Utah Drivers (Washington: taxis, to live in, law)

[5280milehiguy]

Hello, now I'm not just starting a new thread to rave and rant about Utah drivers, but is anyone else out there disturbed by what they are seeing on the roads, more specifically here downtown SLC.

One disturbing trend seems to be those drivers at a red light that happen to turn right on that red light no matter who is coming from the left (people with a green light) and generally speaking, turn into the one lane that is being occupied by a vehicle approaching said intersection, therefore requiring the said driver to apply brakes for someone that should've and is required by law to STAY PUT until it's clear to turn right on red, or simply wait for the green light. Is this a SLC phenomenon, just got back from Colorado, yes, I drove and in Denver and elsewhere, but didn't seem to notice this phenomenon.

Is it my imagination, but is this happening more and more often now? Any other complaints about drivers appreciated.

Also, I walk around downtown a lot, and have noticed that drivers simply run over the sidewalk from a side street or alley on their way to the intersection, without bothering to check for peds. If you know downtown, you will know the city planning disaster that is the median between the sidewalk and the street. Does this median give a driver the right to ignore peds approaching from either direction on the sidewalk?

Any help here to make me understand drivers in this state would be appreciated.

[markg91359]

I am convinced that what you see is real. I think the quality of driving in this state is less than in most of the other states in this country. I think alot of the bad driving behavior is the result of passive aggression. In this culture, people are taught that its not ok to get angry and they have to avoid disagreement and contention at all cost. The boss is king at work. Dad rules the home. Mom is in charge of the kids. Non-LDS people are angry at LDS people and have no where in particular to put that anger.

Everyone needs to vent and when they have no place to vent they vent in the very few ways that are socially acceptable or tolerable. One of those places in Utah is behind the wheel of an automobile. I really believe that passive aggression accounts for the driver who cuts you off when you want to make a lane change, or the driver that won't yield the right of way, or the nut who has to pass every car on the roadway just so he can stop a block up the road at the red light.

The other factor that contributes to bad driving here are mothers and fathers who are trucking around big families. I can't count the number of times that I've seen a young mother in some big SUV cruising down the road in excess of the speed limit while multi-tasking (usually talking on the cell phone while managing three young rambunctious kids). Its probably more dangerous than drunk driving. Yet, it gets little attention.

[5280milehiguy]

Less quality drivers? don't doubt that one. I lived in DC/Arlington VA for awhile, never saw anything like that I've described here. Although there was pretty much lots of road rage, don't ever recall anything like this however. And the funny thing is, they always go right in front of you in your lane of travel, even if there are three lanes like on 5th South or 7th East. Isn't that what a red light is for, they act like it doesn't apply to them. I am quite fed up with this and people that don't give one look out for a pedestrian. I've seen bilboards about Car vs. Ped accidents, guess they wouldn't have a bilboard if it weren't a legitimate problem.

Thanks for the input.

[alexei27]

I moved from Utah to Long Island...with many many more cars on the road in general. The area in and around NYC is historically known as an area with bad drivers. I can honestly say that SLC is MUCH worse.

The only other place I have been where the problem seems to be as bad is Florida (west coast).

I also agree with markg...that it is pent up frustration that leads to problems on the road.

[Lamborgotti]

I just got back from Washington DC, and while I try not to judge "driving" by my few experiences, the driving their is crazy. Salt Lake drivers really are nothing compared to the driving there. There's soooo much honking there, it seems like every time someone waits for more than half a second at a green or even red light to turn right they are honked at. Of course, there are tons of taxis and buses there which make it difficult (along with the absolutely ridiculous road layout). I never found Utah's drivers to be particularly bad in any particular way (obviously there are a few common errors, but they're not unique to Utah), but compared to most cities, the road system here is generally superior, in comparison to most other cities. It really is pointless to try and point out trends, there aren't any mistakes unique to the "utah driver."

[dcisive]

While there ARE worse places to try and drive (try Seattle and Houston sometime where they take YOUR life in their hands) I traveled across 17 States for over a decade. Utah is among what I would call he LEAST educated regarding driving skills. I don't even want to call them ignorant outside of this activity frankly, just to say they have NO driving skills. They don't know how to merge onto a highway, they don't know how to give "right of way". They don't pull over when a emergency vehicle is present. They mutitask while driving (put on makeup, text message or use their cell phones holding them to their head paying NO attention to what's going on around them. I recently sat at a green arrowed light waiting for the fool in front of me to get a clue it was time to make the turn as they sat frozen in the intersection yacking on their cellphone oblivious to the world around them. This is just unacceptable driving behavior to say the least. It's bad enough when a light goes GREEN they don't realize it's the ONLY color green used and don't MOVE IT!

I've been on Bangerter at the front of one of the 3 lanes, and found myself a city block down the road by the time some of the other drivers get a clue and get moving through the intersection when the light has changed to green. This incenses me to no end. They fail to give the right of way and nearl broadside you, they love to run red lights, do triple lane changes on I-15 exiting off an off ramp at the last second. It's NUTS. Yeah, they are among the worst. I truly do NOT enjoy driving in the city area at all.

[Lamborgotti]

Again, I think it depends much more on the individuals, and I don't think any trends can be identified. Whenever I see an emergency vehicle, everyone pulls over. I'm usually quite impressed by that. As for multi-tasking, it's a confirmed problem in a number of states, and it's still not illegal (though I believe text-messaging is being outlawed in Utah).

There are some situations in which having such a large road system with such spacious and wide streets can do damage. The rules about right-of-way can become more confusing in those situations, though I still haven't seen those problems.

[irman]

What do you expect when you really do not need any decent driver education here ?

My only advice:
- Consider anybody around you as hostile, and you as the looser.
- Drive the speed limit, do not expect anybody else to do what you do not do ...
- On multi lane roads, drive on the slow lane.
- When in doubt, give *them* the right of way.

The result,
you arrive at your destination 3 seconds later ...
AND in one piece !!!!

Been there done that , I have been accident free for over 15 years *all the time I have lived here now*

[Juice.]

Everyone considers everyone a bad driver.

The slow poke in the left lane going the speed limit thinks the angry motorists who pass him on the right and give him the finger are bad drivers. But those same people passing probably consider him to be a bad driver for holding up traffic and using the left lane for his self righteous traffic speed regulating purposes.

Than the soccer mom in her SUV that's talking on her phone is probably petrified by all the "speed demons" who are passing and overtaking everyone on the street. But they probably can't get over the fact that she's driving while distracted while they're driving completely focused and aware.

I disagree with everyone here. I used to live in Los Angeles, and my god, if you can't handle the traffic in Utah...

[dcisive]

I actually used to drive the LA market in traffic all the time. I purposely avoided the morning and evening rush hours setting my schedule accordingly. However I PREFERRED the traffic and drivers there. They DON"T MESS AROUND and they fully understand what the heck the hammer lane is for. If you're NOT going faster than traffic in that lane you'll likely be assassinated (as they should be). If you make a lane change, put your signal on and MAKE YOUR MOVE within 3 seconds for forgetaboutit.....it ain't gonna happen. You NEED to be aware there or you're dead. I wish they would adopt some of the driving skills and practice of that area here. Here they need to get a move on and observe the basic laws in place. The one I'd love to be a cop just for the privilege of emptying my ticket book would be the tons of violations of crossing the double white line (as in DO NOT cross this line) used for the HOV lane on I-15. People typically pay NO attention to it and don't care what it is. They cross it at will because they are too stupid to plan their moves in and out of traffic ahead of time. Do NOT tell me they don't suck here....they DO!