Is it just me, or? OC drivers are jerks. (San Diego: skateboarding, DMV)

[brianguy]

Originally Posted by Charles

One million percent true. I'd go from Thousand Oaks to Huntington Beach in 65 minutes leaving at 5AM.

Go to Home Depot right when they open on Saturdays and you'll have five people (three with hangovers) there ready to help.

I agree for those with long commutes, there's really no other choice.

though pretty harsh calling anyone trying to get to work by 8am a slob, since that's 95% of the population, but I get where you're coming from. I like to sometimes get there early, but I get no extra rewards (or pay) getting here at 5 or 6. and people / boss will inevitably still come to me to solve the infrequent dumb problems at 4pm or 4:30 or 4:55 no matter what time I come in. so that's not much help

I do like to leave the office at 4:45 on occassion, and get home 33% faster. that's kinda nice. but there's a law of diminishing returns with leaving early. I've left for work at 6am quite a few times and looked around and gone, HOW are there this many cars on the road at 6am??? it's like 75% full.

though I love going to the grocery store at 8am on a Saturday... it takes literally 1/3rd the "normal" time. the only downside, is when you get tot he checkout and there's no checker to help you. plus the 'self' checkouts which have replaced express lines in many stores, are always conveniently closed at that hour. this has happened to me more than a few times. one even had the nerve to continue to chat to her assistant manager while I stood there dumbfounded. but that's union labor for ya!

[brianguy]

Originally Posted by Reivax

I disagree. I lived in Orange County most of my life and I've lived in Houston for over a year.

Trying to get out of a parking lot and turn on to a busy street? Orange County drivers will leave you out to dry, and very rarely let you in.
A Texas driver will ALWAYS let you in.

I don't disagree with the yielding part, it's completely true. but it seems like more and more of a recent phenomenon. it didn't USED to be like this. which makes me wonder when exactly was the tipping point, and it became the "norm" for a car barrelling down your aisle to NOT stop and let you finish pulling out of the space after you've carefully checked, checked, checked, cautiously proceeded, and you're nearly 1/2way out (unless they want your precious space of course, in which case they won't give you enough room to finish backing out).

occassionally someone will let you in, and I'm included in not always doing so, only if someone is a moron or they're too slow or it's impractical. but it's still way down on the probability chart. you might have better odds of seeing a rainbow in OC on a given day.

it seems like the higher gas prices went, the less considerate drivers suddenly got... then it became less of a priviledge and sharing of the road, and more of a God-given "right". but maybe that's just me

[Flux&Reflux]

Originally Posted by killer2021

Not saying that all OC drivers are jerks but it seems like there are a lot of them. Here are a list of things that OC drivers do that make me mad.

1) Constantly tailgating. If I slam on my brakes, how the hell do they think they are going to stop in time?

2) Not using indicator. If you don't tell me your getting over, how the hell am I suppose to slow down and let you in?

3) Always going 5-10 miles above the speed limit. If the speed limit is 40, just do 40. You don't need to do 45 or 50, okay? Same story for the freeway, the speed limit is 65, don't do 70-80+ MPH. If traffic is heavy, reduce speed.

4) Always in a rush. If you need to be on time, please leave early. For christ sakes, I am tired of walking some place and the guy making a right turn cuts me off as I get the white ,"walk" symbol. I've seen numerous times where another car has almost hit a pedestrian (they don't look) by trying to cut the red light before it turns green. Let me tell you, it definitely sends chills down your spine watching a kid cross the street and the other cars not wanting to wait.

I've always wondered why some streetlights have crossing guards even thought there is a signal. Now I know why. PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WAIT! I am sure some kid had to die before they actually put those crossing guards there too.

Anyone had any similar pet peeves? or experiences?

Actually hate to admit this but; OC drivers are probably among the most patient & courteous that you'll ever find. Sure most of them will never use the blinkers to change lanes (a nasty habit that goes worse the further south county you go for some reason) but at least they'll usually be very careful around kids, bikes and people crossing. You should go to LA to see the difference!

