Worst drivers on the roads?

[@@di]

I was listening to Car Talk this past weekend and found out that VW Jetta drivers were voted the the worst drivers on the roads.
Volvo drivers came in second. I know Jetta drivers are crazy, but I would have thought Beamer drivers would be up there.

Do you concur with the poll?

[demiking]

I had a friend who had a Jetta and she was absolutely crazy. Some of the things that she did made me believe I would never see another day. Now she drives a Nissan Pathfinder.

[Nic]

I think BMW drivers get a bad press. I think drivers of white vans are the worst drivers.

I usually see the remnants of at least one smash every day on my way to or from work, some days I've seen three in only one direction! I drive 25 miles, down 1&9, 78 and 24, I used to drive about the same distance in England on equally busy roads and saw less thsn one smash a month. I don't necessarily think it's the drivers, because generally they seem to drive quite slowly and cautiously here. I think the roads and the signage in New Jersey are the worst I've seen in all of the USA.

[@@di]

I think BMW drivers get a bad press. I think drivers of white vans are the worst drivers.

I usually see the remnants of at least one smash every day on my way to or from work, some days I've seen three in only one direction! I drive 25 miles, down 1&9, 78 and 24, I used to drive about the same distance in England on equally busy roads and saw less thsn one smash a month. I don't necessarily think it's the drivers, because generally they seem to drive quite slowly and cautiously here. I think the roads and the signage in New Jersey are the worst I've seen in all of the USA.

I agree that NJ has the worst signage in the US but the roads are not that bad given the kind of volume. The NJTP and GSP are very good.
1&9, esp. on the Pulaski has lunar sized craters. I have had to replace a couple tires.

Its weird I have the exact same commute and I hate it :mad:

[Nic]

Whre do you work? I work in Florham Park and East Hanover.

[@@di]

Whre do you work? I work in Florham Park and East Hanover.
Up the road from you..Parsippany on Rt 10.

[BaroqueJim]

The "white van driver" phenomonon is actually very well documented in England - they are by far and away the worst. What is interesting is that in cases where kids have been abducted, raped and killed, they always seem to be abducted by a white van driver.

I always found it notable that the worst drivers on the road are those who drive for a living, ie taxi drivers, truck drivers, delivery drivers etc. You would half expect them to be experts because of the practice they have, but then again driving as much as they do all day must also amplify their bad habits.

[mrsean]

First let me state that I am not racist or sexist in any way. That being said, from what I've seen, (some) Asian females are the absolute worst drivers. I've seen them do some of the most clueless things while operating a vehicle. For example, once I saw a young Asian female drive the wrong direction on Newport Parkway. When people were trying to flag her (She had the windows up), she acknowledged the warning and kept going until the end of the block. Good thing it was a weekend afternoon.

The next worst to me are Italian females. They can be super aggressive and impatient behind the wheel and just a sweetie outside of the car.

[Jay3]

Why Jetta drivers...

[wishiwas]

I don't want to bash my gender here, but most crappy drivers who piss me off on the road end up being female. Usually applying their make-up or chatting on the mobile phones in the fast line moving the speed of the slow lane traffic.

Folks, if you aren't going to maintain respectable fast lane speeds, then move the heck over!!!

[Katie_Scarlett]

And by respectable, she means at least 85 mph on the NJT. :D

[Nic]

You saw me then?

[Katie_Scarlett]

You saw me then?
Sorry, I'm confused. Was this directed at me?

My point was just that people doing <85 mph in the left lane make me wish for either go-go-gadget arms on the front of my car to remove them, or rocket launchers (again, to remove them). That's all. :p

[Nic]

I agree - well actually I think people should pull out of the fastest lane (do you call it inside or outside?) if the lane inside (outside?) them is clear. And if they are in the fastest lane to overtake they should do it smartly, not buddy up to the car inside for 10 miles. Do you get hit by the cops for doing over 85? Is 85 OK or are they still uncool about it? In the UK up to 85 seems OK, over 100 and they hit you hard.

