View Full Version : Question: What are OKC drivers like compared to other cities?
venture 04-02-2014, 11:55 PM Do you really pass anyone going 60? This would be interesting - your homework is to count cars that you pass as well as cars passing you.
I'm not sure about doing 60, well unless it is during rush hour then you do, but definitely where it is 70. I'm like Catch, I have my timing set to where I know when I need to leave by to give me the padding before I have to be to work. Every day going up 35 through North Norman and Moore it is not unusual at all where speeds of the middle and right lane are 60 or less in the 70 speed zone. That means you can easily pass cars, in a timely manner, doing the speed limit.
I also have no problem doing 5-7 over the limit if that is the flow of traffic and I need to do that to pass. I'm not going to do 15-20 over though. Those people are just inconsiderate of others and if I pass them smoldering in their wreckage after plowing into a support pillar, my condolences to their family for birthing an idiot.
The people that get me, and I run into this all the time on Hwy 9 lately, are those that feel the need to pass on the shoulder because traffic isn't going fast enough for them. It was just ridiculous a couple weeks ago that I could 4 or 5 guys doing it. I was just getting so out of hand I ended up calling Norman PD and they have OHP ready for them as well. I get some people like to drive fast, but that shoulder is not meant for passing or driving.
There are times where I wish people were required to go back and do road tests every 8 or 12 years when renewing their license. It would hilarious to see how many would end up failing the road test and have their license suspended. Put in a requirement to attend driver's ed and retest 7 days later...people would hopefully shape up pretty quick. It would also help to isolate those that have lost their ability to drive that just aren't safe anymore.
catch22 04-03-2014, 12:29 AM I'm not sure about doing 60, well unless it is during rush hour then you do, but definitely where it is 70. I'm like Catch, I have my timing set to where I know when I need to leave by to give me the padding before I have to be to work. Every day going up 35 through North Norman and Moore it is not unusual at all where speeds of the middle and right lane are 60 or less in the 70 speed zone. That means you can easily pass cars, in a timely manner, doing the speed limit.
I also have no problem doing 5-7 over the limit if that is the flow of traffic and I need to do that to pass. I'm not going to do 15-20 over though. Those people are just inconsiderate of others and if I pass them smoldering in their wreckage after plowing into a support pillar, my condolences to their family for birthing an idiot.
The people that get me, and I run into this all the time on Hwy 9 lately, are those that feel the need to pass on the shoulder because traffic isn't going fast enough for them. It was just ridiculous a couple weeks ago that I could 4 or 5 guys doing it. I was just getting so out of hand I ended up calling Norman PD and they have OHP ready for them as well. I get some people like to drive fast, but that shoulder is not meant for passing or driving.
There are times where I wish people were required to go back and do road tests every 8 or 12 years when renewing their license. It would hilarious to see how many would end up failing the road test and have their license suspended. Put in a requirement to attend driver's ed and retest 7 days later...people would hopefully shape up pretty quick. It would also help to isolate those that have lost their ability to drive that just aren't safe anymore.
I just wish more people understood time differences, and how speeding does not save any time. When I dated a girl in Edmond several years ago, for fun (and because I love numbers) I timed my commute to Edmond. I used the same route, and used several different speed profiles (speed limit+0,non-aggresive; speed limit+10,semi-aggressive;speed limit+15,very aggressive). Over a 2 month period, my average times were within seconds of each other. Each profile resulted in an average which came to a matter of seconds of the other two averages.
Any time I made up by speeding on the highway, was subtracted by stop lights. If the stoplight is on a 2 minute cycle, you have to make up more than 2 minutes of time to beat that light. For example, on a 2 minute cycle, you will get a green at 12:00, 12:02, 12:04, 12:06, 12:08, 12:10 etc. Driving at 60 will get you to that light at 12:04. Speeding at 70 will get you to that light possibly at the end of the 12:02 cycle. If you hit that light, you will depart that light at 12:04, the exact same time as you will have departed that light by driving 60mph.
It was a complete wash. All 3 driving profiles resulted in extremely similar times (again, down to seconds difference). 17 miles highway, 4 city, 4 stoplights. Doesn't matter what driving profile, the same ETA.
After that experiment, I stopped speeding excessively, and reduced myself to a less aggressive driving profile. The only thing I got out of speeding was a $182 ticket one day during the experiment, and increased fuel burn.
venture 04-03-2014, 12:35 AM I just wish more people understood time differences, and how speeding does not save any time. When I dated a girl in Edmond several years ago, for fun (and because I love numbers) I timed my commute to Edmond. I used the same route, and used several different speed profiles (speed limit+0,non-aggresive; speed limit+10,semi-aggressive;speed limit+15,very aggressive). Over a 2 month period, my average times were within seconds of each other. Each profile resulted in an average which came to a matter of seconds of the other two averages.
Any time I made up by speeding on the highway, was subtracted by stop lights. If the stoplight is on a 2 minute cycle, you have to make up more than 2 minutes of time to beat that light. For example, on a 2 minute cycle, you will get a green at 12:00, 12:02, 12:04, 12:06, 12:08, 12:10 etc. Driving at 60 will get you to that light at 12:04. Speeding at 70 will get you to that light possibly at the end of the 12:02 cycle. If you hit that light, you will depart that light at 12:04, the exact same time as you will have departed that light by driving 60mph.
It was a complete wash. All 3 driving profiles resulted in extremely similar times (again, down to seconds difference). 17 miles highway, 4 city, 4 stoplights. Doesn't matter what driving profile, the same ETA.
