Why do San Diegans drive so dangerously? (San Diego, Santa Barbara: rental, how much)

[tande1n5]

I've honestly always thought that Southern Californians were pretty good about driving... it just moves fast. Traffic moves at 80, not 65. I understand that it's a pretty big "but," but really, I've never had any other complaints about San Diego drivers in general, but with so many people, there are going to be a lot of idiots. That's just the law of averages.

The dangerous drivers I've found aren't on the highways, they're the extreme slowpokes getting on and off. On the 8, you need to change lanes quite immediately sometimes (say, you're getting on 8 east at hotel circle... you've got a very short onramp, and then like 1/4 mile to get all the way over or you'll end up on the 163... don't stop at 2 lanes over or you'll be stuck getting on the 805, as people are merging into you that want to take the offramp). Onramps are notoriously short, and when you're at the end and haven't sped up to freeway speeds, it's dangerous. It's the guy that's not accelerating to meet with traffic that creates a potential situation for everyone behind them.

...Unless it's drizzling, then everyone's driving just goes out the window.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Originally Posted by JohnAlt

I guess it's all about you then. When your kids aren't around you put the pedal to the medal. Screw the other drivers and THEIR kids.

Most of those other drivers stick to the right hand lanes when they aren't driving as fast as those in the left hand lanes. Slower traffic doesn't belong in the fast lane. If everyone is going slow as is very prevalent in this state then no big deal. When everyone is driving 70 or 80 and there is one guy in the left hand lane barely doing 65 that guy is causing a problem with the flow of traffic and needs to move to the far right lane.

Just so you will know though, I have a car that I love. I am not going to put me or my car in a postion to lose what I worked hard to get. I always drive trying to figure out what other drivers are going to do before they do it. Most times I do drive the speed limit. Can't help that in an area that has as many people as Southern California. At the same time I love to get the car up to speed and have a little fun. Tailgating is for fools, as is cutting people off. Driving in the fast lane when you should be in the slow lane is also foolish.

[SoCal78]

Stop crying about the driving here and be thankful SD is one of the top lowest crime rated cities in the country for a major metropolitan city. People drive 10 times worse back East in places like New York, Philly and Chicago. This is drivers ed compared to Eastern cities.

[dakicka]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Everyone's more important than the next guy and doesn't have a second to spare.

This answers the question to the post in a sarcastic way. I moved from New Jersey to Orange County this year and CANNOT stand the way people drive, or shop, and act in general. Everyone is about themselves and act as if their life is so damn important to be courteous/respectful/observant for other people around them.

I am going to be moving to downtown San Diego soon and from what I've noticed on my drives on the 73/405/5 is that in Orange County, north of San Clemente and through LA it is unbelievably frustrating because it seems most of the people are highly inconsiderate on the road. South of San Clemente into SD I notice a SLIGHT change for the better where people appear more 'normal' and a bit more laid back where there is common-sense to know that when someone is going 75 in the left lane, there is no need for you to pass them on the right, flip them a sign, and nearly cut them off to gain 1 minute on your end destination!

Try driving in OC, particularly Newport Beach or Irvine, it's a JOKE. BTW To the user who said east coast is worse, well other than in Manhattan (NYC) I do not believe the east coat is worse. At least people in NJ/CT/PA/NY etc. have a bit more common-sense and don't drive errantly and without cause for other people's cars/lives! The one user who mentioned they don't put their kids in danger, but when they are in their car alone they like to drive fast b/c their car is fast, well that is just ridiculous, it's people like that who cause accidents and cause harm and frustration for considerate/conscious people!

PS most of the driving issues are closely related to shopping experiences, especially at grocery stores. People are always in a rush and will run you down to gain a second and don't think twice to move on when they bump you rather than pause to apologize! Read my post in OC forum- "Grocery Shopping in OC" funny read with numerous reply posts. I'd like to hear people's thoughts on SD vs. OC driving, if it is similar? It seems that way to me but SD seems better although I have more daily driving experience in OC...

