Bad Drivers Galore! (Miami, Tampa, Orlando: rated, money, golf course)

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by a person

I have no sympathy for people who don't realize this before they move here.

What about people who were born here such as myself?

[hokiepoke]

I've lived in DC where bad drivers are just in a rush to get places and get aggressive.
Then living in Dallas, people just drive like maniac cowboys with their big trucks and SUVs.
At least there, you see them coming and either step it up or just keep in the right lane and let em pass.

But here, drivers are just bad all around -- and it seems like most don't use their turn signal here. It's not optional, it's the law.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTFHCyNVBTk

[BucFan]

Was thinking about blinkers......I wouldn't trust them to turn if I do see them blink.

[CindyRoos]

Originally Posted by louie0406

One thing that I did find disturbing was when I went to the Tax Collectors office to switch over my license and register my vehicle. There was a VERY old gentelmen next to me who was renuing his drivers license. This man could not read the top line (with the largest sized letters) even with his glasses on. The person who worked there gave him a 60-day extension. This man is practically BLIND yet they allowed him to drive away along with his driving privileges for 2 more months.

Oh My God.....that is terrible!!

[Spring Hillian]

Good point but its the people that actually live in the 5 boroughs that lack a lot of driving exprtience. Take a look at NYC traffic cams.

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

The big issue is that you have people from states with really good mass transit who come down here, realize that they can't rely on mass transit, and then, for the first time in their lives, they have to get a car. Look at the percentage of New Yorkers who don't own cars... Then look at how many people down here are from New York. Coincidence?

[Vinny536]

I've lived a lot of places. I find that living in areas that people move to leads to an opinion that there are bad drivers. Places where people live from birth to death tend to be more accepting. I think this is from a convergence of regional driving styles coming together in one place.

Merging at the end of a lane is one that varies per region for sure. out west I found that the general opinion is to use the closing lane until the very end, then zipper merge. In the east the opinion seems to be to get out of the lane long before the end and if someone runs to the end people try to block them.

I've lived in Florida for almost 2 years now. My first year was in Palm Coast, a retirement town. You really don't have a reason to be there unless you are retired or work in a field serving the retired. Driving was pretty calm until about 5pm. I think that's when the locals pain killers really started kicking in. People would stop dead on a 4 lane road seemingly confused. Wrong way drivers were such a common occurrence that it wasn't even alarming anymore. Strange place to be.

I've only been in Tampa since October of '16. I agree that drivers here are pretty bad. But i think a lot of it comes from undersized roads and terrible infrastructure. I find myself getting VERY impatient around here, especially during rush hour. Just yesterday it took nearly an hour to drive 5 miles. By the end of the trip I was unreasonably irritated. I sat through several lights in traffic for 2+ green/red cycles. When a driver in front of me was more interested in their phone than driving I was really rubbed wrong when we had to stop and watch this light turn a 4th time.

I'm fortunate to not have to drive everyday. I think road rage is disgusting, but after a short time here I understand the catalyst for Florida road rage. I really think the lack of properly sized roads is a huge part of the problem. We pay for it in wasted time, blood pressure and insurance costs. Now that I understand it I try to assume everyone has been trying to get home for an hour and needs to pee.

The only place I've seen worse was in Orlando. That place is miserable. I think that is more from a combination of tourists from all over the world and vacationers who tend to think nothing bad can happen on vacation. So far Orlando is the only place I've seen people get out of their car and attack other drivers. More than once.

[BucFan]

Miami is pretty bad as well. No patience, aggressive drivers.

[cfbs2691]

I've wanted to send out thank you cards when people use their blinkers or don't treat a stop sign like it's just an idea....

[Spring Hillian]

interesting synopsis. I have found that the density of the population in an area naturally increases traffic but also makes people more intolerant of others in allu77 every day activities. Approaching another driver due to traffic is a sure fire way to earn a W trip to the morgue. Life in any large metro requires patients above and beyond ths norm.

Originally Posted by Vinny536

I've lived a lot of places. I find that living in areas that people move to leads to an opinion that there are bad drivers. Places where people live from birth to death tend to be more accepting. I think this is from a convergence of regional driving styles coming together in one place.

Merging at the end of a lane is one that varies per region for sure. out west I found that the general opinion is to use the closing lane until the very end, then zipper merge. In the east the opinion seems to be to get out of the lane long before the end and if someone runs to the end people try to block them.

I've lived in Florida for almost 2 years now. My first year was in Palm Coast, a retirement town. You really don't have a reason to be there unless you are retired or work in a field serving the retired. Driving was pretty calm until about 5pm. I think that's when the locals pain killers really started kicking in. People would stop dead on a 4 lane road seemingly confused. Wrong way drivers were such a common occurrence that it wasn't even alarming anymore. Strange place to be.

I've only been in Tampa since October of '16. I agree that drivers here are pretty bad. But i think a lot of it comes from undersized roads and terrible infrastructure. I find myself getting VERY impatient around here, especially during rush hour. Just yesterday it took nearly an hour to drive 5 miles. By the end of the trip I was unreasonably irritated. I sat through several lights in traffic for 2+ green/red cycles. When a driver in front of me was more interested in their phone than driving I was really rubbed wrong when we had to stop and watch this light turn a 4th time.

I'm fortunate to not have to drive everyday. I think road rage is disgusting, but after a short time here I understand the catalyst for Florida road rage. I really think the lack of properly sized roads is a huge part of the problem. We pay for it in wasted time, blood pressure and insurance costs. Now that I understand it I try to assume everyone has been trying to get home for an hour and needs to pee.

The only place I've seen worse was in Orlando. That place is miserable. I think that is more from a combination of tourists from all over the world and vacationers who tend to think nothing bad can happen on vacation. So far Orlando is the only place I've seen people get out of their car and attack other drivers. More than once.

[tinytrump]

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