Do Red State Drivers Suck more than Blue State Drivers?

[usregimechange]

As I was going behind a car with a Bush sticker going 55 in a 70 mph zone I thought of this question and wanted to save it for the joy of DU.

[Longgrain]

1. I've never driven in a Red State so I can't tell you...

But I can tell you this, Massachusetts drivers are the worst!

[Nite Owl]

21. What happens to people in your state

when they get behind the wheel? Nice people but not on the road.

Honestly, do dealerships there disconnect the turn signals or something? Not that we NYers are that great but...

[Longgrain]

46. Most of the highways it seems

were basically cow-paths and Native hunting trails someone paved over...

No one thought that one day we would have directional signals and rotaries when they decided to pave them down.

[LiberalVoice]

2. I dunno

I live in Pittsburgh and Pa is a blue state obviously and the fucking drivers here SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

[cheezus]

4. high population areas have worse drivers

just because there's actually traffic. here in the heartland people drive sane because we can.

[LSparkle]

15. But "sanity" is relative

I think, considering the amount of traffic in blue states (well, at least in SoCal where I am), we do pretty well. Take somebody from Kansas and plop them on the 405 at rush hour and I guarantee you, they'll drive WAY worse than the native blue staters.

[SmokingJacket]

26. I agree with that one.

Detroit and Boston kill me.

But they have nothing on Italian drivers, so I should keep my mouth shut.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Blue state driver here...

We suck. Can't deny it...

[GreatScott]

5. I don't know if they suck more, but they'll definitely swallow anything!

[seabeyond]

6. today, my lane closed for road work, i floor it to get in front

a huge ass suv floors it to not let me in. i got in. kept getting on my bumper in slow speed up slow speed up. i am callig driver jerk thru rearview mirror and say, bet there is a bush sticker.

sure enough, three different ribbons and a flag........

what a patriot

[Patriot Acts]

28. Would it have been better to do as you did.... floor it to cut in front of

this jerk.... or simply slow down and get behind him? ;)

[seabeyond]

36. good point but i wasnt cutting in

i dont do that. there was space lots of space in between the cars. plenty of room for me to speed up get in front and not NOT effect the driver behind me in the speed he was going. then the car behind me could see the lane merge and get in behind

that was the absurdity. i wasnt doing anything to afront this driver but getting ahead of them

i repeat NO cutting in. we are here to share the roads. if a driver was doing that in my lane, i would have realized driver knew what he was doing to merge without conflict. this person created the conflict.

if i had slowed at that point, then would have f*ed everyone behind and ran out of room and we would have sat

but what the hell

[bluestateguy]

7. Have you been to Massachusetts?

Ahem.

[hack89]

42. Amen brother (nt)

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

8. based on my limited experience

drivers suck everywhere BUT I've never seen anyone in St. Louis do the "turn left as the light goes from yellow to red and the cars stop for the light" manuever. I have seen it in both Chicago and Rochester, NY (the only two other cities I've spent a decent amount of time driving in).

[GreatScott]

18. St Louisans are FAR too polite.

Now, out in the county, they are rude.

[SmokingJacket]

25. Is there something wrong with that??

Sometimes, that's the only way you'll ever get to turn left. Seems like you deserve it, after waiting so long.

[marmar]

9. I'm from Michigan

and we're exceptionally good Blue State drivers, if a little too heavy on the gas pedal. Drivers in metro Atlanta down there in red Georgia are the ABSOLUTE WORST! I've never seen so many accidents along the freeway for no apparent reason other than the drivers suck.

[TheModernTerrorist]

14. coming from michigan

I moved to TN and I was suprised at how exceptional the Michigan, esp. Detroit drivers are compared to down here near Nashville. It blew my mind.

[yellowjacket]

32. There are more accidents in Atlanta, but

people also drive ALOT faster there than in most places I've been/lived. I moved to DC a year ago, and people here actually obey the speed limit. In Atlanta, 80 in a 55 is common, and 70 in a 55 is widely accepted. I credit it to having much larger interstates, and much less confusing interchanges and on/off ramps that tend to clog things up.

