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This post contains some elements of a rant, but should not be construed that way.
As my username indicates, I am a transplant to the area from Boston. While it is true that some Boston-area drivers are infamously obnoxious or even downright dangerous, most of them seem to know what they are doing, and even when they drive aggressively they do so in a predictable manner.
Having lived in the KC area for several months now, I have actually become scared driving around, and I have some serious gripes about the driving practices of many of the locals. I will enumerate a few of them here (of course these are generalizations but I have seen enough examples that they warrant mentioning).
1) Driving below the speed limit (or below the prevailing speed of traffic) in the leftmost lane on limited-access highways. This is an absolutely ridiculous phenomenon that I have only encountered in the KC area (and somewhat in the St. Louis area). Try doing that in any major coastal city or Chicago. This habit of many locals needlessly creates artificial congestion.
2) Drivers taking their own sweet time when THEY want to (i.e.: talking on cellphones) and thus inconveniencing other motorists. This applies to drivers traveling under the posted speed limit while chatting away, oblivious to their surroundings.
3) Inability to merge (get up to speed) onto a highway. Enough said.
4) Failure to yield to pedestrians -- even in relatively busy urban areas such as the Plaza or Downtown. I have attempted to walk around the Plaza and am always amazed at the self-righteousness of the suburban SUV (and other) drivers.
5) Not checking blind spots when changing lanes. I have almost been hit over ten times by drivers who have attempted to switch into my lane without checking their blind spots. (And no, I do NOT deliberately drive in other vehicles' blind spots).
I could go on, but these are my top complaints, and I believe that all of these are factors in the (seemingly) higher number of fatal traffic accidents that occur in this area. I am interested in hearing some of the long-time residents' thoughts on this topic.
This post contains some elements of a rant, but should not be construed that way.
I've lived in KC for about 20 years now. I've also driven in many other major cities. The most aggressive drivers I've seen were the cabbies in downtown Chicago.
But other than that, as for regular people driving, I have not seen much difference in one city versus another or in one part of the country or another.
People are people, there are inconsiderate people everywhere and there are good and bad drivers everywhere. No city has a monopoly on them.
When people from other cities are driving in a city unfamiliar to them, they are more cautious and conscientious, thus making it seem as though those around them are less so. Then they attribute this to the people of the city itself instead of to the fact that they are less familiar.
This post contains some elements of a rant, but should not be construed that way.
As my username indicates, I am a transplant to the area from Boston. While it is true that some Boston-area drivers are infamously obnoxious or even downright dangerous, most of them seem to know what they are doing, and even when they drive aggressively they do so in a predictable manner.
Having lived in the KC area for several months now, I have actually become scared driving around, and I have some serious gripes about the driving practices of many of the locals. I will enumerate a few of them here (of course these are generalizations but I have seen enough examples that they warrant mentioning).
1) Driving below the speed limit (or below the prevailing speed of traffic) in the leftmost lane on limited-access highways. This is an absolutely ridiculous phenomenon that I have only encountered in the KC area (and somewhat in the St. Louis area). Try doing that in any major coastal city or Chicago. This habit of many locals needlessly creates artificial congestion.
2) Drivers taking their own sweet time when THEY want to (i.e.: talking on cellphones) and thus inconveniencing other motorists. This applies to drivers traveling under the posted speed limit while chatting away, oblivious to their surroundings.
3) Inability to merge (get up to speed) onto a highway. Enough said.
4) Failure to yield to pedestrians -- even in relatively busy urban areas such as the Plaza or Downtown. I have attempted to walk around the Plaza and am always amazed at the self-righteousness of the suburban SUV (and other) drivers.
5) Not checking blind spots when changing lanes. I have almost been hit over ten times by drivers who have attempted to switch into my lane without checking their blind spots. (And no, I do NOT deliberately drive in other vehicles' blind spots).
I could go on, but these are my top complaints, and I believe that all of these are factors in the (seemingly) higher number of fatal traffic accidents that occur in this area. I am interested in hearing some of the long-time residents' thoughts on this topic.
Thank you thank you thank you.
Somebody to finally back me up.
I would rather drive in Chicago any day over the highways in KC. Cell phones, no signals, slow drivers in the left lanes, people trying to merge onto freeways going 45mph etc. KC has horrible drivers.
I have never been in a city with so many people on the phone. The percent of people on the phone while driving in KC has to be off the charts compared to other towns. I have driven extensively in every major city in the country, including Boston. Boston has MUCH better drivers.
I LOVE driving in cities like Chicago, LA, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas etc. I really like driving in NYC, especially Manhattan.
Nothing better than a nice fast flow of urban traffic full of drivers that know how to drive in an urban area. Even in rush hour, traffic seems backed up. Look a bit past the cars in front of you and there is massive open pavement with nobody on the highway. The people just need to speed up.but don't.
Nothing worse than three people doing 50-55 mph in all three lanes of traffic in KC. Nothing worse than people that get on the freeway and merge clear to the left lanes going 75% of the speed of the flow because they have to exit 6 miles down the highway.
When two lanes come together, you don’t have to fly into the other lane, you can stay in your lane and merge later.
People in KC have NO idea what this sign means.
In KC, people are too nice. I have to honk my horn from 3-4 cars back to get people to go when light turns green because the other cars will sit and patiently wait for the first car to get a clue.
In Chicago, you will get a horn instantly if you don't go when it turns green. Instantly.
