Traffic/Road Etiquette in Seattle area (Bellingham, Lacey: live in, statistics, move to)

[packet]

Originally Posted by sekhmet1974

Or when the traffic light turns green and everyone sits there for a serious 10+ seconds before moving, only allotting 5 people at most to get through the light.

It's gotten to the point that I end up counting seconds after lights turn green to when the first driver takes their foot off the brakes. I think the average time is around 5-6 seconds. Turning left at a green arrow is near impossible because of it as only 3-4 cars get through any one light.

Just don't try to politely honk to notify them of the fact that the light has changed. People around here apparently never use the horn for any reason.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by packet

You're arguing semantics. It has nothing to do with people speeding and everything to do with people trying to get around slow moving traffic. People refer to it as the fast lane as the right most lane of the highway is also called the slow lane. The slow lane is for slower moving traffic and the fast lane is for faster moving traffic. You're supposed to travel in the slow lane unless someone is going slower in front of you, and then move into the fast or passing lane to pass.

It's also the law here in WA and there are signs on the highways notifying people of this fact, and yet I still end up having to pass on the right because some jackass decides to go 55 mph in the 'passing lane' when the speed limit is 70mph. If you want to go 15 under, so be it. Just don't hold up other traffic behind you. It's not like I'm going 20 mph over the limit either. I just want to go the speed limit, not 10mph under.

I am not arguing semantics. You basically repeated everything i was saying. i was simply responding to sekhmet's comment about the "culture of the road". Reality is, if everyone (including the slow drivers in passing lanes) just follow the law and be the courteous driver, then we all wouldn't be complaining about other drivers.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by sekhmet1974

You are dead WRONG and packet is completely right. I have been all over the US (and I am not "from" here, but have lived here for 12 years) and Seattle drivers are the absolute worst. And sorry, you are wrong about the fast lane. It may not be the "law" but it is the culture of everyone on the road. Your posts (this one and others) on this matter so clearly defines the the often seen passive aggressive behavior of Seattle.

Come on. The purpose of City-Data forums is to be helpful and provide information, and sure, express opinions. I too have been all over the US and it's my opinion that I'd rather drive in Seattle than in Los Angeles or Boston.
That doesn't make you dead WRONG. But maybe it makes you bombastic and argumentative. An opinion about traffic is simply an opinion. If you'd said that vomit is always used in the manufacture of cheese, you'd be dead wrong. Maybe some cheese tastes like it, but I've seen cheese being manufactured, and didn't see an assembly line full of workers puking into the vat.
How people drive is an opinion. How does it enhance the discussion to scream at them and declare them dead WRONG?

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by sekhmet1974

You are dead WRONG and packet is completely right. I have been all over the US (and I am not "from" here, but have lived here for 12 years) and Seattle drivers are the absolute worst. And sorry, you are wrong about the fast lane. It may not be the "law" but it is the culture of everyone on the road. Your posts (this one and others) on this matter so clearly defines the the often seen passive aggressive behavior of Seattle.

In my nearly 60 years on this planet I have lived all over this country and several foreign countries and never once thought that Seattle drivers are the worst...but what do I know, I'm just a dumb passive aggressive Seattle native.

[packet]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

I am not arguing semantics. You basically repeated everything i was saying. i was simply responding to sekhmet's comment about the "culture of the road". Reality is, if everyone (including the slow drivers in passing lanes) just follow the law and be the courteous driver, then we all wouldn't be complaining about other drivers.

You're getting worked up because I called it the fast lane instead of the passing lane and going on a rant about speeding. It's merely a colloquialism and you seem to take offense to the fact that people from a different part of the country call it the fast lane. Even my drivers ed teacher way back in the day called it the fast lane.

[Seattle_Sundial]

Originally Posted by packet

You're getting worked up because I called it the fast lane instead of the passing lane and going on a rant about speeding. It's merely a colloquialism and you seem to take offense to the fact that people from a different part of the country call it the fast lane. Even my drivers ed teacher way back in the day called it the fast lane.

Odd.. the only people I see getting 'worked up' are the ones who are feeding this road rage therapy session. Feel free to let it all out, but you can't expect everyone to agree with your opinion.

I actually find downtown traffic to be quite pleasant (as long as I'm not pressed for time). The overly-aggressive freeway drivers are the ones I try to avoid.

[OregonYeti]

Seattle-area drivers are, in my experience, some of the most courteous drivers in the country compared to any other big city. I've visited the area twice lately.

I don't mind driving the speed limit. You have to go quite a bit over it to make any real difference in time, anyway.

[seattlenextyear]

I think there's a bigger difference between big and small city drivers than there are between any particular city or region. Big city drivers (LA, NYC, DC) are more aggressive because they have to be: if they didn't muscle their way in, they'd never get to go. Small city drivers just aren't used to a lot of traffic, and are quick to give big city drivers a bad reputation when they visit.

[pw72]

Let's cut to the chase. The left lane is a passing lane in less populated areas. The basic rule is you stay right, and if you need to pass, you use the left (or passing lane). In most rural areas, most adhere to this, and there are few problems, except those who have no clue.

In heavily congested areas there usually is no "passing lane" as all traffic is moving at roughly the same speed. However, even in these situations, those who want to travel faster should use the left lane, hence, the name "fast lane".

It isn't that complicated. The passing lane and fast lane are the same lane, but the definition depends on traffic density.

[OregonYeti]

Originally Posted by pw72

The passing lane and fast lane are the same lane, but the definition depends on traffic density.

'zackly