Cities with the fastest drivers

[sparker]

Hey now -- don't put all LA drivers in the same barrel!  There are those of us who were born & raised in the area who actually grew up at the same time as the regional freeway system.  Yes, we tend to drive faster than folks from other areas, but we at least developed the skill set to do it safely (first rule: be aware of everything around you!).  I first left LA in '75 and came back in '97; and was aghast at just how much the aggregate driver skills in the region had deteriorated over that period (likely due to mass population influx from elsewhere).  I'd get on I-10 westbound in Redlands every morning and take it into work in Ontario; most of the drivers I'd pass (or even be passed by) never seemed to ever turn their heads, keeping their stare locked into a forward-only position.  I'm just surprised that the overall accident rate wasn't even higher than reported.  When the opportunity came to relocate back to the Bay Area in '12, I was actually quite relieved.  After being up here almost 4 years, I'd say the situation is, to my "guesstimated" quantification, about 15% better -- until I get anywhere near the 101/880 interchange in north San Jose, a location at which all evaluation criteria go flying out the window!  The best-ever road-racers in Nascar -- Gordon, Stewart, Truex, or even the "ringer" Boris Said -- would throw up their hands when trying to negotiate that underpowered piece of shit in traffic (and there's ALWAYS traffic there)! 

Bottom line -- we old-timer LA natives seem to get into situations less frequently than drivers "broken-in" elsewhere;  we developed the basic skills to survive that environment.     

[paulthemapguy]

I've found west coast drivers to be slow typically, but I drove the stretch of I-80 from Vallejo to Berkeley--people there were very fast!

Also, I like that Chicago is being used as a standard for fast, aggressive drivers XD.

[mariethefoxy]

surprised noone mentioned Boston area drivers, people think NY and NJ drivers are crazy, they got nothin on Boston area drivers in terms of speed and crazy antics.

Because there's not many hours of the day where Bostonians can go as fast as they want.

I do remember one particularly crazy driver trying to flip a ewie in the middle Park Street.  And, of course, there's the fun madness that occurs once a Fenway game starts (all lanes and sidewalks lead to Fenway!).

I meant the entire metro area, not just the city of boston.

[roadman65]

Orlando has the fast drivers on I-4 except for the Disney area where you not only have the volume of out of state tourists visiting the theme parks clogging up that stretch, but the "OMG I am going to miss my exit" paranoia and drive obnoxiously slow.

JYP used to be that way before all the stop lights were added that it now has.  It was 55 mph, but everyone did 70 mph average then, and it was the site of many accidents as well because of all the aggressiveness.

I found Atlanta to be that way on the multi lane I-75 & I-85 freeway.  In fact I once did the posted 55 for fear of GA Troopers giving their usual tickets to out of state drivers, however when I almost got run over being much slower than the other motorists, I said the hell with it all and drove the 65 to 70 that everyone else was doing.

[kalvado]

surprised noone mentioned Boston area drivers, people think NY and NJ drivers are crazy, they got nothin on Boston area drivers in terms of speed and crazy antics.

Because there's not many hours of the day where Bostonians can go as fast as they want.

I do remember one particularly crazy driver trying to flip a ewie in the middle Park Street.  And, of course, there's the fun madness that occurs once a Fenway game starts (all lanes and sidewalks lead to Fenway!).

I meant the entire metro area, not just the city of boston.

Another vote for Boston. That feeling when you go speed limit +30 - and everyone is passing you, apparently doing triple digits..

[pumpkineater2]

Phoenix since it doesn't seem to have the grid lock that a lot of other major cities have.  Even the busiest junction at I-10/AZ 51/AZ 202 doesn't really "stop" all that much but rather slows down.  I'm not saying they get the highest terminal speed but for what it's worth that was one city I lived in where I traveled above the speed limit more often than not.

I can attest to Phoenix being a city with fast drivers. I think its partly because the freeways are so well built here, people are comfortable driving well above the limit (I'm one of them).  Also many of the speed limits here are too low, I think.

[Max Rockatansky]

Phoenix since it doesn't seem to have the grid lock that a lot of other major cities have.  Even the busiest junction at I-10/AZ 51/AZ 202 doesn't really "stop" all that much but rather slows down.  I'm not saying they get the highest terminal speed but for what it's worth that was one city I lived in where I traveled above the speed limit more often than not.

I can attest to Phoenix being a city with fast drivers. I think its partly because the freeways are so well built here, people are comfortable driving well above the limit (I'm one of them).  Also many of the speed limits here are too low, I think.

About the only ones I ever found fault in was the 55 MPH zones on I-17 and AZ 51.  If anything the ramp with AZ 202 to I-10 is the one that ought to whoa down to 55 MPH within the last three miles...that's one ramp that is kind of a crappy design since so many people cut over the last second to AZ 51 north.  The 65 MPH zones are largely appropriate and I could see them being pushed out to AZ 85 on I-10 with all the growth in Buckeye someday.  AZ 143 I'm okay with the 55 MPH limit due to the lack of a full interchange ramp with I-10 and the short nature in general. 

[Rothman]

Phoenix since it doesn't seem to have the grid lock that a lot of other major cities have.  Even the busiest junction at I-10/AZ 51/AZ 202 doesn't really "stop" all that much but rather slows down.  I'm not saying they get the highest terminal speed but for what it's worth that was one city I lived in where I traveled above the speed limit more often than not.

