My honest opinion: Tulsans are the worst drivers i have seen!! (Broken Arrow: renting, home)

[BAGuy]

That is true lasomeday. When I visit LA, I get used to driving through red lights when turning left. If you don't, you will get honked at. When I visit more laid back areas, I adjust to drive a little slower so I am not flying by people. In Tulsa, it is understood that you drive around 5 over the limit. Studies show that when people are driving the same speed, accidents occur less. When you have people going 60, 65, 70, 75 mph all on the same highway, it becomes more dangerous.

[Fenderman]

Originally Posted by Raelyn28

Hi, most of you know me as Raelyn but I had to change my username when I was unable to sign on with my new email address. As you know I have made this journey from Washington State to Tulsa and have now lived here for almost one month.

My evaluation.. the drivers here are horrible!!! No offense to the few of you who drive well and respect others on the road.. so please DO NOT TAKE OFFENSE. By the way, I truly appreciate the occasional turn signal when someone is coming into my lane. LOL...

Anyway, not that I am a pro at driving or anything but I can tell you this. I have lived in five states now and visited many others and Tulsa is the worst. Even Southern California with the six lane freeways is mild compared to highway traffic here!!

Inconsiderate, rude, obnoxious and an accident waiting to happen is what comes to mind when I think about the drivers here. Listen to this... Last night while driving down Sheridan we were in the left hand lane and some lady started heading straight into our vehicle!!! It was a good thing that we were looking because if my husband wouldn't have quickly dodged her we would have been hit on the passenger side!!! My fifteen year old son was sitting on that side. We think she was on drugs or something...

And the freeways.. very scary and un-nerving to say the least. Someone is always right up my rear-end and that makes me very upset. I am just not used to this. Washington/Oregon drivers are very laid-back and polite for the most part. I have been flipped off more in the last month in Tulsa than my entire life time of driving (which has been a long time).

And why is everyone in such a hurry? It cracks me up that they speed by me, flip me off then sit at the stop light right next to me. Where are they going in Tulsa of all places??? Is there somewhere (anywhere) that I am missing that is worth the rush, especially in rush hour???

Anyway, enough of my complaining. I guess I'll just hang out in the right lane and let then pass, honk, toss out their angry insults and flip me off while I enjoy my music and my laid back lifestyle. Life is just not worth the rush.. I left that years ago in Southern California..

Hopefully.. this thread will speak to those of you who take part in this insanity called "an accident waiting to happen" and you won't be caught up in one. Hopefully, if you have been one of these drivers who speeds excessively, doesn't use turn signals, cuts people off and then rudely flips them off when they are minding their own business you will re-think your driving habits and stop the insanity. If I can prevent one accident this post will be worth it. I now pray every time I get in my car.

PS... Maybe they don't like my Washington Plates or my Washington State Huskies sticker

Have you ever driven in Atlanta Ga ? I do not think you have by your posting. Yes, Tulsa has its fair share of bad/rude drivers but I have driven in many places MUCH WORSE.
In southern CA people will move into your lane with no signal or even care that you are right there along side them. When they decide to change lanes they just do it. This is DANGEROUS as well as rude.
Try to give Tulsa some time and average out your driving experiences.

[Brookside]

Just adding my 2c on the bad driver question.

We are moving to Dallas (sad about it, but that's another thread). We just returned from a house hunting trip, complete with drives in traffic, etc. Let me ad that I've traveled there many times to visit family so I've experienced the traffic down there on many occasions (Seattle, and Chicago too.) It's definitely heavy - frustratingly so - but overall the drivers seem competent.

Tulsa is much worse! Drivers are rude and aggressive. I've lived here 15 years and it's always the same: tailgating so as to force one to speed up; passing on the right over the shoulder of the road; ignoring yield signs on highway on-ramps.

