Observations on Driving in the U.S.

[peckinpahhombre]

I love the U.S. and travel there quite frequently. Over the years, however, I have noticed a few quirks about driving there that mystify me. I was wondering if my non-U.S. brothers notice any similar items (or other oddities of the road), and also whether the U.S. folks can offer an explanation of sorts.
1. Long Wait Times at Intersection with No Discretionary Left-Hand Turns
I am stunned some times by how long I wait at intersections in the U.S. for the light to change. I often joke with my wife that I should have brought a picnic lunch. These wait times seem exacerbated by the fact that, at least based on my experiences driving in the U.S., the powers that be generally refuse to let you turn left except on a green arrow. Sometimes I understand the reasoning for this, based on the particular intersection, but in the U.S. (at least where I have driven) it seems to be the rule rather than the exception - I assume they just don't want to give drivers the ability to make a judgment call as to when it is safe to make a left hand turn against oncoming traffic. This inevitably lengthens the wait time as the traffic system cycles through all the different left hand turn arrows from each direction in the intersection.
2. Screwing the Pooch in the Passing Lane
In Canada, the rule is that the far left hand lane is the passing lane. You use that lane to pass. If you are in that lane, and a car is coming up behind you faster than you are driving, then you get over and let them pass, provided it is safe to to do so. In the U.S. though, I rarely see this. People screw the pooch in the passing lane. Where we live in Ontario we get a lot of U.S. tourists driving on the highway, and we have noticed that if someone is fornicating the canine in the passing lane it is better than even odds that it is a car with U.S. plates. Am I crazy here in thinking they don't have this custom in the U.S.?

 

[crazypipe]

The U.S.A. is a crazy place to drive , be careful. ::

 

[petes03]

Being that I live in the U. S. , and having driven across a good bit of it (mainly east of the Mississippi), my observations amount to this........ People are Idiots! I'm sure I do stupid hinge n the road as well, but I do try to drive better than most of the crazy, reckless, bat out of hell drivers on the road!

 

[leparker]

#1 I agree
#2 In Virginia it is now illegal on an interstate highway to continually drive in the passing lane.

 

[sablebrush52]

The left lane is the passing/fast lane in the US as well, but a significant number of folks seem to have forgotten this. As for discretionary left turns, stupid as our powers-that-be be, they know better than to institute that level of discretion to a population that can't manage to park in a single parking space, stay in a lane, notice pedestrians in the cross walk, avoid tailgating, or switch off their high beams when oncoming traffic is near. A number of us have apparently also decided that stopping for an ambulance, or a speeding police cruiser, is optional.
Of course, I have no opinions regarding this matter.

 

[yazamitaz]

Peck,
The first thing you need to understand is that the 'merican guvmint thinks we have the mental capacity of a four year old. We cannot ascertain depth perception or estimate the speed of an oncoming vehicle, hence the green arrows.
I will not comment on the passing lane since this topic has caused more rage in my life than just about anything. I will give you a simple nod of agreement.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Ah, so at least on the first point it's not just me. Now, in Canada, we do see on occasion the odd intersection where you can only turn left on a green arrow, though almost always it is plain to see why they required an arrow - usually there is a blind spot, or a very wide turn, or some other oddity. For the most part though they generally set up the traffic controls to allow you to turn left in the face of oncoming traffic (though at busy intersections you sometimes get an advance first). I didn't realize why it was taking so long at U.S. intersections until it popped into my mind the other day that they rarely let you turn left unless you have an arrow, so you sit there waiting even if there is absolutely no traffic coming at you.
Yaz, on the passing lane point, in fairness we do have a fair number of Canadians that are also guilty of not understanding how a passing lane works. Frankly, I think it is also a function of the way we license drivers who immigrate to Canada, because I have noticed that new Canadians seem over-represented in the group of passing lane offenders. They should test everyone on the highway and it should be an immediate fail if they don't know how a passing lane works. As far as the US goes, the issues I have experienced with passing lane offenders seems to vary based on the area of the US in which I am traveling. Florida, where I am now, is horrible for this issue. California actually didn't seem too bad.

 

[troutface]

Here in the Denver metro area I'm starting to see some blinking yellow arrows after the green arrow. I bet they will record the stats on accidents and then make a decision on whether to expand the program. And don't forget what Jeff Bridges observed in Starman:
Red means stop.
Green means go.
Yellow means go very fast.

 

[captainsousie]

Look on the bright side. At least you don't have to drive in Italy or, even worse, Russia.

 

[pylorns]

I would say what also contributes to the crazyness is that the USA - has a considerable amount of continual influx of people from other countries with their own driving standards - so if you got to say Germany - you have a certain expectation that a german will drive a specific way - but if you come to the states you might meet a german, or a mexican, or an irishman on the road....

