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Old 02-12-2012, 06:19 PM
 
Location: Cleveland, OH USA / formerly Chicago for 20 years
4,069 posts, read 7,317,864 times
Reputation: 3062

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Quote:
Originally Posted by odannyboi View Post
Chicago drivers are pretty damn courteous. If you put on your turn signal, someone will slow down to let you in.

In CA and AZ... the drivers are a__holes. They constantly tailgate (orange county easily is has the most aggressive drivers), they refuse to use the turn signal and if you use yours to change lanes, there is 99% chance they will speed up to block you out.

I slammed my brakes on a tailgater, she didn't hit then proceeded to tailgate more.

Chicago drivers are awesome compared to drivers out west.
When I drove in Los Angeles a few years ago, I thought the drivers were pretty courteous and sane compared to what I used to deal with in Chicago. I rented a car there with some trepidation, truly expecting cutthroat drivers, but as it turned out, driving there was no problem at all.

I should add the disclaimer that I didn't visit the OC, so it could be that driving habits are more aggressive in that part of the metro area, I don't know. I should also add that I mostly avoided the freeways except for between the airport and downtown, preferring to rely on surface streets instead.

I used to slam my brakes on tailgaters back when I lived in Cleveland, and it always made them back off. I did it once to a guy driving a blue van in Chicago, and he pulled up alongside me, took out "The Club" (antitheft device) and smashed my rear windshield!
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Old 05-24-2012, 03:45 PM
 
29 posts, read 37,658 times
Reputation: 29
I just moved to North Kenwood from the north side, where I had lived in various near northwest side areas for about 25 years. There is basically too much congestion on the north side for drivers to behave badly, and there's a vocal and sizeable minority of drivers and pedestrians that keep drivers in check. On the south side it's every driver for himself. No right-of-way concerns; when you want to go, it's your right! Stop signs? Those must be for those other fools. Driving only five over the limit? Wuss! And my alderman was like one of three who voted against speed cameras, so what does THAT tell you! I hate south side drivers!!
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Old 05-24-2012, 04:46 PM
 
Location: SoCal
6,420 posts, read 11,596,094 times
Reputation: 7103
The southside drivers have always driven like selfish morons. I wasn't able to learn to drive until I moved to the Northwest side. Then I had to additionally learn how to manage on the southside.

Learning how to deal with southside drivers stands me in good stead for San Diego drivers, who are the most agressive, selfish b*st*rd drivers I've ever had to drive with. LA drivers are efficient but cooperative, since they've figured out that cooperation gets everyone home sooner. Plus, they'll get tickets for impeding traffic.
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Old 07-11-2012, 11:27 PM
 
389 posts, read 920,911 times
Reputation: 125
Quote:
Originally Posted by andrew61 View Post

I used to slam my brakes on tailgaters back when I lived in Cleveland, and it always made them back off. I did it once to a guy driving a blue van in Chicago, and he pulled up alongside me, took out "The Club" (antitheft device) and smashed my rear windshield!
thats quite a felony. Did you follow him after that to get his plate number and call 911?
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Old 07-12-2012, 01:57 AM
 
148 posts, read 238,919 times
Reputation: 159
Default they are full throttle...

chicago is probably the craziest driving city i know and ive been to asia in metro manila, where i learned in a cab at 14 how to drive stick. its too crowded soo traffic truly crawls. i visited L.A. on a trip earlier in april and also find la drivers much much more courteous and cooperative and efficient. they do drive pretty smart with a figure it out and dont waste time creating traffic for a given situation...they go fast when need be, but more about mpgs and being laid back to stop for anyone entering a crosswalk regardless of light color. i found that very nice.

over here, nice is if the passing car goes through the part not occupied... with a rolling through no stop. lol hah... the crotch bikes on 290 by rt 83 are running from the cops for highway racing in the area. a friend of mine from berlin visited me and said its like watching a chaotic harmony. "everyones so heavy footed here, in europe gas is too expensive to be racing around." she said.

i can understand how other cautiuos drivers can be driven mad by the weaving traffic passing through. i like watching them and its funny when they rage. what i find most nuts is they pass 3 lanes even between through lines of semi trailers. i guess its easy to drive fast in a place thats pretty much flat... i find chi suburbs can be long in their sprawl, so i guess drivers tend to try covering it asap...

its funny how one can see how bad the drivers get, area to area, the more messed up the cars are rollin on the roads... the constuction is horrid though and the potholes beat ur car up...

oh and sux about that steering wheeel clubbing man, someone threw and broke a bottle on my car in traffic before and they ran, so i know its no good. one time while at work when i was at the dealership the bosses car came in, back glass smashed by a dropped beer from an above deck viaduct... crazy drunks!

google weiner circle hotdogs and see all them wasted patrons ordering. some prolly end up driving home. thats just 1 hotdog place on 1 corner lol. kinda scary thinking of that... id say 1 in 4 drivers on the highway 1am - 5am is above BAC .08 on weekends...

oh and on a nice night i can constantly hear traffic where i stay, and i can hear when someone passes, and its alot.