Not because they are mean, but because they know they have to keep traffic moving. In KC, people will slowly move through a green left turn arrow very spread out and they will only get about half the cars through the intersection than you would in Chicago.
In many big cities, it’s illegal to talk on the phone and even those that do, seem to be able to drive and talk at the same time. KC cell phone drivers act like they are the only ones on the road.
What's really odd about this is that these same people drive like fools when it snows, it's icy or when they enter a busy pedestrian area of the city like the plaza or downtown. Then they lose their minds. When I drive through the plaza, I slow down and give pedestrians total right of way. People here turn aggressive in areas like that.
I love KC, it’s a great town, but they need to teach all these people how to drive in a metropolitan area. This isn’t Topeka.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcmo
You guys are crazy. St Louis is NOT an aggressive driving town, it's slightly less laid back (slow/oblivious) than KC.
If you are being run off the road in St Louis, it's no wonder you like driving around with the morons in KC.
Nothing personal, but I think KC has the worst drivers. There are a few cities than come close. San Antonio comes to mind.
But you have to have some level of aggression to drive worth a crap in a major city on busy, urban freeways etc. I’m a very courtous driver, I signal, I let people over (if they signal and are going near the same speed as me) etc.
But I do not create traffic flow issues. The further to the left I am, the faster I’m going. If I’m being passed on the right, I move right. And KC people do talk on the phone and they can’t drive when they do.
I drive all over the country in every big city and never see the percentage of people on the phone as I do in KC.
Put me in Chicago any day. People may not seem courteous, but they are. Just don’t try to merge onto the freeway going 45mph and stay left to pass, regardless of what speed the traffic is going and people are cool.
I don’t think most people in KC would make it 10 minutes in a big coastal city or Chicago, Houston, Dallas etc. St Louis? Please.
St Louis is still better than KC though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcmo
Although, I do agree, KC traffic is minimal compared to most big cities, there are parts of KC that do rival many other large metros.
But, yea, for the most part, KC doesn't have traffic. Most traffic in KC is caused by bad driving, not capacity issues.
What it does have is the WORST big city drivers in the nation. People will not get off the cell phones, get up to speed when merging onto freeways, drive slow in the left lanes, unable to use dual turn lanes (wasting capacity) etc..
That's what causes 90% of the traffic that KC does have. Stupid, slow, totally oblivious drivers that should stay on the surface streets.
I have never seen so many people that have no idea how to drive in a bigger city in one place.
I've lived in KC for about 20 years now. I've also driven in many other major cities. The most aggressive drivers I've seen were the cabbies in downtown Chicago.
But other than that, as for regular people driving, I have not seen much difference in one city versus another or in one part of the country or another.
People are people, there are inconsiderate people everywhere and there are good and bad drivers everywhere. No city has a monopoly on them.
When people from other cities are driving in a city unfamiliar to them, they are more cautious and conscientious, thus making it seem as though those around them are less so. Then they attribute this to the people of the city itself instead of to the fact that they are less familiar.
Happens all the time ...
It would be nice if you were correct and you might be right in a utopian world, but I was writing specifically about my real-world driving experiences in the Kansas City metro area. If these occurrences were not so commonplace in this specific metro area, I would not have started this thread. Also, if these driving practices were exhibited throughout the country, I would not even have noticed them after moving here.
I agree with your observations. KC drivers are beyond horrible.
Worse than Memphis? Worse than New Orleans? I wouldn't go that far, but downright bad. I wasn't terribly impressed with Dallas or St. Louis, either.
There are places I found to be a whole lot better. Minneapolis comes to mind. I've only driven through Boston once, but it didn't seem too bad, and it was rush hour.
Another problem with KC is the people who go 10, 20, and even 30 miles an hour over the speed limit. 65-70 isn't enough? Holy cow! I've driven cars that just about shake the front end off going that fast.
Myself, I honestly set the cruise at the speed limit, stay to the right, and hope I don't get killed.
There's a large number of people who are insanely impatient over every little thing. Not necessarily towards slower drivers or bad mergers, but towards everyone in general. I call it the NASCAR mentality. Those kind of people who have to be in front, no matter what. Once they're there, they often slow down. Weird.
I-35 through Merriam and OP is one place where I've seen on several occasions people doing at least 20 over, and then precede to go from the far left lane to the far right lane.. no signal, thick traffic, just one swooping motion, with no regard towards anyone else on the road... I'm absolutely terrified to drive through there, honestly.
I've seen it in other places, but in that part, it literally happens every other time I've driven through there.
My biggest complaint is how people use the lefthand lane. What people dont realize is that going a steady speed in that lane is illegal and you can be issued a ticket for illegal lane usage. That is the ticket cops should be writing, not speeding tickets.
My biggest complaint is how people use the lefthand lane. What people dont realize is that going a steady speed in that lane is illegal and you can be issued a ticket for illegal lane usage. That is the ticket cops should be writing, not speeding tickets.
I agree. The left-lane cruising thing was the hardest and most frustrating to get used to after moving to the area -- especially coming from the urban northeast where the left lane is reserved exclusively for speeders (i.e.: 75/80 in a 55). I do not condone such excessive speeding but I also detest the slowpokes crawling along at 62 in a 65 while on their cellphones or because they believe the left lane is the safest. If people used the left lane for passing only, traffic would flow much better even during rush hour.
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