the worst drivers in America are from........

[riverc0il]

Boston appears to have a hands-down reputation for bad drivers across the nation, based upon thousands of social encounters I have had across the country over the years. Whether the #1 reputation is deserved or not, I'll leave it to you to decide. Many tourists chose not to drive in Boston because of its reputation. Certainly some can be attributed to the unplanned road system, but others is simply because people know they can get away with it here.

I used to drive into Boston 1-3 times per week. The only time I hated it was weekend afternoons when most folks were not used to driving in Boston. Personally, I think driving in Boston is a piece of cake compared to something like 93 in NH on holiday weekends. No joke. Boston you just know what to expect from everyone so for me it is not stressful. You yell at someone when they DON"T cut you off and you expected them to do so! I only get scared when I don't have any idea what to expect from someone. So bad driving is all relative to what you are comfortable with... but I will never be comfortable with people doing unexpected things. That is why Boston, for me, is not full of bad drivers. Drivers in Boston do what you might expect them to do which makes driving fairly stress free.

 

[Johnskiismore]

I used to drive into Boston 1-3 times per week. The only time I hated it was weekend afternoons when most folks were not used to driving in Boston. Personally, I think driving in Boston is a piece of cake compared to something like 93 in NH on holiday weekends. No joke.

You have that right, on Sunday nights and Mondays on a long weekend I-93 Southbound is like the cannonball run! I can see the interstate from my house in the winter and there's just a constant stream of headlights flying by.

 

[snoseek]

Aren't all the weekend driver on 93 from Boston metro?

 

[riverc0il]

Aren't all the weekend driver on 93 from Boston metro?

Only the ones driving SUVs with something either attached to the roof or tailgate. :dunce:

Which is to say... most but not all.

 

[Zand]

I'll give a nod to RI... it doesn't stand for "Road Idiots" for nothing. CTers and NJers weave the most as far as I've seen. NH is just plain funny to drive through sometimes... especially between Manchester and Plymouth or so.

I find it funny hearing from so many people who are on the brink of moving out of MA that they are happy to leave the drivers behind. After spending 8 months in Vermont, I actually missed the uptempo traffic here. I couldn't take the slow, bumbling VT drivers, most of whom constantly do 10-15 MPH under the speed limit on any particular road and just bumble around.

 

[Geoff]

I'll give a nod to RI... it doesn't stand for "Road Idiots" for nothing. CTers and NJers weave the most as far as I've seen. NH is just plain funny to drive through sometimes... especially between Manchester and Plymouth or so.

I find it funny hearing from so many people who are on the brink of moving out of MA that they are happy to leave the drivers behind. After spending 8 months in Vermont, I actually missed the uptempo traffic here. I couldn't take the slow, bumbling VT drivers, most of whom constantly do 10-15 MPH under the speed limit on any particular road and just bumble around.

With the fierce speeding law enforcement by the state police, for-profit county sheriffs, and for-profit town cops, I go _exactly_ the speed limit in Vermont. I try to keep it to a relatively sedate speed limit + 8 mph in NH now that they have also stepped up writing tickets to generate revenue. In Massholia, I just move with the traffic and that means I'm usually going about 80 to 85 mph.

 

[WakeboardMom]

Aren't all the weekend driver on 93 from Boston metro?

Only the ones driving SUVs with something either attached to the roof or tailgate. :dunce:

Which is to say... most but not all.

Are you guys referring to 93 above MHT? If so, I somewhat fit the bill, because a good part of Southern NH is considered metro Boston.

Howevah...due to the obscenely large full-size van we own, we've never had to attach anything to the outside of the vehicle. Four kids, ski equipment, enough clothes and towels to accommodate swimming apres ski, and groceries all fit inside!!

Thankfully it's not our daily driver, but we won't part with it. It's a '97 GMC Savana with 250k+ miles and four college stickers on it. It gets around. : - )

 

[billski]

I enjoy my freetime and weekends by NOT being on the interstate. I'll take the backroads and drive at a casual speed with the top and windows down, it's so de-stressing. I almost go out of my way to give drivers a break, most especially those who live along busy roads. Think I'll go out and read some hysterical markers (I just noted that some souls seem to have spent their lives photographing all the markers and posting them on the web!)

 

[WakeboardMom]

I enjoy my freetime and weekends by NOT being on the interstate. I'll take the backroads and drive at a casual speed with the top and windows down, it's so de-stressing. I almost go out of my way to give drivers a break, most especially those who live along busy roads. Think I'll go out and read some hysterical markers (I just noted that some souls seem to have spent their lives photographing all the markers and posting them on the web!)

YOU are a better person than I am for sure. : - ) When I leave here at 5:00 on Friday night, I want that 100-mile-ride to be as fast as possible...not at anyone else's expense, for sure, but "leisurely" ain't cuttin' it for me.