[Siyahamba]

45. Turn signals and braking

It seems like 90% of Michigan drivers don't bother using the turn signal. Really annoying when someone pulls in front of you when you're not expecting it, or when you're waiting to cross an intersection or pull out of a lot because you think someone is going to go straight since they don't have their turn signal on, but they end up turning so you could have pulled out anyway.

The thing I noticed along I-75 from Kentucky to Florida is that drivers there wait until the last second to brake. Rather than gradually brake and give you time to slow down in advance, they wait until the last second, then slam on the brakes.

[globalvillage]

47. Can I hear an Amen for 'Atlanta Drivers Suck'

I have driven in half the states in this union, and GA drivers are the worst! They need to scrap one of those conservative christian radio stations and change the format to "all-traffic-accident radio".
I did see two KE bumper stickers, though, on 316 headed to Norcross last week. What a welcome sight after spending the week surrounded by rural GA O'Leilly lovers.
Damn, it's good to be blue again! Speaking of which, I think Pittsburgh drivers are more courteous than most. At least they'll let you through an intersection.

[AlCzervik]

10. i am a transplanted masshole living in california and hands down

california has the worst drivers because people move here from all around the country so we get bad drivers from every state. Typical califonria driver on the highway-----drives slow in the left lane and then slows down to move 3 lanes over to get off at the exit all the while chatting away on their cell phone.

[LSparkle]

16. As practically a native Californian, I take offense

We who have driven here all our lives are good drivers -- it's the transplants (and tourists) that give us a bad reputation! Since the question was which state HAS the worst drivers, though, I guess we lose.

[AlCzervik]

19. thats what i said, bad drivers from every state.

[sweetheart]

31. i agree

Fun entertainment can be to head up to the snow mountains behind
los angeles and watch california drivers demoish their cars in the
snow... that funny white stuff that looks like cocaine... but is
slipperier to drive on.. ;-)

You can literally see 10's of accidents as people who know dick about
ice/snow driving go for a spin... great stuff to watch... don't be
there driving, or you'll likely get rear ended.

As well, the california habit of going slow in the fast lane, abusing
the fog lights and headlamps to blind other drivers, and "california
right turns" (no stopping at stop signs sliding around the turn)...
bad bad habits.

My experience of the worst drivers: 1. california... not all, but the
worst by far at the low end.

2. Massachussetts... nasty drivers... better to drive a shit car so
that you've got nothing to lose.
..

Blue states got the worst ones.

[cags]

41. Nope, born and raised in CA, moved to TX, they are worse.

I used to think CA bad. When I came out here looking for houses I was so impressed with how courteous the drivers were, then after I got here and drove on the freeway, I feared for my life for the first time. LOL

In town they are fine but get on the freeway :scared:

[AlCzervik]

43. I lived in spring texas for 3 years and the hughways were nuts

any of the beltways or loops were dangerous.

[maveric]

11. I'm in CA and grew up in MA. Both states have bad and homicidal drivers.

[TheModernTerrorist]

12. my opinion...

well, I grew up in Michigan, a Blue-Collar Blue State, 21 years of living, seeing firsthand how people drive in that state. And yes, there are some bad drivers, but I attribute most of the bad driving to the weather. NOW, I am currently living in Tennessee, a red state, and I can tell you right now, that I've traveled all over this country (except out west and the very northeast), but I've NEVER seen WORSE driving in my life! I was here a mere two days and I saw what was about an 18-car pile-up ON A 35 MPH ROAD!!! And that was 2 miles from where I'm staying. Within ten days, I saw probably 2 dozen accidents, and recently, I found not one, but TWO videos that I thought to be quite humorous, both showing Tennessee driving at it's worst. So yeah, many blue states have bad driving, but I think that is because in the blue states you have big cities like Philly, Detroit, Chicago, NYC, LA, Boston, etc, and though the reds DO have their share of big cities, they're not on quite the scale as the blue states.

.... so short answer is red states.... :-)

[Igel]

13. Yes! Red staters are worse. At least Houstonians.`

Rochester, NY had clueless drivers, but the traffic was light.

Maryland and NJ drivers back in the '70s were ok.

Eugene, Oregon had ok drivers. Not good, not bad. Eh.

