City Driving

[OneSweetWorld]

by city driving, i mean, like if you ever go to new york or chicago, or even cleveland or something, drivers down town honk there horns at nothing, just to make noise, or stuff like that. does anyone here ever do that? or on the freeways are there drivers that weave in and out all the time? im kinda cooped up in my little comstock park area, where i live work and family goes to school so i hardly ever get into the city, but im just wondering about this kind of stuff..

man, i am all over the random topics lately...

[hood]

I've never heard that many people do the hown honking thing in any city except New York. And the freeway weaving thing is pretty common in any city as far as I can tell. When your used to driving on high traffic streets, city or suburbs, you have to be prepared to weave in and out of tight spaces between cars to get where you need, and speed whenever you can. I know one thing thats common in larger cities, especially with cabbies, is running red lights at dead interseations, good idea though. I, of course, would never do any of things things .

[zenstyle]

I don't hear honking-for-the-hell-of-it in G.R. Usually honking occurs if you're too slow off a green light, or as a "hello" to someone on a sidewalk. GR drivers are more known for their moronic refusal to use turn signals. I attribute it to the west Michigan "you can't tell me what to do!" mentality.

[jayblogger]

I really, really like that honking is at a minimum here compared to other places. It's good for my nerves.

[grrwymg]

I've found that after a day or 2 driving in/near Detroit, when I get back to metro GR, I'm driving WAY more aggressively than I usually do. West Michigan pales in comparision to big city driving.

[MJLO]

West Michigan, Is full of minivan soccer moms who do 35 in the left hand lane on the 131, generally they are lost downtown and confused because they forgot to get off on the ramp that would lead them to Alpine. However once they get on Alpine, they are even more confused, which lane do I use to turn left into Target? It has been my experience, that native west Michiganders, cannot handle the moderate traffic Grand Rapids has, as the city has grown around them. While I understand people from Comstock Park, never leave Alpine Twp. (as being a former resident myself.) If one ever does make the long and painful 15 minute trek over to the 28th st. corridor, they are lost. I have known people who have lived in Comstock Pk. for 20+ years and are still not sure where the airport is, and think Kalamazo Ave. is two counties away. I think it's cute that we are having this discussion. Grand Rapids is as good as any place to learn how to drive in a city setting. It's where I learned, granted i've traveled and driven all over. But if you can navigate, and drive in Detroit, you can navigate and drive anywhere.

The thing I dislike about West Michigan drivers, apart from there ignorance of road etiquette ( if you're going to drive slow, get over) is the complete inconsiderateness shown to other drivers. After living in GR for as long as I did, If I wanted to change lanes and traffic was bad, I had to start functioning on the "let me over, or hit me" policy. you could wait for hours and noone will let you in.

[zenstyle]

"...soccer moms who do 35 in the left hand lane on the 131, generally they are lost downtown and confused because they forgot to get off on the ramp..."

And you can bet the above scenario was caused by yakking on a cell phone!

Don't get me started on soccer moooos driving huge vehicles plastered with stickers touting the "accomplishments" of their hellspawn. The same hairdos, the same Starbucks travel mugs, the same "might makes right" vehicular attitude. I'd like to stealth-plaster stickers on their bumpers reading "Unemployed Parasite."

[GRDadof3]

"...soccer moms who do 35 in the left hand lane on the 131, generally they are lost downtown and confused because they forgot to get off on the ramp..."

And you can bet the above scenario was caused by yakking on a cell phone!

Don't get me started on soccer moooos driving huge vehicles plastered with stickers touting the "accomplishments" of their hellspawn. The same hairdos, the same Starbucks travel mugs, the same "might makes right" vehicular attitude. I'd like to stealth-plaster stickers on their bumpers reading "Unemployed Parasite."

Yikes!! So someone who chooses to stay home and raise children is a parasite?

And driving 35 mph and not knowing where one is going is hardly reserved to the soccer moms. Take it from someone who likes to drive faster than everyone else, slow driving knows no political affiliation, race, culture, religion, or familial status

And I don't think honking is offensive as long as it serves a purpose. I think it is actually illegal in Michigan to honk your horn unless for emergencies, but I occasionally happily break that law.

