Advocacy & Safety - What weird driving behavior do you see in different regions?

Even though this is a cycling forum, I notice that alot of people spend alot of time complaining about how other people drive their ... cars (?!?) But hey, why should I be any different?

So as a valuable public service, I thought I would point out how drivers from various regions can't drive:


California -- extremely courteous and laid back, almost comotose. No horn usage. Could be related to recent advances in medical marajuana. Drive 90 mph in left lane like they're supposed to. Paralysed by rain.
Philadelphia -- enraged by turn signals, will ram the car in front of them to prevent a lane change. Drive 55 mph in the left lane, leaving 35 mph on the table.
New Orleans -- if you discover a New Orleans driver is not drunk, do NOT get in his car as he is dead.
New York -- can discuss advances in theoretical physics using only their horn.
Portland -- obnoxiously law-abiding. They stay right except to pass judgement on those driving the proper 90 mph in the left lane (ask me how I know this). Cannot safely pump their own gas and instead require assistance from trained professionals.
Albuquerque / El Paso -- when approaching a vehicle stopped at a red light, they wait until within 7 feet to begin slowing down.
Southeast US -- yield right of way to left turning traffic before proceeding straight.
Houston / Dallas -- traffic disputes efficiently settled out of court by Smith, Wesson, et al.
Florida -- if you don't like how Floridians drive then stay off the sidewalk. Extensive random directional signal usage.


I have not been able to assess the entire country, so please contribute your regionalized observations as to how other drivers can't drive.

Your servant,
Dave

Springfield, MA: Stopping for red lights is increasingly seen as optional. Not merely squeaking through as it turns red, but going through when it has been red for a few seconds. If you sat and watched certain busy intersections, you would literally see at least one red light runner for every cycle of the lights. This occurs in all parts of the city, nice neighborhoods and bad ones. As a result, wise drivers and cyclists always look both ways before proceeding on a green light.

A few years ago I spent a week in Tacoma, Washington and drove in many areas of the city. I didn't see a single red light runner. People stop on yellow lights there. I hardly heard any honking during the week, and not one car tailgated me as I drove around too slowly trying to figure out where I was going. The contrast was eye-opening, to say the least.

All of Oregon outside of PDX: Same rules regarding drunkenness as New Orleans.

Also, it is extremely important to spend as much time at the next red light as possible. To this end, Oregonians will put the pedal to the metal in order to pass other motorists between red lights. This could be why at least 25% of all cars with Oregon plates have at least one burned out brake light.

Since science is seemingly not taught in Oregon schools, motorists confuse distance and velocity relationships and just pull out in front of other motorists whenever the urge strikes them.

Oregonians aren't directly paralyzed by rain like drivers in Southern California. Instead, they prefer to crash their cars in it in order to create more than a few indirectly paralyzed former motorists.

It's been two decades since I lived in Lubbock, TX, but at the time every single person was either driving a Suburban or was saving for one. I don't know if that is still true, but it was the smallest car most people could fit into. (At 6'2" 190 pounds, I never felt so tiny as when I lived in Lubbock.)

Too many steriotypes and broad generalizations in the OP. How can you lump all of Calif. into one behavior pattern? Sacramento is just like L.A.?
Houston and Dallas are different in drving behaviors as well, and in my ~33 years living in the Houston area, I can say I never once saw a shooting on the roadway due to road rage. Plus different areas of the Greater Houston Area have different driving behaviors.
That said, The Alief area in SW Houston traffic is about as good as any large city but of course has many poor drivers as well. Also little-to-no bicycle infrastructure (busses do have bike racks) and high speed inner-city roads. I HATED riding there. On the other hand, eastern Harris county (Baytown) is just a bit slower paced. While there's still no cycling infrastructure, traffic is not as heavy and not as fast in most places.

Edit: Just noticed... this is my 1000th post. :thumb:

People in Hawaii hate to turn on their headlights - double-plus-bad in such a rainy place. I often see cars driving around at night with only the parking lights on, but occasionally with everything off. There are enough of them that it seems like this "stealth mode" must be considered fashionable. Lots of cars driving around in fog and heavy rain with no lights on. And of course lots of bikes with no lights or even reflectors.

