Official "Let's ***** about Pittsburgh drivers!" thread (Washington, Liberty: home, car)

[tallydude02]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

I also think that Pittsburgh drivers are among the best in the country.
If you want bad, try driving in Missouri or the Boston Area.

Just read that about Missouri.

You are right about that. I was surprised I made it out of there alive! St. Louis was awful to drive through.

I thought maybe it was just that part of Missouri, but they seemed just as bad on the other side of state (Kansas City).

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by sskink

I think the tunnel thing is pretty unique to Pittsburgh. But I've only got NYC and Boston to compare it to. They don't slow down for tunnels there.

Those are two great examples, and when I'm complaining about Pittsburgh drivers, these two cities are what I reference. My wife and I have been to these two cities multiple times since we have been married, and the first thing we say when we are in traffic is "if this was in Pittsburgh".

You can call NYC or Boston drivers "bad" all you want, but they keep moving.

Last night, I'm coming home around 6:45, dry driving conditions with beautiful sunshine and blue skies. As I exit the Blvd of Allies to 376 East I see traffic gathering........and slowing....................no accident, no construction in that direction or time. Unbelievable

[chielgirl]

Originally Posted by sskink

I think the tunnel thing is pretty unique to Pittsburgh. But I've only got NYC and Boston to compare it to. They don't slow down for tunnels there.

As an aside, when I was living in Mexico City, it was not at all uncommon to make a left turn off a stop light from any lane, not just the left-most. Now that was fun stuff.

Personally, I don't give way for the Pittsburgh left thing unless my Pittsburgh-native wife is in the car.

I hate tunnel turtles.
They should all be ticketed.

If you're afraid to drive through a tunnel, take an alternate route.
The Squirrel Hill tunnels are the worst!
One or two jerks can ensure that traffic is tied up for hours.

For the Pittsburgh left, it's there for a reason.
I hope no one ever offers you the courtesy and that you hold up traffic for 5-10 minutes.

I live in Europe at the moment and no one slows in tunnels.
(We can pass in tunnels, too).

[Squeamish]

Originally Posted by nuwaver88

South Florida is the worst. People seem to be more self centered. They drive over 100 mph, weave in and out of traffic, don't use turn signals, cut you off etc.

I've driven extensively all over the country too. I've only been to Florida once, but my experiences in Florida fully support it being the worst. Specifically, it had the greatest number of people blocking the left lane on the freeway when they weren't passing people of anywhere I've been. I went there once, and drove for a few hours, and it was glaringly obvious. For being there such a short time, that's really saying something.

I agree that Pittsburgh has some of the best drivers. Stopping at the bottom of the exit ramp is an issue (I might end up rear ending one of yinz someday) but as far as everything else goes Pittsburgh drivers are great and exceptionally courteous, something you don't see practically anywhere else in the country. Which is necessary given Pittsburgh's congestion, layout, and topography. For those who haven't thought it through, the Pittsburgh Left drastically reduces wait time in heavy traffic for most vehicles. I'm always disappointed that I don't see MORE people using the Pittsburgh Left.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by chielgirl

For the Pittsburgh left, it's there for a reason.
I hope no one ever offers you the courtesy and that you hold up traffic for 5-10 minutes.

Where I grew up, most alert drivers making a left turn made the turn anyway. You anticipate the light and just go.

If you're planning on making a left from a dead stop at a light, I expect you to be ready. If you are, take it. If you're not, I'm beating you to the intersection. So get off the phone and be ready.

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by tallydude02

It's my observation that Pittsburgh drivers poke on the freeways but speed and break all kinds of laws while on city streets and residential areas. Stop signs seem to be mere suggestions and stop lights are ran on a frequent basis throughout the city and region. Maybe half of the drivers use their turn signals. I was in the Cincinnati area recently and most drivers there were using turn signals, even when cutting you off!

Also I wish drivers would move over so you can merge onto the freeway. I've notice western PA is bad about this. I travel throughout the tri-state and the one car that's not moving over is always from PA. Yet they will stop in the middle of a busy multiple lane road and let someone in front of them who doesn't even have the right of way. Crazy!

But compared to most places, drivers here aren't that terribly bad. Go up to Connecticut or the Boston area...those drivers are insane!

My 3.5 years in CT were by far and away my encounter with the best drivers in the country. There is one thing I miss about CT, and that's the way people drove on the interstate. Merged quickly. Generally quite aware of surroundings. Etc. I think the fact that there was a cell phone law there for quite some time, it's pretty heavily enforced (I was pulled over on my own very residential street), and people actually obey it had quite a lot to do with it.

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

Those are two great examples, and when I'm complaining about Pittsburgh drivers, these two cities are what I reference. My wife and I have been to these two cities multiple times since we have been married, and the first thing we say when we are in traffic is "if this was in Pittsburgh".

You can call NYC or Boston drivers "bad" all you want, but they keep moving.

Last night, I'm coming home around 6:45, dry driving conditions with beautiful sunshine and blue skies. As I exit the Blvd of Allies to 376 East I see traffic gathering........and slowing....................no accident, no construction in that direction or time. Unbelievable

Yeah I was wondering if anyone knew what was going on. I came from the same place but slightly earlier. It took me nearly an hour to get home in Shadyside. All of Oakland was backed up, too. The whole ramp to Forbes, etc. That's usually only true when there's a Pitt game.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by WhoIsStanwix?

My 3.5 years in CT were by far and away my encounter with the best drivers in the country. There is one thing I miss about CT, and that's the way people drove on the interstate. Merged quickly. Generally quite aware of surroundings. Etc. I think the fact that there was a cell phone law there for quite some time, it's pretty heavily enforced (I was pulled over on my own very residential street), and people actually obey it had quite a lot to do with it.

SW CT native here. IMO, the biggest difference between here and there is on the entrance ramps and merging into high speed flow. In CT (and NY/MA), it's virtually seamless. It's rare you see anyone slow down and extremely rare to see someone stop and wait to merge. Other drivers cede a small space and you take it.

And you're right, as a generalization, drivers anticipate much better.

One thing I'll give Pgh credit for is that the mess going southbound into the Ft. Pitt bridge and tunnel from 376 and 279 generally works pretty well. The people who feel they have to merge immediately into the adjacent lane once on the bridge are the exception rather than the rule. Keep moving, merge later, you'll get in.

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Now if you want real insane drivers, go drive in Paris.

I have a photo that I took 20-some years ago from the top of the Arc de Triomphe of the traffic in the circle around it that I labeled "why I'd never drive in Paris." There are no designated lanes, there are cars in the picture driving perpendicular to the car next to them trying to drive across three or four "lanes" of traffic to get to one of the spoke streets off of the circle. It is complete anarchy.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by Tinare

I have a photo that I took 20-some years ago from the top of the Arc de Triomphe of the traffic in the circle around it that I labeled "why I'd never drive in Paris." There are no designated lanes, there are cars in the picture driving perpendicular to the car next to them trying to drive across three or four "lanes" of traffic to get to one of the spoke streets off of the circle. It is complete anarchy.

I drove in roundabouts that were six lanes with no lane markers with Paris rush hour traffic. Yeah, never again.