OT: In Boston - Insane Drivers

[Matt P]

I'm visiting Boston this week -- it is the first time ever I have been in the New England states.

Oh My God -- Everything I ever heard about rude and Boston drivers is an understatement. Drivers here are beyond insane. Crazy lane changes, cutting in where there is no space, non stop laying on the horns, ignoring traffic lights and signs, driving on sidewalks and other 'off-roading'... you name it, they do it --- constantly.

I will not, if can possble avoid it, ever, EVER, *EVER* bring any of my cars here. They would be crushed from behind the first time I stopped for a red light.

From my first drive out in a taxi from the Airport, though the new tunnels (the Dig) to drives out to the suburbs and Harvard Square with my hosts, it has been a non-stop driving horror show. One of my hosts was just chatting on about how she doesn't want to get a new car because .. let's see... her current one has been rear-ended 3 times (once one day after getting it out of the shop), been the rear-ender once, run into in the parking lots, and in her own driveway (by a neighbor) -- twice... and of couse, she drives like all the rest of the maniacs.

My hosts tell me they didn't drive like that at first when they moved to Boston, but soon they had to as a matter of survival.

Has anyone here ever lived in Boston, and can shed any light onto the lack of civilized driving?

On another topic, I won't be able to submit pics for the fall show until I get back to Texas in a couple of days, is it too late?

[Jeff N.]

How 'bout those left turns off the light right in front of traffic? Oi Vey!

Jeff
Seattle and Safe

[Patrick]

I posted this before. This is just a few miles from Harvard Square. I have the pleasure of driving through this intersection all the time when I'm in Boston -there's no yield or stop signs in any direction, so whoever has the most balls gets the right-of-way. There's a near miss or accident about once a minute during rush hour.
It would help if the roads hadn't all once been wagons roads laid out by drunk pilgrims, but that seems to be what they're working with there -Ha!
The way they drive there, and in DC, is for crap. I've even started referring to people who drive like that in Denver as "Pulling a real east-coast move."

[Kamil]

One of the problems is that people simply do not know where they're going... they're either careless or for whatever reason don't know which roads they should be on, etc.... not all their fault, the signs/directions are rediclous.
And, especially in the city, w/ all the construction, road patterns change all the time.

[andyman32]

It can even get pretty in downtown Albany. Driving in Atlanta was also fraught with insanity of that sort - laying on horns, pulling lane changes into a solid wall of traffic going 30mph faster than you with no blinkers, etc.

I think it's just relative to the size of the urban area. In Raleigh I see lots of very, VERY stupid stuff, but not nearly as much unnecessary aggression as in the other larger cities I've lived in / visited.

[Rory]

I posted this before. This is just a few miles from Harvard Square. I have the pleasure of driving through this intersection all the time when I'm in Boston -there's no yield or stop signs in any direction, so whoever has the most balls gets the right-of-way. There's a near miss or accident about once a minute during rush hour.
It would help if the roads hadn't all once been wagons roads laid out by drunk pilgrims, but that seems to be what they're working with there -Ha!
The way they drive there, and in DC, is for crap. I've even started referring to people who drive like that in Denver as "Pulling a real east-coast move."

I had the pleasure of driving through Patrick's favorite intersection last year while exploring the state. Let me just say that I was perplexed when I came to the intersection and had no idea what was going on. It is not the only cluster #$*(& intersection in this state/commonwealth/whatever the hell it is.

My huge problem with Boston drivers is how incredibly rude they are and how they feel entitled to do whatever the hell they want. I do not drive that much up here since I hate driving anywhere in the city (Stiff suspension + awful roads = horrid ride). But, I do drive enough to laugh. My wife and I try to remain calm and polite on the roads but often times it feels like we are the only ones. The light turns green and 8 people feel as if they are entitlted to hold up traffic the other way by turning left in front of them. If you try to go when you have the right away you will be shot on site. It was a rude awakening after being in Atlanta for so many years. Anyway, the only thing you can do is smile and don't let it bother you, otherwise it is going to push your BP through the roof. At least the government is putting all this money into improving the roadways with the dig (ROTFLMAO). It is so well designed that there are often times 0 emergency lanes in the tunnels, they have had floods in the tunnels from cracked walls, and on one tunnel there is a ridiculously steep grade entering the tunnel at which point water accumulates and often times turns to solid ice in the winter. What a great place to drive for a few more years

Best,
Rory

[wengenstein]

I'm originally from MA and for as long as I can remember the state has always been known for its aggressive drivers. When I moved north to NH it was a whole nother world. It seems like the aggressive driving is more or less limited to MA drivers, or mass-holes as they are known by some up here.

MA is one of those mandatory insurance states too so I think that may add to the problem.

[DaCan23]

Well Left on Red when on a oneway street going onto another oneway street is legal in MA.... I use it everytime downtown Boston..

[DaCan23]

I use to live in "Boston" live in da burbs now.... it's a combination of people being in a hurry, horrible roads & setup, and lack of intelligence..... cant wait for them to ban talkin on a cell phone here... roads are constantly changing & under construction so even those familiar get caught off guard with changes.... one thing about MA drivers... I swear you will not find more rude drivers anywhere who dont allow you to merge when 2 lanes converge.

[rbeaud]

Ahhh, my favorite short cut to the highway for drives to my parents in ME. It helped to have a Corrado for squirting through gaps in traffic. Then there is also the rotary by Alewife where out of towners can have a "European Vacation" moment; "look kids Big Ben...." There are two lanes going round and round with about 5 exits. Tons of fun but don't get stuck in the inner circle.

I've always found driving in MA to require some ability to scoot into small traffic holes. Which may explain the high incidence of low speed accidents. I remember traveling home from Logan to ME with my gf (now wife) from MS. She nearly freaked when I merged onto 93 with about 6" front and rear to spare ("calm down honey- traffic is crawling")

But at least the drivers in MA are somewhat predictable. Just ask yourself, "what would a M******* do?". I can still recall the spit covered windshield of a fellow worker from MA due to driving around MS because of random stops, cutoffs, slow drivers. It was nearly impossible to guess what the traffic would do and plan defensively (or aggressively as the situation required). I'm surprised there are not more rear end collisions here is MS due to politeness- they stop dead in the road to let someone in from a side street. Don't worry that the road has a 45 mph limit and that the "traffic" is only two more cars behind you. Interstate merges are worse; people in traffic slow down reflexively but the merging traffic is typically traveling at the same speed as the surface road (25 mph). After all, you can always get up to speed after you merge onto the highway, right?


[QUOTE=Patrick]I posted this before. This is just a few miles from Harvard Square. [QUOTE=Patrick]