In Massachusetts I remember the famous Massachusetts left turn, where left turning cars stopped at a red will jump the next green light to turn in front of oncoming traffic going straight. Almost hit some of them before I learned to expect it.

North Dakota -- Veer slightly to the opposite side before making a turn, ie. drift left before turning right. Of course turn signals are optional.
Minnesota -- During a blizzard you must pull your chest to the steering wheel so that you can get your nose within a couple inches of the windshield, as it is obviously that 16 inches of clear air inside your vehicle that is obstructing your view of the road. Luckily this has limited effects on cycling though that is changing with the introduction of the Pugsley to the area.
Twin Cities -- Lane changes on the freeway do not require the use of a turn signal (or mirrors apparently).
South Dakota -- Speed limits are mere suggestions. Also, don't even think of bicycling within three days of the Sturgis weekend unless you enjoy being buzzed by packs of 50-100 Harley Davidsons.

This is not so much a driving thing but a cultural thing .
Beer bottles by the hundreds along the shoulder of the road. Some broken some not.

In Massachusetts I remember the famous Massachusetts left turn, where left turning cars stopped at a red will jump the next green light to turn in front of oncoming traffic going straight. Almost hit some of them before I learned to expect it.

This is the formal definition of "banging a left".

Also, the "Massachusetts shuffle" wherein you cut across 4 lanes of traffic in 10 feet to get to that exit you almost missed.

Actually, you can just watch this (warning for language):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmQBShOEKg8

In Georgia, speed limits are optional. Especially if you drive a Lamborghini, Ferrari or a Porsche to work. Stupidity seems to be relative to how much money you have.

No kidding, there is a guy who drives a lime green Diablo in this traffic around here....?

For instance, people in old clunky beaters seem to have more respect for others on the road than some guy in a Bimmer. Yes, a rhetorical generalized comment I know, but you should come ride on my commute if you want to see it in action... (poster shaking his head....)

The no texting law means absolutely nothing to some women with a minivan full of kids.


Oh, and if you do something stupid and look like an idiot, and someone calls you on it by honking? By all means, shoot them a bird, call them names and even swerve at them in your car if you feel offended by your own stupidity...

ARK-MO-OK / USA- If you see a car running down the road with it's blinker on for miles you can rest assured it was probably stuck on when they bought the car. People just refuse to signal here.

Drivers are loathe to turn in to the near lane, have to cross every lane of traffic to take turns as widely as possible, no matter how much it obstructs traffic and keeps others from turning and pulling through.

Refusal to turn on headlights in the rain, let alone dusk. I run my lights ALL the time.

A lot of drivers will NOT pull in the left lane for merging traffic on the freeway. Just blindly stare at their hoods and ignore all the traffic trying to get in from the right ramp.

Instead of what's logical when traffic is piling up at a 4 way stop sign, like two opposing cars pulling through the intersection at the same time or 2 (or more) cars making right turns at the same time in opposite directions they still take turns and wait for the other guy to completely clear the intersection before pulling out.

Right turns from LEFT lanes and left turns from RIGHT lanes, geezus people if you missed it you missed it, just go around the block or pull into a parking lot and go around.

Pulling out of driveways, roads, parking lots etc. and stacking the intersection, that is pulling out when there is no room for your car. A lot just sit there diagonally blocking 2 or 3 lanes of traffic because they're too stupid to realize they have NOWHERE to go once they pull out.

Pulling to far out and blocking the crosswalk. The white stop stripe applies not to the FRONT of the car but can mean the rear bumper too. And while you're at it when someone does this in front of you, you have to pull up within inches of their rear bumper so that in the rare occasion they realize they are blocking the crosswalk they can't back up.

And the ever present RUBBERNECKERS. Cripes more than once I sat in traffic for 1/2 hour or better as it crawled along all because of an accident - IN THE OTHER LANE ON A DIVED HIGHWAY. Everyone just HAD to slow down and look despite the accident not even affecting their lane.

Eaters, shavers, texters, phone users while driving. Hell there is so much going on it's a challenge just to do it while paying full attention, put it down and concentrate on driving.