Los Angeles had horrible drivers. But they all used the same traffic manual (*not* the one issued by the DMV). You could figure out how to drive, and fit right in.

Houston drivers have a lot of drivers more aggressive than LA has to offer. They don't look before changing lanes, and think a left hand turn signal is just to confuse people when you're turning right. Two weeks ago I was driving my wife's car on I-45 at 75 mph, in the middle of 3 lanes, with a car on either side. And an SUV drove between me and the car to my left. We were 4 abreast on a 3-lane highway. Fortunately he was doing 85 or so, so it was only for a second or two.

At the same time, the other half of the drivers are too timid. They stop before entering a freeway. They don't do the speed limit. They get in the middle lane so they don't have to deal with traffic entering and exiting the freeway.

Give me a bicycle and the 405 any day.

[Fovea]

17. Boston St. Louis and Detroit

offset Phoenix, Virgina, and Central Florida.

I think it has more to do with sprawl, bad traffic design and no public transit, which until recently been a bi-partisan issue or rather, failing.

[TreasonousBastard]

20. Red Staters just plain suck, but...

as far as bad drivers go, here in Joisey they are legendary.

I always get into trouble when I go to Delaware, because I can't get used to them actually being courteous.

Sometimes, anyway.

[Clark2008]

37. Blue staters who think everyone in a red state "sucks" suck, too,

because they are truly showing their ignorance in voting patterns.

Geez - why can't you people distinguish between those of us who live in red states, but vote blue vs. Bush supporters? Is that so difficult?

[punpirate]

22. Bad drivers everywhere...

... but their bad habits are accentuated in large cities and congested metropolitan areas (how many people in Massachusetts are seen screaming down the breakdown lane at 90 mph because they don't want to deal with the traffic slowdowns?). How many times in Dallas does one find one's car being tailgated by ten pick-ups at 70 mph, with an average distance between vehicles of about five feet? How many times in metro LA does one see some idiot traversing all lanes from left to right at high speed without turn signals?

I'm surprised there are fewer road rage incidents than there are....

[Patriot Acts]

23. Red state drivers floor it when the light turns green (as to race.....

.....others or something), then after flooring it at the green they end up driving slow down the road.

Plus, they pass someone thats going well over the speed limit... then merge over in front of that person only to slow down... now the person they passed is forced to turn off the cruise control and reduce their speed well below the original 60mph. I hate that! ;)

[Tux]

24. It's simple

No one in this nation can drive. Period. Even NASCAR drivers. All they do is turn left anyways.

[methinks2]

27. Yes red state drivers suck , I live in Florida

And the drivers just keep getting more brain-dead. When they do pay attention to other drivers, it is only so they can drive self-rightously slow! (typo?)

[globalvillage]

48. Florida is only red

until all the votes are counted.

[cags]

29. Came from CA to TX and..........

red state drivers are insane. Except in the suburbs they are very polite but on the freeway, you better make sure your affairs are in order.

[shawcomm]

30. Yes, only because Floridians are the worst drivers on earth.

I mean, using an opposite lane of traffic as a left turn lane? Please.

Here in N. GA we have lots of Floridians up here every spring and summer. I've seen this move more than once.

[Clark2008]

33. Yeah, that's right, divide us some more.

:eyes:

[LizW]

34. Perhaps you could use the term "Bush Supporters"

instead of insulting the DUers who ahppen to live in red states. Don't we suffer enough?

[Retired AF Dem]

35. The United States is one of the easiest countries

in the industrialized world to receive a drivers license. I have spent more time in my 50 years driving in Europe than the States. I have never feared for my life more while driving since I returned to the states, that includes blue and red.

[DeaconBlues]

38. its partially because of the lack of congestion

but I do think that red state drivers are at least more courteous. I moved from the east and having to deal with I-70 and the Beltway to Lincoln, Nebraska, and the people here are more likely to let you in, not ride your bumper, etc.

Now, the pedestrians, on the other hand, are a real pain in the ass in the red states. They actually believe they have the right of way! They'll walk right out in front of your car, whereas sensible pedestrians back east are much too afraid of getting their butts run over to do something that risky. Here in the reddest of states, the pedestrians also tend to mosey across the roads like they truly own them. Bastards!

