Question for Seattle Drivers from relative newcomer (live, dangerous)

[obsidian97]

Originally Posted by RobertLCrocker

Seattle is the "green" city. The political consensus is simply that you shouldn't be driving because it's a total affront to the environment so we are going to make those engaged in this activity as miserable as we possibly can.

Yeah, maybe... but start/stop traffic and idling a lot is making it even worse. That's the most inefficient way to get from point A to point B.

Plus, it's the other drivers, who are also miserable, who are making everyone else miserable. I suspect it's more of a "I'm miserable, so I'll make you miserable too" thing.

Originally Posted by 70Ford

Today I was on a three lane highway, driving with my wife.

The guy in the right lane...going 61. The guy in the left lane...going 60. The guy in the HOV lane...going 59. Oh yeah, and the other 3,000 people were doing the same thing....effectively blocking anyone from passing.

Not a lot you can do....but grin and bear it...or go insane.

Sure there is. Install a directional PA system on the front of your car that you can start blaring George Bush speeches into the car in front of you. Just say "nuckular" over and over until they let you pass.

It's very passing aggressive.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by jenlion

.... And that's why traffic here is such a disaster. There's no driving monoculture that everyone adheres to and learns to live by.... you just have no idea when the guy 4 cars in front of you will decide to stop at the green light and the next cars in front of you will sit and patiently wait too, OR when that crazy idiot kid in the porsche will whip around you for going only ten over the speed limit. Or when people will brake to merge or when they will speed up to merge. Box of chocolates -- NEVER know what you're gonna get around here.

I've noticed a pattern when driving on the 5 here in Oregon... I camp out in the fast lane doing 5-10 over the speed limit so I don't get a ticket and don't have to switch lanes back and forth to pass slow a*s trucks, and whenever someone tailgates me it often turns out they're from California. When someone passes me on the right doing 85 in a 65 they're almost always from Washington. Just an observation of mine.

Originally Posted by jenlion

I guess there's a lesson about culture and all of that buried in here somewhere, but I'm too busy being pissed off about how everyone drives to learn it. It's much more socially/politcally correct to be angry about how someone/a perceived group of people seems to drive than it is to be angry about anything else culturally different! All that pent-up you're-pissing-me-off-but-I'm-too-highly-evolved-to-admit-it comes out as road rage!

Haha, it's so true too!

[la_fuerza]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

I've noticed a pattern when driving on the 5 here in Oregon... I camp out in the fast lane doing 5-10 over the speed limit so I don't get a ticket and don't have to switch lanes back and forth to pass slow a*s trucks, and whenever someone tailgates me it often turns out they're from California. When someone passes me on the right doing 85 in a 65 they're almost always from Washington. Just an observation of mine.

LOL! You just described how I drive on Seattle freeways! I will tailgate the slow guy in the left lane who is driving 70. Then if he doesn't get out of my way in a few seconds I will pass him on the right. I've lived in either Washington or California for my whole life so I guess I've picked up the aggressive driving habits from both places! I'm not some kind of jerk or anything, I just like to drive fast.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by la_fuerza

LOL! You just described how I drive on Seattle freeways! I will tailgate the slow guy in the left lane who is driving 70. Then if he doesn't get out of my way in a few seconds I will pass him on the right. I've lived in either Washington or California for my whole life so I guess I've picked up the aggressive driving habits from both places! I'm not some kind of jerk or anything, I just like to drive fast.

There is no excuse for tailgating, none.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

There is no excuse for tailgating, none.

You're absolutely right. Tailgaiting is one completely irrational and avoidable way to beckon death and take lots of other people along.
An insane way to use a 2,000-pound death machine.
Tailgaters' motto: I wanna die right now! Make my day!

[backdrifter]

More like those damn Californians and their 5,000 pound death machines...
Oy vey!

[cyouinhell]

Seattle = slowest drivers ever.....who can't merge, don't speed up when entering the freeway, don't know what the fast lane is, drive in the carpool lane b/c they think it is safer for their families not b/c they want to drive faster (??).
Seattle = drivers who like to drive right next to each other on the freeway, always drive the speed limit, take everything personally so if you pass them or drive fast by them or GOD FORBID honk your horn, they get offended and upset. Did you know you can actually get a ticket for honking in Seattle? LOL!
Seattle = people who stop at yellow lights and yellow turn arrows (??) who stops at a yellow turn arrow???
Seattle = worst drivers ever on the worst freeway system in the country with no money/no taxes to improve it and some stupid light rail that will take you to the airport. Good luck with that! Oh, and a train that shuts down most of the winter due to debris on the lines. Ha!

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by cyouinhell

Seattle = slowest drivers ever.....who can't merge, don't speed up when entering the freeway, don't know what the fast lane is, drive in the carpool lane b/c they think it is safer for their families not b/c they want to drive faster (??).
Seattle = drivers who like to drive right next to each other on the freeway, always drive the speed limit, take everything personally so if you pass them or drive fast by them or GOD FORBID honk your horn, they get offended and upset. Did you know you can actually get a ticket for honking in Seattle? LOL!
Seattle = people who stop at yellow lights and yellow turn arrows (??) who stops at a yellow turn arrow???
Seattle = worst drivers ever on the worst freeway system in the country with no money/no taxes to improve it and some stupid light rail that will take you to the airport. Good luck with that! Oh, and a train that shuts down most of the winter due to debris on the lines. Ha!

Tickets for honking in Seattle? Awesome!

And stopping at a yellow turn arrow is what you are legally supposed to do... It's called safe driving practices. Yellow doesn't mean go faster... It means stop unless it's unsafe to do so. I can pontificate further if you'd like.

[MichaelinWA]

Agree!

Originally Posted by seattlerain

There is no excuse for tailgating, none.

[cyouinhell]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

Tickets for honking in Seattle? Awesome!

And stopping at a yellow turn arrow is what you are legally supposed to do... It's called safe driving practices. Yellow doesn't mean go faster... It means stop unless it's unsafe to do so. I can pontificate further if you'd like.

My point exactly. You're either a native or you've lived here too long.