[Silverback]

Doesn't it just kill you to go to another state and have to drive/ride with the flow of traffic? I only moved to California 1+ years ago, and have gotten used to the speed of traffic. When I visit other states north of us, I can't get used to how slow the traffic moves. In Seattle, the people in the "fast lane" are doing 62 in a posted 65mph zone. In San Diego, I'm still in 3rd gear at 62.
Does it make you crazy too?

 

[Dave]

Actually no I've never experienced that. If I'm riding in Seattle I'm just tickled pink that I'm on the road. I love to travel and when I'm traveling I want to enjoy every minute of it. 8)

 

[Wanderer]

I keep up with traffic because it's safer. I'd rather do the speed limit, except when some mental midget has deemed a stretch of open road to be a 45 mph limit. I thought the interstates in Atlanta were bad. Here in CA, everyone is a suicidal maniac. This is my second time living in SoCal and I'm leaving as soon as I can... again.

 

[gpick]

I find that the roads in California are populated with either idiots (those going slower than I am) or suicidal maniacs (those who are passing me), with a weighting toward the latter. I would prefer it if they would all go my speed and stay at least 1/4 of a mile ahead of or behind me.

Joking aside, it seems that frustration and impatience is producing a new degree of recklessness and aggressiveness on California highways. And, I notice that the cages who seem to go the fastest and swerve the most are vehicles which are least capable of the speed and handling, (i.e. pickups with jacked up suspensions and big offroad tires, beaters, and SUV's) Very rarely do I see a BMW, Mercedes or Porsche driving like this group.

 

[IR Harry]

In Seattle, the people in the "fast lane" are doing 62 in a posted 65mph zone.

Boy, were you lucky. Every time I see Seattle, the fast lane is at about 6 mph, stop and go, for at least 30 miles. I thought I-5 was the worlds longest parking lot.

 

[goldwinghen3]

I have been in the slow lane doing 70 and getting passed as if I was standing still !!!..Calif. sure has some awesome non-highway roads to travel on..try to avoid the big highways..take smaller more scenic routes...I purposely take back roads ,country roads or secnic roads even on a routine day ride..... ...The grocery store is 1 mile from home as a crow flys...but it is about 25 miles as the goldwing flys!!!!( is it flys or flies?),,,Heck,,,highway 5 has a 70 mph speed limit,,but if you arent doin 80..you will get run over!!!..STAY AWAY from them !!!!!!!!!!!!So go enjoy the mountains of Calif...you will find about 100,000 miles of them around here!!!!!!

 

[DaleC]

Here in CA, everyone is a suicidal maniac.

Well, I wouldn't go that far. Sure there are some real nuts not unlike what you can find anywhere, but there are also many who are not trying to beat everyone to wherever they are trying to get to and kill themselves and those around them as they try to do so. I will say as a long time commuter, the commuter drivers you see on the road during the weekdays are a substantial cut above the ones who only get out on the road on the weekend.

You probably have it substantially worse down in Southern California than we do up here, but then that is a different state anyway ---- isn't it?

DaleC

 

[Smitty]

Silverback, I'm with you. I usually run at 80 (Honda 80, that is) on Bay Area freeways and it seems like it takes forever to get anywhere when we go up to Santa Rosa to visit relatives. 65 in a 65 miles per hour zone? Whoever heard of such a thing, huh? Out of state is even worse.

 

[GaryG]

I don't think CAlif has a corner on the speed market....seems as if the posted limits in AZ here are "suggested minimums"....very similar to when I visit San Diego area . I also agree the states north of Calif do go a bit slower....but not all of them.

 

[yellowtrike]

....if those interstate drivers they would just stay off my six!

Observed today in the Sacramento area - freaks on I-80 who must think they are NASCAR drivers and brain dead drivers tailgating big rigs on I-5. Then add in Hwy 99 and its narrow lanes and short on ramps. Last but not least - all those people in a major hurry on Hwy 50 - headed for Tahoe.

It is always a relief to drive/ride home - 5 mph over the limit, narrow two lane curvy roads and very little traffic. Getting there safely and enjoying the scenery is the only way to live!

 

[Joseph]

I travel world wide and IMO I find Ca drivers to be some of the best around. Some nuts? Of course and when you consider the number of people living in Ca the law of averages says you will have your fair share.

Daily, tens of thousands, if nut hundreds of thousands, of cars cruise So CA freeways at speeds of 75 to 85 with not much room to spare. Considering the number of cars and the speed there are few accidents over all. I've always been impressed with the over all ability of Ca drivers.

In contrast I have been in many other cities both in the US and abroad and watch people panic and accidents happen under far less trying circumstances. Maybe because in most circumstances the demand on their driving ability is constantly being tested and their abilties improved.


