Does anyone else dislike driving these days because of other drivers?
Posted by Mental-Philosophy3@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 56 comments
Let me explain. I’ve been driving for 7 years now , and lately it feels like everyone on the road is in a rush or distracted. Tailgating, sudden lane changes, people on their phones, it’s getting worse where I am now in Atlanta.
What about you? Do you notice the same thing? Any tips for staying calm or dealing with bad drivers without losing your mind? Or is it just me?
not-a-toad@reddit
Yes but generally i check on maps if theres hella traffic and take much longer routes to avoid traffic & stoplights completely
Remarkable_Sink_9132@reddit
One of the things I don’t miss about living in an urban area. In my older age, I would rather drive 20 miles on the highway with no traffic to the grocery store than 3 miles in a sheer panic lol
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
I thought I was the only one that preferred this
suboptimus_maximus@reddit
Yeah of course. Car dependency is a curse inflicted on us by past generations that had terrible foresight and made awful, selfish decisions. It’s the least economical, least scalable, most expensive form of public mass transit so it has always been doomed to fail.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Well I disagree respectfully, in my own opinion, cars has rather saved us from a lot also not to talk of the added comfort, mobility to wherever you want and most especially when you got a big family, I only think negligent drivers should be more conscious on the way, drive their cars in orderliness, and make sure to be conscious while they on the road, not forgetting to keep their cars in good condition
suboptimus_maximus@reddit
Well, drivers have been killing and injuring more people and causing more property damage than all other criminals combined for decades, so at this point we have no choice but to conclude they cannot be trusted with the responsibility.
chickengruggets@reddit
The problem is, car dependency doesn't scale. Highways can only grow so large. Not to mention everyone having their own motor propelling them around is wildly inefficient.
I would also argue that having a big family makes public transport even easier. You don't have to buy a huge minivan or SUV. Hop on a tram and call it a day.
We built our cities to require cars, everything is far apart, so of course it seems like there's increased mobility.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Hmm now I see reason, it’s debatable still though but a very crucial point, j like driving but the actions of others has made me my choice today because I’m more concerned about the bad drivers and road quality
bprug87@reddit
The Pittsburgh parkway is 55mph. You either almost get run over by some Altima with a broken headlight weaving between lanes at way over the speed limit or you get stuck behind someone death gripping their steering wheel going 10 below the speed limit. I prefer our back roads. They can be sketchy at times because the roads were built around the terrain but keeps you engaged.
The_Motley_Fool----@reddit
you think it's bad to drive, you should try cycling in an urban environment
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
lol tell me more about cycling in an urban environment
Sad_Win_4105@reddit
Decades ago, I used to enjoy driving around Chicagoland.
Now we have ever sprawling suburbia, many more cars on the road, more traffic, & distracted drivers driving around in what once would be considered small trucks (instead of cars). No, it's definitely gotten old and is no longer what I would consider fun.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
I totally agree it’s far from fun and more of stress
skylanemike@reddit
Yes, I spend a lot of time on the road for my job. When the weather is cooperative, I fly my plane instead. I've never almost been in a head one with another plane. Another plane has never tried to force me off of the runway. Another plane has never tried to pass me when it's a bad spot to pass.
bluejay1185@reddit
Sigh yes
pretty-late-machine@reddit
Are you a bot? A thread with this exact title and first three words of the post was made yesterday...
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Sorry you mean the first three words “let me explain?”
whozwat@reddit
I've been driving for 54 years in Southern California. People are the same as they ever were. Tail gating, illegal passing, road rage, hijacking, granades... Same, same, same, same, same. But those damn second coming, close encounter of the third kind LED lights are new.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Well I guess people’s behavior just makes the world as it, the world would be a boring place if everyone was sane 😂, different road users each in their wisdom trying to be the smartest end up causing the road traffic to be in shambles. I’ve accepted it as faith but could be better
toiletsurprise@reddit
Yes, the drivers in my town have become just good god awful. I've started sticking to the highways/freeways as much as possible.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Looks like it’s a general challenge and there have to be proper oversee too these drivers, to be safe you just have to be a defensive driver against the offensive ones on the road
Fargraven2@reddit
Population (for the most part) is going up, but when is the last time you saw a new highway get built?
Traffic just gets worse every year, and 80% of drivers are dumbasses
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Exactly, man. I’m in Atlanta too and it’s the same story here. Population keeps growing like crazy, but the highways are still the same ones from 20-30 years ago. I can’t remember the last time they actually built a major new stretch of highway around here. They just keep widening the same old roads and adding toll lanes that don’t really fix the root problem. And yeah, the driving quality has tanked. 80% feels accurate phones, aggressive tailgating, no blinkers… it’s exhausting. Do you also live in Atlanta?
Fargraven2@reddit
I’m in the greater Boston area. Unfortunately I don’t have a solution other than living somewhere more suburban/rural and driving in off-peak hours.