[sdurbanite]

I don't think we drive any more dangerously than any other city. Everyone on the roads are out for themselves. I will say that the things that irk me are:

-Drivers that speed up at the on ramps instead of slowing down to let cars in, -Drivers squeezing into the already small space between your car and car in front of you forcing you to slam on your brakes
-The racers zigzagging in between cars at over 100 mph. This happens on the 15 all the time!!
-People who drive into and out of the emergency lane near onramps because they aren't patient enough to wait their turn.
-Slow drivers in the fast lane
-I've seen women putting on makeup, men shaving, people reading....did I miss anything? I once even saw two women pulled over the side of the freeway fist fighting....unbelievable.

[Radical347]

Drivers in SD are not dangerous (unless it's raining.) I don't understand why people keep on calling out SoCal drivers as the worst in the country. From my experience they're easily the best and the most courteous.

Maybe it's because there's nothing else to complain about.

I'd say about 60-70% of the time when I put my turn signal on, the car next to me will slow down to let me go into the lane (or if they're going insanely fast, ) It doesn't happen every time, but it happens most of the time. Compare this to pretty much everywhere else in the country (except the upper Midwest, a la MN/MI), where it happens NONE of the time.

They're more spacy here than the east coast, but infinitely less rude.

If you don't believe me, try putting your blinkers on and see what happens. Tip: If you want to turn but don't put your blinkers on, they're probably not going to be able to read your mind.

[FunkyMonk]

Some people seem to be saying that it's ok to drive insanely fast, as long as you drive "well"?

I totally disagree. When you drive too fast, you're not driving well, no matter how slick you think your lane changes are and no matter if you use your turn signals or not. If you are blowing through traffic, you're creating a hazard, even in the "fast lane".

I'm gonna keep on driving nice and slow. And yes, I do stay in the right hand lanes. I'm a California native (Northern California), I know how it works. I try not to get killed, even if that means I get to my destination a minute and a half later and I "lose the race" that is So-Cal freeway driving.

Seriously though, driving like a maniac and complete idiot will only save you seconds, maybe minutes on a longer drive. Is it really worth it? Why not just chill out and be safe? Seems like a no-brainer.

Everyday I see people flying by me, going about 30 mph faster than me with a "Yeah, i'm winning the race!" sort of concieted attitude, usually with a lame personalized license plate, which further reflects their ego-mania. Then when I get to the exit, there they are, stopped at a red light and I slowly pull up right next to them! And this is when they face the guy they just cut off, up close and personal I hope you all are ready for that next time, cause it's never a pretty confrontation and i'm not afraid of it.

They're just too cool for school around here. They way people present themselves, treat each other and drive. It all reflects on the ego-mania and disconnectedness of the people around here. But SO MANY people are clueless and have become indoctrinated into these ways of acting, they aren't even conscious that they're playing these silly games anymore.

Screw these So-Cal drivers for getting an attitude with me for driving 65 in the slow lanes. I've had 2 family members killed on the road, i'm not trying to be the third. Slow driving is safe driving, fast driving is dangerous, that's the bottom line truth.

[eastsandiegobornandraised]

Originally Posted by MisterMark

My question is why do people so often complain about the drivers in any given city? It's one of the most lame things to complain about and it makes you sound very provincial.

Out of all of the cities in the U.S. with a population of over 1 million, San Diego is actually the 2nd safest city in the country in terms of the number of car accidents per capita.

http://media.allstate.com/releases/4293-3rd-annual-allstate-america (broken link)

And that's cause we know how to drive(in good weather). These out of towners aint ready!

[MissSanDiego]

Originally Posted by dakicka

At least people in NJ/CT/PA/NY etc. have a bit more common-sense and don't drive errantly and without cause for other people's cars/lives!

This is the funniest thing I've read recently. When I lived in upstate NY a couple years back, I was constantly in fear of my life on the highways because the drivers were so aggressive. There's nothing more bizarre than being tailgated while doing the speed limit in the slow lane on an otherwise empty highway. Most of the bad drivers I knew in San Diego were imports from back east, not natives.

[poodlestix]

I grew up in SD county, but I currently live in Houston. Houston has BY FAR the worst, craziest drivers I have ever seen in my entire life! Come out here and try out a drive on our freeways, and you'll be thankful to get back to San Diego!