 

[dmc]

YOU are a better person than I am for sure. : - ) When I leave here at 5:00 on Friday night, I want that 100-mile-ride to be as fast as possible...not at anyone else's expense, for sure, but "leisurely" ain't cuttin' it for me.

Me too... Get there quick and enjoy!!

 

[ctenidae]

I enjoy my freetime and weekends by NOT being on the interstate. I'll take the backroads and drive at a casual speed with the top and windows down, it's so de-stressing. I almost go out of my way to give drivers a break, most especially those who live along busy roads. Think I'll go out and read some hysterical markers (I just noted that some souls seem to have spent their lives photographing all the markers and posting them on the web!)

Chicken Farmer, I still love you!

 

[billski]

YOU are a better person than I am for sure. : - ) When I leave here at 5:00 on Friday night, I want that 100-mile-ride to be as fast as possible...not at anyone else's expense, for sure, but "leisurely" ain't cuttin' it for me.

Therein lies the difference between those who see the journey to be engaged with an enjoyed versus those who see the journey as a means to an end, to be dispatched with as soon as possible.

I'm definitely NOT going to relax by:

START WEEKEND
Rush to vacationland, fight traffic, stress
relax
Rush back home, fight traffic,stress
START VACATION

 

[billski]

Chicken Farmer, I still love you!

where did that come from???

 

[hammer]

Boston appears to have a hands-down reputation for bad drivers across the nation, based upon thousands of social encounters I have had across the country over the years. Whether the #1 reputation is deserved or not, I'll leave it to you to decide. Many tourists chose not to drive in Boston because of its reputation. Certainly some can be attributed to the unplanned road system, but others is simply because people know they can get away with it here.

When I lived in western NY, certain Mass drivers that traveled there told me that they have to deliberately "tone down" their speed and their aggression. Probably true of any urban to rural transition.

After living in the Sacramento area for a few years I came to believe that it's the roads around here that make the driver...put a driver from any city on Boston area roads for long enough and they will become Boston drivers.

Towing a trailer in NH was an interesting experience this past weekend...just tooling along in the right hand lane at 50-55 MPH watching the drivers behind me get frustrated and/or try to cut around me...

 

[ctenidae]

where did that come from???

Figured that had to be what you were referring to in this:

Think I'll go out and read some hysterical markers (I just noted that some souls seem to have spent their lives photographing all the markers and posting them on the web!)

On 103 near Newbury, NH- big rock with "Chicken Farmer, I still Love You" painted on it.

 

[dmc]

Therein lies the difference between those who see the journey to be engaged with an enjoyed versus those who see the journey as a means to an end, to be dispatched with as soon as possible.

I'm definitely NOT going to relax by:

START WEEKEND
Rush to vacationland, fight traffic, stress
relax
Rush back home, fight traffic,stress
START VACATION

Therein lies the difference between somebody who sees the destination as a place to enjoy for a longer period then the journey vesus those who want to stare a road markers - which is cool too.

 

[WakeboardMom]

Therein lies the difference between somebody who sees the destination as a place to enjoy for a longer period then the journey vesus those who want to stare a road markers - which is cool too.

I often enjoy the journey...just not on Friday nights when my lake house is calling to me!!
: - )

(I don't speed and I don't tailgate...but I don't dillydally. ; - )

 

[dmc]

I often enjoy the journey...just not on Friday nights when my lake house is calling to me!!
: - )

(I don't speed and I don't tailgate...but I don't dillydally. ; - )

Does it gurgle when it calls?

In my Hunter or Killington days it was always a Friday night race to get up to see friends and have a drink.. Tuckerman trips we hammer to start our hike early...

Last summer I drove to Mount Rushmore/Devils Tower - we hammered but we stopped occasionally to check out the USA... How could we not?

 

[WakeboardMom]

Does it gurgle when it calls?

In my Hunter or Killington days it was always a Friday night race to get up to see friends and have a drink.. Tuckerman trips we hammer to start our hike early...

Last summer I drove to Mount Rushmore/Devils Tower - we hammered but we stopped occasionally to check out the USA... How could we not?

"Gurgling" is good. It's more of an ESP thing...I can feel it beckoning. And yes, if there's a drink waiting, all the better.

"How could we not?" Indeed...that was a journey to be savored for sure!

 

[riverc0il]

Are you guys referring to 93 above MHT? If so, I somewhat fit the bill, because a good part of Southern NH is considered metro Boston

Puh-lez. SoNH is NOT metro Boston. Heck, anything outside 495 is definitely not Metro Boston. Most would actually define metro Boston as being inside 95, let alone 495.

Though to the comment I piggy backed on... it was completely a joke. 93 is actually easier to drive on the weekends in vacationer crowd than when there is light traffic and people weaving in and out of traffic going 80+. That crap drives me nuts. More often it is a NH plate than a MA plate, too, from my experience.