Most Courteous Drivers: Portland, Pittsburgh, STL, SF

[Jesda]

http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyr ... t_cour.php

St. Louis comes in right behind No. 1 Portland and No. 2 Pittsburgh on a list of the most courteous drivers in the U.S., according to a study commissioned by roadside assistance provider AutoVantage. Houston was named the city with the worst road rage.

Researchers ranked cities based on surveys with 2,500 adults age 21 and older who personally drive in rush-hour traffic three days per week or more in America's 25 largest cities.

Compared to other cities, St. Louis drivers are the least likely to see another driver running a red light, shaking a fist at a driver or tailgating another car.

The five cities with the most courteous drivers are, in order, Portland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Francisco and Charlotte. The five cities with the least courteous drivers are Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Boston.

Having driven damn near everywhere in this country, I am inclined to agree with this list. Portland is a friendly city with short commutes.

St Louis can, arguably, handle a much larger volume of drivers and the highway system is well developed for the population size. Missouri gas taxes are low, projects come in under budget and on schedule, and the pavement here is some of the nicest in the country despite occasionally harsh winters. Lane management is terrible -- people seem to believe that lane markers are mere suggestions and on-ramps are places to cruise, not accelerate.


Atlanta is a battlefield. So many people crammed on to so little pavement means even the most polite southerners become total a-holes behind the wheel.

[RicerX]

I can also attest to Atlanta being terrible. Thankfully I only get through there around once to twice a year.

I would like to go for a long cruise along the west coast and stop in the Oregon countryside.

[Kompresshun]

I lived in the Atlanta area for most of my life and I can also attest that most of the drivers there are complete a-holes. I wouldn't move back to that area ever again, even if it meant doubling my salary. I hate the place that much.

The only places that come even close to my hated of Atlanta are Chicago and Washington, D.C.

[numbnuts240]

strange, i didn't feel atlanta drivers were all that bad when i was down there. i do feel that all mass drivers are retarded, and their skills degrade exponentially once they cross the ct border.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Oregon wins again.

[themadscientist]

I lived in the Atlanta area for most of my life and I can also attest that most of the drivers there are complete a-holes. I wouldn't move back to that area ever again, even if it meant doubling my salary. I hate the place that much.

The only places that come even close to my hated of Atlanta are Chicago and Washington, D.C.

+1 on DC Northern Virginia.

[Bubba1]

I lived in the Atlanta area for most of my life and I can also attest that most of the drivers there are complete a-holes. I wouldn't move back to that area ever again, even if it meant doubling my salary. I hate the place that much.

The only places that come even close to my hated of Atlanta are Chicago and Washington, D.C.

+1 on DC Northern Virginia.

While the driving azzholery in DC/NVA is impressive, it pales when compared to the sheer nastiness of driving farther northeast (Philly, NJ/NY, and especially Boston). Where drivin' is an all out war for instantaneous land acquisition in 20' increments, and anyone who remotely gets in your way be damned.

I don't have an issue with the list. In fact I find it interesting to see the significant transition from nasty to polite whenever travelling westbound thru Pennsylvania.

[flohtingPoint]

http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyr ... t_cour.php

St. Louis comes in right behind No. 1 Portland and No. 2 Pittsburgh on a list of the most courteous drivers in the U.S., according to a study commissioned by roadside assistance provider AutoVantage. Houston was named the city with the worst road rage.

Researchers ranked cities based on surveys with 2,500 adults age 21 and older who personally drive in rush-hour traffic three days per week or more in America's 25 largest cities.

Compared to other cities, St. Louis drivers are the least likely to see another driver running a red light, shaking a fist at a driver or tailgating another car.

The five cities with the most courteous drivers are, in order, Portland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Francisco and Charlotte. The five cities with the least courteous drivers are Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Boston.

Having driven damn near everywhere in this country, I am inclined to agree with this list. Portland is a friendly city with short commutes.

St Louis can, arguably, handle a much larger volume of drivers and the highway system is well developed for the population size. Missouri gas taxes are low, projects come in under budget and on schedule, and the pavement here is some of the nicest in the country despite occasionally harsh winters. Lane management is terrible -- people seem to believe that lane markers are mere suggestions and on-ramps are places to cruise, not accelerate.


Atlanta is a battlefield. So many people crammed on to so little pavement means even the most polite southerners become total a-holes behind the wheel.

Except when all million or so are trying to cross one of the couple bridges from Illinois each day. I lived right next to the arch (4th and Washington'ish area) for a year and worked at Scott AFB, and that commute SUCKED!

West Texas has the most courteous drivers I've ever seen. If you're in a two lane road, they'll move over onto the shoulder to let you pass if it's a no-pass zone. Considering how much debris is out there, that's pretty damned nice.

Not sure how Newark/NYC didn't make this list for biggest ***holes, or is that a given? If you come up to a stop sign, and dont go IMMEDIATELY (whether or not it is clear, which most of the time is is far from clear), you get about 20 people behind you laying into their horns.

[nissangirl74]

Philly is the worst city for driving I've personally driven in but all of Southern California is a close second. Probably because Philly seems so cramped. I haven't driven through Atlanta in over a decade and it sucked then (DON'T EVER DRIVE IN ATLANTA WHEN THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND).

[szh]

(DON'T EVER DRIVE IN ATLANTA WHEN THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND).

Or Dallas!! People there don't know what to do in snow or ice conditions.

Z

[Bubba1]

[
Not sure how Newark/NYC didn't make this list for biggest ***holes, or is that a given? If you come up to a stop sign, and dont go IMMEDIATELY (whether or not it is clear, which most of the time is is far from clear), you get about 20 people behind you laying into their horns.

Perhaps Newark/NYC were left off as it would be like comparing professional a-holes to amateurs.

[Jesda]

Except when all million or so are trying to cross one of the couple bridges from Illinois each day. I lived right next to the arch (4th and Washington'ish area) for a year and worked at Scott AFB, and that commute SUCKED!

The idea is to discourage the people of Illinois from coming here.

[flohtingPoint]

Except when all million or so are trying to cross one of the couple bridges from Illinois each day. I lived right next to the arch (4th and Washington'ish area) for a year and worked at Scott AFB, and that commute SUCKED!

The idea is to discourage the people of Illinois from coming here.

Whatever puts a bottleneck in any plans that East St Louis could have of banding together and taking over St Louis =)

Not sure how Newark/NYC didn't make this list for biggest ***holes, or is that a given? If you come up to a stop sign, and dont go IMMEDIATELY (whether or not it is clear, which most of the time is is far from clear), you get about 20 people behind you laying into their horns.

Perhaps Newark/NYC were left off as it would be like comparing professional a-holes to amateurs.

They are definitely the MVP's.

[frapjap]

While the driving azzholery in DC/NVA is impressive, it pales when compared to the sheer nastiness of driving farther northeast (Philly, NJ/NY, and especially Boston). Where drivin' is an all out war for instantaneous land acquisition in 20' increments, and anyone who remotely gets in your way be damned.

I don't have an issue with the list. In fact I find it interesting to see the significant transition from nasty to polite whenever travelling westbound thru Pennsylvania.

This. I really like the last 2-3 hours driving to Carlisle because everyone gets nice, moves to the left, signals, etc. Coming back home afterwards is another story and I'm ready to rage at the next sonuvabitch who cuts me off in very slow stop & go traffic for the buffer space I left in front of me so I don't have to keep working the clutch.