[zenstyle]

O.K. I'll make nice. But the above bad driving traits would be easier to tolerate in a smaller vehicle.

~~~~zenstyle, driving a Toyota Tercel only becuase Smart Cars aren't yet marketed in the U.S.

[Rizzo]

And I don't think honking is offensive as long as it serves a purpose. I think it is actually illegal in Michigan to honk your horn unless for emergencies, but I occasionally happily break that law.

I think it's almost like yelling fire!

[AlexPKeaton]

I speed a lot of freeways and I absolutely hate it when people don't get over. It's especially bad when they're not even attempting to pass somebody but they don't want to bother changing lanes. Usually I get right on their bumper and give them a chance to get over, but if they don't after a few seconds I pass on the right. I don't speed on surface streets because I'm afraid of hitting a pedestrian and with traffic lights it's not much faster anyway.

I absolutely love driving downtown Chicago because I can take off fast at the green lights and brake hard and the red ones and I fit right in.

I also used to ride a motorcycle and would like to get another one someday, so drivers that aren't paying attention really frighten me. Some of you may think speeding is bad, but at least I'm fully aware of the cars around me while doing so. It's easy to get killed on a motorcycle by oblivious cars.

-nb

[Rizzo]

^I'm sure the Porche Brothers said the very same thing.

Be careful

[OneSweetWorld]

I speed a lot of freeways and I absolutely hate it when people don't get over. It's especially bad when they're not even attempting to pass somebody but they don't want to bother changing lanes. Usually I get right on their bumper and give them a chance to get over, but if they don't after a few seconds I pass on the right.

sorry man but i actuallly feel the opposite way. i realize that its the law or whatever that if your not passing you have to move over, but i think thats dumb. theres really no point to moving over if the person behind you can just pass on the right. but i guess we both have our own opinions.

[francishsu]

sorry man but i actuallly feel the opposite way. i realize that its the law or whatever that if your not passing you have to move over, but i think thats dumb. theres really no point to moving over if the person behind you can just pass on the right. but i guess we both have our own opinions.

The problem is that some drivers are hypersensitive about being passed on the right for whatever reason. I've run into the following situations:

1. I already happen to be in the right lane, they are in the left. Just before I'm about to get close to passing them, they happen to suddenly notice and move to the right lane basically cutting me off.

2. Same case as #1, except they don't notice until I am passing them. After that, they get over in the right lane after I pass and turn on their brights as if I have committed a grave offense.

3. I approach a car in the left lane. I give them a few seconds to get over. They don't, so I proceed to pass them on the right. They decide to accelerate and prevent me from passing, especially if they see a car up ahead in the right lane.

I don't mind if they don't get over. Just let me pass in a smooth manner.

On the flip side, there are some drivers (who I suspect are the same as the ones above) who refuse to pass on the right. Instead, they just tailgate the car in the left lane even if the car never gets over.

[mejane]

Usually I get right on their bumper and give them a chance to get over, -nb

So YOU'RE that guy. The guy who is going to teach us all a lesson.

The guy who zooms waaayyy over the speed limit and shows up from

a dot to a monster in my rear view mirror to make love to my bumper

and then gets irate when you don't get the immediate response you are

seeking. It does take a SECOND or two to move over, you know, so you

can zoom up on the next person and be a total jerk. Yeah, I'd stay off

that motorcycle too, with your attitude. Seen that a lot as well, the

guy zipping in and out on his way to an early death. Sometimes drivers

of cars aren't paying attention. Other times we're paying total attention,

shaking our heads at the carelessness. When you've lost people to car

accidents, or vehicular stupidity, it changes how you handle yourself

on the road.

Chicago driving is for the most part a jerk free experience. When I lived

in the city, people did their part even while driving FAST. For the most

part, they actually used their turn signals, didn't tailgate, except when

all traffic came to a crawl on the Dan Ryan, et al, and were most

courteous about making room or letting people in.

[Greedo]

Chicago driving is for the most part a jerk free experience. When I lived in the city, people did their part even while driving FAST. For the most part, they actually used their turn signals, didn't tailgate, except when all traffic came to a crawl on the Dan Ryan, et al, and were most courteous about making room or letting people in.

I couldn't disagree more. I didn't own a car in Chicago, but did a lot of riding and a little driving, and the city is definitely not a jerk-free experience. There are just as many tailgaters, speed demons, extended middle-fingers and slow pokes as in GR. Cabbies are the worst, and there are and larger proportion of them to other drivers than compared to GR.

