Why have Pittsburgh drivers gotten so aggressive and angry? (move, train)

[8YearsinPittsburgh]

Great example this morning: I'm taking my child to preschool which is near Sterret School on Reynolds Street in Point Breeze. As we go around the round about near the Frick museum, we go left on a street which takes us in back of the Sterret School. I noticed a line of cars and figured it was a bus holding up traffic. Nope. The storm this morning must have brought a big tree branch down and there was a crew near the playground cutting that up. Behind them, four cars, all waiting for.............nothing. No one was holding a sign up telling anyone to drive slow or stop, no police officer making people wait, just four people sitting in line, for no reason at all. So I passed all four cars with no issue at all, but why folks, why do you take every opportunity possible to slow traffic down or bring it to a complete halt when given the chance? Why?

[youngabe]

Originally Posted by 8YearsinPittsburgh

Great example this morning: I'm taking my child to preschool which is near Sterret School on Reynolds Street in Point Breeze. As we go around the round about near the Frick museum, we go left on a street which takes us in back of the Sterret School. I noticed a line of cars and figured it was a bus holding up traffic. Nope. The storm this morning must have brought a big tree branch down and there was a crew near the playground cutting that up. Behind them, four cars, all waiting for.............nothing. No one was holding a sign up telling anyone to drive slow or stop, no police officer making people wait, just four people sitting in line, for no reason at all. So I passed all four cars with no issue at all, but why folks, why do you take every opportunity possible to slow traffic down or bring it to a complete halt when given the chance? Why?

Speaking of slowing down traffic, do we have any mechanics on the forum? If so, answer me this, do Western PA drivers burn through breaks faster than usual? ... I swear people around here LOVE their break pedal. I see people on the highways all the time just randomly tapping their breaks. WHY! What are you doing? Just leave off the accelerator. I get sometimes break use is necessary, but I feel like so many people have, almost a nervous tick, of tapping the break pedal.

[8YearsinPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by youngabe

Speaking of slowing down traffic, do we have any mechanics on the forum? If so, answer me this, do Western PA drivers burn through breaks faster than usual? ... I swear people around here LOVE their break pedal. I see people on the highways all the time just randomly tapping their breaks. WHY! What are you doing? Just leave off the accelerator. I get sometimes break use is necessary, but I feel like so many people have, almost a nervous tick, of tapping the break pedal.

One of my greatest irritations. I see so much braking daily in situations where I wouldn't even consider tapping mine

[8YearsinPittsburgh]

I had all intentions of riding the bus from Point Breeze to CMU on Saturday. As the morning progressed, I found I had a few other things I wanted to do after their football game, so I decided to drive. The ridiculous hold ups I experienced in that short distance are what make people angry. Sitting at a red light even though it has turned green, all because a police officer is standing near the intersection, although not forcing traffic to stop or wait.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by 8YearsinPittsburgh

One of my greatest irritations. I see so much braking daily in situations where I wouldn't even consider tapping mine

Maybe they expect a pothole. It could be they feel they are uncomfortably close to the vehicle in front of them. Maybe they feel the car behind them is too close for comfort.

That act of caution should be the LEAST irritation, shouldn't it????

[xdv8]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

Maybe they expect a pothole. It could be they feel they are uncomfortably close to the vehicle in front of them. Maybe they feel the car behind them is too close for comfort.

That act of caution should be the LEAST irritation, shouldn't it????

Pittsburgh drivers are bad, no doubt, but the complaints above read like an impatient driver. I would know, I'm one of them.

[charisb]

Originally Posted by xdv8

Pittsburgh drivers are bad, no doubt, but the complaints above read like an impatient driver. I would know, I'm one of them.

I just hope you aren't one of the many impatient drivers in this city who a) tailgate so closely I can see the chip in your front tooth; b) stop so close to me that it looks like you are actually sitting in my car's backseat; or c) honk at me when I am waiting for pedestrians to cross the street before I make a turn.
Or even better: last week on the Pitt campus, I was waiting to turn left at a stop sign. Students were crossing the road so I waited as I do not think that crossing the street warrants the threat of death by motor vehicle. The car behind me actually made a left turn from behind, almost plowing into a couple of women and the oncoming car who decided to go straight since I was waiting. Where are those traffic cops when you need them?

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by charisb

...Or even better: last week on the Pitt campus...The car behind me actually made a left turn from behind, almost plowing into a couple of women and the oncoming car who decided to go straight since I was waiting. Where are those traffic cops when you need them?

Better yet - middle lane of Washington Place, ready to turn right to the Bigelow Boulevard exit. The semi to my right needed that lane. OK, the trucker is not familiar with the area, so no big deal - I brake as he drifts into my lane. It was either that or have that truck basically side swipe my pathetic Zip car off the road.

Well, this doesn't sit well with the idiot behind me. He makes full use of his horn. How can anyone NOT see the 18-wheeler drifting into my path?

It's disturbing that people's sight is so limited when driving. With THREE lanes turning left at the same time, I glance to either side every moment or so, and look ahead for possible conflict, don't you???

[xdv8]

Originally Posted by charisb

I just hope you aren't one of the many impatient drivers in this city who a) tailgate so closely I can see the chip in your front tooth; b) stop so close to me that it looks like you are actually sitting in my car's backseat; or c) honk at me when I am waiting for pedestrians to cross the street before I make a turn.
Or even better: last week on the Pitt campus, I was waiting to turn left at a stop sign. Students were crossing the road so I waited as I do not think that crossing the street warrants the threat of death by motor vehicle. The car behind me actually made a left turn from behind, almost plowing into a couple of women and the oncoming car who decided to go straight since I was waiting. Where are those traffic cops when you need them?

No, I don't burden other people with my impatience. Those people are terrifying.

[Copanut]

This will all be solved with Uber.