Road rage...

[Purplehood]

I live in Houston and can admit to being "flustered" by other drivers. When you stop to think about it, and put a face on the problem it becomes apparent pretty quickly. Most, well maybe I'm using that a little too liberally, but MOST people I see on the roads doing stupid things are FIRST GENERATION drivers. This has nothing to do with age, but more so the fact that millions of our fellow motorists in this fair city have only previously ridden donkeys back and forth to market. Now they find themselves across the river, and cousin Juan has loaned them a 4,000 lb. automobile. There they go with no insurance, no license, no inspection stickers, no registration, no prior experience, no brakes, and no chance in heck that they will be able to navigate the streets safely. Because they did not grow up in an environment where their mother, father, aunts, uncles, and older nieces, nephews, & cousins grew up driving, they don't have that skill or knowledge passed on to them. How can you "teach" someone something when you can't do it yourself, & have no practical first hand experience? You can't.

I don't know if there is any truth to what you said here, but that is one of the funniest posts I have read while visiting this forum.

I am guessing that the poster drives only in certain parts of Houston in order to find that MOST of these bad-drivers are FIRST GENERATION drivers. The logic is impeccable.

Having been in a few third-world countries I have noticed one constant. Everyone has cars. Everyone. There may be no license plates, there may be no licenses, and there may be a camel tied to the bumper, but everyone has a car (Toyota predominates). Having come from somewhere else doesn't make one ignorant in regards to operating a car.

Since I apparently drive in other parts of Houston and have also noticed a fair-share of "idjut-drivers" (and who is to say that I am not one of them?), I guess I could conclude that they are all white and drive F-150's and massive SUV's. No generalizations there, right?

[Excaliber]

I'm a little puzzled and just don't see the problem with driving in Dallas.

I drove in NYC and environs for about 25 years and consider that style of driving (high speed, moving aggressively into spaces 2 millimeters longer than your vehicle, close following distances, and lots of hand signals you won't find in the state drivers manual) normal. It worked because the drivers were skilled and everyone understood and played by the same rules. Things got touchy when an outsider tried to make a different driving style work. They either got with the program in a hurry or got crushed.

I lived near the CT border and learned that Connecticut license plates adorned vehicles driven by folks who had to fail a driving test to get their licenses, and had to disable their turn signals in order to pass inspection. We tried to have a NY state law passed to require folks from CT to drive with hazard flashers on in NY, but just couldn't seem to get it passed. I also learned not to enter that state during winter weather because their snow removal program was called "spring." You could be driving on clear, dry NY roads on the NY side of the interstate and know immediately when you hit the CT border by the 3 inches of ice covering the road and the signs reading: "Road legally closed. Travel at your own risk," and the new 4 wheel drive vehicles whizzing by at 70 mph. Two or three miles down the road you'd encounter vehicles that looked amazingly like the ones that just zinged past lying in the ditches on either side.

I drove through Rhode Island a few times and filed that state away as a place to go any time you feel the need for adrenaline rushes from multiple life threatening encounters caused by drivers who have been lobotomized and have no clue they're running around trying to kill people. I avoid that state like the plague.

While living in Florida I got used to driving around folks who were so old they didn't notice things like red lights, and who would do things like drive into ponds or canals and sit in their sinking vehicles wondering why the accelerator no longer works. When rescued and asked what happened, they'd reply, "I don't remember." I had one of them tell me that although he was legally blind and had to fold his different denomination cash bills in different ways so he could identify them by feel, it was still OK for him to drive because he "only went to places he knows." My question back to him was, "Since you can't see well enough to identify your surroundings, how do you tell you're still in a place you know?" I don't miss driving there.

I spent 5 years in Atlanta, and can verify that when the traffic was moving at all, it was really moving. The big difference between Atlanta and New York is that New Yorkers can drive, and Atlantans only think they can drive. Many of the folks doing 30 miles above the limit there apparently thought they had NASCAR level skills when in actuality they could probably be outdriven by their grandmothers. Not surprisingly, the accidents were incredibly frequent and usually gruesome.

Then I moved to Dallas. The drivers here are friendly and courteous (they'll even let you into their lane at a lane closure), traffic moves along decently, and the LEO's generally give you leeway of about 10 over the limit, so setting your cruise control at 8 over lets you make a little time without undue hazard or unplanned stops. The accident rates I see when traveling are far lower than what I was used to in other parts of the country.

Life is good - I think I'm in heaven!

[joe817]

Great post Ex! and fuunnnnyyyyy!!

[Keith B]

What I have been trying to figure out is why all of the other drivers around Dallas drive so crazy and I am the only one driving the way you should.

[03Lightningrocks]

I have learned to drive defensively aggressive...Or is it agressively defensive...I dunno anymore...Growing up in Houston you either survive or stay off the 610 loop...

Isn't that the truth. When I go to Houston, I feel like a country bumpkin on the freeways...LOL. Folks seem to be either going 100....or 45...nothing in between....and nobody seems to give a squawt what lane they do it in. Fast lane...what fast lane? I was amazed at how many people drive in the fast lane at 45 MPH. I was either getting my doors blown off...or slamming on my brakes to keep from rear ending the tards who don't get the whole fast lane concept.