The Portland Swoop. I saw this particularly on the 5 between Portland and Seattle. Folks in this area stick to the right lane as if glued there, but when they want to pass, they hit the left lane with gusto, drive to the first gap (however slight) and then swoop right... now assured that they are at the head of the line... for the moment.

The Denver Paradox:

At red lights, nobody stops.
At 4 way stops, nobody goes.

This is the formal definition of "banging a left".

Also, the "Massachusetts shuffle" wherein you cut across 4 lanes of traffic in 10 feet to get to that exit you almost missed.

Actually, you can just watch this (warning for language):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmQBShOEKg8

ON her way to see her therapist, no doubt!

MA - Merging traffic means holding place with car in front and not letting the other turd in. Expected by SUV's driven my women and bmw's by men in suits.

In the south, the bizarre habit of the driver putting his foot out the window.

In Alabama: Running red lights at below the speed limit. Stopping on the on-ramps because of an inability to properly merge.

KS and OK, this might be more generalized to more of the midwest, I dunno, but:
- Coming to an almost complete stop to make a right turn.
- Coming to a complete stop after pulling into a parking lot. (I've never figured this one out, it's like they stop to survey for a parking spot, leaving anyone behind them trying to also turn into the lot stuck at a dead stop in traffic.)
- 2 cars or more, with little other traffic, driving at least 5 mph below the speed limit, pacing each other to prevent any other traffic from possibly going faster.....

In Az:
- Never driving less then 5 mph over the speed limit (exception: snowbirds from the midwest, see above. Needless to say, this makes driving very interesting in the winter time in Az. they don't need snow, they got snowbirds!)
- Even coming to a red light, going full on the accelerator to the last possible second, then screeching to a stop, only to do it again at the next light. All of this even though there are signs along the side that tell drivers what speed to go to catch the lights green (they sync the lights in a lot of the city in Tucson).

Pacific Northwest:
- Paralyzed by sunshine. (see comments above about Californians and rain....)
- Left lane is often the busiest on the interstate, and the right lane is the fast lane.
- Car pool lanes re-dubbed (by me) Holier Than Thou lanes. Drivers will cut off every car, endanger life and limb, and create a hazard or backup for miles to get to the car pool lane, then proceed to drive 10 mph under the speed limit, all while looking smug and refusing to move for anyone else in the lane. They repeat this procedure when exiting, waiting until 200 yards before their exit to cut across 3+ lanes of traffic.

Actually, you can just watch this (warning for language):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmQBShOEKg8

Utterly and completely awesome.

If you want to be really frightened, read the comments and see how many people actually approve of her behavior.

Utterly and completely awesome.

If you want to be really frightened, read the comments and see how many people actually approve of her behavior.

Love the comment: "B*tch get off the phone..." but apparently it is OK for her.

Too many steriotypes and broad generalizations in the OP. How can you lump all of Calif. into one behavior pattern? Sacramento is just like L.A.?
Houston and Dallas are different in drving behaviors as well, and in my ~33 years living in the Houston area, I can say I never once saw a shooting on the roadway due to road rage. Plus different areas of the Greater Houston Area have different driving behaviors.
That said, The Alief area in SW Houston traffic is about as good as any large city but of course has many poor drivers as well. Also little-to-no bicycle infrastructure (busses do have bike racks) and high speed inner-city roads. I HATED riding there. On the other hand, eastern Harris county (Baytown) is just a bit slower paced. While there's still no cycling infrastructure, traffic is not as heavy and not as fast in most places.

Edit: Just noticed... this is my 1000th post. :thumb:

Good point. Sacramentans are terrible about merging into traffic from onramps. They're usually going too slow and because the speed differential is too great, they panic. I once was behind a driver who tootled up the onramp at about 30 mph and then just stopped. If I were king, every onramp in Sacramento would have a huge blinking sign that says YOU MUST REACH A MINIMUM SPEED OF 50MPH BY THE END OF THIS RAMP. Sacramentans are also terrible about staying in the far left lane until about 100 yds from their off ramp and then banging hard across three lanes to the exit, blinkers optional.

Los Angelenos, by contrast, are excellent freeway drivers. However, freeways in LA rarely move at freeway speed, so there's that.

