Seattle drivers who don't use turn signal, come on in (things to do, cars)

[Robhu]

It isn't just Seattle. I've been driving for 45 years and in different parts of the country. It seems like as a society we don't show courtesy in general anymore. This doesn't just include driving habits.
I agree some areas seem to be worse then others. In the rural areas of most states I see people letting other drivers know what their intentions are. In the larger city areas it seems like it's everybody for themselves.
I always use a turn signal, even for lane changes on city streets.
I guess it's a lesson we got as older drivers years ago. I like to let other drivers know my intentions and give them time to slow down or go around. I do it far enough ahead of my turns so they don't have to do a panic slow down to avoid me turning into another street and if I am at an intersection and turning I always let the other drivers know so they can proceed if their turn means we are not going to impede each other.
Most problems I have are with young, white, female drivers. Rolling or barely slowing for stop signs. Pulling out when they know another driver has to hit the brakes to avoid them. Always in a hurry to get to next block. I may be older but I don't poke around and make everybody go around me. I'm not afraid to drive over the speed limit and go with the flow of traffic. I drove heavy vehicles for 30 years before I retired. I stilll have a class A, CDL license.
I can say what I said about young, white, females because I have 3 young, white, female daughters that drive. They scare me to death riding with them on the few occasions that I do. It seems to be common in their generation.
There are alot of people these days who can OPERATE a vehicle. There don't seem to be as many who reallly know how to DRIVE a vehicle.

[Gremlin]

What gets me is that people don't understand basic traffic laws. Such as Yield signs for example.


Here a typical Seattle driver, no?

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by 70Ford

Might be 'cuz there's a state law or some reason to slow down/get over.
Just maybe.
...
...
Wait for it...

RCW 46.61.212: Approaching stationary emergency vehicles, tow trucks, and police vehicles.

Move over and slow down, sure that's common sense, but come on, SLAM on the brakes IS NOT necessary. Man Seattleites are defensive about their poor driving abilities.

[70Ford]

Name one large city in America where traffic doesn't suck.
Then name one large city where people don't complain about the "other" idiots.
Makes you think, doesn't it?

I bet a lot of people think they are excellent drivers. In fact, if you couldn't trust 99.9 percent of the people driving, would you even drive? I mean, if I told you 1 out of every 100 people on the road is a STARK RAVING LOONEY WHO WILL CRUSH YOU - would you feel safe? Isn't that just delicious?
You trust your life to the idiots you are surrounded by.

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by 70Ford

Name one large city in America where traffic doesn't suck.
Then name one large city where people don't complain about the "other" idiots.
Makes you think, doesn't it?

I bet a lot of people think they are excellent drivers. In fact, if you couldn't trust 99.9 percent of the people driving, would you even drive? I mean, if I told you 1 out of every 100 people on the road is a STARK RAVING LOONEY WHO WILL CRUSH YOU - would you feel safe? Isn't that just delicious?
You trust your life to the idiots you are surrounded by.

After seeing how poeple drive up here and panic with a tiny bit of snow, I trust myself not other drivers to keep me safe. I bet I've lived and driven in more cities than you, and out of all of them Seattle has the worst drivers as a whole, period. This includes Los Angeles (btw Seattleites get VERY defeinsve when you say LA has better drivers. They are better, just more aggressive and not passive day dreamers), Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis, and driven in NYC many times as well. They all drive better and more uniform than those in Seattle.

[cobolt]

Ya know....back in April I went back to the midwest for a visit and I was FLOORED that people understood the concept of a 4-way stop sign and that the cars were taking turns in the CORRECT order and traffic was moving along. Not like the deer-in-the-headlights staring competition that happens with 4 ways in WA or the idiots who all want to go at the same time...or and THIS miffs me, is the car behind the one entering the intersection who decides to go too instead of waiting his turn!!!! The WORST...mentally challenged drivers....really. Yea and forget bad snow driving. These people can't drive in the rain. Have a little rain fall and people lose their minds. Scary thing: it rains here ALL the time. It isn't a rarity and it isn't rocket science!! Duh!

