How Does Traffic In Dallas Compare To Your Old City? (Post: transfer, school)

[Dariusb]

For those of you new to D/FW how is traffic in this area compared to where you're originally from?

[FL70]

Being from the DC metro area, I've only ever experienced one place worse - LA.

If LA is a 10 and DC is an 8, I'd say DFW is maybe a 5...6 tops.

[knotquiteawake]

I came from Los Angeles. enough said.

[pappy97]

Ridiculously worse, and I came from the SF Bay Area. As I've said in several other threads, the big problem is that every time my wife and I drive, anywhere in the metro, there are always some tools who have to drive well below the posted speed limit. No matter what reason, this is frustrating.

Doesn't help that this state can't pass laws to ban texting while driving AND using hand-held phones while driving. Even if they passed the law, it feels like everyone does it here and it helps to create traffic problems (and a huge safety risk).

[FL70]

Originally Posted by pappy97

Ridiculously worse, and I came from the SF Bay Area. As I've said in several other threads, the big problem is that every time my wife and I drive, anywhere in the metro, there are always some tools who have to drive well below the posted speed limit. No matter what reason, this is frustrating.

Actually I think on average people here drive faster...once they're moving anyway. Sometimes it takes a little bit to transfer the ol' foot from the brake to the gas, but we moved here to get away from the intensity and cut-throat lifestyle of the DC area - so it's OK with me.

Originally Posted by pappy97

Doesn't help that this state can't pass laws to ban texting while driving AND using hand-held phones while driving. Even if they passed the law, it feels like everyone does it here and it helps to create traffic problems (and a huge safety risk).

For me, I'd like a little more done to prove that 1) it's a wide scale problem; and 2) it has far reaching consequences.

Not having the government involved in the minutiae of my life is another reason we moved here. Over-regulation is over-rated.

[pappy97]

Originally Posted by FL70

Actually I think on average people here drive faster...once they're moving anyway. Sometimes it takes a little bit to transfer the ol' foot from the brake to the gas, but we moved here to get away from the intensity and cut-throat lifestyle of the DC area - so it's OK with me.


For me, I'd like a little more done to prove that 1) it's a wide scale problem; and 2) it has far reaching consequences.

Not having the government involved in the minutiae of my life is another reason we moved here. Over-regulation is over-rated.

Glad you don't mind that there is always someone driving too slow and causing traffic problems, I sure don't. My wife and I, at least once a day, feel the need to scream "GO!!!" Not just slow drivers, but as you mentioned, slow from going from a full to stop to moving is also a problem.

As to cell phone use while driving, you've got to be kidding me. Here is a link to a typical article with cites to scientific studies

The Straight Dope: Is cell phone use in cars really dangerous?

Accumulating evidence suggests gabbing on the phone while driving is definitely dangerous, probably more so than other distractions. What's more, hands-free phones don't solve the problem. What gets you into trouble, it seems, isn't so much fumbling with the phone (though that doesn't help) as the apparent fact that driving and conducting a conversation at the same time consumes more mental processing power than most people can spare.

Some experts compare driving while phoning to driving while drunk, but a study by folks at the University of Utah (Strayer et al, 2004) suggests that in certain respects drunks actually do better behind the wheel than phone users--they seem to stay closer to the speed limit and brake faster in response to braking vehicles ahead. All in all, there's solid evidence that talking on the phone is among the more dangerous things you can do while driving.

There's plenty of articles like this out there with cites to studies. Frankly I'm shocked anyone even questions what is now become well regarded as fact that cell phone usage (Talking and/or texting) while driving is dangerous.

Even TX somewhat recognizes this with their new law of no cell phone usage (Talking or texting) in school zones during certain hours. Why do you think TX even passed this? Obviously because they didn't want kids to get hit by idiots who are texting or even just talking on their handhelds while driving. I am just amazed that TX can't pass the full ban on hand-held usage like MANY other states are doing, which they are doing by the way for the safety of themselves and others.

Here is a link to the National Safety Council's White paper on cell phone usage (they even say hands-free is dangerous but I don't think a state is going to pass a law completely banning cell phone usage while driving, sadly)

http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distr...straction.aspx

And a link to St. Louis Post-Dispatch article on it:

http://www.saferoads.org/study-finds...gerous-drivers