- Coming to a complete stop after pulling into a parking lot. (I've never figured this one out, it's like they stop to survey for a parking spot, leaving anyone behind them trying to also turn into the lot stuck at a dead stop in traffic.)
^^^^^^ This! I forgot about it, more than likely trying to blot it from my mind. This aggravates the hell out of me. Didn't they look to the right BEFORE they turned? They grind to a halt leaving me right behind them with my ass hanging out in traffic. I have always advocated teaching people that the phrase "look where you're going" is WRONG, you need to "LOOK WHERE YOU ARE INTENDING TO GO", we tend to go where we are looking and if you make a right turn (or any move for that matter) while looking at the hood of your car or just in front of it at the road then you are NOT looking where you are going, you're looking at where you are AT. Now if you are INTENDING to go straight then look straight, keep glancing to the sides and scanning for potential conflict but scan ahead too - FAR ahead to make sure your path is clear.

This also bugs me in walking, people enter a store, theater, any building for that matter and immediately come to a stop leaving everyone else behind them piling up while they figure out where the hell they were going.

Drive 90 mph in left lane like they're supposed to.

Dude. Seriously. You are the problem.

^^^^^^ This! I forgot about it, more than likely trying to blot it from my mind. This aggravates the hell out of me. Didn't they look to the right BEFORE they turned? They grind to a halt leaving me right behind them with my ass hanging out in traffic. I have always advocated teaching people that the phrase "look where you're going" is WRONG, you need to "LOOK WHERE YOU ARE INTENDING TO GO", we tend to go where we are looking and if you make a right turn (or any move for that matter) while looking at the hood of your car or just in front of it at the road then you are NOT looking where you are going, you're looking at where you are AT. Now if you are INTENDING to go straight then look straight, keep glancing to the sides and scanning for potential conflict but scan ahead too - FAR ahead to make sure your path is clear.

This also bugs me in walking, people enter a store, theater, any building for that matter and immediately come to a stop leaving everyone else behind them piling up while they figure out where the hell they were going.

Drives me nuts... especially now that more and more stores are making the entry/exit area narrow to reduce theft.

According to my personal experience and perception.
Seoul, South Korea - Extremely polite culture. Constant horn use, but not out of rudeness or being in a hurry. More like a reminder that they are right there next to you. Gives just enough room for cyclist so they don't hit.
Manila, Philippines - What traffic lane? As long as they fit they will go in that space if you are too slow. Cyclists beware, stay off the road. What stop sign?

Hong Kong (when it was still a colony) - Cyclists beware, actually everyone beware. Lots of cyclists, but still scary.

Swindon, England - Awesome place to cycle. Some horn use.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE - There's a speed limit IN the city limits? Very difficult to get a driver's license and yet they seem to have no regard for other vehicles on the road unless it is interfering with their progress. Very rare to see anyone run a red light, and they will slam on the brakes on a yellow light. Offensive driving is key! Lots of horn use and hand gestures (not the bird, however, just a lot of waving-like motions with the palms upward). The term "Frogger" takes on a literal meaning as plenty of folks constantly (no exaggeration) run across the freeway trying to dodge 120 kph traffic :eek: Scariest thing I've ever seen.

Texas: Cops on bikes texting.
275184

Rome: Scooter races, the red lights sound like a bizarre motocross as the drivers rev their scooters in anticipation of a red light. They also have zero sense of self preservation, no fear, and no survival instincts.

In Texas, drivers will pull onto the shoulder (and drive there at 50+ mph) to let faster traffic pass.

It's considered polite, but it's still a bit weird as I've never really experienced it anywhere else.

(It's also a bit concerning if you're a cyclist who rides on shoulders ...)

Dude. Seriously. You are the problem.

Thanks, I try to be. I subscribe to the Republican Reptilian School of Driving, as chronicalled in "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and not Spill Your Drink" --> http://www.heretical.com/miscella/reptile.html

Thanks, I try to be. I subscribe to the Republican Reptilian School of Driving, as chronicalled in "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and not Spill Your Drink" --> http://www.heretical.com/miscella/reptile.html

With the closing thought...


It's hard to face the truth, but I suppose you yourself realize that if you'd had just a little more courage, just a little more strength of character, you could have been dead by now. No such luck.

