Why are the drivers so bad/rude? (Dallas, Austin: insurance, buy)

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by orngkat

Yes, slower drivers should stay right but guys in big trucks that come barreling down the left lane acting like you describe don't really accomplish anything. It is the variance of speeds that is dangerous. If we all drove the speed limit, there wouldn't be any problem.

Absolutely! (And I say that acknowledging that I don't always obey the speed limit - but at least I acknowledge that it's MY problem, and not that of those going the speed limit.)

If everyone drove the speed limit, the "flow of traffic" would work just fine and those who are obeying the traffic laws wouldn't be chastised by those who violate them as being the dangerous ones. Thanks for pointing out what SHOULD be obvious, but apparently isn't.

[513bam513]

You know what I call people who cant drive? Non-drivers. Plain and simple, there are some people who just should not be on the road.
Once, I came to a stop at a red light. I looked to the car to my immediate right and there was an old man sitting there in the seat. It wouldn't have been a big deal but he was wearing an oxygen mask and had the oxygen tank seat-belted in the passenger seat. He clearly should not have been driving. !!Taxis offer senior discounts!!
Anyway, thanks for the tip: never drive in Austin.

[Trainwreck20]

It wouldn't have been a big deal but he was wearing an oxygen mask and had the oxygen tank seat-belted in the passenger seat. He clearly should not have been driving.

Why is this 'clear'? Does the oxygen mask impair his vision? His reflexes? His thought process? He might drive perfectly fine, whereas younger, 'healthier' folks drive so angry that their vision/thoughs are way more impaired.

[twange]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Personally, I think most 'rude driving' is really just part of the American culture of only seeing things from one perspective (their own).

That's the smartest comment made on this thread so far.

[justanothercalifornian]

So, I want to know if anything can be done to change the current poor driving in Austin. Can we start a campaign or do something radical to make our roads safer and send a message to these horrible drivers? Can we reward people for driving well? I've driven all over the country, lived in major cities, etc. and I've never seen this degree of bad drving in my life. I drive the speed limit and I ALWAYS have people driving up my ass and getting angry. You would never suspect such a laid back town to have such an aggressive driving mentality.
I wonder if people are just so frusterated by the crazy lay out of highways, roadways and loooong stop lights, with no sensors (this drives me nuts) that they lash out on the road.

[readymade]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I must be missing something...I just drive to work each morning, listening to the radio, and pretty much have no problems. I guess some people do 'cut me off' (a.k.a changing lanes so they can exit) occasionally, and I guess there are the 'jerks' (people driving slower than me) and the ******** (people driving faster than me).

Personally, I think most 'rude driving' is really just part of the American culture of only seeing things from one perspective (their own).

I don't really have a problem, per se, with slow drivers or people changing lanes. I'm talking about being in a lane and having the person directly next to me decide to be in my lane. Right where I am.

It's happened a LOT since I've been here.

Another thing that's happened a lot is I'm driving along, going straight, and the person on my right decides they want to take a left so they cut in front of me, crossing over 2 lanes to take a left and almost hitting me in the process.

Again, It's happened a lot.

It's not rudeness... it's just people not really paying attention to their surroundings.

Someone almost crashing into me on almost a daily basis isn't really me just seeing things from a certain perspective. I drive a small black car, so maybe that has something to do with it. Happens in my orange bug, too.

I have learned to be QUEEN of defensive driving in the past 3 weeks.

[Texan in Virginia]

I find this thread delightful because we are relocating back to Texas at least partly BECAUSE of my driving experiences in Austin in 2001! I had arrived from northern Virginia and proceded from the Austin Airport to a hotel in Round Rock at 5 PM.

When I would put on my turn signal, drivers in the next lane would gesture and I was confused because in northern VA, a turn signal is mostly used as a weapon against the person using it. Signal you are changing lanes and cars will speed up so you cannot get in front of them.

As I realized the kind people in Austin were gesturing for me to change lanes and giving me space to do so, I remembered why I had missed this state so much for nearly 30 years. This happened all the way to Round Rock and included trucks letting me merge. Oh my!

I arrived at my location, turned off the engine, and called my husband in Virginia to tell him I was not coming back! I was finally home again!

