[Nelly Nomad]

I consider myself a safe and responsible driver. In nearly 4 decades of driving, I have never, ever had a moving violation. I drive the speed limit, even on streets where I think it is ridiculously low. I come to a full stop, not a slow-down-and-fake-a-stop at stop signs. I use turn signals when changing lanes and when turning, even if no one is behind me. I leave a proper distance between me and the car ahead (boo to the imbeciles who see that distance as an invitation to slip into the gap).

I constantly scan the road ahead of me and try to anticipate how I might deal with the unexpected. Car ahead slamming on its brakes. Child darting out. Oncoming traffic crossing the line. Rogue tire or debris bouncing off the truck ahead. I even try to anticipate how to deal with someone approaching too fast behind me or with the yahoos who tailgate so close I can see the pimples on their forehead .

I always wear my seatbelt. Always, no exception. Anyone riding in my car does likewise, otherwise my car will not move, end of discussion. I do not talk on the phone, text, read, apply makeup etc while driving. If the phone rings and there is no one else in the car to answer it, I stop at the next available place and return the call.

I do not drive impaired. Ever.

My only driving vice is an occasional french fry (maybe 3 times a year) or changing the radio station. I can do both those things (but not at the same time!) without taking my eyes off the road.

When my son was small and sitting in his car seat or booster (and properly in the REAR of the car), I would not turn around to talk to him or attend to him. He learned early on that we could make brief eye contact via the rearview mirror. If he needed more attention than I could provide via voice alone (dropped toy or whatever), I would pull over at the earliest place and do whatever needed to be done.

While driving, I am always cognizant that I am piloting more than one and a half tons of machinery, hurtling down the roads. When I'm behind the wheel, my first priority is safe driving. It is my responsibility to myself, my family and my fellow drivers, as well as bikers and pedestrians along the way to ensure that all of us remain safe while I am behind the wheel. My son, who is now driving, has that same driving philosophy (yay!) and is, like me, a safe and responsible driver.

DH is a different story . He always wears his seatbelt but other than that... He drives faster than he should, follows closer than he should and yaks on the phone (hands free) constantly. Turn signals? If he remembers. Full stop? Why, when slow down or rolling stop is just as good? He's better about it when family is in the car with him but alone? How do I know he's doing these things? He has the tickets (and the insurance uppages) to show for it. "Cost of doing business" he says. /sigh

Sadly for for my son and me, we are odd ducks where we live now . People here drive way too fast. I estimate most drive about 85-90 on the highways and 45-50 on regular streets, even where the limit is posted at 30. Local newscasters have recently backed me up with their "speedbuster" campaigns. And drivers here do not leave any wiggle room on the highway, following at maybe 1 to 2 carlengths at most.

I'd estimate well over half do not wear seatbelts. At least half seem to have a phone held up to their ear (who the heck are they all yakking to???). I've even seen people reading while driving (book propped up on steering wheel).

Drunk driving is rampant here (this town is apparently swagger-proud of its beer guzzling reputation), with the expected tragedies. Laws seem to be very lax -- people have been known to have 5, 6, 7 or more DWIs on their records (why are they allowed back on the road after the first one???). It boggles my mind that people are still surprised and baffled when the drunkies crash. They destroy families. It angers me.

My question is, how are most of the drivers in Vermont? More like me? Or more like my current state-mates?

[Lilybeans]

What state do you live in now? Vermont drivers seem to drive the speed limit on the interstates, and are pretty polite.

[vter]

I agree with lilybeans. For the most part, Vermont drivers are very courteous and not in a hurry. Of course there are some exceptions though!