Oregonians aren't directly paralyzed by rain like drivers in Southern California. Instead, they prefer to crash their cars in it in order to create more than a few indirectly paralyzed former motorists.


Classic. Sounds like South Ontarians dealing with any snowfall.

In Massachusetts I remember the famous Massachusetts left turn, where left turning cars stopped at a red will jump the next green light to turn in front of oncoming traffic going straight. Almost hit some of them before I learned to expect it.

Yes, that's another example of questionable MA driving behavior.

Chicago (been here my whole life):

Drive with their brights on at night........on extremely well lit city streets



Once you get west of I355 or any 2 lane highway, you ride 2 abreast at 5-10 UNDER the limit



Within the city limits we all know there are few State Troopers to catch speeders, so it becomes a competition to be recruited by NASCAR scouts



You must hate taxis and make their life miserable for they will do the same to you



If you get a rain drop on your windshield, you are to immediately to forget how to drive



Turn signals and stop signs outlined in white are optional



Speed limit on Lake Shore Drive is 88 miles an hour, unless there is a cop visible, then it's 10 under the posted limit of 45.....suddenly
Working headlights and taillights are optional, especially if your vehicle burns several different fluids at once because you can be smelled before seen



If you learn how to roll up fast on a speed bump and pop your brakes, you can coast over them with not really having lost any momentum....older cars with crappy suspension may experience a wheelie



The parking lane at lights is actually an optional lane for passing......includes the boost strip as seen in Mario Cart in a form of prematurely running the light



The father you creep into an intersection on red, the faster the light will change



Winter time means snow, and somehow drivers forget the correlation between the two



A second note on snow in Chicago: It takes 6 months to remember how to drive in snow, but at that time it is coming up on summer which means driving in rain, takes the next 6 months to remember how to drive in warm weather and rain......see the vicious cycle here?




DC (In-laws live there):


Drive like you don't know where you are going, but you actually do and make that apparent at the last minute with lanes changes, turns, and merges



If you have a government department plate, Consul plate, or anything that means you have some affiliation with the US government or a government entitles you to use of shoulders, parking lanes, and sidewalks as areas to pass traffic



If said plates are on your vehicle, traffic laws need not apply



Wisconsin and Indiana:


Drive at a normal pace unless faster traffic is about to pass you, speed like hades to not let them pass, return to normal speed when they relinquish



Slow down for all the gory deer road kill sites



18 wheelers aren't actually moving, it is a figment of your imagination, feel free to cut them off (applies in southern Illinois as well)



It is OK to try to swerve to miss the millions of bugs that are flying around the roadway



And these are over-generalizations......have a funny bone peoples!

Hong Kong drivers:

- merging. It's like a zipper people. Really.

- roundabouts. Where do I start, just about everything is messed up.

- as one car looks like changing lanes (or actually indicates) the car behind in the next lane accelerates to block the space. Thanks pal.

- you are in the correct lane for the turn you have to take in 200m, but the cab driver insists on forcing his way into the next lane (which is moving), overtaking the bus in front of you, then forces his way back into the lane you started in - disrupting traffic flow in the process. Seriously dude, I'm not in that much of a hurry.

- overtaking on blind corners on steep winding roads, only to find a safe straight around the corner - or even a place like a bus stop that I'll happily sweep into so you can overtake.

- cars turning off the road and across the sidewalk to enter buildings and presuming that the pedestrians with their backs to you will see you and stop for you. Then as you push your white Ferrari into the pedestrians leg, looking surprised and upset when they slap your car (my wife wishes she'd hit it harder).


Hong Kong pedestrians:

- wandering across a seemingly empty street without even a glance. Bikes at 45km/h are quiet (you've got your headphones in anyway), but a glance is enough to save your iPhone from being dropped as I flash past your back and scream "WATCHOUT" in your ear. I actually felt guilty for a moment when I heard the clatter of phone on concrete...

- coming to a halt at the top of escalators. I just pick them up and move them forward.

- walk in a straight line. No really, it will help my 220lb not lay you on your backside.

- take your head out of your effing smartphone.

- don't try to get on to the subway until I get off. Yes, I can make myself wider when needed.

