Think You Have A Bad Commute

[stormy]

I'd rather drive in LA than NYC any day of the week. Unless you are absolutely stupid about where you live vs. work in LA, you can get around ok. The problem is many people are stupid, and try to live in OC or inland empire, and work in the city proper. In my experience traffic in LA at least moves, but NYC is gridlocked anarchy.

[Advocate]

those that don't are the pussies who don't understand that it is their job to match the speed of the traffic up ahead and not for that traffic to slow down to match the speed of someone merging.

I know what you mean there.

Also ... they need to not oogle at accidents on the other side of the road. Or slow down to watch the construction workers sitting eating their lunches.

[Type Ryan]

Besides there being an accident, if everyone just went the god damn speed limit everyones commute time would be greatly reduced. I swear there are more assholes going 5-10 under the speed limit during rush hour than there are going the speed limit.

Agreed. This is what they call "Volume" delays on the highway. This one of the main points in my driving philosophy. Maintaining speed is more crucial than just going fast.

Disagree.

Every old lady and bitch on a cell phone needs to be intimidated and frightened back into the right hand lane. One of the main problems, particularly in Socal, is that everyone is so laid back people will merge into the left lanes for no reason at any (slow) speed without consequence. If you are in the left lane with no cars in front of you, going less than 15mph over the limit, and not passing someone, you need to get frightened back to the right and learn to never get in the left hand lane again. It's so messed up here that in any traffic in CA the right hand lane will be fastest 90% of the time. It forces a lot of weaving for the cars that want to go fast and makes it far slower and more dangerous for everyone.

I still think that a huge part of driving is psychological. What this demonstrates is poor driving behavior.

There was a study that recently found elderly people less likely to cause traffic becuase they: didn't drive any more, drive during off-peak hours, drive on back roads, or they stick to the right lane. There are, on occassion, the clueless senior citizens who muck up the traffic. In those cases, I cough it up to old age and pass them. It's the younger generation I fear will be the most clueless.

You're hitting on my main point - we need to share the road with each other. There are way too many of us and way too many cars to not do so.

Here are the facts: more cars will be made (with more HP) and the population will continue to grow. Knowing that we have finite space and limited resources to accomodate such growth, the only logical solution is to change the way people drive.

[Type Ryan]

I know what you mean there.

Also ... they need to not oogle at accidents on the other side of the road. Or slow down to watch the construction workers sitting eating their lunches.

These are called "Curiosity" delays that make me psychotic. You hear that all the time on the traffic reports, "Northbound 495 is getting delays as people are watching a crash that happened on the southbound lanes of 495." I fucking hate that shit. Morbid motherfuckers. Go to the Internet and look up all the gore you want!!!!

EDIT: See also, "Slope Traffic". This is when people can't maintain their speed up a hill and cause massive delays for everyone behind them. I'm convinced that this is one of THE main culprets in the traffic jams we have. I see it everyday and it makes me very sad.

[stormy]

the only logical solution is to change the way people drive.

And the only way to do that is through intimidation and judicious use of the horn and middle finger. I am doing my part.

[Type Ryan]

No sir, all car - medicine/medical equipment. And I coordinated all hospice deliveries for 3 counties. Seriously.

I feel for you. However, I'd be curious to hear your opinion on being a courier in Washington, D.C. compared to south Florida.

Something tells me that being a courier in D.C. would be 10 times worse than being one in south Florida. You could shoot yourself trying to get around 3 counties here.

[MarkRyan]

I could never move to LA based 100% on the fact that I love driving. Driving in LA/Santa Monica/etc. is pure misery.

[jyoung]

Atlanta traffic is horrid.

I stay out of that shit as much as possible.

[stormy]

I could never move to LA based 100% on the fact that I love driving. Driving in LA/Santa Monica/etc. is pure misery.

So you moved to the second worst place in the country for traffic...

[torgo]

Drivers in all three areas sit in gridlock for an average of 60 hours a year

Did they include Seattle in this survey? My current commute is 11 miles and takes 1.5 hours in the evening. I could smash that sixty hour average in just a few months, let alone a year. Thank God I'm only living in Seattle for another 3 days.