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Old 05-12-2010, 08:00 PM
 
Location: Houston, TX!
50 posts, read 153,663 times
Reputation: 33

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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasVines View Post
here is what you need to know to drive on Houston freeways

if it is stop and go don't let ANYONE change lanes in front of you because they won't know how to drive, will leave a huge gap for more people that don't know how to drive to get over in front of you, and will be the reason it is impossible for you to change lanes if you need to

people like this is why its impossible to drive here. show a little courtesy and let people switch lanes once in a while. sometimes people do need to exit the freeway.. which requires a little lane changing, or you can keep the space between me (in front) and you (behind) to a foot or less so that when everyone slams on their brakes you can slam in to me, thanks! everyone loves to get rear-ended.
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Old 05-12-2010, 08:40 PM
 
Location: Clear Lake, Houston TX
8,376 posts, read 30,577,021 times
Reputation: 4718
Yeah, no kidding. I would totally disregard that post.

The driving is not scary if you can simply keep up the pace. If your car is too raggedy to keep up, simply stay in the right lane.

Compared to other truly big US cities, the driving habits are honestly no better or worse overall. And when traffic is light, it's definitely not flowing all that fast.
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Old 05-13-2010, 09:50 AM
 
Location: Charleston Sc and Western NC
9,273 posts, read 26,382,347 times
Reputation: 4740
Stay in the middle land and go 70. You should be fine.
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Old 05-13-2010, 02:19 PM
 
Location: Kingwood/Porter
262 posts, read 647,491 times
Reputation: 224
Quote:
Originally Posted by tstone View Post
I would personally take I-10 all the way to Columbus, and then TX-71 to Austin. 290 can be pretty bad in both NW Houston and also from Elgin to Austin.
I second that. It would probably be faster than 290.
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Old 05-13-2010, 02:24 PM
 
Location: Pearland, TX
3,333 posts, read 9,133,180 times
Reputation: 2338
Quote:
Originally Posted by Susan2599 View Post
We will be traveling to TX the end of May from FL via I-10 on our way to Austin. It's been years since I've driven in Houston, but I do remember the monumental traffic jams ... no matter what day or time. If we arrive on a Sunday (probably around 10 - 11 am), I'm hoping the traffic jams won't be nearly so bad as they would be during the week. Would the recommended route on a Sunday be to take the East Sam Houston Tollway North (Beltway 8) around to US 290 to Austin? If so, what are the tolls for that portion of the tollway?

Looking at a map, it would seem that a more direct route would be to continue on I-10 through downtown, exiting to US 610 North to US 290 to Austin. Would that be almost as jammed on Sunday as it is during the week?

Second option: If we were to arrive in Houston on Monday (again, probably around 10 - 11 am) rather than Sunday, which route would you recommend ... the East Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8)? Are the tolls exact change or toll tag only?

Thank you.
Take the 610 to 290. You can fly through there at that time. However, if it were me, I'd take I10 all the way to 71 and cut up, much more scenic.

Oops, somebody already said that and I second it.

Just sayin'...

Ronnie
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Old 05-13-2010, 02:29 PM
 
Location: Pearland, TX
3,333 posts, read 9,133,180 times
Reputation: 2338
Quote:
Originally Posted by tstone View Post
Yeah, no kidding. I would totally disregard that post.

The driving is not scary if you can simply keep up the pace. If your car is too raggedy to keep up, simply stay in the right lane.

Compared to other truly big US cities, the driving habits are honestly no better or worse overall. And when traffic is light, it's definitely not flowing all that fast.
I kinda agree, but in Houston I don't think most folks know what turn signals are for. "Don't look, don't signal, just Buttinski and be done with it". Having grown up in Detroit, I run Buttinski attempters into the ditch. Use your signal, I'll let you in, ignore it...ditch.

Just sayin'...

Ronnie
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Old 05-13-2010, 02:37 PM
 
Location: ITL (Houston)
9,221 posts, read 15,871,947 times
Reputation: 3545
I find Houston drivers to be cooperative. We'll let you know you messed up, too. For example, I was exiting onto Westheimer one time from 610 south. Some guy decides to bypass the traffic and using the right side of the exit ramp as his own exit ramp. Everyone honked their horn at the guy, but let him through.
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Old 05-13-2010, 02:42 PM
 
Location: Clear Lake, Houston TX
8,376 posts, read 30,577,021 times
Reputation: 4718
Quote:
Originally Posted by HoustonRonnie View Post
I kinda agree, but in Houston I don't think most folks know what turn signals are for. "Don't look, don't signal, just Buttinski and be done with it". Having grown up in Detroit, I run Buttinski attempters into the ditch. Use your signal, I'll let you in, ignore it...ditch.

Just sayin'...

Ronnie
Yeah, turn signals seem to be a problem not only in Houston but in all the major TX cities, including the Golden Triangle.

I also think drivers are mostly cooperative, not always, but you can't be afraid of squeezing into spaces changing lanes. The whole '2 second rule' for tailgating completely goes out the window here.
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Old 05-13-2010, 02:43 PM
 
Location: Pearland, TX
3,333 posts, read 9,133,180 times
Reputation: 2338
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarface713 View Post
I find Houston drivers to be cooperative. We'll let you know you messed up, too. For example, I was exiting onto Westheimer one time from 610 south. Some guy decides to bypass the traffic and using the right side of the exit ramp as his own exit ramp. Everyone honked their horn at the guy, but let him through.
Ditch! These "I'm in a hurry folks" kill people. I applaud your patience, however.

Just sayin...

Ronnie
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Old 05-21-2010, 09:53 AM
 
39 posts, read 218,150 times
Reputation: 15
I was surprised to see that this post is still active so thought I'd post back. Since my original post, we've made two trips from FL to Austin during the work week rather than on the weekend as we had originally planned.

After studying the map, we took tstone's advice from his post dated 5/19/09 and stayed on I-10 to Columbus and then took TX 71 to Austin. We went straight through Houston on I-10 between 9:30 and 10 AM with no problems. We were prepared for slow moving traffic in the downtown I-10 area and were very surprised and pleased with the steady pace at which the traffic moved, unlike some cities we've traveled. We'll be making another trip in a few months and will take the same route ... unless there is new road construction there.

Thanks to everyone who posted with advice and comments.
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