[wsugrad03]

I love discussions on traffic. Everyone's got something to bring to the table. Being a native of small town NW living, I have to say that learning to driving Seattle was a bit frustrating.

1) Slow drivers in the fast lane: First of all, it's not just slow drivers in the fast lane, it's all over the freeway. You will traditionally use every lane on the freeway getting around traffic. Sometimes I realize that even I'm the slow driver in the fast lane! I use my cruise control much more often now to avoid that.

2) The weasels who cut in to a backed up merge lanes: Can we please take away their license away? Nothing is more irritating than languishing in a slow moving line on the freeway like a good driver just to have these sneaky weasels zip into the front of the queue.

3) Lack of turn signals: I think most people in Seattle are pretty good at using them. You'll have to deal with these guys in any major city. I use my turn signals even in the parking lot....maybe I'm a little OCD.

4) Honking your horn: Don't you dare! In the NW, using a horn is the biggest insult that should be saved for when people really deserve them.

Someone mentioned how we're worse than California traffic? Are you MAD?! Anybody remember the freeway scene from "The Matrix: Reloaded?" That's L.A. traffic! I counted 8 accidents driving down the 101 and back in one day. When you have drivers like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton driving on the same road as you, you can pray and kiss you butt goodbye. IMHO, drivers are plain stupid down in California. You have to adapt or die on those freeways.

Overall, I have to say that I've picked up a lot of bad habits driving in Seattle. Every time I go back to my home town, I have to concentrate really hard not to speed.

[70Ford]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

After seeing how poeple drive up here and panic with a tiny bit of snow, I trust myself not other drivers to keep me safe. I bet I've lived and driven in more cities than you, and out of all of them Seattle has the worst drivers as a whole, period. This includes Los Angeles (btw Seattleites get VERY defeinsve when you say LA has better drivers. They are better, just more aggressive and not passive day dreamers), Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis, and driven in NYC many times as well. They all drive better and more uniform than those in Seattle.

You didn't include England, Japan, Korea, Kuwait and Iraq. If we're beating our hairy chest, I wonder if I have driven in more countries than you. Who knows?

(I drove from Tallahassee to Seattle in a 26 foot Uhaul with a 13 foot car carrier on it....have you done that?) As a side note, I think it is hilarious that you think I am a native.


I think Korea's traffic is the worst I have ever seen....and I've sat in Roppongi (that's in Japan) and watched a red light change 7 times....and didn't move an inch. Korea was worse than that. Imagine a 7 lane intersection where everyone has the right of way...and each lane is full of traffic for 15 miles back. Pure freaking chaos.

In Korea, traffic is so bad people ROUTINELY share a cab. No...it's not going to the same place....it's going in the same GENERAL DIRECTION of the place.

You see an empty seat...run over to the cab.that is stuck in traffic .open the door...and step in and see how much you have to bribe the cabby to let you in. You do get to meet a lot of interesting strangers this way.

And if traffic stops moving..you argue up a fare price (not always a fair price, that sort of depends on how good you can argue), and then get out and walk.

[Freebird2007]

I don't use my turn signals when :

1) there are no other cars around me within 1000 feet of me
2) the person in front of me is pissing me off and when I pass him/her i don't use my signal when i merge back into the lane

[Freebird2007]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

After seeing how poeple drive up here and panic with a tiny bit of snow, I trust myself not other drivers to keep me safe. I bet I've lived and driven in more cities than you, and out of all of them Seattle has the worst drivers as a whole, period. This includes Los Angeles (btw Seattleites get VERY defeinsve when you say LA has better drivers. They are better, just more aggressive and not passive day dreamers), Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis, and driven in NYC many times as well. They all drive better and more uniform than those in Seattle.

I can assure you drivers from NJ and Boston are worse than Seattle