What Is Up With Pittsburgh Drivers? (neighborhood, gated, live)

[ny789987]

I have lived in many places, including NYC. It seems like Pittsburgh drivers are inclined to always tailgate you AGGRESSIVELY. It seems like everytime I look through my rear view mirror nowadays someone is on my rear end. It is very stressful. Just yesterday someone was harassing me and I was 10 mph over the speed limit! He then has the nerve to swerve past me while giving me the finger. It seems like the larger the vehicle the greater the license the driver feels he or she has to be a jerk. Is there any enforcement around here, or are the roads some Darwinian jungle survival of the fittest? Do I need to invest in some monster truck in order to feel secure? How do people feel safe in those tiny 2 person smart cars? I would be peeing in my pants.

[bradjl2009]

I've noticed something different personally, to me it seems like many of these people in big trucks won't go above the speed limit at all.

[fleetiebelle]

I think people want to drive 50 mph regardless of what road they're on. Speed limit's 35 mph through a neighborhood? They're tailing and driving 50. On the parkway? They're poking along at 50 in the left lane.

Don't even get me started about merging.

[sskink]

I get tailgated perhaps 1% of the time I'm on the road in Pittsburgh. Coming from 30+ years of driving in NYC, Boston and DC, I don't see aggressive driving here often - although the few times I do it seems the drivers are taking much bigger risks than drivers elsewhere - like being stupidly aggressive as opposed to opportunistic.

Like fleetiebelle, my biggest gripe is merging and the inability of many drivers to do so without stopping and blocking their lane. You don't need an opening the size of a semi truck in order to merge.

[ditchdigger]

A Pittsburgh driver thread? What? Is Cranberry getting boring?

[fleetiebelle]

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

A Pittsburgh driver thread? What? Is Cranberry getting boring?

It's something that we all can agree on: everyone driving faster than we are is a maniac and everyone driving slower is an idiot.

[bluecarebear]

Darwinian jungle survival. I too have lived all over the country and this is the worst.

Left hand turns on red lights, tailgating, no merging courtesy, and driving through stop signs (I have almost been hit 3 times). I've witnessed two women with cars full of children screaming and swearing at each other like sailors over being cut off. Good thing the light turned green because there would have been a smack down.

There is actually a Wikipedia term for the unlawfulness - Pittsburgh Left. Look it up.

[ny789987]

You are right about merging. I absolutely hate it when people come to a complete halt at the bottom of a ramp. Certain ramps are short and this can't be prevented, but otherwise why do people do this? I feel like my life is in these peoples hands every time I pass one of these clowns. With the left lane inhabited by the tailgating speed demons, there is nowhere else to go.

[8YearsinPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by ny789987

You are right about merging. I absolutely hate it when people come to a complete halt at the bottom of a ramp. Certain ramps are short and this can't be prevented, but otherwise why do people do this? I feel like my life is in these peoples hands every time I pass one of these clowns. With the left lane inhabited by the tailgating speed demons, there is nowhere else to go.

Native Pittsburgh drivers are simply the most timid, over cautious people behind the wheel of a car, ever.

[8YearsinPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by ny789987

I have lived in many places, including NYC. It seems like Pittsburgh drivers are inclined to always tailgate you AGGRESSIVELY. It seems like everytime I look through my rear view mirror nowadays someone is on my rear end. It is very stressful. Just yesterday someone was harassing me and I was 10 mph over the speed limit! He then has the nerve to swerve past me while giving me the finger. It seems like the larger the vehicle the greater the license the driver feels he or she has to be a jerk. Is there any enforcement around here, or are the roads some Darwinian jungle survival of the fittest? Do I need to invest in some monster truck in order to feel secure? How do people feel safe in those tiny 2 person smart cars? I would be peeing in my pants.

I'm going on my 9th year here. There's a problem if you find Pittsburgh drivers more aggressive