9 MONTHS IN, Taking the good with the bad... (Denver, Broomfield: calculator, live)

[denverian]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

If someone's primary complaints about a place are traffic and driving, then that's a good thing, because EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE thinks the traffic and drivers are bad. The phrase should be modified to be "nothing is certain except death, and taxes, and traffic"

Yeah, seems to be a common thread throughout all CD forums! But moving from Calirornia to Denver, I did notice the speed limits are lower here. Lower on the freeways (55 in Denver, 65 in LA/OC- when the traffic is actually moving!) and even on surface streets. I got a ticket the first week in town for doing 41 mph. on a 4 lane street with a median. When the cop told me the speed limit was only 30, I was shocked. Oh, and I got one many years ago on that bridge that goes from I-25 to Coors Field - is it Park Ave? I forget, but you feel lik you're on a freeway and the speed limit is something ridiculously low like 30. Nothing but a money maker for the city.

[HighlandsGal]

Denver drivers are slow. Period.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Ghostgecko

8. The cost of living. Wow, how does anyone short of a Master's Degree make it here? If you want to live in a crime infested or low area, you'll pay enough, but if you want a decent apartment, they want you to make 3x?!? as much as your rent, and have perfect references. Welcome back to two jobs, once again...

I don't think that's unique to Denver. No landlord wants to rent to someone who can't afford the place. 3x is a good rule of thumb as a maximum to spend on housing unless you're from California and enjoy being house-poor in which case you'd use a 2x rule.

[downtownnola]

I don't think that people here drive slow. The traffic is sometimes annoyingly slow during rush hour, but that applies to any major metro area. During non-rush hour times, I've found that people in Denver drive fairly fast.

I'm a fast driver, and I've never had that much of a problem with slow drivers here. When I get stuck behind those morons who drive ridiculously slow in the fast lane, I go around them. There's no excuse for their behavior and it's very annoying, but I wouldn't lose sleep over it. There are stupid drivers EVERYWHERE!

Have you ever driven in Seattle or Portland?? YIKES! I don't think you'd like it very much there, ghostgecko. People there literally drive between 35 to 45 in the freeway fast lane! When I returned to Denver, I felt like I was driving in a Nascar race!

[David Aguilar]

Denver drivers:

During morning rush hour, drivers fly on by like they are in an insane hurry to get to work (I'm talking going at least 75 in a 55), or on weekends, are in an insane hurry to get to whatever it is that is so important.

During evening rush, it seems like people are in no hurry to get home.

Overall, Denver drivers IMO are lead-foots with limitations, that won't ever exceed 75, whether it be in a 55, 65, or 75 zone. But, you get the occasional grandma in the left lane. Just go around her.

[Katiana]

I think several posters summed up the Denver driving well. I came here from Champaign, IL, where there wasn't much opportunity to drive fast (not a lot of freeways, etc), and I thought the people here drove like maniacs. I do agree with you, Ghost, that the bad driving should not all be blamed on the outsiders, transplants, etc.

My daughter went to college in Indiana for two years (Valparaiso), and I found the drivers there to be major, well, I can't think of a word that wouldn't violate the TOS! We wouldn't let her have a car there! They do drive fast, practicing for the Indy 500, I guess. They also didn't pay a lot of attention to the rules of the road, which I assume are similar in IN.

[treedonkey]

In my experience, when someone is driving really slow, its usually because there is a whole bunch of OTHER CARS backed up front of them, so it's best to lay off and give them some space rather than harassing them. If someone is really going well below the speed limit amid faster moving traffic, then it's never too hard to pass them. Yes, going too slow can be a danger, but going too fast is a far greater danger, especially when impatience is the motive.

[tfox]

It's true that on c-d we get a lot of complaints about driving. I do find I-25 anywhere from Pueblo to Fort Collins a pretty scary stretch of road -- lots of cars, with some driving 90 and others driving 60, even in the right lane, and as mentioned slow drivers seem to have no qualms about hogging the passing lane. I'm a "drive just over the speed limit" type of driver, myself, I especially find the section between North Metro Denver and Fort Collins to be especially intimidating, particularly with the high volume of trucks on that route as well as well as lots of cars weaving around them.

As for the complaint about Denver being standoff-ish... I think there's some truth to this, but I think it's pretty much in line with the rest of the Rocky Mountain West, especially the larger cities. People tend to be cordial to strangers in public, but not really all that "friendly." I've certainly seen other regions of the country where strangers seem a bit more likely to "shoot the breeze" with each other, not so much here. Those from the West Coast, I think, aren't going to notice this, because if anything, I think the west coast is even more stand-offish that Denver is.

[zenkonami]

If everyone had cruise control, maybe everyone would just kick it up to the speed limit (except for during traffic exchange and other mitigating circumstances) and traffic would flow freely and happily.

[Ghostgecko]

Originally Posted by treedonkey

You need to research your State's traffic laws...
Colorado Traffic Laws - Learn About the Law

Speed limits are not made for breaking, regardless of the 'flow of traffic'. If someone is driving below the minumum speed (even if none is posted) then that is a citable offense, but no traffic court in the country will overlook a speeding violation simply because you think you were keeping with the flow of traffic.

Go the speed limit, my friend, and let the other drivers do as they will... And you might want to stay out of the left lane in either case.

It says I'M NOT A SPEED DEMON. That means I do travel the speed limit. You're probably the one with 20 cars behind you in the left lane that doesn't care. YES. that is against the law. If not, Colorado is stupid to allow someone to travel 15 under in the left lane. Oh well, when they get rammed in the ass they'll figure it out...