instinct but he's always said it. I say honk. But I guess that's not a whole lot better!

[darkone]

I always go through yellow lights whenever I can. Judgement of your speed and thereby the time required to cross the white line and reach the middle of the intersection prior to the light turning to red is a skill which some have and some don't. Those who can't judge this properly slow down and stop.

You should see places in the Boston area (although this is by no means legal but is accepted) - on a one-lane road passing a left-turning car on the right using one quarter of the lane width plus the shoulder. Of course if there are snow banks, forget about it! lol...

Also, using the breakdown lanes for travel during rush hour and then passing from there into the leftmost lane.

How about shifting from the leftmost lane on the highway to the rightmost in one continuous motion?

How about being in a long line of cars sitting idle in traffic on a main thoroughfare and having cars ten cars back starting to honk out of frustration
even though they can't see what's going on?

How about having someone giving my mother the middle finger up sign while passing because she was over the limit but not fast enough? And all I could do was laugh - Boston drivers ..... fond memories.

These aren't common practices in the Atlanta area, probably because they don't need to be. My point - it could be even worse down here but its bad enough. The combination of aggressive to the point of reckless drivers, NASCAR wannabes and slowpokes is not very endearing to say the least.

[gt6974a]

I guess it depends on the intersection, but what about two cars both making left turns facing each other.

Do you turn before or after you pass each other. Seems to me I remember we used to pass each other first but these days we cut in front of each other.

any input?

[plessthanpointohfive]

You're supposed to turn behind the other car, ie, pass each other first - all about visibility.

I still try to do that but people look at me like I am crazy...

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by darkone

I always go through yellow lights whenever I can. Judgement of your speed and thereby the time required to cross the white line and reach the middle of the intersection prior to the light turning to red is a skill which some have and some don't. Those who can't judge this properly slow down and stop.

The driving regulations aren't about one rule for those who believe themselves to have superior judgment and skills, and another for those who are lower-level drivers and therefore have to slow down and stop, because they are just not competent enough to get the vehicle to the middle of the intersection before the light turns red, poor things. I'm afraid you need to get reacquainted with the rules of the road. However, you can take comfort in the fact that you are not alone in your ignorance and hubris. Most Atlanta motorists appear to be in your zone.

[mrsptobe]

I saw this subject and gained three new gray hairs just thinking of Atlanta drivers!
I almost die everyday but someone who (1) wants to be a NASCAR driver (2) can't put down their cell phone and (3) can't wait to get home before eating. It's like everyone here goes insane once they get onto the highway.

[Coolyfett3]

Originally Posted by mrsptobe

I saw this subject and gained three new gray hairs just thinking of Atlanta drivers!
I almost die everyday but someone who (1) wants to be a NASCAR driver (2) can't put down their cell phone and (3) can't wait to get home before eating. It's like everyone here goes insane once they get onto the highway.

OMG!! dude I totally agree with you man!! The cellphone usage is crazy....Whats so wrong with a blutooth?? GET A BLUTOOTH.

[PKCorey]

Blame MetroPCS...lol

[blueeyes30]

Atlanta is not my most favorite city to drive through. Although I make it through alive, traffic can be very nerving. It reminds me of Florida driving.

But it didn't used to be as bad. I had relatives who lived in Cobb County (moved there from TN) from 1987-2000. From their perspective, not only did traffic get worse, but the drivers became increasingly more aggressive and speeding became very common.

I'm not sure if it's the newcomers or natives, but their neighborhood was mainly transplants when they left. My uncle said those people drove like jerks every morning while leaving the neighborhood, especially their next door neighbor who just moved in from CT. But I'm sure the natives can be just as bad. They are probably not used to big city driving and are frustrated along with everyone else.

[middleamerica]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

The problem with Atlanta drivers is multi-leveled.

First, there is no real driver's ed in the schools in the metro area. Kids are getting behind the wheels of cars with maybe two hours of experience of dad taking them to a Wal-mart parking lot before they go to get their license. They act like angels at the test and in front of mom and dad, but go to the closest high school near you and watch the parking lot clear out - you'll see 16 and 17 year olds talking on cell phones, speeding, tailgaiting, AND carrying 4 other teens in the cars with them. If mommy and daddy could see this -whoah.

Second, Atlanta has a large elderly driver population. So on top of wreckless kids being everywhere, you have 80 year old drivers going 20mph UNDER the speed limit on the same roads. And has anyone ever figured out WHY so many elderly drivers decide that 5pm on Friday is the time they should all get out and drive around (??).

Third, you have people literally from all over the WORLD living here driving cars. So you're on the interstate (pick any of them) driving into the city... in front of you is someone from Mexico who is driving very slowly so as not to be stopped and deported as they're here illegally. Behind you is someone from New York City who's tailgaiting you because they're impatient. On one side is someone from Haiti who used to drive a donkey but is now driving a car for the first time in their life, and on the other side is someone from Japan who's scared crapless. It's actually a wonder there aren't MANY more major accidents on the roads around here every single HOUR considering the extreme mix of drivers we have on all the roads.

Last, it's just plain bad habits. Regardless of age, or where people are from, people here quickly seem to just develop really crapola driving habits. Speeding, tailgating, zipping in and out of lanes too often and without using turn signals, and much much worse, using cell phones while driving!!!

Yep - welcome to Disney. You'll see this same type of thing in other mixed cities like L.A., Miami, etc.

I AGREE that the largely mixed population and variance of experience is the MAIN problem in Atlanta. Not to mention the utter lack of a highway patrol. They're all too busy with the crime downtown. In Texas, you would never NEVER see this on the majority of the highways. You speed down there like that and you would be in jail faster than you could blink and everyone knows it. The same way everyone knows in Atlanta that you will never EVER get pulled over for speeding. LMAO