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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.
I think the key is that New Yorkers understand scarcity of resources and will utilize all of them, including every inch of roadway to the maximum. They also understand that by being organized they ease the congestion. If we both spend 30 seconds trying to figure out who should go first when the road narrows, we both loose 30 seconds. If I do not clear the intersection as soon as possible people behind will not move anywhere either... Living in a big city requires understaning that you are NOT alone, you have to respect others.
Another factor is that in New York there is an abundance of transportation alternatives and only people who drive are those that really need to drive drive, everyone else is taking subways and taxis. You really can't be a "weekend driver" in New York, you can't be elderly person with weaken reflexes that leaves on the road only those that need to and should drive.
Last edited by advocatusdiavoli; 05-22-2009 at 08:52 PM..
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.
Yes but bad driving habits and skills add to the problem. There are very simple rules of urban driving, the ones followed in New York and the rest of the country would really benefit from copying them.
I cannot believe that New York is on that list. The only reason why NY is on that list is because New Yorkers don't follow the rules thats it. However, other than that New Yorkers are one of the best drivers there are in the United States. We may drive fast and aggresive, but we put the signal light and we also know how to brake when we need to brake. Also we are on the left lane we always speed up we never hold the traffic. If we are going to drive slow we just would stay on the right lane.
I cannot believe that New York is on that list. The only reason why NY is on that list is because New Yorkers don't follow the rules thats it. However, other than that New Yorkers are one of the best drivers there are in the United States. We may drive fast and aggresive, but we put the signal light and we also know how to brake when we need to brake. Also we are on the left lane we always speed up we never hold the traffic. If we are going to drive slow we just would stay on the right lane.
And when driving in New York you do something stupid other drivers will remind you of that right away with their horns. It's a speedy process.
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.
Very interesting. This notion of drivers moving over well before a lane is closed is common in the NW as well. But, then, what happens is the few drivers who take the closed lane all the way to the end are met with resistance from those who moved over early! I've seen some ugly confrontations in this scenerio, even in the so-called "laid-back" Northwest.
You know, I've been waiting, so why should you be able to squeeze in? I've seen this countless times. But I think you are right, the best solution for good flow is to use the lane until it ends, then alternate entry into the open lane.
Very interesting. This notion of drivers moving over well before a lane is closed is common in the NW as well. But, then, what happens is the few drivers who take the closed lane all the way to the end are met with resistance from those who moved over early! I've seen some ugly confrontations in this scenerio, even in the so-called "laid-back" Northwest.
You know, I've been waiting, so why should you be able to squeeze in? I've seen this countless times. But I think you are right, the best solution for good flow is to use the lane until it ends, then alternate entry into the open lane.
I can't believe I would ever give hard time to anybody who is driving in the lane that is about to end and tries to make it to my lane with the blinker on. That's common sense. Unfortunately common sense is not very common nowadays.
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.
I do not think this is necessary NY's ability to adapt but ability to let someone go in front of me. From my experience in many parts of the country the thinking is "why do I have to let this guy go in front of me?"
As opposed to popular belief NY's are very disciplined and organized but not in a blind, fascist way but rather whenver they think it make sense they organize themselves. Anyways speed limits are only guidelines , if the visibility or road conditions are bad, driving at speed limit is not safe even though "the sign says so".
Anyways, I do not consider "speed" to be a factor in accidents. Driving 75mph on an empty road is as dangerous as driving 55. Driving at speed limit in the middle lane while traffic in all lanes moves 10 mph over speed limit is much more dangerous than speeding as it causes all the other drivers to "go around"...
Last edited by advocatusdiavoli; 05-23-2009 at 12:26 AM..
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.
I know what you're saying in regards to how people can drive fast and better. I agree it's possible, but I just haven't seen it in all the places I've been. It just takes one dope, as we all know...
I know what you're saying in regards to how people can drive fast and better. I agree it's possible, but I just haven't seen it in all the places I've been. It just takes one dope, as we all know...
Everyone be safe!
Buddy, we did not invent automobiles nor highways. German Autobahn does not have a posted speed limit and it is mostly just two or three lanes. It's all about discipline, skills and common sense.
Wrong. Apparently you have never driven in Europe.
Well, I have driven in Europe.
How am I incorrect? I'm going by what I've experienced as a driver, which admittedly is my own experience, and not boiled down scientific data. However, I do think I possess a decent ability to observe the world around me.
What are your experiences?
In mine, as bad as we may complain about our fellow American drivers, I think we actually stack up pretty well compared to the rest of the world.
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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.
but rather whenver they think it make sense they organize themselves. 
Anyways speed limits are only guidelines , if the visibility or road conditions are bad, driving at speed limit is not safe even though "the sign says so".