SilverBack.... A few months ago my partner was in Arkansas traveling at 75 in a 65 with no cars in sight and was pulled over and ticketed. WHne the officer asked him if knew how fast he was going he said Of course 75. The officer was surprised he admitted. Probably more surprised when He told the officer so what, the only person out here is you and me.

So yes, I understand... and yes I do believe we might be spoiled.

 

[Mark Rowell]

I tend to adjust to the pace and driving norms of the traffic around me and that includes the pace of the pack. When I go to La-La land, I step up the pace, lane split, and pass in whatever lane is open (usually one to the right) :? Works for me.

I find it interesting to note the differences between the LA drivers and the ones in the Bay area when it comes to starting out when the light turns green. In LA, it is off to the races as soon as the green starts to glow. If you do that in San Francisco, you will get your ass side-swiped in a big hurry. It seems like everyone up there runs their yellows way into the red. :22yikes:

I also find that lane splitting in LA is not only tolerated but the cagers will do their best to move over and give you room as soon as they see you in their mirrors. You only have to look out for non-California plates as those vehicles may very well move over on you out of spite. San Francisco drivers seldom give way so you have to be very careful up there. 4:

 

[Joseph]

Mark.. Good point, every area is a bit different....

late, cant sleep? My excuse, I'm in Australia..

 

[riffraff]

I lived in So Cal most of my life. I left about 15 yrs ago. Once in a while I visit just to remind myself why I left. The only thing I miss is the weather.

Driving there requires more skill/focus but not because of bad drivers IMHO. Of course there are some bad ones anywhere you go but dealing with all the traffic down there requires skill.

I find that it takes a while for me to get back into "combat mode" when I visit.

 

[IR Harry]

Let me related a story to this - I was in the DMV and a couple were in registering their motorcycles to get Orygun plates. She was talking about the Orygun road signs and meaning. She has just moved to Fairview, a little 4 way stop crossroad in nowheresville with a gas station grocery store on one corner, a power substation on the second, a couple of old two story farm houses on the other two, and a school and church about two blocks away. There was a sign in all four directions saying, 'Congestion" that is seen be the total of about fifty cars a day.

Her statement was, "We just moved here from Southern California, and I think I know what 'congestion' means. This is not it."

So, guess it is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[gdaddy]

It is not just California. I lived in Alpharetta (just north of Atlanta) GA and got pulled over for driving with the flow of traffic at 67 in a 35. Cop asks "Do you know what the speed limit is?" "No" I answer, "I've been in Georgia for about 3 years now and haven't noticed anyone paying any attention to the speed limit." Cop laughs "That's probably true, but this is Georgia, not Germany, and this aint the Autobahn. Try to slow down on this road, the residents call us about the excessive speeds and then we gotta come in here and make a big production of pulling people over." Hands me back my license and leaves. I really hated to leave that town.

 

[gpick]

Have this friend who used to be a professional drag racer driving funny cars. He came to visit me in California and went up to LA for a meeting driving a rented Lincoln Town Car.

When he got back, he said he really liked the way people drive on the freeways--how they "draft" each other. He then goes on to say" I was driving down the 405 past LAX drafting the car ahead of me, when I look in the mirror and I see this guy coming up on a bit too fast, so I tucked up a little closer to the guy ahead me to give some room. But, he kept coming and hit me in the rear which caused me to bump into the guy ahead of me. I was afraid the guy ahead of me would panic and cause an accident so I stepped on the accelerator and when I pushed him clear I backed off and let him go."

Guess you have a different set of reaction times when you have driven 300 mph.

 

[Bill]

Uncle Sam ‘asked’ me to live in the LA area twice, once in the 70s and once in the 90s, so my comments are related to driving there specifically vice the entire state of CA. I remember getting on one of the LA freeways and ‘trying’ to get across 4 lanes of traffic to exit about ½ mile up the road. What a joke. How hard is it to let up on the accelerator for a fraction of a second to let someone with their blinker on get over? They look at you with this blank stare, I swear you’d think you’ve been transferred to some non-human planet. Common courtesy on the roads in LA area was almost totally non-existent. It was, in my opinion, nothing more than a combat zone, and the longer I lived there, the more like that I became. I suppose one could make the point they were better car operators in some capacity, but driving is more than your ability to handle your vehicle.

 

[Jeff in Ferndale WA]

In Seattle, the people in the "fast lane" are doing 62 in a posted 65mph zone.

Boy, were you lucky. Every time I see Seattle, the fast lane is at about 6 mph, stop and go, for at least 30 miles. I thought I-5 was the worlds longest parking lot.

In Seattle the posted limit is 60,and like Harry says,more often it is a LOT less!

When the traffic is moving along,thee is a lot of enforcement that tends to keep folks going a bit slower.