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Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SilkCity0416
It works on both sides of the Hudson. When I'm on the Parkway going down to the Shore or AC, and I see someone doing 50 in the left, I usually say: "I bet they're from NY" and lo and behold, it is usually true. 90% of the time, they're old and drive black Buicks.
Well, NYers are notorious for driving slow in the left lane. I admit to that. It drives me nuts when I'm driving on the island and someone is doing 55 in the left lane and there's someone going the same speed in the right lane. You're stuck and can't pass either one.
^^^ Spin city. I've heard the whole "fast & aggressive, but in control" schtick from NYers on this board, but I don't buy it.
I do buy it. I've found New York drivers to be my favorite to drive amongst in the nation (I don't and never have lived in New York). The reason for the low rating is a written test that measures knowledge of driving laws. In New York (and other states), the "fast and aggressive but still in control" method often does away with a lot of the basic driving law obedience. Now I know the response will be "well the laws are there for a reason;" and while I can't argue with the validity of that statement, there are reasons those drivers choose which laws to follow. Also, just because someone can write what the rules of the road are on paper doesn't mean that they abide by them. If there's a test that shows what percentage of these people, "Put their money where their mouth is" I'd like to see it. Anyway, say for instance, if on a stretch of highway that's open, EVERY driver in metro NYC went the speed limit, the commute into/ out of town would be a lot longer. If everyone kept the appropriate car-lengths between them and the car in front, traffic back ups would extend much further outside the city. If people didn't take advantage of Yellow lights (in many cases, take advantage of those seconds while their light is red before the other goes green) to speed up and make a turn, they may never be able to make that left and it would back up traffic even more. These are the same drivers who alternate merge from 5 or 6 lanes down to 2 for the Holland Tunnel (it's a beautiful thing) without even blinking. Sure, if you hesitate and don't take your turn you're going to lose your spot, but that's part of the deal.
Maybe some of the New York City representation on City-Data gets on some peoples' nerves, but when it comes to driving, there is a method behind the madness. Driving in the Boston and Providence areas has given me a fair picture of what unorganized aggressiveness and dangerous speed can be like. Not that the traffic is fun, but the way drivers operate in NYC is a breath of fresh air (as long as you know where you're going).
^^^ Spin city. I've heard the whole "fast & aggressive, but in control" schtick from NYers on this board, but I don't buy it.
You do not have to. You have a 20M metro area divided by several bodies of water. New Yorkers are the best, most disciplined drivers on the planet. Anyone else driving in this environment would create a giant traffic jam...
I have seen traffic in much smaller cities, with less natural obstructions going into a standstill because drivers do not know how to cope with congestion. It's all about the skills...
I do buy it. I've found New York drivers to be my favorite to drive amongst in the nation (I don't and never have lived in New York). The reason for the low rating is a written test that measures knowledge of driving laws. In New York (and other states), the "fast and aggressive but still in control" method often does away with a lot of the basic driving law obedience. Now I know the response will be "well the laws are there for a reason;" and while I can't argue with the validity of that statement, there are reasons those drivers choose which laws to follow. Also, just because someone can write what the rules of the road are on paper doesn't mean that they abide by them. If there's a test that shows what percentage of these people, "Put their money where their mouth is" I'd like to see it. Anyway, say for instance, if on a stretch of highway that's open, EVERY driver in metro NYC went the speed limit, the commute into/ out of town would be a lot longer. If everyone kept the appropriate car-lengths between them and the car in front, traffic back ups would extend much further outside the city. If people didn't take advantage of Yellow lights (in many cases, take advantage of those seconds while their light is red before the other goes green) to speed up and make a turn, they may never be able to make that left and it would back up traffic even more. These are the same drivers who alternate merge from 5 or 6 lanes down to 2 for the Holland Tunnel (it's a beautiful thing) without even blinking. Sure, if you hesitate and don't take your turn you're going to lose your spot, but that's part of the deal.
Maybe some of the New York City representation on City-Data gets on some peoples' nerves, but when it comes to driving, there is a method behind the madness. Driving in the Boston and Providence areas has given me a fair picture of what unorganized aggressiveness and dangerous speed can be like. Not that the traffic is fun, but the way drivers operate in NYC is a breath of fresh air (as long as you know where you're going).
Thank you. I think the key is that NY drivers are organized and have enough imagination to realize that if they do not let other people go, noboy goes. Like you mention Holland is a great examle but also anytime there is roadwork and the road narrow you can observe New York drivers oraganize themselves and letting drivers from alternating lines go withough and fumble.
I thing New York drivers are the best drivers on the planet just because they have to deal with extremely difficult environment of high congestion..
To make it more interesting many come from other areas of the country. It's simply the pace of the city that forces people to get discpilined and organized "If I do not let you go, nobody goes..."
I wasn't speaking to the NYC metro specifically, rather people on this forum (who just seem to be from that area) who think that there is such thing as driving fast, and aggressive, and still in total control. There really isn't. Anyone who believes that is fooling themselves. There are people all over this country coast to coast who believe that way from what I've seen, and they all can't be fighter pilots or Capt. Sully. Most the time it's not even about your ability as a driver, but the abilities of everyone else around you, and I wouldn't gamble on strangers.
