PA Drivers rated as some of the most unintelligent. (Pittsburgh: house, living in)

[Johnny C]

I deny people the "pittsburgh left" all the time - they act like they are entitled to it.

I think otherwise....

[Mugatu]

Originally Posted by COPANUT

Merging is one of my peeves as well. But, I take a different approach. If you're merging onto say, Route 79, you should be hitting the end of the ramp at a high enough rate of speed to safely merge. The faster you go, the smaller space you need to merge with the traffic.

That's exactly how you are supposed to merge, but people don't understand that concept here. If the speed limit is 55, and you get up to 55 by the time you reach the end of the on-ramp, merging is a breeze, you can just slide right into an open spot since you are already up to the speed of the flow of traffic.

I know a lot of the on-ramps here are a joke and they lack the proper length to get up to speed properly. In that case you might have no choice but to stop. But so many people here still slow down or stop on the on-ramps that have plenty of length too.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Johnny C

I deny people the "pittsburgh left" all the time - they act like they are entitled to it.

I think otherwise....

They sure as heck do feel entitled to it. Then some of them come to other parts of the country where such behavior is not a given, and try to do it there! My brother freaked me out driving in my little suburb of Denver when he tried to do a Pittsburgh left in front of 3 lanes of traffic.

[scottrpriester]

Originally Posted by Pitt Chick

I fail to see what driving habits have to do with intelligence.. !

Well, I rest my case with that comment.

Its not necessarily habits I'm referring to, but rather decisions people make. For example, the hordes of vehicles that jam I-376 every morning getting on at the Edgewood/Swissvale on ramp. It took me one time doing that, realizing that it was no accident or construction that was causing the miles long backups. It was morons who ride their brakes down that hill and are afraid their vehicle won't fit through the tunnel. One time and I immediately found another route.

People who do that on a daily basis are

Stupid
Lack common sense
And must not value their time

[LiveinPA]

I will actually say one thing in defense of Pittsburgh drivers...they do tend to use their signals more than other drivers I've seen in other states.

Of course, who cares about signals when they're going 15 under the limit, straddling the curb and braking abruptly at every slight turn!

[Heit]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

Well, I rest my case with that comment.

Its not necessarily habits I'm referring to, but rather decisions people make. For example, the hordes of vehicles that jam I-376 every morning getting on at the Edgewood/Swissvale on ramp. It took me one time doing that, realizing that it was no accident or construction that was causing the miles long backups. It was morons who ride their brakes down that hill and are afraid their vehicle won't fit through the tunnel. One time and I immediately found another route.

People who do that on a daily basis are

Stupid
Lack common sense
And must not value their time

Oh "the HORROR"...........bad drivers in Da Burgh. Don't sweat the small stuff folks. Trust me, this whole post falls into the category of "small stuff'".

[fleetiebelle]

I know a lot of the on-ramps here are a joke and they lack the proper length to get up to speed properly.

There's one around Robinson that's really short and has traffic trying to merge off of the highway at the same time you're trying to merge on. It's awful. And then there's that ramp with the stop sign to get onto the Parkway east by Squirrel Hill <shudder>.

[highway29south]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

There's one around Robinson that's really short and has traffic trying to merge off of the highway at the same time you're trying to merge on. It's awful. And then there's that ramp with the stop sign to get onto the Parkway east by Squirrel Hill <shudder>.

I know which one you mean in Robinson. Yikes!

There is also one in Robinson coming off the Parkway onto Steubenville Pike that actually has a stop sign at the end of it. I get why- there is tons of traffic on that road. But it just strikes me as hysterical because I can't tell you how many people run that stop sign but stop on any other ramp while merging!

[Johnny C]

Try - just try to explain to someone how to get to Schenley Park or Squirrel Hill if they are traveling inbound on the Parkway east:

"take the squirrel hill exit on the right after you come out of the tunnel. Next, follow the exit ramp back across the parkway and now you will merge onto the parkway east heading outbound. Stay in the right hand land tho (do not actually get onto the parkway east outbound proper). The right hand lane will give you the option of exiting right - do not continue towards the waterfront...."

You get the idea - that is one of the most rediculous interchanges that I have ever seen!

[trotter_rej]

Originally Posted by Johnny C

Try - just try to explain to someone how to get to Schenley Park or Squirrel Hill if they are traveling inbound on the Parkway east:

"take the squirrel hill exit on the right after you come out of the tunnel. Next, follow the exit ramp back across the parkway and now you will merge onto the parkway east heading outbound. Stay in the right hand land tho (do not actually get onto the parkway east outbound proper). The right hand lane will give you the option of exiting right - do not continue towards the waterfront...."

You get the idea - that is one of the most rediculous interchanges that I have ever seen!

LOL, that is my favorite interchange purely for the challenge of it! You didn't even mention the hardest part, cutting across 2 lanes of traffic coming off the freeway from 376 East to turn left to get to Sq. Hill.

To the OP, I agree with your points about people's lack of planning and willingness to sit on 376 in traffic. But look at it this way, if everyone took alternate routes when the Edgewood/Swissvale exit (or wherever) was jammed, then those alternate routes would have increased traffic and take longer as well. You obviously do plan for alternate routes, so you can enjoy the satisfaction of getting there quicker than the people stuck in the tunnel.