[Retired AF Dem]

39. They might as well walk in trafic

since the drivers don't know what the hell a marked pedestrian cross walk is.

[sleipnir]

40. Kick!

n/t

[ultraist]

44. Have you ever driven in NYC, a very BLUE area?

This poll is absurd. Why didn't you say, Red voters vs. Blue voters?

Did it occur to you that some "Blue" states have more Red voters than Red states do? For instance, CA has MILLIONS of Red voters/drivers, far more than are in my Red state.

[Soup Bean]

49. I'm grouchy tonight.

I'm also sick of playing Red State Blue State. Our country is going down the the drain, and all we can do is argue over Crayola Crayons.

[Digit]

50. I think aliens have taken over my red state.

It is the funniest thing. We yankees down here talk about them constantly.
Well, there was this New Yorker who moved here and he was asking me why they would leave 10 car lengths between the car in front of them, especially when they were in a turning lane and there were 10 cars who would like to make it through the light. I laughed knowingly.
So, I asked him if he had noticed how on really nice warm days how they would space out like they forgot they were operating a 3000 pound potential killing machine.
I have wondered if the sunshine and warm temps drain their alien brains since I notice that lunchtime around here does the same. Maybe they need re-fueling.
The other thing that has astounded me are the soccer moms who tailgate me when I am in the left lane (turning left shortly), when the right lane is clear. They flip me off! NO LIE!
In all the years I lived in the DC area, I NEVER had a woman flip me off...only men on occasion. It is always the women who are tailgating me (I already am going over the speed limit), and I mean tailgating to where I can no longer see their headlights.
So much for what I think of southern drivers.
This area is not the sleepy little town it used to be. It has become crowded and people need to show consideration for others who would like to get through the light.
Oh, and another thing. Instead of being so damned POLITE and letting everyone go through a four way stop...why not go by the rules of the road.
Sore spot, but I feel better. :-)

[ultraist]

52. Really?

My worst experiences in my Southern state have been with macho men who get competitive and sometimes go full throttle with the road rage.

[Pied Piper]

51. I grew up in west Michigan

and my father was a strict disciplinarian when it came to driving. After Driver's Ed at age 16, I wasn't allowed to get my license until I could complete the following:

change a tire on the highway shoulder ("break-down lane")
change the oil and other basic maintenance tasks
safely start a car using jumper cables
tow a trailer/camper, and back said trailer/camper around a tree uphill (honest!)
drive a standard transmission (stick) even though we didn't own a car with one!

He took me to the church parking lot (HUGE!) to do donuts. Well, the real purpose was for me to understand how to react when my car lost control in the snow. He also taught me that I should never ride with any other driver unless I felt comfortable enought to fall asleep in the passenger seat while he/she was driving.

I had one minor fender-bender at 16 and one speeding ticket at 18, which was 23 years ago. That's it for my traffic violations.

So when I moved to Boston 15 years ago for grad school, I was so terrified of driving in the city that I sold my car. A few years later, I needed a car so I bought one, and began my Boston baptism. Now I enjoy driving in Boston merely for the sport of it all. The drivers here are terrible. Apparently one only needs proper ID to obtain a license. There are obviously no driving training programs here. Thank the goddess that my dad was so harsh.

My terrifying driving experiences:

Atlanta - highway driving through town at midnight on a weeknight. Those semi's scared the shit out of me. We were going 75-80 just to keep up, and the entire area was under construction ("Lane ends in 15 feet" etc.)

Downtown Chicago - the car horns start honking BEFORE the light changes to green.

Toronto - the speed limit was 100 km/hr on the QEW, but we had to go at least 135 to keep from getting run over. At least the exits were well-marked, and there was no construction.

Detroit was a breeze - I don't know what people are complaining about...

I currently am without a car and depend totally on public transportation, but sometimes I rent a car, and I'm pretty confident on the roads. If you can navigate Boston, you can drive anywhere!

[B Calm]

53. As a professional truck driver, I can honestly say red state drivers

drive more aggressive. They have very little patience and they they own the road. Two of the worst states are Georgia and Missouri. There are some red states that I don't mind driving in, like Kentucky and Indiana..