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archaemes t1_j4z4x6v wrote

Reply to comment by SparrowAgnew in Wipers on lights on by dualstrombolifeast

Native Californian here and definitely Washingtonians drive like crap, relatively speaking. Don’t know how much of it has to do with recent transplants, but definitely noticeable difference. I will say Washingtonians are a hell of a lot more courteous and for that, I’ll take the granny drivers any day of the week 😁

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holmgangCore t1_j4z6vbs wrote

Just a tangent off your comment that “Wa’s are a hell of a lot more courteous”..:

I think it’s very interesting that one can perceive the “driving culture”, or to be more specific, “driving norms” in any given city or even region sometimes. Interstate highways too.

I’ve driven in many places and I first noticed this in Detroit. The street style there is basically, “you can do anything as long as you don’t impede someone else”. It’s extremely casual & you can feel it just driving around, but it’s chill & safe.
. I’ve seen people do full U-turns in the middle of a standard 4-way stop-light intersection, but hindering no one, it didn’t matter. And the cops there sure have better things to worry about.

I’ve heard that Boston drivers are “uptight” somehow, and tend to cut people off, especially when it comes to highway exits. But that’s hearsay.

In Seattle my sense is that people are “polite to a fault”, or otherwise kind of oblivious. I’ve seen more right turns done too early with oncoming traffic than I would expect. Which remains puzzling to me.
. But it’s generally the former, “polite”. Which is definitely a good ‘problem’ to have.

It’s just interesting that “street style” or “driving normative behaviour” is so readily observed & assessed when living or driving in a new area.

I’m curious: What do you mean by ‘courteousness’ with Washington drivers? Can you give some examples?

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archaemes t1_j50aira wrote

Good perspectives on other cities’ norms. And how road infrastructure is an influence. I can see how the multitude of roundabouts and lack of stop sign at intersections condition people to approach cautiously.

Agreed Wa’s seem to have an obliviousness (funny to see so many with student driver decals, especially funny on luxury cars) as perhaps part of this could be due to later in life vehicle purchase or recent immigrants.

By courtesy, it’s also outside of yielding in traffic. General interactions in my day-to-day, be it businesses (employees in a Bartell Drugs gave multiple suggestions on where to buy an Orca card as they ran out), coffee shops (friendly customer service, above & beyond what I’ve seen in other cities), strangers (morning jogger offered to guide me while I unloaded my car from a carrier), neighbors (welcoming me to neighborhood), etc. The funny part is I never felt the mythical “Seattle freeze.”

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