KC drivers - average or flat-out bad? (Kansas City, Atlanta: school districts, to live in)

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by attrapereves

I've lived in many different places. Missouri drivers are much better than drivers in the South.

I would agree with that 100%. Missouri drivers are slow, but the south is much worse. St Louis drivers are better than KC drivers though.

[TabulaRasa]

In the time I've lived and driven in KC, I would say that the biggest differences I've noticed from other metros I've called home is that the dangerous drivers here are the dangerously oblivious drivers, versus the dangerously aggressive drivers I've experienced elsewhere.

People who drive the speed limit don't bother me as long as they are driving safely.

[westender]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

In the time I've lived and driven in KC, I would say that the biggest differences I've noticed from other metros I've called home is that the dangerous drivers here are the dangerously oblivious drivers, versus the dangerously aggressive drivers I've experienced elsewhere.

That's a valid distinction. KC drivers that are oblivious cause most of the problems. Slow drivers in the left lane on highways (and also on the surface high-speed roads like Southwest Trafficway or Ward Parkway).

Also, certain merges seem to always have problems -- the Ward Pkwy northbound and SM Pkwy merge, the SW Tfwy and I-35 north merge, the I-35 south merge south of downtown, where downtown on-ramps plus the north loop traffic merges with the south loop traffic.

What's crazy is that in each of those merge cases, all lanes continue for at least a mile. But KC drivers feel it's necessary to change to their ultimate lane IMMEDIATELY. It causes some really dangerous conditions with sudden braking, wild lane changes, clueless slow people, and people traveling at the indicated limit coming upon chaos at high speed.

[Tenebrae]

Originally Posted by Bluefox

Let's just say I haven't been impressed with the drivers here. What bothers me the most is the glut of slow drivers in the left lane. Drivers here do not seem to grasp the notion that the left lane is for passing only. Everyone seems to like to pile up in the left lane. It's beyond annoying stuck behind a dumbass driving 40 in a 55 in the left lane, and it's gotten to the point that I will not even take 71 south to 470 to Lee's Summit from Westport anymore. I take 350, which is somewhat better.

I will say I agree with some of the posters about JoCo. People seem to have more courtesy and mindfulness driving there for whatever reason.

This is hilarious. I really mean that.
When I was young, my folks and I used to always rag on the "J over O" plates (Johnson County). They had the worst drivers at the time. Once we were visiting DC and saw a car driving all crazy and inconsiderate - cutting people off, weaving in and out...and as the car went by, we saw the plates...with that J over O! I couldn't believe it. We all laughed.

Now that I've lived in various parts of the country (world, if you count the UK), I've noticed that there are just bad drivers everywhere. Each area seems to have its particular brand of bad, though. In Austin, there's a plague of "road boulders" or road blocks on wheels, as I like to call them. I'll be cruising down a road 3 lanes wide. Speed limit is 50 MPH, and there will be a row of cars all driving abreast at 40 MPH. No passing allowed, I guess! Next street up is 65 MPH with 2 lanes, and folks love to cruise that one at 40 or 50. I know the speed limit's the limit, but going 15-25 MPH under the speed limit seems a bit...dangerous? In MO, I recall they used to even have a minimum speed posted on the freeway.

Houston toll road driving...oh my, don't even get me started. I learned right away to drive very defensively. If a car was moseying towards your lane, chances were they weren't just talking on the cell phone and swerving - they were deciding to (gradually) change lanes without signalling.

-T.

[attrapereves]

Aggressive drivers are a pain, but oblivious drivers are DANGEROUS. They are the ones who cause wrecks because they weren't paying attention.

The easiest way to prevent wrecks is to be predictable when driving. This means using turn signals, braking enough in advance. Doing unpredictable things often causes crashes.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by westender

That's a valid distinction. KC drivers that are oblivious cause most of the problems. Slow drivers in the left lane on highways (and also on the surface high-speed roads like Southwest Trafficway or Ward Parkway).

Also, certain merges seem to always have problems -- the Ward Pkwy northbound and SM Pkwy merge, the SW Tfwy and I-35 north merge, the I-35 south merge south of downtown, where downtown on-ramps plus the north loop traffic merges with the south loop traffic.

What's crazy is that in each of those merge cases, all lanes continue for at least a mile. But KC drivers feel it's necessary to change to their ultimate lane IMMEDIATELY. It causes some really dangerous conditions with sudden braking, wild lane changes, clueless slow people, and people traveling at the indicated limit coming upon chaos at high speed.

Really, though, sudden braking shouldn't be a problem, and wouldn't be, if people didn't insist upon riding one another's asses. The reality of driving is that unpredictable things DO happen, and responding to unpredictable things can result in unpredictable braking. It's a good rule of thumb to follow at a safe distance. Tailgating is not only a douchey move, it's dangerous.

[TinaMcG]

Well, KC drivers are sure terrible in snow, that's not debatable. Wow. Apparently the school bus drivers are so incompetent they can't even have the schools open when there's 3" of snow. And don't go on about the roads being slick. People drive on snowpacked slick roads all the time and live to tell about it. People drive on uncleared streets all the time and get where they're going. I got a charge out of all the concerned parents who didn't want their little ones outside waiting for the buses that never came (for 20 whole minutes) and then saw news footage of all the kiddos sledding all over the city today. And the accidents caused bvy stupid drivers who never learned to drive in snow even though we get snow every year -- unbelievable how many spinouts there were.

If schools in WI and MN closed every time there was a 3" snowfall, the kids in those states would be the most undereducated in America.

This city loses its mind when the first flake falls. I learned to drive in snow, in Chicago. I'll happily drive in snow up north where they know what they're doing. I try to avoid driving in KC after a snow. Too many idiots.It's more dangerous than driving on New Year's Eve.

[TabulaRasa]

As a native of the IL/WI border, I seriously just shake my head every time school out here gets cancelled for a couple of inches of snow (and I have worked for schools the majority of the time I've lived here, so it's always on my radar).

I had to laugh last night at KCTV 5's headline of WINTER STORM!!!!!!! Um, no. Just, no.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by TinaMcG

Well, KC drivers are sure terrible in snow, that's not debatable. Wow. Apparently the school bus drivers are so incompetent they can't even have the schools open when there's 3" of snow. And don't go on about the roads being slick. People drive on snowpacked slick roads all the time and live to tell about it. People drive on uncleared streets all the time and get where they're going. I got a charge out of all the concerned parents who didn't want their little ones outside waiting for the buses that never came (for 20 whole minutes) and then saw news footage of all the kiddos sledding all over the city today. And the accidents caused bvy stupid drivers who never learned to drive in snow even though we get snow every year -- unbelievable how many spinouts there were.

If schools in WI and MN closed every time there was a 3" snowfall, the kids in those states would be the most undereducated in America.

This city loses its mind when the first flake falls. I learned to drive in snow, in Chicago. I'll happily drive in snow up north where they know what they're doing. I try to avoid driving in KC after a snow. Too many idiots.It's more dangerous than driving on New Year's Eve.

That is because most Kansas City people react to snow exactly like southerners. Just slow down and drive. In the real Midwest snow is expected and budgets for treating and removing snow from roads are set in stone. KC has no excuses when snowfall of varying amounts occurs every winter.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

In the time I've lived and driven in KC, I would say that the biggest differences I've noticed from other metros I've called home is that the dangerous drivers here are the dangerously oblivious drivers, versus the dangerously aggressive drivers I've experienced elsewhere.

People who drive the speed limit don't bother me as long as they are driving safely.

Nailed it. I'll take aggressive over oblivious any day.