Last edited by jpchi60630; 07-12-2012 at 02:53 AM..
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Old 07-12-2012, 09:40 AM
 
4,006 posts, read 6,038,723 times
Reputation: 3897
Quote:
Originally Posted by orelaf View Post
Having just moved to Chicago and having lived in various other places I can understand why someone might think that Chicagoans are bad drivers. This has nothing to do with the driving skill, but more with the style of driving. Chicago drivers are really aggressive in comparison to the 90% of the US and this trait is often mistaken for recklessness.

Few realize that it's actually safer to be driving next to someone who's on the edge of their seat, constantly scanning the traffic for openings and making tight but calculated lane changes, than someone cruising along on an autopilot and without a chance for an instant response in case of an emergency.

DWA....enough said.
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Old 07-12-2012, 09:45 AM
 
4,006 posts, read 6,038,723 times
Reputation: 3897
Quote:
Originally Posted by mayhem_223 View Post
thats quite a felony. Did you follow him after that to get his plate number and call 911?

Lead, follow or get the F*** out of the way!
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Old 07-12-2012, 10:00 AM
 
118 posts, read 194,287 times
Reputation: 104
I missed this thread when it originally came up. Reading it now, it's hard to believe most of these posters live in the same city as I do. You really never heard Chicago drivers are bad? I admit that the slow people in the left lane in Wisconsin drive me nuts, but the aggressive/"me first" drivers here are worse. I'm on the Kennedy almost every day during rush hour and it drives me nuts when people use the on/off ramps as passing lanes. They're on the highway before the ramp, have no intention of exiting, but pull to the right, pass about 5 cars, then do it again at the next ramp. I've seen someone pulled over once in the last 2 years.

Running red lights, running stop signs, cruising/passing in bike lanes, failure to yield to pedestrians are all things I see all the time. Cabs are particularly troublesome.
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Old 07-12-2012, 02:28 PM
 
22 posts, read 42,936 times
Reputation: 23
Native Milwaukee'an turned Chicago resident here. I absolutely hate the driving style/traffic here. I guess it's something you have to get used to, but as said above, I find the standard driving style here unnecessarily dangerous. I've never been in an accident. I've never been pulled over. However, I can't help but think, when cruising at 75 mph on 57 or 90/94 with maniacs weaving in an out of lanes around me, that it's only a matter of time...

Keeping up with traffic is one thing. Endangering everyone you is another. Stay safe, folks.
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Old 07-12-2012, 05:03 PM
 
148 posts, read 238,919 times
Reputation: 159
Default the way people drive here...

in my almost 20 yrs driving experince here in chicagoland, comparitively to anywhere else ive driven or visited, it seems like the common driving practice is an "always passing" attitude rather than cruising defensive. secondly, i see alot of creative or intuitive shortcut taking through alleys, parking lots, gas stations, wrong way on one way streets, going left from left turn lane first before oncoming traffic can cross intersection when light turns green etc... you should see the traffic creep forward on the main st. as soon as the light turns yellow for the cross st.

ive personally had to file more than a few claims for property damage, even went to court for a hit and run, and have replaced at least 1 car due to a rear end accident.

it seems the typical chicago driver maintains a tight 1 to 2 car space radius, so i support the notion most chicagoans know how to drive ... formerly working at a major dealer across from a taxi repair place, brake jobs are extremely common, and in fact the auto repair industry here is everpresent, seems just about every busy major intersection offering automotive services from repair to sr-22 insurance, accessories/parts retail, towing etc.

anybody ever watch that show "wrecked" and they follow o'hare towing around call to call ?

its my observation that one is equally at risk in the city (agressiveness) as driving around large suburb areas where i see more inattentiveness or distracted driving. they dont even stop at the stop sign when coming around my corner to leave the block...

but when it snows? fuhgheettaaboutitt!! better order a pizza cuz its gonna be awhile...

Last edited by jpchi60630; 07-12-2012 at 05:24 PM..
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