Why do people drive so slowly here? (San Jose, Sacramento: how much, home) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

ragnarkar · 08-27-2009, 10:03 PM

I regularly do the speed limit on the freeways (65) and set it on cruse control and find it difficult to maintain this speed even in the fast lane with no traffic. Even in non rush hour traffic I'd be weaving around everyone like a madman at this speed and regularly find people going 5 or 10 below in the leftmost lane.

In LA, you'd be tailgated like crazy if you did the speed limit on the freeways, except maybe in the rightmost lane. Are the cops here THAT strict? I've passed by a several of them on the sidelines going 5 over with no incident (so far.) In every other metro area I've lived in, people regularly go 5+ over the speed limit (LA, Sacramento, Detroit).. what's up with slow drivers in San Jose?

sav858 · 08-27-2009, 10:08 PM

haha, that is one thing I cannot stand every time I am back home up there driving around. There is no such thing as a "fast lane" in the Bay Area.

mstnghu2 · 08-28-2009, 10:33 AM

That's strange. I've never noticed people driving slowly in San Jose. I usually stay under 70mph and get passed by everybody. I stay over in the two right lanes to keep from getting run off the road. It definitely is more chaotic in L.A. for sure though! Different parts of the Bay Area do tend to have different driving characteristics. 880 and 680 through the East Bay and 280 up the peninsula are like the autobahn during non-commute times and the drivers there are very aggressive. My biggest pet peeve with Bay Area drivers in general is that almost nobody uses blinkers. Imagine how much more smoothly and efficiently traffic could flow if people signaled which way they were going! I'm always amazed at how most people actually use them in SoCal.

stillfresh · 08-28-2009, 12:14 PM

how do you not notice these little asian teenaged pricks in their little hondas going like 100 mph zipping in and out of lanes... thats what pisses me off more than anything

treedonkey · 08-28-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragnarkar

I regularly do the speed limit on the freeways (65) and set it on cruse control and find it difficult to maintain this speed even in the fast lane with no traffic. Even in non rush hour traffic I'd be weaving around everyone like a madman at this speed and regularly find people going 5 or 10 below in the leftmost lane.

In LA, you'd be tailgated like crazy if you did the speed limit on the freeways, except maybe in the rightmost lane. Are the cops here THAT strict? I've passed by a several of them on the sidelines going 5 over with no incident (so far.) In every other metro area I've lived in, people regularly go 5+ over the speed limit (LA, Sacramento, Detroit).. what's up with slow drivers in San Jose?

Is this the SF Bay Area, in CA, on EARTH you're talking about? Or some parallel bizarro world where everything is backwards? Or perhaps you're talking about cruising at 65 in residential neighborhoods and wondering why everyone else is slowing you down?

I regularly drove the speed limit (in the right or 3rd lane) for the many years I lived there, and most other drivers passed me like I was a pole in the rode.

ragnarkar · 08-28-2009, 02:21 PM

Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, San Jose (downtown), Milpitas, etc.. usually Highway 101, 85, or 87.

I've been here for about a week and stick out like a sore thumb weaving around everyone at 65 in non commute traffic.

treedonkey · 08-28-2009, 02:36 PM

BTW: The speed limit on Hwy 87 (Guadalupe Fwy) is 55, not 65, so if you're complaining about having to go 65 on that one, you just need to slow it way down.

mysticaltyger · 08-29-2009, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treedonkey

Is this the SF Bay Area, in CA, on EARTH you're talking about? Or some parallel bizarro world where everything is backwards? Or perhaps you're talking about cruising at 65 in residential neighborhoods and wondering why everyone else is slowing you down?

I regularly drove the speed limit (in the right or 3rd lane) for the many years I lived there, and most other drivers passed me like I was a pole in the rode.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It's impossible to do the speed limit on the freeway here without making someone mad or having them pass you as if you were standing still.

mstnghu2 · 08-29-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treedonkey

BTW: The speed limit on Hwy 87 (Guadalupe Fwy) is 55, not 65, so if you're complaining about having to go 65 on that one, you just need to slow it way down.

Actually, the speed limit on 87 has been 65mph for awhile now, since all the recent construction finished up.

mdwstrnkid · 08-29-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treedonkey

Is this the SF Bay Area, in CA, on EARTH you're talking about? Or some parallel bizarro world where everything is backwards? Or perhaps you're talking about cruising at 65 in residential neighborhoods and wondering why everyone else is slowing you down?

I regularly drove the speed limit (in the right or 3rd lane) for the many years I lived there, and most other drivers passed me like I was a pole in the rode.

Yeah, the flow of traffic on my commute between I-380 and Page Mill Road in Palo Alto usually goes around 80mph. I've been driving at 85mph and had CHP fly right by me.