Why are the drivers so bad/rude? (Austin, Georgetown: school, statistics)

[S6Sputnik]

Originally Posted by Stevedawg

Also if you are one of these drivers *#@# you!

Please accept my appology, now please move over


J/k haven't honked at anyone for....days

[parkk]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I was just trying to remember the last time I heard a horn - I know it's been ages, and as a real estate agent, I drive all over the place all different times of day, all over Central Texas, in fact. Rarely have any problems in traffic, to the point that when I do, its memorable. After coming on this board, I started actually LOOKING for the problems, and I still don't experience them.

What are you theoretically doing (in the minds of all those drivers) that you get honked at, tailgated, almost hit, so much?

You have posted 2567 times since Oct 2008, you don't have time to be driving!

Your reply got my attention because in the last 10 to 15 years (there was little problem before that) driving in central Texas I have prevented certain death dozens of times.

Driving is the most dangerous thing we do in our daily lives, 45,000 per year die!

The driving training system is broke, some of us are trained ONE TIME in our life!

[AustinTexan]

Originally Posted by Stevedawg

Never in my life have I experienced drivers as bad and rude as in Austin. It seems almost every time I go anywhere I get honked at (usually other person's fault), tailgated, or almost hit. This one aspect of the city has me wanting to move away. A few quick statistics:

1. Austin has the worst traffic of any mid-sized city in the U.S.
2. Austin has per capita the most traffic accidents of any city in Texas

Can someone please explain this to me?

Also if you are one of these drivers *#@# you!

It's all the transplants moving here that don't know where the hell they're going and can't do two things at once (Californians). Half of them are sightseeing during rush hour and the other half are trying to read a map or their GPS navigators while driving and it causes headaches for those of us that know what we're doing and where we're going. If you don't want to make things worst, change your plates to Texas as soon as you can and remove any frames/stickers that gives people a good idea of where you're from. I try to flip off, run off, and pi$$ off as many transplants as I can during my commutes everyday! LOL!! It'll make them think twice about moving here......like it has you.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by parkk

You have posted 2567 times since Oct 2008, you don't have time to be driving!

Your reply got my attention because in the last 10 to 15 years (there was little problem before that) driving in central Texas I have prevented certain death dozens of times.

Driving is the most dangerous thing we do in our daily lives, 45,000 per year die!

The driving training system is broke, some of us are trained ONE TIME in our life!

Hey, I'm pretty good - I've posted that many times and it isn't even October 2008 yet!

Still trying to find those statistics - it's harder than one would think!

[readymade]

Originally Posted by AustinTexan

It's all the transplants moving here that don't know where the hell they're going and can't do two things at once (Californians). Half of them are sightseeing during rush hour and the other half are trying to read a map or their GPS navigators while driving and it causes headaches for those of us that know what we're doing and where we're going. If you don't want to make things worst, change your plates to Texas as soon as you can and remove any frames/stickers that gives people a good idea of where you're from. I try to flip off, run off, and pi$$ off as many transplants as I can during my commutes everyday! LOL!! It'll make them think twice about moving here......like it has you.

Soooo... you're saying it's the CALIFORNIANS that are driving like A-Holes. Not you.

??

You're a real sweetie, you are.

[artifice]

Originally Posted by Stevedawg

Never in my life have I experienced drivers as bad and rude as in Austin. It seems almost every time I go anywhere I get honked at (usually other person's fault), tailgated, or almost hit. This one aspect of the city has me wanting to move away. A few quick statistics:

1. Austin has the worst traffic of any mid-sized city in the U.S.
2. Austin has per capita the most traffic accidents of any city in Texas

Can someone please explain this to me?

Also if you are one of these drivers *#@# you!

People don't pay attention. I drive an SUV that is 18 months old and I have been hit 7 times and only one was my fault. I rear ended the car in front of me and then got hit from behind as well....traffic.
Two of the times I was not even in my car...I was hit in the parking lot by cars...it is a big SUV how can you not see it??? I don't park up front because I don't like coupe ramming their doors into my vehicle...so I park in the back most times and I am in the white lines. A friend of mine drives a big 350 truck and has been hit 4 times while parallel parked downtown...really do you not see the huge truck in front of you before you smack into it??? I don't have as much of a problem in traffic as I do on the off hours from the morons not paying attention to stop signs (they are not optional) and traffic lights (yellow doesn't mean floor it)...oh well slowly every piece of my vehicle is being replaced

[TexasHorseLady]

I drive a huge white truck - Dodge Cummins turbo diesel. So far, no problem. (Yes, it IS an 800-lb gorilla, but it gets 22 mpg no matter what and I need it for hauling feed, hay, etc., just to get that out of the way.)

[twange]

Well, based on the "empirical evidence" that is this forum, the problem with drivers in Austin is CLEARLY and ONLY due to the huge influx of FOREIGNERS...err, transplants. Also, it has been scientifically proven that anyone not born in Texas or specifically Austin, has smaller brains, smaller occipital bones and a larger lower mandible.

The solution: Build a circular wall in equal radius from Georgetown to San Marcos and keep those darn buggers out. Over the course of about 30 years, Austin will be able to breed those inferior characteristics out and things will go back to the way they were in 1972.

OR.

There are a myriad of reasons for the high traffic and/or accident rate including but not limited to:

1. Insufficient traffic management, road infrastructure and public transportation for a city of it's population .
2. Limited driver's education for non-native(to the U.S.) drivers
3. Many people from other states not yet used to Texas' unique highway system(U-turns, frontage roads with very short on/off ramps). These are design issues.
4. Free wheeling attitude that worked fine in a smaller city but now seems wreckless.
5. Influx of fast, inconsiderate drivers from larger, faster, car mecca cities like L.A., Seattle, Chicago, NYC, Dallas, Houston.

Maybe driving styles are deteriorating nationwide simply due to the higher amount of distractions (i.e. cell phones and texting, GPS, iPods, road rage).

[artifice]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I drive a huge white truck - Dodge Cummins turbo diesel. So far, no problem. (Yes, it IS an 800-lb gorilla, but it gets 22 mpg no matter what and I need it for hauling feed, hay, etc., just to get that out of the way.)

your mpg is better than mine...I have to haul the dogs and kids when my wife is too busy...the dogs are great the kids...duct tape works well for keeping them under control.
Also need to be able to tow equipment for work and the boat for play

[TexasHorseLady]

Yes, it is very good gas mileage for the kind of vehicle it is. But everyone I've ever talked to that had a 1997 Dodge Cummins Ram 2500 reports the same thing: 22 mpg, empty, loaded, pulling a trailer with a farm tractor on it, city, highway, it's all the same to the diesel. I don't think I've ever really challenged it, and it's got over 300,000 miles on it and still going strong. UGLY, needs some TLC, but still wants to go to Alaska when I get out on the highway.

1997 - it was a very good year for Dodge diesels, evidently.