I can attest to Phoenix being a city with fast drivers. I think its partly because the freeways are so well built here, people are comfortable driving well above the limit (I'm one of them).  Also many of the speed limits here are too low, I think.

Yeah, good point about Phoenix.  Still, for some reason, Detroit's really sticking out head-and-shoulders above everywhere else I've been to.

[Max Rockatansky]

Phoenix since it doesn't seem to have the grid lock that a lot of other major cities have.  Even the busiest junction at I-10/AZ 51/AZ 202 doesn't really "stop" all that much but rather slows down.  I'm not saying they get the highest terminal speed but for what it's worth that was one city I lived in where I traveled above the speed limit more often than not.

I can attest to Phoenix being a city with fast drivers. I think its partly because the freeways are so well built here, people are comfortable driving well above the limit (I'm one of them).  Also many of the speed limits here are too low, I think.

Yeah, good point about Phoenix.  Still, for some reason, Detroit's really sticking out head-and-shoulders above everywhere else I've been to.

It's because of the population drop.  Back when I was living there it was still 1.2 million people down from a peak of 1.8 in the 1950s.  It's about 700k nowadays, so basically you have tons of freeway that was designed to handled a larger population commuting through the city.

[Rothman]

Phoenix since it doesn't seem to have the grid lock that a lot of other major cities have.  Even the busiest junction at I-10/AZ 51/AZ 202 doesn't really "stop" all that much but rather slows down.  I'm not saying they get the highest terminal speed but for what it's worth that was one city I lived in where I traveled above the speed limit more often than not.

I can attest to Phoenix being a city with fast drivers. I think its partly because the freeways are so well built here, people are comfortable driving well above the limit (I'm one of them).  Also many of the speed limits here are too low, I think.

Yeah, good point about Phoenix.  Still, for some reason, Detroit's really sticking out head-and-shoulders above everywhere else I've been to.

It's because of the population drop.  Back when I was living there it was still 1.2 million people down from a peak of 1.8 in the 1950s.  It's about 700k nowadays, so basically you have tons of freeway that was designed to handled a larger population commuting through the city.

Yep, totally agree.

[tradephoric]

Yeah, good point about Phoenix.  Still, for some reason, Detroit's really sticking out head-and-shoulders above everywhere else I've been to.

Detroit is also unique in that their surface streets are very wide and efficient.  I've gone 22 miles down Woodward Avenue from Pontiac to just north of midtown without hitting a red light.  I've gone over 30 miles down Telegraph without hitting a red light.  It's amazing how far you can drive without encountering a red light.  I've never done that in other cities.

[mrsman]

Yeah, good point about Phoenix.  Still, for some reason, Detroit's really sticking out head-and-shoulders above everywhere else I've been to.

Detroit is also unique in that their surface streets are very wide and efficient.  I've gone 22 miles down Woodward Avenue from Pontiac to just north of midtown without hitting a red light.  I've gone over 30 miles down Telegraph without hitting a red light.  It's amazing how far you can drive without encountering a red light.  I've never done that in other cities.

Amazing and smart.  Well designed arterials will further limit the amount of traffic on the freeways.  Why go 1 mile out of your way to the freeway and 1 mile back when you can get there in reasonable time on a well-designed arterial.  A win-win for traffic.

Most other places that I've been the traffic signals are so poorly timed that the city almost encourages freeway use.

[dfwmapper]

My vote is Chicago. Running with bumper-to-bumper traffic doing 85 in a 55 on the Tri-State is the most concentration I've ever had to put into driving.

Locally, the Dallas North Tollway has a reputation for being a bit of a speedway, but it rarely gets the combination of speed and congestion that I've seen in places like Chicago or LA. Most everything else in DFW finally has proper speed limits applied and people tend to stay within 10mph of the posted limit.

Phoenix has had a few mentions here, but in my experience (having lived there for 20 years), most of that is the 101 in Scottsdale, where the proper 85th percentile limit would probably be 75, and it's not uncommon to see some asshole in a Lexus doing 90+ weaving through traffic. In the rest of the Valley, the majority of people tend to keep it down to within 10mph of the limit.

And at the opposite end of the scale, is there anywhere worse than Portland and the rest of the I-5 corridor in Oregon? Artificially low speed limits to begin with, and they can't even keep up with that.

[countysigns]

Chicago was amazing to drive through.  I never had been in a place where you could go from 90 MPH to zero in about a mile (Dan Ryan Expressway).  The Tri-State was a rush - speed limit 55...yeah right - try 80-85 and it's a safe bet you were gonna get passed anyways.

Detroit - well, the whole state of Michigan - they build them and they can drive them!  I usually set my cruise around 75-78 in Michigan and I blend in.  Detroit, speed limits are merely a suggestion.  I love driving 696 aka Detroit's Autobaun.  Gives me a chance to "clean the carbon out of my car".  I think Ludacris was thinking of 696 when he wrote, "Move b***h, get out da way!"  I remember going 85-90 MPH on 696 and still getting passed!

[Buffaboy]

Like vdeane said, the Thruway around Buffalo (free section) is signed 55. While most people drive in the 60-65 MPH range, I have seen people going in the 70-80+ neighborhood on a number of occasions, and a select number of times I was on the lower end of that spectrum...

[paulthemapguy]

the 70-80+ neighborhood

I'm wishing that was an actual neighborhood where you drive 70-80+