Why does everyone say Chicago Drivers are bad???? (transplants, buying)

[chirack]

My experience has been that the Ryan usually tops out at 75MPH or so. It has to be very clear to reach those speeds. The Ryan is the fastest expressway in the city but it is kinda able to handle it(true express lanes).

What is scary is people not used to congestion (i.e. not used to driving at highway speed with cars all around you or not used to having to slow down when on the street).

Also scary is when people from more rural areas go flying through. Places where the exits are further apart and they are doing 70MPH in the right hand lane. I don’t mind people doing 80 in the left lane but it is dangerous when you are trying to get on the expressway and folks are going 70+MPH in the right hand lane.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by chirack

My experience has been that the Ryan usually tops out at 75MPH or so. It has to be very clear to reach those speeds. The Ryan is the fastest expressway in the city but it is kinda able to handle it(true express lanes).

What is scary is people not used to congestion (i.e. not used to driving at highway speed with cars all around you or not used to having to slow down when on the street).

Also scary is when people from more rural areas go flying through. Places where the exits are further apart and they are doing 70MPH in the right hand lane. I don’t mind people doing 80 in the left lane but it is dangerous when you are trying to get on the expressway and folks are going 70+MPH in the right hand lane.

can agree with those comments.
The Ryan does appear the fastest expressway in the area.

Close second without as much congestion when I drive is the Reagan.

[il_blguy87]

Visit Toronto area in Canada in some day and you'see people drive there even faster than in NY or MI. I am from Chicago area too and not long time ago I had to move to a small town in Eastern Iowa. Thats where people drive really bad!!!! Too cautious, driving on left lane below 5 miles in speed limit (like most people do not know u can drive up to above 5mph speed limit just fine). One area such bad is Dubuque, wherr IBM set up new workplace. U will see tons of cars lined up on one line, instead evenly on two. It got so many old people cars often there drive 10mph below 25 posted speed especially in downtown area. Oh and when they make left or right turn they come to a complete stop in front of u. It's very annoying. In addition the city has so lights synchronized in many nearby intersections that forces u I either break speed limit, run trough red line, or stop for 1 min at each block when there is absolutely no opposite traffic going. I hate this hellhole!

[ChicagoBurbs]

The reason that drivers from other states criticize us if very simple: drivers from their state drive differently. People live in an area and then assume that everyone throughout the country does things like they do. Chicago drivers are fast and aggressive and we Chicagoans accept it as normal. However, someone who has lived up in Rhinelander, WI for their whole life is used to slow, relaxed driving. Therefore, when they are exposed to Chicago driving habits, they will say, "Chicagoans are terrible drivers." The same goes in reverse. You have no idea how many times I say to myself, "Wisconsinites are terrible drivers," when I am traveling in Wisconsin. This is because I am used to expressways where everyone is traveling at 20mph over the speed limit, and it doesn't work that way there.

In conclusion, people you think are "bad drivers" is all relative to your experience. A Wisconsinites may think that you are a bad driver and you may think that a Wisconsinites is a bad driver because they go 5 under in the fast lane.

On a less serious and logical note, we know that we are better drivers than the cheeseheads. Drivers who can navigate through 80mph traffic during bumper-to-bumper traffic all while eating breakfast and calling in late for work are way better than the Wisconsin drivers who can barely drive with no distractions.

[nidex]

Originally Posted by reppin_the_847

I agree. This makes it easier for the courts & troopers to smack us in the face when we do get hit with a speeding ticket. Did you know that 30+ over the speed limit is now a Class A misdemeanor and 40+ over the limit is a Class B misdemeanor if you are convicted? This means, if you are traveling 86 mph or more on a Chicago area highway and you don't get it pled down with a lawyer, you can end up with a criminal record. The 30+ rule took effect in January earlier this year. INSANE.

You have these backwards. A class A misdemeanor is worse than a class B. In my younger days I caught a 40+ on a Chicago expressway, it was about 4am. Bad decision, but eh... too late now, and plenty of time has passed. Learned my lesson, the charge is "Aggravated Reckless Driving".

Anyways, Wisconsin drivers say Chicago drivers are bad because they drive fast, compared to how they drive in Wisconsin. Chicago drivers say Wisconsin drivers are bad because they drive 55 in the left lane. Or replace Wisconsin with Indiana, Michigan... you get the idea. I still believe that Chicago drivers are better because they're far more attentive than drivers from more rural areas of the region.

[linicx]

I've driven all over the US except NYC, plus Canada and Mexico.. I personally think Chicago drivers are better than SoCal drivers because they have more choices in the type of roads they use, a greater variety of road surfaces and conditions year round, and seasonal road conditions. IL roads are more educational than La - a state where the roads have been under siege for at least ten years.

[trainfan87]

some mains streets in the city suck because some dont have the left turn only lane. Lets say archer around california to harlem is pretty much that way with the exception of cross busy streets. then there is always the retarted teenager on the phone who signals at the last second. And another issue to raise is that those red light cameras slow people down and i cant blame them, no one wants to get a $100+ ticket.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by ChicagoBurbs

The reason that drivers from other states criticize us if very simple: drivers from their state drive differently. People live in an area and then assume that everyone throughout the country does things like they do. ... .

^^^This.

Drivers on the south side of Chicago 30 years ago (when I unsuccessfully tried to learn to drive down there) were selfish, agressive b*st*rds. I did finally learn to drive, on the northwest side of Chicago.

Drivers in Sandy Eggo are the same type as the selfish, agressive b*st*rds. But by now I've had enough practice that I can manage to avoid them.

My DH is from the UK, where each and every driver must be properly trained to drive, and they all get trained the same way. It's not unusual for a UK driver to fail the road test three or so times before s/he passes. They take driver training seriously there! They do drive assertively (they'll fail their road test for being too timid, because that impedes traffic; and they'll also fail for driving like selfish agressive b*st*rds). But since they all follow the same rules, their assertive driving works.

[mjtinmemphis]

Chicago is a big city. I ve driven through most major cities and Chicagoans are not bad drivers. True that they will cut you off in a hot second. The streets are crowded with cars, pedestrians, busses, bikes and cabs. Thats city driving. Going 80 mph on the Kennedy, Ryan and the Ike doesnt happen as often as some have written. Compared to Atlanta, Dallas and most southern cities, Chicago expressway traffic is slow from my experience.

[neilworms2]

As others mentioned people drive agressively here, particularly for the midwest.

Something noone has mentioned yet, which is one of my biggest pet peeves of drivers here, turning around (doing a U turn) in the middle of a 4 lane major highway. Seriously, why do people do that? Chicago is a freakin grid, its EASY to just go around the block without risking your life or the lives of others!