I try to do both
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Yeah, Boston traffic has a nasty reputation too the narrow streets and aggressive drivers make it rough. I’m in Atlanta and it’s the same game: the only real “solution” a lot of us have is trying to avoid peak hours or living further out where things aren’t as jammed. Do you find that moving your schedule around actually helps a decent amount, or does Boston still find a way to pack the roads no matter what time you leave?.
Fargraven2@reddit
The major highways (93, 90) are packed pretty much all the time. I’m far enough away that Boston traffic doesn’t affect me but there’s still traffic pretty much anywhere during regular commute times (~8-9a, ~4-5p)
I go into work pretty early so it isn’t too bad. I prefer rural living so I’ll try to live somewhere quieter when my lease is up
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Looks like we thinking the same direction, a rural farmstead is my calling FR
WhenVioletsTurnGrey@reddit
Yes. Try being a cyclist
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
lol u should try that sometimes FR though.
CheMeGreezne@reddit
Been driving since 2002. I never sat behind the wheel of any car without feeling at least a little bit of joy because of it.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
That’s awesome driving since 2002 and still feeling that little bit of joy every time you get behind the wheel is rare these days. I wish I could say the same, but after dealing with Atlanta traffic on a daily basis (especially on 285 and 85), the joy gets buried pretty quick under all the phone zombies and aggressive cutters. What’s your go-to car or driving situation that still puts a smile on your face after all these years? Daily driver, weekend toy, or just cruising with the windows dow
CheMeGreezne@reddit
I'm sad for your situation. I live in a smaller city in Croatia. Traffic is certainly noticeably denser than before but still quite manageable.
I could never justify owning more than one car so one had to do it all. Since 2015 I've owned a 2001 BMW
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Sounds like you’ve made it work really well with just one car. I guess it’s a lot easier in a smaller city. Respect for keeping a 2001 BMW running that long too those older ones can be solid if maintained. Has it been reliable for you?
CheMeGreezne@reddit
I'd say extremely. Only a few hiccups but never left me stranded. In 2019 I did a 3500 km round trip through Italy in it with my then fiancee now wife. Best way to travel.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
All I see is the car reliability…. BMW has always maintained quality efficiency on their vehicles
SailingSpark@reddit
I was on a state highway today going to work. 50mph road, I am doing 55ish in the right lane. I had a guy in a tundra behind me riding my ass hard. we were in traffic and the right lane was actually going faster than the left. I could not go any faster and I drive a small car, so he could see around and over me easily enough.
Eventually, the left land started going faster, so he cut over, and began weaving back and forth to get where he was going faster than everyone else. Two miles down the road, we hit a traffic light. All the frustration and hypertension to find that all me did was get in front of me.
I also blame covid. It affects the brain, actually seeming to shrink it some for some people. It causes problems with focus and attention and can causes issues with executive function.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Man, that Tundra driver sounds like a textbook example of the exact frustration we’re all talking about. Riding your ass in the right lane when it’s actually moving faster, then weaving like a maniac only to end up right behind you at the light — pure road rage fuel. I see this all the time in Atlanta too, especially on the highways. People treat the right lane like it’s a personal insult if you’re not going 10 over, even when traffic is heavy and there’s nowhere to go. The COVID brain thing is interesting — I’ve heard similar theories about attention and impulse control getting worse. Whether it’s that or just phones + entitlement, it definitely feels like driving patience has dropped off a cliff since 2020.
tacticool_wrx@reddit
Not necessarily dislike it but I have to be way more cautious especially in DFW rush hour
I definitely notice all the things you’re saying
I live in the country so I really don’t have to deal with it everyday and thankfully I have good spirited driving roads around me
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
That’s interesting , DFW rush hour sounds intense. I’ve heard it’s pretty wild down there with all the aggressive merging and everyone rushing. I’m in Atlanta and it’s the same kind of chaos, especially on the Perimeter (I-285) and I-85 during rush hour. Phones, sudden lane changes, no signals… it’s exhausting. Sounds like you’re lucky living out in the country with nicer, spirited driving roads. What kind of car do you usually drive when you’re out enjoying those roads? Must be a nice break from the city traffic
ItsALossReference@reddit
DFW traffic is a perfect blend of:
1) Reckless assholes who either have nothing to live for or enough money that your safety is somebody else’s problem. They weave through traffic doing 100+ like the rest of us are traffic cones.
2) People who aren’t entirely convinced they’re piloting a two-ton machine. They drift between lanes like they’re being gently tugged by the moon, do 50 in a 70 mph tollway holding up up six miles of traffic, then decide (from the far left lane) that this is their exit, and begin the slow, brake-tapping pilgrimage across every lane of the highway only to realize that no, actually, it wasn’t their exit after all.