In FACT there are so many bad drivers, most come in from the suburbs. It's ridiculous. I remember driving out to a client meeting on the Edens, traffic was backed up, so some db's started driving on the shoulder. And not just casually, they were pushing 60. Insane, not to mention hazardous.

GR driving is a cake-walk in comparison.

[fluffy]

i am the king of honking my horn. people in this city suck at driving. case and point already stated by all of you. i honk at every idiot on the road.

big city driving is definitely more fun. i enjoy the agressiveness of it all. i just got back from detroit and had a wonderful time driving around there.

[zenstyle]

"big city driving is definitely more fun. i enjoy the agressiveness of it all."

Where's Lorena Bobbit when she's needed?

[GRCentro]

Where's Lorena Bobbit when she's needed?

How civil.

[fluffy]

why do i need my junk cut off? i just like driving.

[OneSweetWorld]

i am the king of honking my horn. people in this city suck at driving. case and point already stated by all of you. i honk at every idiot on the road.

big city driving is definitely more fun. i enjoy the agressiveness of it all. i just got back from detroit and had a wonderful time driving around there.

i like you. we should get together and drive around the city sometime, honking our horns and passing on the right. im sick of all these west michigan dutch-a** drivers. no offense to anyone here, but y'all are just boring. i agree detriot is much more fun to drive in.

[allbusiness]

The superior attitudes here are just amazing -- just like me!

I'm from the Rodney King school of driving -- why can't we all just get along?

That being said, I believe:

NO ONE should drive less than the speed limit in the left lane of the highway. The left lane should be for active passing only. If you're not passing someone, move to the right.

Turn signals should be used for EVERY move -- lane to lane, turns, merging, exiting, etc.

Drivers should be tested after a certain age (80?) for cognitive and reactive skills

Moms (or dads) in minivans with a cell phone, a cup of coffee and (worst) a cigarette, should be arrested for child endangerment

People who subject their non-seatbelted children to second hand cigarette smoke should be arrested (especially amazing when seen in a car with a with a "right to life" bumper sticker! -- how ironic....)

People who "block" you from merging even though you have signalled your intention a hundred yards back are about the rudest people onnthe planet

People who race past you to merge in at the last possible moment, therefore CAUSING construction backups, should be ticketed. On the same note, people who don't get the whole "merge every-other-car" bit when two lanes are forced together are Jacka$$es too

Whew...that feels better.....

[grrwymg]

The superior attitudes here are just amazing -- just like me!

I'm from the Rodney King school of driving -- why can't we all just get along?

That being said, I believe:

NO ONE should drive less than the speed limit in the left lane of the highway. The left lane should be for active passing only. If you're not passing someone, move to the right.

Turn signals should be used for EVERY move -- lane to lane, turns, merging, exiting, etc.

Drivers should be tested after a certain age (80?) for cognitive and reactive skills

Moms (or dads) in minivans with a cell phone, a cup of coffee and (worst) a cigarette, should be arrested for child endangerment

People who subject their non-seatbelted children to second hand cigarette smoke should be arrested (especially amazing when seen in a car with a with a "right to life" bumper sticker! -- how ironic....)

People who "block" you from merging even though you have signalled your intention a hundred yards back are about the rudest people onnthe planet

People who race past you to merge in at the last possible moment, therefore CAUSING construction backups, should be ticketed. On the same note, people who don't get the whole "merge every-other-car" bit when two lanes are forced together are Jacka$$es too

Whew...that feels better.....

Couldn't have said it better myself - that sums up exactly how I feel. I just didn't have the gumption to type it all out.

[OneSweetWorld]

NO ONE should drive less than the speed limit in the left lane of the highway. The left lane should be for active passing only. If you're not passing someone, move to the right.

i guess it dependes on what type of highway you are on. if you are on I-96 or 196 then i can see your point (although its not enough to make me move over to the right when im not passing). but on freeways like US 131 where there are 3 or 4 lanes in one direction, i dont think there are true "passing lanes" and "slow lanes" i think everyone just picks a lane, and if the person in front of you is going too slow, then go around them yourself.

[Rizzo]

There is a race track out in the sububrs if I remember right. Maybe thoes who enjoy pushing 70-80 should all be down there on the weekends to "get it out of the system."

While on the subject of driving, my auntie would take us kids joy riding when we were wee little... We would go up Godfrey hang a right up the Hill. At the crest aunt would turn around and face Godfrey, let off the brake, push the pedal all the way down and hit a good 100 all the way to the street. SCARED SH!TLESS.

You better be watching out for Blueman