[flu189]

From the perspective of having twenty years LE experience before coming to Vt three years ago I have to say that for the most part drivers here are pretty good. The ratio of absolute reckless jerks behind the wheel to other drivers is low. Then again, we have an older population and travel on roads with much less traffic volume than many other places which are known for an abundance of aggressive and reckless drivers. However, Vt does have quite a hign number of DUI drivers who for the most part are just plain lucky. Most fatal wrecks here involve single vehicle crashes which despite maybe sounding crude is actually a blessing for the other drivers out there from the perspective that they are not the end victims. Enforcement, or rather adjudication for DUI and DWLR/DWLS (revocated/suspended) is a joke here. It is not at all uncommon to hear stories of drivers with literally a dozen or more such violations who have not served any time or had a mandatory forfeiture. The seatbelt issue has two sides. I wear mine and from investigative experience can tell you that 99% of belted drivers involved in crash come out better by wearing belts. But, this "click it or ticket" annual campaign with the threats on commercials that you will be targeted and cited for me is a farce. The decision to wear a belt is ultimately a personal one and th be quite honest the only benefit that the campaign generates is federal/state grants for overtime. Last year in May I was heading down the Ferry Rd from US 7 in Charlotte to come upon warning signs of a checkpoint ahead which was manned by five!!! troopers checking for seatbelt compliance. Obviously this checkpoint cost quite a bit and didn't generate any citation revenue which was different than where I used to work where the unstated objective was to bring in as much revenue as possible.

[Nelly Nomad]

Polite and speed limit driving -- sounds like a dream come true!

I have to tell you, I've driven in a good many states, including driving in New York (NYC) and Massachusetts (Greater Boston area), but many Wisconsin drivers scare me more than any others I've encountered. I feel I have to be super-vigilant when driving here.

New Yorkers and Bostonians may drive fast, but they know what they're doing. In my experience in Wisconsin, however, it seems many drivers just don't pay attention and completely clueless (or maybe they couldn't care less) that their inattentiveness could ruin their and other people's lives. It only dawns on them when they crash. Which them seem to do frequently.

Thanks for the responses!

[MRVphotog]

Speed limit in Vermont 50 mph on all state road will a couple of exceptions. We get alot of folks from Mass. especially in the winter and summer. Many drive fast appear to be stressed out and seem to always be in a hurry.

[OhBeeHave]

I find that I lose my stressed out NY driving practices and become a much more speed limit observant driver in VT. I find most VTers to be courteous; the ones who aren't I suspect are MA, NY, NJer's with VT tags....LOL

[flu189]

My daily commute to work could be accomplished in 25 minutes, but due to the variety of routes I take I take it slow and enjoy the ride more only adding ten minutes to my travel time. Going slower also has the added fringe benefit of adding between 3 to 4 mpg on both my vehicles.

[puglover6616]

I would just like to say that if there were more drivers like you,the insurance would be cheaper and roads safer,but this is the real world.I am a cdl holding professional driver, and driving 18 wheels i have seen the same stuff you have ,its baffling yes law enforcement can't be every where at once,many times i've said under my breath wheres a cop when you need one. I am guessing your in the burlington area,not that it matters and as far as labeling any one states drivers as unsafe well i can tell you i have been it 16 states and have seen the exact same behaviors there as well so please don't label vermont its a rampant problem in all 50 i'm sure just know one says much about it till a bad accident occurs good day

[flu189]

Maybe I am missing something from the last post, but it seems the overwhelming consensus is that driving in Vt is safer and less stressful than in other states. If the reference to a "rampant" problem refers to the amount of habitual DUI/DWLS/DWLR drivers, well, yes it is a problem here and when traffic incident/accident statistics are checked then it is in fact these drivers that cause the majority of incidents when they do in occur. Where I last lived and worked the overall ratio of such drivers was also high, but jail time, real fines (not suspended sentences or meaningless community service credit), and actual impoundment and forfeiture of vehicles went a long way in removing the major menaces from the roads. I also have to say that in twenty years of enforcement I very rarely had occassion to deal with serious violations involving truckers or CDL holders in general and I actually feel better heading down the highway surrounded by big rigs then by regular passenger vehicles.