Sorry but OC people may be stupid, greedy & shallow yes, but never 'bad drivers'.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Flux&Reflux

Actually hate to admit this but; OC drivers are probably among the most patient & courteous that you'll ever find. Sure most of them will never use the blinkers to change lanes (a nasty habit that goes worse the further south county you go for some reason) but at least they'll usually be very careful around kids, bikes and people crossing. You should go to LA to see the difference!

Sorry but OC people may be stupid, greedy & shallow yes, but never 'bad drivers'.

So what about all the people I see doing 35 in a parking lot, passing in the shoulder, forcing their way left across 6 lane roads with double double yellow "median", etc? And I've found 80% of the time, using a turn signal to change lanes just means the person behind will speed up and pace me so I can't move over. Usually, they won't give an inch until I jerk the wheel quickly in their direction and then back. Nothing like the thought of almost dying to make these idiots back off.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Flux&Reflux

Actually hate to admit this but; OC drivers are probably among the most patient & courteous that you'll ever find. Sure most of them will never use the blinkers to change lanes (a nasty habit that goes worse the further south county you go for some reason) but at least they'll usually be very careful around kids, bikes and people crossing. You should go to LA to see the difference!

Sorry but OC people may be stupid, greedy & shallow yes, but never 'bad drivers'.

I partially agree. OC drivers tend to be more considerate than drivers in many other places that I have been. However they are bad drivers. Although generally considerate, most have no understanding of how to properly control their car. Their answer to every unusual event or crises is to slam on the brakes rather than thinking about what is the best option (sometimes it is accelerating or coasting. A puddle? Brake. A train coming at you? Brake. Something going on in the opposite lane of the freeway? Brake. Rain? Brake. Clouds? Brake.

I also find that Drivers in OC tend to be more distracted and more in a rush all the time than driver elsewhere. You also end up with bigger traffic jams over smaller issues becuase people are distracted and fo not seem to think about driving while driving.

However tailgating, refusal to yeild, speeding up to prevent someone from merging, cutting people off, driving in two lanes at once, swerving, etc are much more prevelant elsewhere.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by tew

I have been here for over 2 years and our 1st one was in 06 with the big blizzard. The airport was closed down for 2 weeks and all that. I did see some people crashed out on the side of the rode but its all common sense. Dont drive fast and crazy when it snows or rains. I dont have much experience driving in any kind of weather but I am more slower and safer when its like that.

I think DEN was closed for only a couple of days.

Here's that monster storm that hammered Colorado (and me - took me three hours to get home 38 miles from Schriever AFB to Monument):

[tew]

I left the day it started to drive to CA for Thanksgiving. And drove again during the other storm for Xmas. We did see the beginning of it going through the mountains. I saw cars stuck in the streets cause of the snow.

We made it to CA twice that winter. Luckily.

[VeronikaW]

Once, I was in the Gelson's parking lot on Alton and Jeffrey (in Irvine), and an SVU came roaring through the parking lot, honking at pedestrians in the crosswalk, and swerving crazily around them...all so they could get to the drive-thru of El Pollo Loco. WTF?

I was happy that I had moved to San Diego at that time.

Now that I live in WA, I miss the OC drivers, they're better than the WA drivers by far!

V. =)

[youngmoney]

OC drivers are the best in Socal! Atleast better than LA or SD!! Ofcourse better than the north where they speed like nobody's business!

[finzup2]

We just got back from visiting and looking at towns and neighborhoods, and I have to say, I found driving in the OC pleasant. Sure there is traffic, but drivers do know how to stay with the flow of traffic, merge, and exit. Bad driving is everywhere, but the OC drivers have practice...and I was much happier driving there than in Birmingham, Al where drivers are clueless about merging, making right hand turns without coming to a complete stop, and the worst**** yielding to Ambulance drivers and Police cars.