I had the same belief (as far as fast, aggresive, control etc.) when I was 16, 17, 18, 19 etc. Fortunately, it didn't take a horrible accident or a bunch of costly tickets for me to change my mind. I'd feel real stupid if it did.
You do not have to. You have a 20M metro area divided by several bodies of water. New Yorkers are the best, most disciplined drivers on the planet. Anyone else driving in this environment would create a giant traffic jam...
I have seen traffic in much smaller cities, with less natural obstructions going into a standstill because drivers do not know how to cope with congestion. It's all about the skills...
But there are still traffic jams in NYC and everywhere else. They're inescapable. Doesn't matter what city, state, or country even. As long as there are people, jobs, weather, appointments, places to be, road work, accidents, emergency vehicles, etc there will always be congestion and no amount of Ricky Bobby driving will get you around it. It just increases the odds of bad things happening.
I know for a fact I have skills , and I still employ them once in a while, but I'm also under no illusion that it's a safe okay way to drive.
I wasn't speaking to the NYC metro specifically, rather people on this forum (who just seem to be from that area) who think that there is such thing as driving fast, and aggressive, and still in total control. There really isn't. Anyone who believes that is fooling themselves.
I don't disagree with this at all. In fact, I know its true. I do, however, think that each individual driver is different. While a speed limit sign saying 55mph may be a good limit for some drivers, there will likely be MANY more that are can drive safer at 70mph in that area than some drivers can at 55. This may be a result of differences in reflexes, depth perception, vision, etc. However, the 75 year old, nearly blind lady going 30 in a 55 is just as dangerous (if not more so) than the 19 year old going 15 above the speed limit. Rules are rules and they do apply to everyone. A speed limit is a speed that's considered a safe maximum for MOST drivers. That doesn't mean that many more can't drive safely at a higher speed depending on their physical and mental ability. Sure, every mile per hour faster that one drives, risk for incidents increase. However, where one draws the "safe" line is debatable. Should we all drive 5mph because going double that increases risk? No. It's a fuzzy line, but I don't have a problem with someone exceeding the speed limit as long as they are in control of the vehicle (and in certain conditions, one can be in control of a vehicle that's exceeding the speed limit). I think that's what New Yorkers do best-- respond to situations on the road.
My point is that New Yorkers (again, just my opinion) have a better understanding and mastery of their own driving ability than most other Americans. They also adapt to the conditions of the roads (be it weather, traffic, pedestrians, etc) better than any other area I've driven (again, the example of alternate merges on the Holland Tunnel). It seems that they use all of those abilities to keep traffic moving as efficiently as the conditions allow. They may not be able to drive fast, aggressive, and in control all at the same time, but they can do all of those things very well separately. They can drive fast as fast as safety will allow (regardless of what a sign says), aggressive when need be (i.e. moving around someone sitting in the left lane or using the yellow light to get as many cars as possible through an intersection), and they can drive very much in control (being able to stop when/if necessary).
Having lived in the Northeast and done the bulk of my driving between Washington DC and Portland, ME... New Yorkers are the best at this. I've seen Bostonians drive aggressively and fast too, but often times it's for personal betterment and works to the detriment of the other drivers (i.e. not letting people merge into traffic or pedestrians cross). I've also seen Mainers drive so slow as not to pay attention to any other drivers on the road.
In fact, many times on one of the two highways in Maine, if a lane is closed for construction, people all merge to the open lane WELL before the other lane actually ends. This backs traffic up even longer than it should be backed up. If they followed New York's lead and stayed in the lane until it closed and worked an appropriate alternate merge, they would move MUCH faster. However, they don't have the ability to adapt to the conditions like New Yorkers.
Anyway, it's just an opinion, but I have always enjoyed driving amongst New Yorkers.
You do not have to. You have a 20M metro area divided by several bodies of water. New Yorkers are the best, most disciplined drivers on the planet. Anyone else driving in this environment would create a giant traffic jam...
I have seen traffic in much smaller cities, with less natural obstructions going into a standstill because drivers do not know how to cope with congestion. It's all about the skills...
Why did you bring back your old account?
I like the name Dementor much better. It's quite catchy if you ask me.
I noticed a general trend on that list. Rural states had good drivers and urban states had bad drivers. It's easy to appear to be a good driver when you don't have to deal with much traffic. Take a so-called good driver from rural South Dakota and put them in Boston. The so-called good driver might not be as good as they thought. There's a reason why you have to wait until 16.5 to get a license in a lot of urban states, but rural states let you get a license at 16 (or younger in some cases).
I wasn't speaking to the NYC metro specifically, rather people on this forum (who just seem to be from that area) who think that there is such thing as driving fast, and aggressive, and still in total control. There really isn't. Anyone who believes that is fooling themselves. There are people all over this country coast to coast who believe that way from what I've seen, and they all can't be fighter pilots or Capt. Sully. Most the time it's not even about your ability as a driver, but the abilities of everyone else around you, and I wouldn't gamble on strangers.
Wrong. Apparently you have never driven in Europe.
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, and I still employ them once in a while 
, but I'm also under no illusion that it's a safe okay way to drive.