3.The rest of us, just trying to get where we’re going on time and not die by getting sandwiched between the other two.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
This is the most accurate breakdown of DFW traffic I’ve ever read. The reckless 100+ mph weavers mixed with the 50-in-a-70 moon-tugged lane drifters is pure chaos. Atlanta’s 285 and 85 are basically the same combo, you’ve got the aggressive types flying by on the shoulder or cutting across three lanes with no signal, and then the ones who brake-check everyone while drifting toward an exit they’re not even sure is theirs. I’m over here in a regular car just trying to survive rush hour without becoming the filling in a sandwich. Driving a big vehicle makes it 10x worse though respect to anyone who has to pilot something heavy through that mess every day.
tacticool_wrx@reddit
It’s been a while since I’ve been in ATL but 285 is hell on earth. Here it’s 35 and 820 that are like that
Car wise I enjoy a pretty built WRX and a H/C/I C5Z06. I’ve also got an aprilia RS4 Factory
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Man, 285 is straight hell during rush hour — the merging and stop-and-go is brutal. Sounds like 35 and 820 in DFW are just as bad. Traffic infrastructure really struggles to keep up in these big cities. Your garage sounds awesome though! A built WRX is always fun, and that H/C/I C5 Z06 must be a beast with the heads/cam/intake setup. How much power are you pushing on that one? And an Aprilia RS4 Factory? That’s a serious bike, those things are gorgeous and handle like a dream. Do you track the Aprilia or mostly street ride it?
tacticool_wrx@reddit
Never been on a dyno, just street tuned I’d assume 485ish based on other people’s results.
It handles amazing, slower on the highway than my old s1000rr but it’s got way more character. Never been on a racetrack in my life, maybe one day
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
485ish on a street tune with that much character sounds solid, WRXs are always fun when they’ve got some bolt-ons and a good tune. Handling amazing but still comfy on the highway is the sweet spot. I bet it pulls way harder in the mid-range than the old S1000RR too. Have you thought about taking it to a track day eventually? Even if it’s just for a couple sessions, a lot of guys say it completely changes how you appreciate the car. No pressure though street driving is plenty fun on its own.
PaddyBoy1994@reddit
I work as a diesel mechanic, who regularly drives city buses as part of my job. You do not understand how stupid people truly are, until you've driven CDL vehicles, and seen how stupid people get around them. I've had someone pull a u turn across 4 lanes of traffic while I'm coming down the hill towards them in a 40k pound city bus. I stopped less than a foot from their door.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Damn, that sounds terrifying. A 40k pound city bus coming downhill and someone just casually does a U-turn across 4 lanes right in front of you? I’ve seen some stupid moves in regular cars, but nothing like that. How often do you deal with stuff like that on the bus? People really treat big vehicles like they’re invisible or something. Respect for doing that job — I don’t know how you stay calm when idiots pull moves like that
TheRealDon1994@reddit
It is soul crushing how dumb people get to own a car and drive these days. This is coming from some body who got into a car accident recently because another driver had worn out tires and attempted to drive in rain. 😒
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Sorry about that, you would be so worried to know the number of negligent drivers on the road everyday leading to car accident, what would it cost to change your tires and there not only saving others in the road but saving yourself. It’s alarming people don’t think this way with their cars
TheRealDon1994@reddit
Agreed. The most infuriating part is that the car that caused the accident tried to drive away, but got stopped by a police man at the next exit (the accident was at freeway speed). My car got totaled by the way as it the concrete barrier.
Keeping your car in optimal condition for one’s own safety is lesson no.1 in car ownership.
People are just hopelessly careless
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Well we all can’t be the same, in all being a defensive driver is just the best and has saved me a lot whenever I choose to drive, you never can talk who has a bad tire or loose breaking system. Expect the worst at all time so you keep yourself safe. It’s not worth causing you loss just from someone else’s negligence.
TheRealDon1994@reddit
I totally agree with you. This is the way.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Hopefully we get to have alot more experienced and conscious drivers on the road soon, but for me now, no driving !
Apprehensive_Bug1321@reddit
Yes
neverfakemaplesyrup@reddit
Yeah but I’m ngl I am semi-active in environmental and as such design spaces so it feels like I’m a bit more aware. Honestly I find a fair few car guys care about transit and bikes simply because they want less people driving. Makes sense to me.
Most folk don’t know what Sharrows stroads or road diets are, or care, and think giant cars are safer by default n that driving is a right, that licensing is already too restrictive, and There’s No Other Way To Live
The data does back up that we have more road rage, impaired driving, etc going on, too.
Mental-Philosophy3@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from with the environmental side and biking — that’s cool that you’re more aware of stuff like sharrows and road diets. Those ideas definitely have their place in making streets safer for everyone. For me though, living in Atlanta, the reality on the ground is that most people have no real choice but to drive. Public transit doesn’t reach a lot of the suburbs, and the city just keeps growing faster than they can build infrastructure. So you end up with everyone packed on the same old highways, phones out, aggressive moves… it creates a ton of frustration and road rage that probably wouldn’t be as bad if commuting wasn’t so stressful for so many folks. I think a mix would be ideal better options for those who can bike or take transit, plus fixing the roads and driver behavior for the rest of us who are stuck in cars for now.