Life was very unpleasant when I worked downtown and had to drive the BA expy. I lost count of the number of times my heart stopped when some idiot would force him/her self onto the highway from an on-ramp, expecting me to move over into the adjacent lane. But ahem --- there were other drivers in the adjacent lane...and I couldn't move over. The only way to manage was to slow down to a near-stop, let them cut in front of me and hope the driver behind me is paying enough attention not to crash into me.

It's been nice living 90 seconds from work. But even in-city driving is fraught with speeders, tailgaters and just plain obnoxious behavior. I once had a guy who tailgated me for 2 miles on 91st St., then jumped out of his car at a red light and started screaming at me for driving so slow (traffic was heavy and I was driving two miles under the speed limit, FYI). Just this morning, someone in a huge dual cab pick-up truck sat on his horn and honked at me for the duration of a green light because I wouldn't pull into the lane and turn left -- never mind that I didn't have an arrow or that traffic was so heavy there was no way I was going to be able turn without it.

BTW - I'm not a granny driver -- just a careful one. I've been rear-ended (stopped in traffic), and am still dealing with the injuries almost two years later.

I think many of us have become accustomed to this kind of behavior; therefore, we don't realize how startling it is to outsiders. But every visitor I have from out of state remarks on it.

Raelyn, you're one of the most polite and thoughtful posters on this board, so no apologies necessary. I hope Tulsa is growing on you and your family -- at least the weather has cooled off!

[#1soonerfan]

Let me just say the OP is completely justified in her reactions to Tulsa drivers. FWIW I really like Tulsa, although I now live in OKC. With that in mind, I see a lot of "compared to New York, LA, etc etc...." but as far as mid sized cites are concerned (including OKC) drivers in Tulsa are horrible. I was just up there for a wedding a few weeks ago and go there frequently for business and I'm always floored at the sheer recklessness of Tulsa drivers. Last weekend I was on 71st and was passed by some jerk in an F250 going at least 75 mph, not exaggerating. Forget signaling, unless flicking someone off is their form of "signaling".

Oh and don't get me started on the sad shape of the roads up there. Memorial Drive=Pothole City! And the highway system is not user friendly at all! There is one N/S route in the city (169) and the only other one is US 75, which is on the other side of the river in the sticks. So you must navigate one of many pothole ridden boulevards like Yale or Lewis that often are 2 lanes or 4 lanes cramed into a space that is barely big enough for 2 lanes. The previous posters explanation of "suicide ramps" is spot on. On some spots on I-44 you are literally "turning onto" the highway. Maybe I'm spoiled living in OKC where there's a freeway every 5 miles, and we have our fair share of crappy highways and drivers, but Tulsa has got to be one of the least pleasant places to drive. I was just talking to a buddy of mine whos gf is from that area and he agreed with me completely on the drivers up there!

I don't mean to rant, I actaully love Tulsa, just as long as I'm riding around town, not driving!

[Fenderman]

Originally Posted by #1soonerfan

Let me just say the OP is completely justified in her reactions to Tulsa drivers. FWIW I really like Tulsa, although I now live in OKC. With that in mind, I see a lot of "compared to New York, LA, etc etc...." but as far as mid sized cites are concerned (including OKC) drivers in Tulsa are horrible. I was just up there for a wedding a few weeks ago and go there frequently for business and I'm always floored at the sheer recklessness of Tulsa drivers. Last weekend I was on 71st and was passed by some jerk in an F250 going at least 75 mph, not exaggerating. Forget signaling, unless flicking someone off is their form of "signaling".

Oh and don't get me started on the sad shape of the roads up there. Memorial Drive=Pothole City! And the highway system is not user friendly at all! There is one N/S route in the city (169) and the only other one is US 75, which is on the other side of the river in the sticks. So you must navigate one of many pothole ridden boulevards like Yale or Lewis that often are 2 lanes or 4 lanes cramed into a space that is barely big enough for 2 lanes. The previous posters explanation of "suicide ramps" is spot on. On some spots on I-44 you are literally "turning onto" the highway. Maybe I'm spoiled living in OKC where there's a freeway every 5 miles, and we have our fair share of crappy highways and drivers, but Tulsa has got to be one of the least pleasant places to drive. I was just talking to a buddy of mine whos gf is from that area and he agreed with me completely on the drivers up there!

