Are Tri-Cities drivers getting worse? (Kennewick, Richland: how much, home, tax)

[pnwguy2]

Just seeing more and more bad behavior in the Tri lately. Speeding, and also going well under the speed limit. Lack of awareness. Lack of knowing where they are going. I will say that these tendencies do seem to occur in growing areas, so there is that. Add that many newcomers bring their driving habits with them from their previous residences. Plus tourists, which has not always been a Tri trait, but seems to be increasing with the winery industry and other factors.

Buckle up and be aware is my suggestion.

[j_k_k]

Lack of awareness is the historic problem. I always attributed it to the fact that there's plenty of room. Would anyone like some more desert? Great, how much do you want? Can't we interest you in some more? There is rarely reason to feel very crowded in the TC, or at least there was not when I was there. I believe that leads to a driving mentality of: "But I'm obviously the only person involved, so why bother to be aware of my surroundings? No one else will come." I remember when the first roundabouts went in and people found them flummoxing. There's one on 27th where people jumped the curb so many times and ran through this corner lot's fence that the owner finally had big concrete barriers hoisted into place. I wonder if by now anyone's jumped it, totaled their ride on the concrete, and promptly sued him for having concrete.

I was always very frightened driving in the TC. They aren't mean; it just doesn't register with them that anyone else might want to occupy the same space. It is wisest to drive as if everyone else had zero peripheral vision and a cervical vertebrae fusion, because they sure as hell aren't looking left or right before they make a move. It's the same in grocery stores, where it is normal and customary to block the whole aisle or burst forth from it into the main front pathway without looking in either direction. Why should it matter? After all, no one else could possibly be shopping as well, so why shouldn't they just do whatever they want? Defensive driving is a must, I agree.

[M3 Mitch]

Well, the "Squirrel Cage" known otherwise as Richland is mostly populated by people with high IQ's and impressive degrees, but very little else in the way of desirable traits. Borderline autistic, they are only occasionally aware that there is a world out there beyond about 10 feet from their nose. Stereoscopic vision can not be taken for granted, and if they manage to knock their glasses off or shed a contact, "Houston, we have a problem". They always want to take the shortest route to their destination, even if that means they sit with the left blinker on for 10 minutes waiting for a non-existent gap in G-Way traffic, when they could have banged a right, gone around the block, and would have been home in 7 minutes. That kind of thinking requires realizing that there are other people, other cars out there, and that their behavior can be predicted, at least as a general rule. They don't think like that. Likewise they will back up out of angle parking (say in front of Safeway) and instead of backing up a bit and going the way the car was already pointing, so as to get out of the damn way quickly, noooo, they crank that wheel around, back out backwards, usually a grampa in a big old sedan, back and forth a few times till they get enough angle on the car to be able to drive off against the flow of traffic, head over to G-Way, and wait all day trying to turn left as noted above.

But, they are not doing it to irritate us, they don't realize anyone else exists as they pull this stunt (see borderline autistic above).

Now I work with these people all the time and the above is not said in a demeaning way. The same way I would not generally expect a rock star to be able to contribute on reactor design (Dr. Brian May excepted of course). Agree with JKK that these people are not malicious, just oblivious.

For me, anyway, Richland has been what it is since 1991. The density is up a bit, but the caliber of "squirrel" is about the same as it always was.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

Now I work with these people all the time and the above is not said in a demeaning way. The same way I would not generally expect a rock star to be able to contribute on reactor design (Dr. Brian May excepted of course). Agree with JKK that these people are not malicious, just oblivious.

And the tradeoff is that just as they mind their own business when driving (when they really ought to mind everything around them), in their personal lives they are also good about it. Whatever your weirdness or difference is, it is very rare for anyone in the TC to hassle you about it unless you put it into their faces persistently enough to demand a response. And if you behave to them as a good neighbor, you'll get the same right back. Most won't care that you're obviously a lesbian couple, or have rings in your nose and ears, or are from Bangladesh, etc. Wave to them, they'll wave back. Smile, they'll smile back.

And when there is that rare global consensus on something, it will cross just about every boundary. Mitch, You remember when Fred Phelps's scum beings came to protest that memorial service, I bet. Hundreds of us, maybe a couple thousand, facing five pathetic bigots in a vacant lot. Differences were forgotten in all forms; that those people needed opposition, on that we had cheerful consensus. Trying to mess with anyone's funeral is offensive enough; bigots trying to mess with a fallen Marine's funeral, well, that's how you can get Hispanics and Anglos, gays and straights, atheists and churchgoers, teens and elders, and men and women all on the same page. It remains the moment I felt proudest of the Tri, the Benton City fire episode being close on that scale.

