Wyoming drivers among the worst? (Cheyenne: insurance, university, calculated)

[some boring guy]

The states with the rudest drivers

Rude rank :
1 Idaho 2 Washington, D.C. 3 New York 4 Wyoming 5 Massachusetts 6 Delaware 6 Vermont 8 New Jersey 9 Nevada 10 Utah

4. Wyoming: The cowboy chronicles

Wyoming’s nickname, “The Cowboy State,” hints at why it might be considered among the rudest. Cowboys, after all, have never been especially known for decorum.
In fact, according to Dictionary.com, one of the definitions of cowboy is: “a reckless or irresponsible person, especially a show-off or one who undertakes a dangerous or sensitive task heedlessly.”
Consider this: Wyoming ranks No. 2 for roadway fatalities involving pickup trucks and SUVs (45 percent), with North Dakota at No. 1.
According to NHTSA statistics presented by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Wyoming had the second highest roadway fatality rate per 100,000 people in 2012, again second only to North Dakota.
A few years back, as reported in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Men’s Health magazine gave drivers in Cheyenne an “F” for quality of driving. The newspaper reported that “running red lights, disregarding stop signs, merging without signaling and speeding are some common traffic problems that lead to auto accidents.”

I thought this was pretty interesting, as I don't recall seeing Wyoming atop many of these driving lists. The study definitely wasn't friendly to the mountain west. Anytime accident/fatality rates are included, I think that makes the stats a bit skewed because of longer winters and the potential for dangerous driving conditions out here almost year-round. I haven't personally observed the quality of driving to be as bad as this makes it sound. Occasionally I'll have to deal with a testosterone-fueled 4x4 riding my bumper or an erratic semi, but it's nothing compared to Utah or back east. If anything, I think people tend to drive on the slower side (granted that can be dangerous if you're hanging out in the fast lane or way behind the flow of traffic), as I can be going ~5 over the speed limit on the highway and be passing left and right.

Naturally Utah is up there and Idaho at #1 is interesting also. I don't think it's bad to drive slowly, but a little courtesy is nice too; if you're going 10 under the speed limit on a bright sunny day and have a long line of cars stack behind you, then maybe pick it up or use the turnouts. I especially enjoyed this....

Remember Matt Stubbs, formerly of Utah? He recently moved to Idaho and was amazed by the number of drivers holding up everyone behind them, moving at turtle-like speed, reminiscent of an old-fashioned Sunday drive.


“Maybe I’m just used to the aggressive, overly-caffeinated (on Diet Coke) Utah drivers. That’s why everyone in Idaho seems to be driving so slowly,” he says.

Thoughts?

[sunsprit]

Quote:

"Insure.com commissioned a survey of 2,000 licensed drivers, half women and half men, with respondents representing all areas of the country according to Census population data. The state rankings were calculated using a ratio of the nationwide votes for drivers of the state divided by the number of respondents from the state."

Like so many other "studies", the key to this one is the methodology. There's no mention of what the licensed drivers were asked and no mention of how many actually responded. For all we know, the "study" results from Wyoming were the pet peeves of just a handful of drivers.

GIGO at work here. You could likely do a similar study and come up with any number of other states in the rankings.

For example, the state where I've been run off the road more than anywhere else is FL, followed by AR. But maybe it's socially acceptable to do so there so the responding drivers to this "study" don't view it as a problem.

[some boring guy]

It's possible you may see more erratic stuff in downtown areas, since WY drivers are typically more accustomed to the open spaces. Since being out here, I've definitely gotten crankier when having to drive to larger metropolitan areas like SLC or Denver. I wouldn't classify wyoming drivers on the whole as 'bad' though. Often what we might perceive as 'aggressive' or 'slow' is simply a function of a local culture that we're not accustomed to. I know I'd probably be white-knuckling it and cussing people out left and right if you dropped me in the middle of Chicago at this point

[volosong]

Haven't seen it. Might be because most of my WY driving is long distance on open roads.

"Wyoming ranks No. 2 for roadway fatalities involving pickup trucks..." Well, duh! Isn't it some type of law that if you live in Wyoming, you must own a truck. If most people own trucks, it stands to reason that the ratio of truck to car accidents will be abnormally skewed.

[Ltdumbear]

>Wyoming’s nickname, “The Cowboy State,” hints at why it might be considered among the rudest. Cowboys, after all, have never been especially known for decorum.<

Like as if it really MATTERS ?

We have WORK to do...

LEAD, FOLLOW, or GET OUTTA MY WAY !

PERIOD.

actually, now that I think of it...that's kinda how it is in EVERY profession, no matter WHAT the region...

So that begs the question: what is your obscession with 'decorum' ? ? ?

Seems like such a ridiculously awfully 'superficial' issue to me...

Sounds like something a gay-liberal would bring up, without ever even being ASKED for his/her opinion...

[Ltdumbear]

annnnnnd...now that I think of it, what the hell is the matter with coming-up behind someone driving 'slower' than you ?

see that lane over there (:: points downward to the left: ? ? ?

Simply drop to a lower gear, turn the wheel a little to the left (and down) get into that lane, PASS the slower driver, then when a certain amount of 'polite' distance has increased between you and the driver you've now passed, turn the wheel to the right (and down) get back into the right-lane, drop to a higher-gear, and OFF YOU ARE ON YOUR MERRY 'EFFING' WAY.

See how EASY that is ? ? ?

[some boring guy]

Originally Posted by volosong

"Wyoming ranks No. 2 for roadway fatalities involving pickup trucks..." Well, duh! Isn't it some type of law that if you live in Wyoming, you must own a truck. If most people own trucks, it stands to reason that the ratio of truck to car accidents will be abnormally skewed.

This is kind of what I'm thinking. I'm pretty sure we're high up there on 'trucks per capita' if there is such a stat.

[branDcalf]

A visiting engineer who worked at one of the old "Big 3" automakers, once told me that Wyoming led in single vehicle accidents and asked why I thought that was.

I laughed and said it's merely because we don't have a crowd of other cars around us all the time like people in other states do.

Statistics and polls can be amusing.

[ElkHunter]

This is all new to me. My primary vehicle is my Honda 400 4 wheeler. I put about 4000 miles annually on it. I put less than 500 mikes a year on my pickup truck. I live 21 miles from town. In the past, I've made one trip a month. This summer, I've made one trip every other day. On my trips to town, at most, I've met no more than 2 cars. I've had maybe two cars pass me, in three weeks. Traffic is not a concern. Two weeks ago, I hit answer. That is more of a concern.

[ScottStielow]

The report is Skewed for Wyoming. I've read there have been a lot Auto deaths this year. But with a low population. That make the number rise per person. I know out here in Hawaii we are rated at 28. That is a joke. We should be lower. We have had more vehicles deaths this year 64 then this time last year. People driving behind you, if you are not going fast enough will ride your bumper even if you are in the slow lane, and there is room for you to pass in the middle lane. I see it every day on the road, that is rude! I always say, we live on a Island. Why do you have to speed to get where you are going. I will get where i am going at the same time as you.