I actually got this advice when I first moved to Minneapolis:

Don't signal a lane change or people will speed up to close the gap you were aiming for. Just drive like a total moron and veer into the lane you want. People are used to it and expect it so they will get out of your way.

The sad part is it's true. If you signal a lane change you will never get to move over as people will accelerate to keep you from getting "ahead" of them.

Thanks, I subscribe to the Republican Reptilian School of Driving, as chronicalled in "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and not Spill Your Drink" --> http://www.heretical.com/miscella/reptile.html

Been there, done that. Experienced the joy of doing 110 mph down Route 50 in Nevada with a tallboy between my knees, and making it from Whitefish, MT to Rapid City, SD in 10 1/2 hours.

I love P.J. O'Rourke, really I do. But that schtick gets old fast as soon as you look at the fatality rates. I don't do it any more.

Working headlights and taillights are optional, especially if your vehicle burns several different fluids at once because you can be smelled before seen

Perfectly describes Calgary in the '80's. Also, back in the day, it was illegal to get your car's fan belt tightened, otherwise no one would hear you coming, amirite?



The father you creep into an intersection on red, the faster the light will change


Here, the further you creep into a crosswalk, the more likely the senior citizen with a walker will re-discover their athletic abilities and run to get out of your way.



Winter time means snow, and somehow drivers forget the correlation between the two


Classic, and describes Calgary drivers since probably the introduction of wheeled vehicles to the area.

Also, racing at 200+ km/hr on the highway is cool, owners of diesel pickups are required to run a mixture of bunker oil and coal tar as fuel (and to exhaust it through vertical pipes as big around as your thigh), and when passing, always come as close as possible to hitting the car being passed.

Been there, done that. Experienced the joy of doing 110 mph down Route 50 in Nevada with a tallboy between my knees, and making it from Whitefish, MT to Rapid City, SD in 10 1/2 hours.

I love P.J. O'Rourke, really I do. But that schtick gets old fast as soon as you look at the fatality rates. I don't do it any more.

One of my fonder memories is blowing the doors off a Beech King-Air on final to land at Bishop airport as I blasted north on CA-395.

In seriousness, I agree with you. I think as younger men bathed in testosterone, many of us engaged in activities that upon more mature reflection turned out to be less than prudent to say the least. I'm grateful that I left minimal collateral damage, but it was due to luck more than any skill or judgement I exhibited at the time.

Ottawa

-When stopped at a red light and making a left turn, do NOT move forward one inch when the light turns green.
Sit there untill there are NO oncoming cars.

-It's ok to be terrified to merge into traffic from an onramp.


Montreal

-By far, at least on the highway, the best drivers i have experienced.

-They drive fast, but it's ok because they all do it. There are few slow drivers to get in their way.

-They don't signal but they leave lots of room so it's not really necessary.

- They back off when you want to change lanes.

Deary ID: Bicyclists are targets. They're Un-American, Socialists, tree hugging, ******s that want to destroy the logging industry. Inflict maximum terror on any cyclist you see. Bonus points if you can make them fly off the road into a ditch.

Bovill ID: Same as Deary with the addition that you will be crowned "Redneck King" if you can make a cyclist "squeal like a pig boy".

Maine: Drivers from Massachusetts driving like their from Massachusetts.

In Georgia, speed limits are optional. Especially if you drive a Lamborghini, Ferrari or a Porsche to work. Stupidity seems to be relative to how much money you have.

No kidding, there is a guy who drives a lime green Diablo in this traffic around here....?

For instance, people in old clunky beaters seem to have more respect for others on the road than some guy in a Bimmer. Yes, a rhetorical generalized comment I know, but you should come ride on my commute if you want to see it in action... (poster shaking his head....)

The no texting law means absolutely nothing to some women with a minivan full of kids.


Oh, and if you do something stupid and look like an idiot, and someone calls you on it by honking? By all means, shoot them a bird, call them names and even swerve at them in your car if you feel offended by your own stupidity...

VERY true! I saw a blue Lotus in rush hour traffic the other day, and this morning I watch a Bentley hit 75 North from Buckhead (I merged on the same ramp) being driving horribly, nearly hitting other cars, and finally exiting around Smyrna.

The people whose cars can't go so fast, or can't afford any damage without being totaled seem to have a lot more respect for everyone else on the road.