[M3 Mitch]

Oh, I agree, they are basically good people, they just can't drive for "sour owl jowls".

Another good thing about Richland, in particular is Boy-Scout level of honestly almost everywhere. I think this is a by-product of so many people having to have clearances for their jobs, for so many years.

[pnwguy2]

You guys bring up some great points. I think there is an attitude of "freedom" in the Cities that means it is OK to speed, especially when the weather warms up. I see it daily. Usually younger folks who don't know better, (but hey I was once that age, so I guess I can claim some guilt). However, my main point is I'm seeing more aggressive driving and more speeding than in recent years. Hwy 240 between Columbia Center and Geo Way is perhaps the worst (or best) example as it spreads to 3-4 lanes in each direction and folks automatically speed up here. (Frankly, the fact that I-182 is 70, and 240 in this section is only 60, tends to lead to some confusion, as both freeways look similar in these stretches.) WSP is active here on this stretch for exactly that reason...hardly ever see 'em over on The 182 in Pasco.

[j_k_k]

I always considered 240 very heavily patrolled. Another place to watch it is coming off the cable bridge past what used to be a mini golf course. The cable bridge of course has a relatively low limit to begin with, and it drops further coming onto Columbia Drive, and there's a great hideout spot there.

The place I always figured was a ticket waiting to happen was 182 eastbound approaching the 395 south exists. Limit drops, but if you aren't getting off the freeway there, you might consider that optional. I was always very careful, because that's the kind of place where one could end up paying the extra tax that is most modern traffic enforcement.

[M3 Mitch]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

You guys bring up some great points. I think there is an attitude of "freedom" in the Cities that means it is OK to speed, especially when the weather warms up. I see it daily. Usually younger folks who don't know better, (but hey I was once that age, so I guess I can claim some guilt). However, my main point is I'm seeing more aggressive driving and more speeding than in recent years. Hwy 240 between Columbia Center and Geo Way is perhaps the worst (or best) example as it spreads to 3-4 lanes in each direction and folks automatically speed up here. (Frankly, the fact that I-182 is 70, and 240 in this section is only 60, tends to lead to some confusion, as both freeways look similar in these stretches.) WSP is active here on this stretch for exactly that reason...hardly ever see 'em over on The 182 in Pasco.

Probably at least in part California "refugees". I see them using the left turn lane on G-Way as an acceleration lane to join traffic when making a left onto the main road. I understand that's de rigur in Cali, but can be somewhat unexpected here.

Likewise in Cali, on the interstate roads, traffic moves in a huge herd at right around 80. No more, no less.

Most of the Interstates around here I would have no objection to posting them at 80, at least out of town. In town the 18-wheelers probably mostly could not maintain 80 or do it safely, and having trucks going significantly slower than cars tends to cause problems.

[pnwguy2]

I-182, or as I mentally call it "The North Belt", (as it skirts above most of the population of the Tri-Cities), should remain at 70. The problem is when you move on to 240 SB the freeway looks the same, as in 3X2. So the 60 MPH limit becomes harder to enforce. When 240 SB/EB goes past Columbia Center Blvd, it becomes a 2X2 highway, which generally deserves a lower speed limit. Or to put it more in a simple context, 240 around I-182 is the same as I-182 going back to Kennewick. This is deceptive as while it still feels like a 70 MPH freeway, it is actually posted at 60 MPH. Again, this is why WSP patrols this section and they do get the revenue. There is something wrong with the equation here. I would hope WSDOT could provide some recommendations here.

[M3 Mitch]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

I-182, or as I mentally call it "The North Belt", (as it skirts above most of the population of the Tri-Cities), should remain at 70. The problem is when you move on to 240 SB the freeway looks the same, as in 3X2. So the 60 MPH limit becomes harder to enforce. When 240 SB/EB goes past Columbia Center Blvd, it becomes a 2X2 highway, which generally deserves a lower speed limit. Or to put it more in a simple context, 240 around I-182 is the same as I-182 going back to Kennewick. This is deceptive as while it still feels like a 70 MPH freeway, it is actually posted at 60 MPH. Again, this is why WSP patrols this section and they do get the revenue. There is something wrong with the equation here. I would hope WSDOT could provide some recommendations here.

Not positive about this, but I think WA state regulations don't provide for anything higher than 65 MPH limits on any non-interstate road. Personally I think WA speed limits are set low *precisely in order* to generate revenue. Just a hunch and opinion, I don't have any data to support it.