[Katie_Scarlett]

I agree - well actually I think people should pull out of the fastest lane (do you call it inside or outside?) if the lane inside (outside?) them is clear. And if they are in the fastest lane to overtake they should do it smartly, not buddy up to the car inside for 10 miles. Do you get hit by the cops for doing over 85? Is 85 OK or are they still uncool about it? In the UK up to 85 seems OK, over 100 and they hit you hard.

Don't drive 85 without a radar detector. Cops are cool at 74 and below, they will pull you over at 85, unless you're in a pack. If you are patient, you will have the chance to follow the "lead car" (a lead car is the car that will go 90ish and I can *hide behind* and do 85). Once following a lead car, 99% of the time you'll watch them get pulled over, or they'll get the cop to clock them and set off your radar detector so you can slow down. You won't get pulled over.

Also, don't be fooled, spending $90 on a radar detector that has X, K, KA & Laser on it is fine. You don't need to spend $300 so the radar detector can talk to you. :)

[wishiwas]

I got ticketed this weekend for going 48 mph in a 30 mph zone. A waste of $180!

1) The speed limit was not posted. My ticket actually says this.
2) My car's speed was estimated and not clocked. My ticket says this too.

Too bad it was out-of-state and I am not taking off from work to fight a ridiculous ticket. UGH! :mad:

[Katie_Scarlett]

Where was it? If the state isn't reciprocal, you can always just blow it off. Not that I'd EVER do that ;)

[Nic]

WishIwas, I'm sorry to hear about your speeding fine. They obviously knew they were on an easy wicket because you had out of state plates. I know how you feel, after my Marbella fine - did I tell you I also got rebate coupons on a computer I bought and sent them in but never got any cash back. Thieving rotters, all of them!

Is it worth buying a radar detector then?

[Katie_Scarlett]

I think my radar detector is worth the money. I've never gotten a ticket while it was on, but twice I've gotten tickets when it was broken. I've had two in 10 years, and I got two speeding tickets in the 6 months I didn't have one after the first one broke.

[@@di]

I got ticketed this weekend for going 48 mph in a 30 mph zone. A waste of $180!

1) The speed limit was not posted. My ticket actually says this.
2) My car's speed was estimated and not clocked. My ticket says this too.

Too bad it was out-of-state and I am not taking off from work to fight a ridiculous ticket. UGH! :mad:

Bummer!! I feel your pain, wishiwas.Was it a small town cop?
Small towns get away with this because no is going to take off a day just to fight a ticket. I got a ticket a few years ago while refueling at a poo-dunk town in upstate NY on my way back from Quebec. The ticket was for 42 mph in 35 mph!!

Not only do women wearing make-up or chatting on their cell phones piss me off but I hate it when people do 65 mph on the left lane. Its not their job to control traffic speeds. Thats why we have troopers.
One of the few reasons why we do not have autobahns in the US.

[wishiwas]

Katie,

Aren't radar detectors illegal in some states? And I thought that the police use laser now since everyone else uses radar?

This is my first speeding ticket ever (in 10 years of driving).

How much should I expect my insurance to go up?

And how do I find out if it is a reciprocal state? I will prolly just pay up because it's a state that I will visit again and knowing my luck...you get the picture.

[Katie_Scarlett]

To find out if it's reciprocal do a google search. My radar/laser detector is great! And it's illegal only in VA and CT as far as I know. When you buy one, it tells you the states it's illegal in... remember, nothing is illegal until you caught.

Your insurance will go up depending on the carrier. I couldn't speak to that.

[@@di]

Katie,

Aren't radar detectors illegal in some states? And I thought that the police use laser now since everyone else uses radar?

This is my first speeding ticket ever (in 10 years of driving).

How much should I expect my insurance to go up?

And how do I find out if it is a reciprocal state? I will prolly just pay up because it's a state that I will visit again and knowing my luck...you get the picture.

An out of state speeding ticket is worth 2 point on your license.
Your driving record will indicate that you were going 45 in a 35 zone.
I don't think there will be a drastic increase in your insurance but then again this NJ.

Radar detectors are illegal in certain states, VA, but not in NJ [as long as you are not using the radar in aiding or abetting in a crime].

http://www.afn.org/~afn09444/scanlaws/scanner5.html