What are your opinions on people driving in the USA?

[Rykon Zero]

Washington isn't bad. Much better than any place I've ever been, like New York, Indiana, and California. That said, there's an awful amount of Asian drivers. And teenagers. And girls. And Asian teenaged girls who drive with their cellphones in one hand, and a big gulp in the other. I've seen it more than once.

 

[Philly]

I agree with Stig. The problem in Seattle is that you've got the liberal Toyota/Subaru drivers from the city driving defensively and environmentally (I don't think economics are on their mind...) and then everybody from the East Side who drive very aggressively in their SUVs and Audis. That nice contrast makes for some interesting driving.

Lane control is horrific. Washington is the land of drivers camped out in the left lane, going whatever speed they please. It's so bad that there's even an effective way that traffic flows. For some reason, you end up with the left lane nose to tail going 70-75 (with the limit at 60) and the right lane with not much traffic going 60-65. And then there are the people who fly up the left lane and jump into the line of stopped cars at an exit, missing the exit divider by inches. I hate them.

But street driving isn't bad. Most people obey the rules for the most part. It's certainly nothing like Chicago, which actually looked pretty scary. Oh, and the street racers. Head down to the street races and it's really funny to watch all the kids trying to show off and failing then getting pulled over for it.

 

[YSSMAN]

Also, lane discipline on highways is not always so great. It's not like German highways.

Word. I remember my first drive from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale, I couldn't believe how many cars went flying around between lanes. I guess I'd rather have that than what most people do up here... Go the speed limit in the left lane.

 

[niky]

Hehe! I can relate. You will also find 3 lane highways turn into 6 lane highways. The first time I took my wife to the Philippines her first comment was "What the hell do they need the dividing lines on the road if they aren't going to use it in the first place. But if you check the statistics the accident count in the Philippines is probably lower than the US. Since people drive crazy there they seem to be alert at what the other guy is going to do. So you could say they are agressive but defensive drivers at the same time.

We have, as of last year, 5.9 million vehicles on the road.

We've had 6,900 accidents in that time, 10% of which were fatal.

That's about 116 deaths per million vehicles registered.

From what statistics I can gather, the US has about 140-160 deaths per million registrations... but commuting distances in the US are far greater... which puts you at just 1.6 deaths per million miles travelled. I'd wager our per million mile count is much, much higher... considering the average commute here is from 10-30 miles per day... though provincial drivers can regularly cover 60 miles per day... except for public utility vehicles and delivery vehicles... which sometimes do trips of 150-200 miles one way... but the majority of fatal accidents are with cars, motorcycles and taxis, which usually make short trips, only.

 

[Diego440]

I guess I'd rather have that than what most people do up here... Go the speed limit in the left lane.

And .001 under the speed limit in the right lane.

If you want to go 1 mph above the speed limit, you have to sit behind the car in the left lane for around 45 minutes until it finally overtakes the other one.

 

[sumbrownkid]

When I moved from Illinois to Florida, I noticed drivers in Florida have a lot less patience for red lights. And for some reason, the indicator doesn't exist on their cars since I rarely see the color orange or red flash.

 

[Public'sTwin]

The problem in Seattle is that you've got the liberals from the city driving defensively and environmentally (I don't think economics are on their mind...) and then everybody from the East Side who drive very aggressively in their SUVs and Audis. That nice contrast makes for some interesting driving.

Only in USA is the term "liberal" used so frequently as a disparaging term.

 

[TAFKADY]

When I moved from Illinois to Florida, I noticed drivers in Florida have a lot less patience for red lights. And for some reason, the indicator doesn't exist on their cars since I rarely see the color orange or red flash.

Because they don't have much time left...

But seriously, everytime I go out there I assume everyone is a moron until he/she proves otherwise. Almost never happens. I don't live in the US but I don't think this is a US specific problem. People don't take driving itself serious enough AND lack knowledge about their vehicle.

 

[JB-BMW1989]

I really hate to say it, but the United States got an average score of 76.9% in the National Drivers Test. Flawed, but yet worthy. I expected a better grade. What Niky isn't necessarily true; not all Asians are bad drivers. There are the Japanese who are good, I mean really good. The Philippines is much worse and it is because the Filipinos make their own lanes on non-lined roads. I believe the Germans are the best drivers overall.

 

[Biggles]

Compared to anywhere else in the world I've been, U.S. drivers are law-abiding & polite. Of course the road system lends itself to a mindless driving experience that caters to minimal driver attention & input.

My biggest peeve against driving in N.A.?

GET ROUNDABOUTS (rotary systems) FOR GODS SAKE! Drives me absolutely to constantly stop & wait at traffic lights regardless of whether there is any other traffic. I'm convinced that roundabouts (as used everywhere in Europe & other places around the world), would keep traffic moving more smoothly (no more constant stop-&-go), reduce accidents (a high percentage of accidents are intersection T-bones), & reduce fuel usage (hours & hours of standing at traffic lights, especially at complex intersections). In the few places in the U.S. that have roundabouts (in Buffalo they recently re-instated some of their historic roundabouts) they seem to work perfectly.

 

[Joey D]

People here have no idea how to use traffic circles, they will come to a dead stop before entering it. Drives me nuts because it slows everyone down and the first time it happened I almost rear ended the person in front of me because I wasn't expecting a stop.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

I'm creating a bumper sticker directed at one one my favorite enemies on the road, tailgaters - those who get up behind me on the road in hopes of forcing me to go faster. My usual response is to slow down, but now I have a message for them:

 

[niky]

I really hate to say it, but the United States got an average score of 76.9% in the National Drivers Test. Flawed, but yet worthy. I expected a better grade. What Niky isn't necessarily true; not all Asians are bad drivers. There are the Japanese who are good, I mean really good. The Philippines is much worse and it is because the Filipinos make their own lanes on non-lined roads. I believe the Germans are the best drivers overall.

Japanese are exempt. They have their own subcategory.

Of course, I've heard people complain that even grannies in Japan take to clipping apexes on mountain roads... I don't know whether that's scary or awesome.

 

[mPWRD]

Asian drivers are the worst in the world... bar none. Proven fact.

Oh, god... don't get me started. I came from Illinois out to California for college, and the Asian drivers are just TERRIBLE. My friend (who's Asian) is constantly on the watch for fail driving maneuvers in an attempt to prove that non-Asians make traffic mistakes too - he's found 3.

No offense to anybody here who's Asian... being on GTP, I'm pretty sure you have way more than a rudimentary understanding of cars and driving.