Utah drivers!! Erg!! (Salt Lake City: home, wedding, to buy) - (UT) - City-Data Forum

carlymac · 07-20-2008, 09:35 PM

I grew up in Utah (Salt Lake City) till I was 40 but now live in MN. Some friends from MN visited Utah recently and said they had never seen such horrible drivers. I was defensive of my beloved home state and said they couldn't possibly be that bad. Well, I just returned from a quick 4 day trip out there to plan my daughter's wedding. We had to drive I-15 several times and I have to say I've never seen so much rudeness on the roads. I agree with my friend now and I'm embarrassed by what is going on out there. We visit Utah at least once a year if not more and the traffic this time was just outrageous. I have never been cut off and fingered so much in any previous visit. Many times I'd be driving the speed limit if not 5 mph over in the middle lane, only to have some guy in a big shiney SUV come up on my tail and pass me on the right without signaling and nearly take my front right fender with him.

What is with these drivers? It was always men and they seemed to be well dressed and probably smart enough to make enough money to buy those gas guzzlers. So why can't they be smart enough to know they could end innocent lives by driving that way?

newtoutah · 07-21-2008, 08:11 AM

I am from out east and trust me....Utah drivers are horrible. I thought the MD/DC corridor was bad, but my gosh this is horrible. Running red lights, cutting people off, riding peoples butts....ugh

Moonlight melvin · 07-21-2008, 10:59 AM

I took a drive with my family from Utah (where we live) across the US to North Carolina and b ack and I was amazed at how different the drivers were once we left Utah. I had no idea! (Ive been in other states, just havent driven much while on vacations)

In other states, people actually use the "fast lane"to pass and not hang out in and go slow! That was the most amazing thing.

If you needed to merge into another lane, people actually slowed down to let you in, instead of speeding up to either prevent you from entering the lane or speeding up to tailgate you, practically rear ending your car

Just a couple of examples. I cant believe how rude Utah drivers are!

chazcrew · 07-21-2008, 01:33 PM

You're preaching to the choir here, carlymac. I don't understand it either. I'm always relieved when I head up through Idaho or Wyoming and get away from the crazy traffic. Why is it that people here will be so polite in other ways, opening doors, shoveling your walks, smiling and greeting you when they pass, but get them behind the wheel, and they turn into jerks! I don't get it.

cinnabon · 07-21-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlymac

I have never been cut off and fingered so much in any previous visit. Many times I'd be driving the speed limit if not 5 mph over in the middle lane, only to have some guy in a big shiney SUV come up on my tail and pass me on the right without signaling and nearly take my front right fender with him.

If you are driving at the speed limit or just over on the highway, in most areas you are pretty much holding up the flow of traffic, even in the middle lane. In most urban areas it is customary to go at least 10 mph over the limit on the highway, just to go with the flow of traffic. If everyone does it, it's not dangerous. I'm not at all defending reckless or rude driving, but when people crawl along it is really irritating, and usually people won't flip you off unless you are doing something that's really upsetting them. Overaggressive driving isn't good, but under aggressive driving can be just as bad. There needs to be a happy medium.

To me, the most notable thing on the roads in SLC was the amount of motorcyclists... shockingly, not wearing helmets, which I guess are not required here. Riding a motorcycle without one - now that's insanity!

newtoutah · 07-21-2008, 04:33 PM

Yeah I agree with the motorcyclists. I watch how cars don't even watch for them and with this state being anal with everything else why not a helmet law??? This is where this state is messed up in more ways then one. When my car arrives out here I will be in the slow lane not giving a crap if the others get mad at me going the speed limit. I have a perfect driving record for a reason and it will stay that way. I just pity the person that hits me.

Chickrae · 07-21-2008, 08:03 PM

This is one post I totally agree with. I lived in Utah for 27 years and then moved to Oklahoma and realized there are actually courteous drivers in the world. Utah does have pretty bad drivers, Idaho is not much better. I am not sure why they are so bad. The things that bugged me the most was people not signaling and if they did signal they would do it immediately before they moved over, so not much of a warning. I really never considered myself that bad of a driver when I was there as I previously came from CA, but then who knows maybe I was one of the bad ones too. I am glad to be in a state that does have some decent drivers.

carlymac · 07-21-2008, 09:52 PM

"If you are driving at the speed limit or just over on the highway, in most areas you are pretty much holding up the flow of traffic, even in the middle lane. In most urban areas it is customary to go at least 10 mph over the limit on the highway, just to go with the flow of traffic. "

I always go comfortably with the flow. One of the times I got cut off I was in the middle lane because there was a semi just ahead in the slow lane going up an incline. This guy came roaring up as if he was trying to cut in before I got even with the truck. There just wasn't room. As soon as I passed the truck he came careening around my right side without signaling. If this kind of thing had only happened once I would have just thought he had to go potty really bad. But this happened so many times- like I said- as I was going comfortably with the flow. Maybe these guys ought to "go" before they leave home or quit drinking so much Coke!

newtoutah · 07-21-2008, 10:25 PM

I dont get the flying up to stop signs, making a left when the person at the same light has the right away thats making a right, butt riding (and I thought Maryland was bad), swerving in and out of traffic and ending up at the same destination and so forth. What really scares me is when you are getting on 15 and there are two lanes that merge onto the highway and the person in the lane thats ending thinks they have the right away and tries to fly around you. patience...geesh. I feel for these semi drivers no consideration for them whatsoever. I dont think some of these drivers realize a semi doesn't have the same stopping power or speed to get up a hill as a personal vehicle. My other peeve is when u are again getting on the highway (well u all call it a freeway) and there is a person in the slow lane that seems like they dont even care that u are trying to get over and there is no one next to them and they can get over..ugh. The other thing I have seen ALOT out here is people not putting their kids in a booster seat.

stycotl · 07-22-2008, 09:27 AM

Quote:

What is with these drivers?

selfishness and immaturity.

and i agree with the children not in car seats and the motorcycle helmets. stupid people.

but i have been worse places than utah. utah is definitely up there. but jacksonville florida, maybe even florida in general. spain. argentina. iraq. all waaaaaaaaay worse.

but it comes down to selfish, ignorant, immature people.

aaron out.