driving standards in Texas comparing to CA and other places (Austin: credit, living in)

[hoffdano]

I think there is a Jekyll and Hyde quality to Austin drivers. They are often friendly and courteous - such as letting cars in when there is a long line.

I think there are some really poor drivers - for example people who do not know how to take a left turn. They cut the corner instead of taking the proper radius on the turn. Some have no clue how to deal with two lanes turning left at an intersection. And there are some obstinate slow drivers in the left lane, completely oblivious to the long line of cars behind them.

I think there is plenty of enforcement. I regularly see Austin, Travis Co, and DPS cars patrolling and pulling cars over, I suppose for speeding. I have been stopped for an out of date inspection sticker.

[G Grasshopper]

I basically agree with Hoffdano. Having driven in CA for 35 years, Texas drivers are more likely to take turns in a merge, to allow people to slow down for a turn without zooming around, etc. In short, they are more patient than CA drivers, as evidenced by the rare use of a horn. But there are also miserable drivers who weave in traffic, speed, cut corners, etc. Texas has the confusing blend of cultures that may cause this: the southern politeness combined with the "don't tell me what to do" streak of hyper-independence. And of course, Austin is becoming more and more a melting pot of people from all over. I used to note (although this was years ago) that the drivers in LA were the most skilled I had seen, and I assumed the unskilled ones had been killed off. But skill is not the same as politeness or patience.

I regret the loss of driver education from the public schools. I know it went away a long time ago, but it was one way that we could be assured that all drivers (or at least those in public schools) could have a basic knowledge of the rules of the road. I'm sure this was removed because of funding issues, but it is regrettable that this basic life skill is treated as though it does not require training. I doubt that there is anywhere in the US that is as polite in its driving as the UK. I wish it were otherwise, but I think the quality of drivers in the US has declined and continues to do so.

[Eastcoasting]

My 2 cents.

I have a theory that what one sees on the roadways around Austin is the result of many different regional styles awkwardly combining. Everyone is showing up for the party here from elsewhere and bringing their own car culture with them leaving everyone a bit confused and frustrated.

Personally I have had to dial my driving style back a few notches but I am happy to say that I have only had to use my horn about 3 times in 6 months. In NYC I would use it 3 times an hour.

[blakely]

I've lived in both the Silicon Valley and Austin.

While the road conditions in Austin are a bit better (less congested), I can't say the drivers are noticeably different, at least not enough to prompt a move! Some here are quite courteous, but there are plenty of crazies, too.

[RooCeleste]

Come here and drive during rush hour (or as it is quickly becoming, any hour) and see for yourself before you make the move. I dread the drive to and from work every single day. Even though it should only take 15 minutes, during rush hour it can easily push an hour or more and I can't begin to even count the number of times I'm nearly hit by another car during those drives - on Friday, I had to swerve and honk FOUR times to avoid being sideswiped. Three of those drivers had their heads completely down, texting, and the fourth looked like they had blinders on and thought they were the only driver on the road. I would bet a paycheck, too, that two of them weren't insured....

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by buenos

Hi folks,

I have recently moved to the Silicon Valley in California from Europe on a GC. Previously I have been living in the UK.
Since I have moved to CA I have been experiencing a lot of selfish and dangerous drivers on the California roads. A lot of people keep trying to kill me and anyone else around them with their driving. I find this very different than it was in the UK and very shocking. For example people cutting in front of me, tailgating, blocking merge and lane change deliberately, driving into a sideroad at full speed etc. Lots of drivers fight until their last blood for the ownership of the road, and if I am in their way then they try to drive me off the road. Once I saw 2 cars stopped at the light one of the drivers attacking the other by breaking his sidewindow possibly with a gun. If I was a road warrior from MadMax or something then it would not be a big problem, but I am just a normal person who doesnt want to die while commuting to work. In the UK i found that almost everyone was a lot more courteus and cooperative and try to make all of us get safely through our journey, as opposing to California where a lot of people are not attempting anything like this. Every 5-10 minutes on the road I experience a similar very dangerous situation. Maybe becouse in California everyone is so awesome that they allow themselves to have this behaviour.

So, I started wondering that maybe after a few years in the Silicon Valley I would move to Austin Texas for several reasons (housing etc), but especially for trying to find a place where people are not trying to kill each other on the road all the time. Is Austin/TX a place like that? I heard there are a lot of people who did this move from SV to Austin. Other parts in the US maybe, Oregon, Florida? I can only move to places with computer hardware industry.

austin could be great if you dont mind slow drivers below the speed limit in every lane even when there is little traffic. Plus we have aggressive drivers too. I would classify california drivers as aggressive, austin drivers are oblivious.

[hoffdano]

I think Austin drivers should use their horns MORE often. Bad drivers should be called out and embarrassed by any reasonable means. I am not afraid to use my horn and do a few times a week (most often when some pulls out from a side road into my lane and refuses to accelerate fast enough to not make me slow down).

[Willsson]

driving standards in Texas comparing to CA and other places

In the U.S., our driving practices are like our politics...

Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

[buenos]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

I think Austin drivers should use their horns MORE often. Bad drivers should be called out and embarrassed by any reasonable means. I am not afraid to use my horn and do a few times a week (most often when some pulls out from a side road into my lane and refuses to accelerate fast enough to not make me slow down).

Horns are used more often than not by bad drivers. For example last week I wanted to change lanes (look, signal, look, move over, look), when I looked there was a car at least 100 feet beind in the new lane at constant speed, and as I moved over they stepped on the gas aggressively reduce the 100 feet to 15 feet and honked their horn, reminding me that i should not have attempted to use their privately owned personal lane on the otherwise public highway. This is exactly what I was complaining about.

[G Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by buenos

Horns are used more often than not by bad drivers. For example last week I wanted to change lanes (look, signal, look, move over, look), when I looked there was a car at least 100 feet beind in the new lane at constant speed, and as I moved over they stepped on the gas aggressively reduce the 100 feet to 15 feet and honked their horn, reminding me that i should not have attempted to use their privately owned personal lane on the otherwise public highway. This is exactly what I was complaining about.

That's the hyper-independent and hyper-macho thing I was talking about. There are those out there who don't think of anything except their own convenience, and how everyone else is trying to take away their "rights." It's a "get out of my way" attitude. At least it isn't the majority of drivers, but we certainly have to look out for them. Another example is the guy who honked his horn at my son, who was in the right turn lane, because he actually came to a stop before turning right on a red. I understand if someone honks at me when I do something wrong, but I don't care for it when I am following the law!