But you forgot some things:
Don't drive down a narrow lane without your tires completely outside the lane.
If there are cars parked on the side of the road, brake hard and take two lanes to be sure you don't hit anything.
Road construction on West Paces? Is THAT why I just ran over fifty orange cones?!
Taking both lanes for a half mile.
Taking twenty seconds to ooze over to the next lane.
Bike lane in a curve? hug the right side and gun it!
Merge to the right lane, then whip through the left to the far turn lane twenty feet from the intersection.
Using a turn signal assumes traffic will magically part and allow you to move over, so why not just start merging despite the car directly beside you?
Turn-only lane is full? Speed past it, signal at the last second, nearly side-swipe someone, merge behind them, and harass them on 20 for the next five miles.
Turning onto a 45mph road? Take ten seconds to do so, and take both lanes!

Outside of Atlanta (additional items):
After dark is the best time to repeatedly test your high beams.
Speeding is also an excuse to use your high beams, so everyone else sees you coming.
Tailgating is a common greeting. Can you see my headlights in your mirror? Oh; I must not be close enough.


In Alabama: Running red lights at below the speed limit. Stopping on the on-ramps because of an inability to properly merge.
Something else I don't miss about Alabama.

Maine: Drivers from Massachusetts driving like their from Massachusetts.

:lol:

I love these circular statements. Kind of like saying the problem with Texas is that it is positively infested with Texans.

Montreal

-By far, at least on the highway, the best drivers i have experienced.

-They drive fast, but it's ok because they all do it. There are few slow drivers to get in their way.

-They don't signal but they leave lots of room so it's not really necessary.

- They back off when you want to change lanes.


Sounds like California drivers. How are they in the rain?

Sounds like California drivers. How are they in the rain?

In rain or snow, they don't slow down as much as they should, but i still feel reasonably safe.

OP's analysis of Philladelphia was accurate enough. Lack of turn signals are being increasingly ticketed in an effort to help the issue, though in NYC I recall a there-native saying turn signals are even worse. On a highway you do not tip the other driver off as to what your next move is. Worse yet- signal opposite.

Lancaster-north and Lancaster-south seem to be drastically different. South we get a lot of Amish and other SMV type vehicles and the drivers insist on passing ANYWHERE, regardless of oncoming cement trucks or not. North they seem more suburban/athlete types and much more respectful of other people.

Raliegh, NC. Every time I go down to visit my sister the traffic scares me more. Oddly not so much when I cycle as when I drive since the idiocy/distraction is on the super highways. 4-5 lanes each way and the Expeditions on phones can quantum leap to any lane at any time.

I've also noticed that odd driver reaction to turn signals in Oregon, which surprised me given their hidebound, law-abiding natures. Then I realized -- there's probably no law against directional signal psychosis.

I have to confess that when I drive around Philly or Portland, I randomly activate my turn signals just to watch people zoom up to close the gap. What's funny is to get the same person 2 or 3 times and they realize you're screwing with them.

:lol:

I love these circular statements. Kind of like saying the problem with Texas is that it is positively infested with Texans.

Amended- Maine: Drivers from Massachusetts driving like they're still in Massachusetts.

I've noticed a lot of places have this weird custom of driving on the wrong side of the road. They even buy their cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side as well. Whenever I've driven there, I just go along with their madness rather than try to correct them.

I've noticed a lot of places have this weird custom of driving on the wrong side of the road. They even buy their cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side as well. Whenever I've driven there, I just go along with their madness rather than try to correct them.

Come to Oregon. The motorists here are only half-mad in that they happily use either side of the road as well as that narrow lane between the two yellow lines.

In MA, using the brakes rather than the accelerator to merge onto major highways, to the point of coming to complete stop and getting rear ended.

Never mind about turning into a parking lot and immediately coming to a stop. MA drivers come to a complete stop in the road and then contemplate turning into the lot.

Whenever I've driven there, I just go along with their madness rather than try to correct them.

Speaking of madness, try verbally communicating with a Brit. I don't what language they're talking, but it sure ain't English.

It's not only their speaking, there's a comprehension problem. For example, if you say, "Gimme a plate of the most delicious food you got", the only thing they get right is the part about the plate.