Reason won out and I returned home. Seven years later, we are in transition to retirement and have bought the Canyon Lake home, the UT football season tickets, and I have a constant smile on my face. Within two years, we'll be living here full time again.

When I'm in northern Virginia, I practice that little hand gesture and people usually have no idea what to do even though I'm clearly giving space for them to switch lanes. Maybe by the time we do move here, it will be a practice there, too. Nah! Not likely!

No, I don't drive a lot during rush hour traffic in Austin since we picked Canyon Lake for our retirement home, but I do travel the roads enough to know that the gesture is still be used by many -including me.

Lori

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by justanothercalifornian

I've driven all over the country, lived in major cities, etc. and I've never seen this degree of bad drving in my life. I drive the speed limit and I ALWAYS have people driving up my ass and getting angry. You would never suspect such a laid back town to have such an aggressive driving mentality.
I wonder if people are just so frusterated by the crazy lay out of highways, roadways and loooong stop lights, with no sensors (this drives me nuts) that they lash out on the road.

Last night when I was on this thread, I followed some of the links below the thread of similar threads suggested by City-Data. Guess what? In just about every state the same complaints about poor driving area made, along with claims that this (wherever "this" happens to be) has the WORST drivers said person has EVER seen.

One interesting thread had people who had driven in many states (lowest was probably 10 states, many much more) listing the states with the worst drivers they'd experienced, in order. I looked and looked for Texas in any of those lists, and it never showed up. Now, it's entirely possible that none of those people had ever driven in Texas. But I found it interesting.

As for being frustrated with the roads, etc., those from elsewhere ARE likely frustrated with a design that is not the same (not worse, not necessarily better, just different) as they are used to. Those of us who've lived here and learned how to drive here find that they make sense, so we're not so frustrated by them.

Remember, different isn't worse, just different, and accept that you have a learning curve when you move to a different place, just as we do when we move to wherever you came from and have to learn your roadway designs and customs, and you should be fine.

[Lil_ly]

Originally Posted by AustinTexan

If you're in the left lane and you're driving slower than people in the right lane, I will ride your bumper, go around you, flip you off, pull up in front of you, and then slam my brakes to get your attention! I absolutely despise people who think they own the roads by driving 20 mph slower than the flow of traffic in the passing (left) lane! You're a loser and deserve any harsh treatment people dish out to you for disregarding traffic laws. It's like some people just completely forget common courtesy and the rules of driving when they get on the road and/or don't care.

The most common drivers who do this, according to my experience is: big trucks who don't care because they're bigger than you, soccer moms in minivans, the "green" tree huggers driving their Priuses, Asians, transplants who are clueless, and the elderly. I am an equal opportunity road rager and I will get your attention if you're slowing the flow of traffic....and I drive a big truck so you will definitely notice me.

WOW!! And you are obeying the traffic laws by conducting yourself in this manner?! You will find that your stress level and your blood pressure may come down a bit if you can learn to try not to police all of the roads here yourself. Ease up on the aggression. Sounds like you may be part of the problem and not the solution. Please rethink this a bit more.

[twange]

I still think it's a combination of many things and whatever those things are, they seem to mix a special cocktail here in Austin. The two most important being attitude and infrastructure. It also could be lack of punitive traffic law enforcement. I haven't been pulled over here yet(except for a tail light), so I'm not sure how aggressive the police are here in Austin about reckless op. I know that I've seen MANY signs in other parts of Texas addressing reckless driving so it must be an issue.

What I don't buy is:

1. Too many transplants unfamiliar with the roads. Crap. There are people moving around all the time to other cities, not just Austin. In fact I'm sure there are cities that have an even greater percentage of new drivers unfamiliar with local roads. Factor in higher tourism and business visitors and I'm sure Austin isn't towards the top. Plus, a lot of the transplants to Austin are from other Texas cities. What is the reason for their poor driving? This is a cop-out excuse.

2. Terrain. Austin has some hilly and twisty roads but c'mon, it ain't Peru.

3. All these damn rude Californians and city-slickers. Does anybody really believe this? There are rude people everywhere, even Texas.

I still think it has something to do with design(not just Texas): of the road and traffic infrastructure AND the vehicles many have chosen to drive. Combine that with drivers distracted by all kinds of other stuff and you get bad driving.

Form and Function. Life imitates Art. Etc...