 

[ravkesef]

And of course nothing is metric! I remember living in Canada when we went metric. To avoid confusion, we introduced it gradually. First year, it was temperatures. The next year it was weights and measures, and so forth, until we were completely metric. Cost us 8 billion dollars Celsius to make the switch, when our biggest trading partner (large country to the south,) still used the old system. So we had bags of potato chips that weighed 907 grams. Used to be 2 pounds.

Then some rocket scientist decided we would be better off if we would drive on the left side of the road the way they do in the UK (used to be the Mother Country.). To avoid confusion they would do it gradually. First year: trucks and buses.

 

[checotah]

Peck, am I correct in interpreting your "passing lane" as the left hand (fastest) lane on a multi-lane highway? If so, in this neck of the woods, there is no official definition of that. Here, often signs posted stating "slower traffic must use right lane." That would seem to speak to a different definition of the lanes. We also often have 3.4. or 5 lanes, all with that same basic understanding: slower traffic use right lane. We do have "passing lanes" on some roadways: center lanes used by vehicles going either direction to pass then return to regular lane. We also have other "passing lanes" which are a temporary lane appearing on the right of two lane roads (one lane each direction} which allow slower traffic to pull over and allow faster traffic to pass. I'm guessing these definitions are somewhat regional, my being on the West Coast?
As to the left turn signals, we see some of these differently configured, depending upon some bureaucrat's whim: left turn on green arrow only, left turn on flashing left arrow, yield to oncoming traffic, left turn green arrow providing right of way to turn left, flashing red left turn arrow OK to turn after stopping, yielding right of way to oncoming traffic, and then regular green light allowing left turn if clear, yielding right of way. I've always preferred the solid left arrow which turns to yellow flashing, allowing judgement by the driver.
We also have many intersections with stop signs with added "right turn permitted without stop", the "stop" controlling traffic proceeding straight through or making left turn.

'

 

[tuold]

Part of the problem is as pylorns says, there are a lot people here form many different areas with varying degrees of driving experience. Compound that with the variety of variations of traffic laws from state to state.
Some countries I've visited, Japan in particular, expect much more from drivers than we do in the States. Once you are behind the wheel in Japan you are considered to be a professional and expected to behave like one. It's a privilege, not a right like of lot us of seem to think here.

 

[rideauwrangler]

Just wanted to chime in with one of many personal observations. Last year my wife and I were in Miami travelling on a major highway (can't remember which one); but it was bassically the same as the 401 through the GTA..anyways;
A guy whipped by us going a good 130-140 km/hr weaving in and out of traffic........wait for it.................. on a motorcycle; no hemlet of course, in shorts, no shirt, wearing flip-flops, cell phone in one hand; streering one-handed. CRAZY!

 

[rmbittner]

Yes, #2 is the "rule" in the U.S. as well, but you find a lot of people who are either ignorant of that or just oblivious to what is happening behind them.
As for #1: In the U.S., you are only allowed to turn left on red if you are on a one-way street and you're turning onto a one-way street. Otherwise, it's simply a safety measure to force you to wait for a green arrow or a flashing red. Also, different states handle the green arrows differently. I've noticed that in Illinois you get the green arrow before any other lights; that is, the left-turners are the first who get to move following a red light. But in Michigan, you have to wait for everyone else to have a green before you'll get the green arrow in the left lane.
Bob

 

[daveinlax]

I've driven in Canada enough to know that it's the same as here wide open roads are great and city traffic sucks. In heavy traffic I stay in the hammer lane if that the lane that's moving faster I'm not moving over for someone who wants to get by me just to sit behind the car in front of me. It's tough when you have to share the road with trucks that struggle to maintain the speed limit and drivers that think 80 is standing still. 8O

 

[sablebrush52]

According to the head of the team that handled my sister-in-law's liver transplant last year, the majority of donatable organs come from populations of states that don't have helmet laws. Transplant recipients owe a debt of gratitude to those who fought against the enactment of such laws.

 

[ravkesef]

According to the head of the team that handled my sister-in-law's liver transplant last year, the majority of donatable organs come from populations of states that don't have helmet laws. Transplant recipients owe a debt of gratitude to those who fought against the enactment of such laws.

Ah yes, let's hear it for Donorcycles!

 

[yazamitaz]

Peck,
Your location adds a whole new perspective to the passing lane point. Florida is the retirement capital of the U.S. Not trying to pick on any of the older drivers here, but many of them find it "their duty" to be the pace car of the highway. The speed limit may be 65 or 75 and dagnabbit, they will make sure you don't exceed that. While they probably think they are doing you a favor, they are truly giving you indigestion.
When I was in the Marine Corps I was stationed at Camp Pendleton, which crosses over both San Diego and Orange counties. I had a girlfriend that lived in Huntingdon Beach and would drive up there after being dismissed for the evening. I would be doing 80-90 in the passing lane with people on my ass, flashing their high beams at me, and flashing various fingers at me as if I was going 45. I do miss the wreckless abandon that southern CA drivers possess.

 

[kcghost]

1. Some countries permit left turns on Red but we don't. Hardly an end of the world. Hardly a matter to get
2.