[03Lightningrocks]

What I have been trying to figure out is why all of the other drivers around Dallas drive so crazy and I am the only one driving the way you should.

Ya see...that just can't be. I am the only one driving the way you should.

[bryang]

What I have been trying to figure out is why all of the other drivers around Dallas drive so crazy and I am the only one driving the way you should.

Exactly! Now I understand what the problem is...it's not me, it's them!!

-geo

[Drewthetexan]

I realize that trained monkeys could drive better than most here and that's how I visualize them sitting behind the wheel.

Trained monkeys could drive better because their is no real training involved in getting a driver's license. Driving privilages should be much more tightly regulated. My great grandmother wouldn't stop driving until she plowed through her own house. I was in an accident last year because some old guy (in his late 70's) decided (through his negligence) to PIT me on the highway. He was speeding and NOT paying attention to anything around him. Frankly I think causing an auto wreck due to proveable negligence should carry criminal penalties.

And for that matter, vehicles should require insurance validation before the engine will start; because, of course, the guy who totaled my car didn't have insurance.

Now that I'm all wound up, I'm gonna go drive like a punk to let off some steam...

[caldvn]

China, prior to them having cars, their generation was riding bicycles... that same generation is now driving cars... the same way they were riding bicycles... You have bicycles, mopeds?, cars, trucks... on the same roads and a lot of traffic... did I mention there's no seat belts or baby seats?

[The Annoyed Man]

Everyone going faster than me is a crazy fool, and everyone going slower than me is a moron.

[Purplehood]

China, prior to them having cars, their generation was riding bicycles... that same generation is now driving cars... the same way they were riding bicycles... You have bicycles, mopeds?, cars, trucks... on the same roads and a lot of traffic... did I mention there's no seat belts or baby seats?

Psssst. There are no baby-seats here in Houston either. I watched a lady get into the back seat of her perfectly nice looking car at the car wash (didn't appear broke to me), while holding her newborn infant in her lap. No car-seat visible. All this while an off-duty cop stood next to me watching the whole thing.

I hate seeing kids lives endangered like that.

[caldvn]

I hate seeing kids lives endangered like that.

I see stupid stuff all the time... it's sad... it's all fun and games till someone gets hurt.

Did you see the post on the guy taking pictures in front of shooters?

[frazzled]

I live in Houston and can admit to being "flustered" by other drivers. When you stop to think about it, and put a face on the problem it becomes apparent pretty quickly. Most, well maybe I'm using that a little too liberally, but MOST people I see on the roads doing stupid things are FIRST GENERATION drivers. This has nothing to do with age, but more so the fact that millions of our fellow motorists in this fair city have only previously ridden donkeys back and forth to market. Now they find themselves across the river, and cousin Juan has loaned them a 4,000 lb. automobile. There they go with no insurance, no license, no inspection stickers, no registration, no prior experience, no brakes, and no chance in heck that they will be able to navigate the streets safely. Because they did not grow up in an environment where their mother, father, aunts, uncles, and older nieces, nephews, & cousins grew up driving, they don't have that skill or knowledge passed on to them. How can you "teach" someone something when you can't do it yourself, & have no practical first hand experience? You can't.

Now instead of getting upset, I make it a personal goal to get to my destination without having any interaction with other drivers. That means give them their space. Stay WAY FAR back. I realize that trained monkeys could drive better than most here and that's how I visualize them sitting behind the wheel. You've seen those movies where they use chimpanzees and make their lips move while someone else does the voice over? Yea, just imagine those same monkeys behind the wheel and you will start driving a lot safer. And this applies to ALL drivers! I'm not just singling out any one nationality because if there is one thing that we are all equal at-it's lack of good driving habits & skills.

If you ever watch police approach an intersection you notice that they are trained to hang back away from the intersection. They were taught that most accidents happen at intersections and so they approach them cautiously. Me too.

The bottom line is, it is only going to get worse. Getting upset, or experiencing rage because of it just does not help the situation. Now this is what I want everyone to do tomorrow; Take your favorite rechargeable razor, grab the newspaper, and fresh cup of coffee, and your MP3 player. Saddle up with all of your gear, hit the streets, set the cruise control while you read the paper, enjoy your coffee & tunes. Use the steering wheel to support your newspaper. You can't beat 'em-so join them! Oh, I almost forgot the most important part-increase your insurance coverage! Be sure to specify "Non-Insured motorist" coverage as having that is like having a winning lottery ticket in your pocket that WILL be cashed very shortly.

Funny I was going to say: 1) pickup drivers; 2) BMW drivers.

[03Lightningrocks]

This is a funny thread. Obviously, everybody here is a great driver. I wonder who all the bad drivers are?

[bryang]

Many moons ago, my dad taught me to drive defensibly and never believe that the other driver knows what he is doing. Never trust that they are going to turn (when signaling), stop, yield, or that they will not suddenly change lanes, cut you off, or pull out in front of you, just be ready, because they will. You know, that's sort of thinking like they are monkeys, just never looked at it that way...but it works.

-geo