World's Worst City to Drive In (taxi, vs., safe)

[mrconfusion87]

I can't help but LAUGH when Americans complain about "bad driving" in their cities! Its a cakewalk to Manila, where I am at. While I'm damn sure we are NOT the WORST OF THE WORST, we are quite UP THERE! I had a friend who lived in the UAE who said that his mother, who was able to go without an accident for several years where I'm at, ended up getting into a traffic accident every second or third month.

Anyways back to my point. MOST foreigners REFUSE to drive in the Philippines (unless their country is pretty bad in itself regarding driving). In Manila, you HAVE TO break traffic rules (which Filipinos view as mere "suggestions"), honk a bazillion times, cut in front of other vehicles, tailgate and tons of other things to get anywhere at all. If you absolutely don't cuss, do the finger, or honk at other motorists, you SURELY will if you try driving in Manila. The biggest peeves of the average drivers are in this order: motorcycles (even the ones after them complain about them), taxis, tricycles, jeepneys, and buses. They also take so DAMN long in the traffic light that I seriously was considering to write a letter to the authorities suggesting they fine motorists in front who take more than 3 seconds to get going after the light turns green, they should be fined AT LEAST $500 - and $500 is quite unaffordable to the average person here. But even then theres the issue of corruption as most traffic officers DON'T issue tickets for offenses but ASK FOR BRIBES for their next meal - sometimes they even draw up false charges so they can get money from you...

So before you Americans go complaining about crap motorists, read what I have to deal with every day in my neck of the woods...

[wastina]

The Republic of Georgia for technical skills, speed and danger. The Philippines for the volume and pollution.

[Vic_Vega]

I'd say Moscow, that's the worst i've ever seen. I just had to laugh that LA had received 9 votes.. who gave those? have you guys not ever been overseas or what?

[Georgia]

Cairo, the cars, the mules, the secret police in their black Mercedes, the camels, the flies, and the darn horns blowing every 10 seconds, honk, honk, honk, honk, honk, honk, and the people packed in the streets around the bazars

[e.ortega]

Originally Posted by Rwarky

World Forummers, which major city do you consider to be the worst city to drive in? Why?

But of course the one and only NYC

The HUGE city buses take up half the block, the YELLOW cab driver's swear they OWN THE STREETS don't signal, change lanes, cut in front of you last minute, run you over and give you the finger while doing all of the above everyone crosses when the cars are coming and even when it's the right of way for pedestrians the car's still keep coming so you won't be able to cross anyway JUST A NIGHTMARE. Everyone does their own thing!!!!!!!!

[brookdaleresident]

Any city in China.......

[cat1116]

I'm surprised not to see Naples, Italy.
Try driving down the road when a soccer game is over and you happen to be going in the opposite direction. You would think that would be uneventful unless you've been there and experienced it.

[tablemtn]

NYC is extremely easy to drive around and navigate. I'd go again with Port-au-Prince, particularly anywhere around downtown.

[tourist]

I have to (gently) disagree with randomstudent about Jakarta.

Yes, the roads are intensely crowded, with the drivers creating more 'extra' lanes than a newbie foreigner would think possible. But there's real skill involved: the drivers slide by each other with just an inch or three to spare, and manage to keep things going faster than in Bangkok or Mumbai. And if you look at the vehicles closely, there's remarkably little evidence of accident damage or even paint scrapes.

My vote goes to Mumbai for all-round traffic misery, with a special mention to Shanghai for perceived danger from random acts of stupidity.

[Randomstudent]

Originally Posted by tourist

I have to (gently) disagree with randomstudent about Jakarta.

Yes, the roads are intensely crowded, with the drivers creating more 'extra' lanes than a newbie foreigner would think possible. But there's real skill involved: the drivers slide by each other with just an inch or three to spare, and manage to keep things going faster than in Bangkok or Mumbai. And if you look at the vehicles closely, there's remarkably little evidence of accident damage or even paint scrapes.

My vote goes to Mumbai for all-round traffic misery, with a special mention to Shanghai for perceived danger from random acts of stupidity.

I do not know about that since I haven't been to India or Thailand, but as to Indonesia while their unique driving style may keep things moving along this only works until there is an accident and while motorcycles are manuevarble, truck drivers that think they are driving motorcycles arn't. When I went onto central Java, a little different then Jakarta I know, I used to see at least one accident everyday on the commute from Klaten to Djojakarta and as I said there were medians specifically installed to stop people from switching into lanes of on coming traffic, which was fairly common, or so I have heard, before they were installed. As to motorcycles it was a while ago so I am not sure, but all the trucks were banged up and dented as could be that I remember.