Austin drivers... OMG! (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio: construction, live, cars)

[Seguinite]

Recently returned from a 4 state road trip that took me in both directions on I-35 thru Austin because I won't pay the tollway thieves to drive the length of 130. Both were in non-peak traffic times, which means the only real slowdown was the typical 'no reason for it' delay down and back up around the river.

It's like some kind of satanic transformation happens just north of San Marcos and south of Georgetown and idiots are zipping in and out of traffic, across however many lanes are necessary to get where they're going 90 seconds sooner than they would if they just drove like responsible adults. I saw none of this through Ft Worth during the evening rush northbound, or on the way back through the construction delays southbound. I drive in San Antonio frequently and don't see it. Driven through Houston on I-10 more times than I care to remember and don't see that kind of behavior. Yeah, people are driving too fast for conditions... but everybody is, and they all play nice.

I'm a confident driver and been at it for over 40 years. I learned a long time back that if you wanna drive between Austin and San Marcos you'd better be willing to drive 15mph over the posted limit or you're gonna get run over. But just a few years ago, people weren't doing the crazy things they're doing now. It's scary. And even more scary at night, because with the tail lights the crazy 'lights up' in front of you. When I got off the interstate in San Marcos it was a happy time.

What I didn't see was anybody pulled over. I can count on one hand the number of police vehicles I saw anywhere… not just in Texas... on the whole trip. Maybe that's part of the problem?

[CarnivalGal]

I agree that Austin driver suck. Nothing pisses me off more than someone driving slowly in the left lane, which happens here ALL THE TIME. Another thing that drives me nuts, that I see a lot of, is people who know they have to exit the freeway (or turn right), but they wait until the last possible moment to cross 3 lanes of traffic and get over. Some may not be familiar with the area, but I've seen enough cars with local stickers and such on them to think that's not the case most of the time.

I'll disagree with you about Houston drivers, though. I drive I-10 into Houston a lot, and it can be pretty scary.

[DMChicago]

I've lived in a few cities.

Everybody thinks their cities drivers are the worst.

They all are correct.

[MisterShipWreck]

I drive threw San Marcus to San Antonio all the time. I still think that the worst drivers are in Houston

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by MisterShipWreck

I drive threw San Marcus to San Antonio all the time. I still think that the worst drivers are in Houston

Agreed. Houston drivers are on another level of crazy. There are no road laws whatsoever in Houston.

I drove from Austin to Atlanta and back a few times. To me...people become entirely different drivers when they enter the state of Texas.

[MisterShipWreck]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Agreed. Houston drivers are on another level of crazy. There are no road laws whatsoever in Houston.

I drove from Austin to Atlanta and back a few times. To me...people become entirely different drivers when they enter the state of Texas.

When I first moved to Texas in 1996, it was new to me. I needed help from my wife at the time, to keep an eye out. People switched lanes and drove way too fast.

Now I am used to it and it is no big deal.

[VAF84]

The difference IMHO is that more people drive inattentively and aimlessly in Austin. So the ones trying to get somewhere faster are more noticeable. However, I agree that there are a few actual crazies out there (moreso 35 than Mopac). As you approach Austin, things slowdown. Meanwhile, entering a city like Houston, all of the traffic suddenly picks up pace, and everyone is going 70-80. You also have an extra two+ lanes in either direction to spread out, so it makes the people going 10 under 3 lanes over less noticeable.

Additionally, Austin has narrower lanes (somewhat claustrophobic), which I think highlights people's lane changes at speed; especially when everyone is going 5-10 under the speed limit. There's really no rhyme or reason. Mopac for example... it's a straight road, with long entrance/exit ramps; and yet people are crawling regardless of time of day. Especially just north and south of the river. I truly don't understand the slowdown on the north side, because it's literally a straightaway for miles.

The dip between 183 and Parmer Ln. People brake on the downhill, and then creep up the uphill.. at which point everyone is doing 10-20 under the limit again. In fact I usually just exit onto the access road, and maintain the speed limit; by the time I get back onto the on-ramp I've passed up a gazillion cars without even trying. Just by maintaining speed.

Anyhow, point is, Austin is a strange bird when it comes to traffic. Just too many people not paying attention to the road and moseying along. Also agree, everyone city tends to have "the worst drivers". Check out the Boise and Denver forums, very similar to the Austin one's.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by MisterShipWreck

When I first moved to Texas in 1996, it was new to me. I needed help from my wife at the time, to keep an eye out. People switched lanes and drove way too fast.

Now I am used to it and it is no big deal.

What I notice is as soon as you cross in from Lousiana on I-10 or I-20 is the traffic immediately picks up from 65-70 to 80-85. Tractor Trailors won't let people pass and hold the left lane for like 7 miles, and even they start trying to pass like cars. My last trip in traffic was averaging 85-90 on I-20 from the state line to DFW. I-35 all the way to Austin, easy to do 90-95 ...except through Waco or Temple.


Besides needing to drive faster in general ... the main thing I really had to get used to were the Texas U-Turns under the freeways. Those were a bit of a pain to get used to.

[Casper27]

Agreed, Austin drivers are incredibly frustrating. I too will never understand how some people can drive 5-10 mph under the speed limit and stay in the left lane without realizing the problems they cause. In a weird way I prefer the Houston and Dallas drivers: even they they drive way too fast over the speed limit they all do it and they all pay attention to what they’re doing, so for the most part everyone gets where they need to go. I’ve seen too many slow drivers on MoPac or I-35 around 183 driving from the left lane cut across all other lanes to an exit.

Might want to be careful on driving threads here on CD, I started one the other day in the San Antonio subgroup and a mod shut it down quickly (and in my opinion without any cause).

[rangergrit]

I think Austin drivers are pretty good compared to my experience in all the southeast states.

Poster VAF84 made a good point about lane widths on Mopac. Very true. But that's to save a salamander, who are more important than people.