Driving in Denver - Good / Bad / Agressive (Lafayette: safe, license plates)

[HazeGray]

I found drivers around Denver to be much more aggressive than anywhere else I've ever lived.

One afternoon I was heading home from work in the middle lane of a six lane road (three on each side). A woman on her cell phone in a huge Lexus SUV in the left lane suddenly started to come into my lane to pass a slower car in front of her. Problem is she never looked in the middle lane and came within inches of hitting me. I blew my horn, she looked startled, and jerked the wheel back into her lane to narrowly miss hitting me. Her windows were down and she started screaming at me and flipping me off. I didn't do anything in response but just kept driving. She pulled into my lane right behind me and started tailgating, screaming and flipping me off out the window. I ignored her and pulled into the right lane (I needed to turn right in a few blocks). She kept following me very closely and yelling. When I pulled onto a very busy road, I cut all the way over to the far left lane, hoping to lose her. She kept following me very closely. When we came to a red light, she had to pull into the median to not hit me.

Just as I was opening my cell phone to call the police, she finally backed off and stopped following me when I turned again. I have no idea what possessed her to be such a jerk -- I simply prevented her from causing an accident. I never flipped her off, yelled, or paid any attention to her. I was honestly scared to see someone kind of go crazy like that.

Most days on 225, 470, and 25 I noticed that people weren't very nice about merging. A lot of people also tended to stay in a lane that was ending until the very last second and then force their way over.

I also thought the motorcycle riders were aggressive and reckless, more than I was used to seeing at least. Most didn't wear helmets and I saw a lot of passing inside lanes on 25 in the DTC area.

[downtownnola]

Originally Posted by HazeGray

I found drivers around Denver to be much more aggressive than anywhere else I've ever lived.

One afternoon I was heading home from work in the middle lane of a six lane road (three on each side). A woman on her cell phone in a huge Lexus SUV in the left lane suddenly started to come into my lane to pass a slower car in front of her. Problem is she never looked in the middle lane and came within inches of hitting me. I blew my horn, she looked startled, and jerked the wheel back into her lane to narrowly miss hitting me. Her windows were down and she started screaming at me and flipping me off. I didn't do anything in response but just kept driving. She pulled into my lane right behind me and started tailgating, screaming and flipping me off out the window. I ignored her and pulled into the right lane (I needed to turn right in a few blocks). She kept following me very closely and yelling. When I pulled onto a very busy road, I cut all the way over to the far left lane, hoping to lose her. She kept following me very closely. When we came to a red light, she had to pull into the median to not hit me.

Just as I was opening my cell phone to call the police, she finally backed off and stopped following me when I turned again. I have no idea what possessed her to be such a jerk -- I simply prevented her from causing an accident. I never flipped her off, yelled, or paid any attention to her. I was honestly scared to see someone kind of go crazy like that.

I have also witnessed serious road rage in Denver. I've seen instances like this played out on the freeway several times.

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by HazeGray

I found drivers around Denver to be much more aggressive than anywhere else I've ever lived.

This may be true, but I doubt you've driven in the parts of Manhattan, Florida, Texas, Las Vegas, Mexico, etc. that I have. Notice I didn't put SoCal on the list. They're actually very good drivers...considering. There's no problem with drivers who drive fast. Just get out of their way. They have jobs to get to.

One afternoon I was heading home from work in the middle lane of a six lane road (three on each side). A woman on her cell phone in a huge Lexus SUV in the left lane suddenly started to come into my lane to pass a slower car in front of her. Problem is she never looked in the middle lane and came within inches of hitting me. I blew my horn, she looked startled, and jerked the wheel back into her lane to narrowly miss hitting me. Her windows were down and she started screaming at me and flipping me off.

At this point, I'd consider this an act of road rage and I'd get that License plate number immediately and call *CSP (*277 for Colorado State Patrol). Then I'd report the activity and the description of the vehicle and the License Plate number. This will do a lot more than reporting it to City-Data. Seriously. They may do nothing unless this person does this over and over again, but sometimes just whipping out the cell phone and punching in numbers will get them off your tail.

I didn't do anything in response but just kept driving. She pulled into my lane right behind me and started tailgating, screaming and flipping me off out the window. I ignored her and pulled into the right lane (I needed to turn right in a few blocks). She kept following me very closely and yelling. When I pulled onto a very busy road, I cut all the way over to the far left lane, hoping to lose her. She kept following me very closely. When we came to a red light, she had to pull into the median to not hit me.

Just as I was opening my cell phone to call the police, she finally backed off and stopped following me when I turned again.

See what I'm sayin'?

I have no idea what possessed her to be such a jerk -- I simply prevented her from causing an accident. I never flipped her off, yelled, or paid any attention to her. I was honestly scared to see someone kind of go crazy like that.