I don't mean to rant, I actaully love Tulsa, just as long as I'm riding around town, not driving!

I do agree that overall the roads suck in Tulsa and a lot of them are POORLY designed as after thoughts.It is STUPID to use the same piece of real estate for both acceleration and deceleration and numerous places on Tulsa highways do just that.
Drive in Atlanta Ga sometime and you will get a real eye opener.

[t_t1393]

I have lived in Tulsa for 15 months and i hardly get any acts of kindness while i have lived in Oklahoma my whole life Tulsa HAS the worst drivers i have ever seen people getting [Mod cut] Language going around u just to slam on the breaks [Mod cut] Language or they almost hit u or pull out in front of u and they get [Mod cut] Language that i dont understand i dont know about nice ppl in tulsa we were shot at once for no reason Tulsa scares the [Mod cut] Language out of me i dont leave home unless i have to!!

[Mom2My3]

Okay - I have lived in OK almost all of my life. I have lived in Tulsa for many years and in OKC. I already warned one person moving to OK that they should make sure they have great car insurance! The drivers are horrible in OK!!! The roads are terrible and we continue to pay for roads to be resurfaced and pay toll after toll! The high insurance rates are due to the high percentage of uninsured motorists. It is awful!!
My husband is an excellent driver and drives hundreds of miles a month as a part of his job. He was recently in a wreck in OKC because an elderly lady slammed on her brakes to avoided hitting some else who stopped suddenly....my husband ended up rear ending the elderly lady. So he got the ticket, the lady said it wasn't his fault, and the person who ulitmately caused it just left the scene. $4000 in damage to our vehicle!! We'll see what happens to our insurance now!! This was my husband's first wreck - ever!!
It is not your imagination!! Good Luck....but also be glad you don't live in OKC...it is worse there!!!

[okcpulse]

Originally Posted by Mom2My3

Okay - I have lived in OK almost all of my life. I have lived in Tulsa for many years and in OKC. I already warned one person moving to OK that they should make sure they have great car insurance! The drivers are horrible in OK!!! The roads are terrible and we continue to pay for roads to be resurfaced and pay toll after toll! The high insurance rates are due to the high percentage of uninsured motorists. It is awful!!
My husband is an excellent driver and drives hundreds of miles a month as a part of his job. He was recently in a wreck in OKC because an elderly lady slammed on her brakes to avoided hitting some else who stopped suddenly....my husband ended up rear ending the elderly lady. So he got the ticket, the lady said it wasn't his fault, and the person who ulitmately caused it just left the scene. $4000 in damage to our vehicle!! We'll see what happens to our insurance now!! This was my husband's first wreck - ever!!
It is not your imagination!! Good Luck....but also be glad you don't live in OKC...it is worse there!!!

Houston drivers top Tulsa and OKC combined in dangerours driving. I think OKC drivers are more sound than in Houston, but OKC still has its fair share. I wouldn't gauge driving habits of the entire city based on a wreck. So your husband had a wreck. That sucks, but it doesn't reflect the city's entire driving population base. I was side-swiped in OKC, but it turns out the driver that hit me was a Texas native even though he had Oklahoma plates. Same applies to any city, really.

Much of Tulsa's bad driving can be contributed to narrow arterials and tight turns on its freeway system.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by lasomeday

In Oklahoma we typically drive 5 to 10 miles over the speed limit. If you are driving below the speed limit on the highway expect to get scorned! People on the highways are trying to get to work or a hot date that cannot wait!

But not on that 10 mile two lane stretch of Hiway 33 from Hiway 177 to Langston. Most drivers there only what to do 55 mph.

[Goodpasture]

Why would you go to Langston?