Driving safety on the Spaghetti Bowl (Chicago: live, safe, move)

[jujulu]

We may be coming to Chicago as tourists and wanted tips on driving the Spaghetti Bowl. Do people drive at breakneck speeds? Is it safe for tourists who don't have a good idea of where they going?

[knitgirl]

If you're not used to urban driving, you may want to reconsider. People don't drive at "breakneck" speed, but depending on the time of day, the average may be over the speed limit. If you are comfortable driving in any other large city you should be fine.

[chet everett]

Most times of day the interchange linking the inbound Ike to the Dan Ryan and Kennedy is so congested it does not even get to its posted limit.

There are much worse stretches of roadway to avoid...

[jujulu]

OK. We had heard that people drive at Autobahn speeds there.

[FAReastcoast]

Originally Posted by jujulu

OK. We had heard that people drive at Autobahn speeds there.

I drive it everyday (had to google what the Spaghetti Bowl was), and it is basically like every other urban interstate in the country. Nothing to worry about.

[SJaye]

Originally Posted by jujulu

OK. We had heard that people drive at Autobahn speeds there.

Kind of an exaggeration, but people from other parts of the Midwest where they tend to drive a lot more conservatively do have that impression of the Chicago area. In the Chicago area the speed limit tends to be 55 mph on most expressways. I find that, when not limited by traffic, people can move at speeds in the 70s quite frequently, but it is rare to see too many cars on the highways here going over 80. Every once in a while there is someone going way faster, but I think that is true of everywhere. When I think of "Autobhan speeds" I think of at least 100 mph range.

[Alacran]

I go 80 on the eisenhower

And I was hitting over 100 when I went to waukegan

[MannheimMadman]

I find that with any urban driving, you must do so in both a defensive and aggressive manner. Especially when coming up the Ryan into the 'spaghetti bowl'.

[linicx]

Yes, there are people all over America who drive like they they think they are on the Autobahn. I do not advocate driving faster than the posted speed limit. The best offense is defensive driving.

[lenniel]

Lived in Chgo for 17 years and never heard of the spaghetti bowl....
Anyway, drive defensively, assume other drivers will do something stupid and remember that stereotypes about drivers are usually true. (DWA)