She didn't like being honked at. She probably doesn't want to face her methed-out husband later in the day. But you do have your right to use your horn if she's gonna cross into your lane.

Most days on 225, 470, and 25 I noticed that people weren't very nice about merging.

If somebody's merging onto the highway, get the hell over and let them in, slow down and let them in, or speed up and let them in. It's their job to merge, but it works both ways. Sometimes your the bug, sometimes you're the windshield. Attitude and courtesy go a long way. The stupidest thing I've ever seen Colorado drivers do is STOP! Stop on the merge lane (without a street light for traffic control) and wait for an opening. Now they've backed everybody up behind them, and they all have to get from 0 to 55 in a hurry. Granted, Colorado has some pretty retarded Death Merge on/off ramps where you use the same space to both merge onto the highway and merge off of the highway. Crack heads designed our roads.

A lot of people also tended to stay in a lane that was ending until the very last second and then force their way over.

Well, this ticks everybody off, but when there's two or three lanes, use them until it's time to get over. But don't shoot the gap at the last minute either.

I also thought the motorcycle riders were aggressive and reckless, more than I was used to seeing at least.

Please qualify this; SOME riders are. Not me.

Most didn't wear helmets

None of your business really. Colorado does not have a helmet law as of yet, but the rider is required to wear eye protection.

and I saw a lot of passing inside lanes on 25 in the DTC area.

Another judgement call. Motorcycles are much more maneuverable and faster than their 4-wheel vehicle counterpart usually, so they are trained to be and ride aggressive to a point. If you see them being dangerous, I'd do all I can to get their plate number and report them. Maybe if their plate number gets tagged enough, the patrol can get them and it may save a life. We got a kid down in Pueblo who recently recked into someones front fender in a minivan. I think most of him went in between the firewall and just behind the front tire as he was going 124 in a 30.

Oh boy, just wait until the snow flies later this fall/winter.

[chilaili]

Originally Posted by HazeGray

Most days on 225, 470, and 25 I noticed that people weren't very nice about merging. A lot of people also tended to stay in a lane that was ending until the very last second and then force their way over.

A lot of people here just don't know how to merge (or let other people merge). I've seen people slow down and even stop in a merge lane! They don't seem to realise that you're supposed to match the traffic already on the freeway whilst looking for a suitable gap. And the people on the freeway are supposed to give room for other drivers attempting to merge. I've also seen so many drivers who just stay in the merge lane till they run out of road and then try to join the traffic, even when there's loads of room for them to move across. I don't know if it's lack of experience or just plain bad instruction.

And don't get me started on the roundabout/circular issue

[Lmejh]

Denver bad? Salt Lake City is too. Here, a yellow light means, "Let's all try to beat that yellow light even though we know it's been on for a while!" With any given speed limit, add ten or twenty mph to it and that's what most people will be going. It's normal in Salt Lake to be driving at least 80, even in a 55-mph construction zone. On the flipside, there are the old grannies driving 50 on the freeway. It's nuts. I'm glad our two cities that are normally bitter enemies can agree on something, eh?

[ryanek9freak]

I enjoy that kinda driving. Makes me miss Chicago.

[katmoney]

I think it's the exact opposite. But then again, I did live in Chicago for 5 years..so this is like cake to me.

[downtownnola]

Originally Posted by Lmejh

Denver bad? Salt Lake City is too. Here, a yellow light means, "Let's all try to beat that yellow light even though we know it's been on for a while!" With any given speed limit, add ten or twenty mph to it and that's what most people will be going. It's normal in Salt Lake to be driving at least 80, even in a 55-mph construction zone. On the flipside, there are the old grannies driving 50 on the freeway. It's nuts. I'm glad our two cities that are normally bitter enemies can agree on something, eh?

This sounds about like Denver- the flow of traffic on the freeways here is usually about 10 to 20mph over the speed limit: 65 or 75 in a 55 zone is the norm. On the flip side, we also have our fair share of "grannies" here who just love to drive about 5mph under the speed limit, and they have this strange obsession with hanging out in the fast lane. It's aggrivating because you have to change lanes to get around them.

[ryanek9freak]

I loved driving in Chicago. Everyone goes 90mph everywhere.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by downtownnola

On the flip side, we also have our fair share of "grannies" here who just love to drive about 5mph under the speed limit, and they have this strange obsession with hanging out in the fast lane. It's aggrivating because you have to change lanes to get around them.

As much as people complain about this, on this forum and other places, I rarely see it happening. I see more speeding than slow driving. I agree getting behind someone in the left lane just tooling along is irritating, but it doesn't happen that much, in my experience. Of course, I drive a lot in the Boulder area with a lot of 19 yr olds who think they are invicible.