After that experiment, I stopped speeding excessively, and reduced myself to a less aggressive driving profile. The only thing I got out of speeding was a $182 ticket one day during the experiment, and increased fuel burn.
Completely agree. It isn't worth it to speed excessively when you are only going to make up a minute or two if that.
bchris02 04-03-2014, 07:13 AM Do you really pass anyone going 60? This would be interesting - your homework is to count cars that you pass as well as cars passing you.
I have found that in OKC, you can be doing 60 and still be passing people, especially on the Hefner Parkway where people seem to really like going 5-10 mph below the speed limit.
LocoAko 04-03-2014, 07:54 AM The people that get me, and I run into this all the time on Hwy 9 lately, are those that feel the need to pass on the shoulder because traffic isn't going fast enough for them. It was just ridiculous a couple weeks ago that I could 4 or 5 guys doing it. I was just getting so out of hand I ended up calling Norman PD and they have OHP ready for them as well. I get some people like to drive fast, but that shoulder is not meant for passing or driving.
Ugh, good! While in general I think OKC drivers are tame and polite compared to those back home, I was stunned to see people whipping around me through the shoulder on Highway 9, and I have only noticed this recently as well. For me, at least, it keeps happening at the busy intersection with 12th SE at rush hour, where people want to head south on 12th and there is often a long line of cars behind the light (that moves in no time if you were to, you know, actually just wait a bit). Unreal.
Roger S 04-03-2014, 08:31 AM Do you really pass anyone going 60? This would be interesting - your homework is to count cars that you pass as well as cars passing you.
Yes I do. You ask that question like it's some kind of impossibility.
Just the facts 04-03-2014, 08:58 AM All of this discussion makes me glad I drive as a little as possible. I drive the speed limit and hardly ever speed. My car warns me if I go 5 mph over the posted speed limit and a second warning (both visual and audible) if the car ever hits 75 mph. In areas where the speed limit is between 35 and 45 I use cruise control to make sure I don't speed. Does it piss off people behind me who are running late? Probably, because I see them throw their arms in the air and make other gestures, but you know, that is their problem. They should have left earlier. On the interstate I drive almost exclusively in the right lane and only change lanes to allow traffic to merge on. I have found that doing this saves gas, makes my drive more enjoyable, keeps out of trouble with the law (no speeding tickets in over 20 years), and as catch22 pointed out, I arrive at my destination at almost the exact same time.
Now for the question of are OKC drivers better or worse than other drivers. I guess that all depends on the individual because this clown in Houston the other day would be a bad driver no matter where he lived.
Raw: METRO train smashes into red-light runner | khou.com Houston (http://www.khou.com/video/raw/Raw-METRO-train-smashes-into-red-light-runner-253465831.html)
Just the facts 04-03-2014, 09:00 AM Two things I've also noticed:
1.) Rubbernecking. Several times I've noticed traffic on the highway slow in all lanes and I've wondered what the deal was. Then a mile of so later I'll see someone in the opposite flow of the highway across the median changing a flat, or a two car fender bender. Then the traffic disappears and everyone speeds up.
And you know they were changing a flat or minor fender-bender how?
Just sayin'
TheTravellers 04-03-2014, 02:15 PM ...
As I said.... I have no obligation to break the law to move out of that lane for another vehicle. Once I have safely passed any vechicles to my right. Then I am obligated to move to the right and allow a faster moving vehicle to pass.
...
Glad you're doing this the right way, now please teach the rest of the idiots that can't figure this out! For every one of you doing it the right way, there's at least one that I come up behind, flash my lights at, wave them over, sometimes doing it multiple times, giving them a chance to do the right thing, and they will not move over even if they're going the speed limit and the right lane is clear of cars next to them and for half a mile ahead. Then I pass them on the right, and they invariably flip me off or try to match my speed. WTF, really, they're so in the wrong, yet they think I'm the ***hole? SMH...
I will give drivers on the Kilpatrick props for moving over better than the ones on the Parkway (and yes, I know the same people could be driving on both roads, not sure how to explain the discrepancy), sometimes even without me flashing my lights at them, *and* using their turn signal!
Roger S 04-03-2014, 02:38 PM Glad you're doing this the right way, now please teach the rest of the idiots that can't figure this out! For every one of you doing it the right way, there's at least one that I come up behind, flash my lights at, wave them over, sometimes doing it multiple times, giving them a chance to do the right thing, and they will not move over even if they're going the speed limit and the right lane is clear of cars next to them and for half a mile ahead. Then I pass them on the right, and they invariably flip me off or try to match my speed. WTF, really, they're so in the wrong, yet they think I'm the ***hole? SMH...
I will give drivers on the Kilpatrick props for moving over better than the ones on the Parkway (and yes, I know the same people could be driving on both roads, not sure how to explain the discrepancy), sometimes even without me flashing my lights at them, *and* using their turn signal!
I see this way too much travelling between OKC and Ardmore. I always make that trip with the cruise control on and stay in the right hand lane except to pass. It boggles my mind how many cars I actually pass that are going less than the speed limit in the left lane.
Now it does seem to be more prevalent between Norman and Purcell. So I think a lot of people that are going to take the first Purcell exit just get in the left lane and stay there until they get to Purcell instead of moving to the right like they are supposed to be doing.
Mississippi Blues 04-04-2014, 12:53 PM They should have set their alarm 1 minute earlier, because literally that is all the time they are saving by going 10 mph over.
For example, 8 miles of pure highway at 65mph is a 7 minute, 23 second trip time.
at 75 mph 6 minutes 24 seconds
at 85 mph 5 minutes 38 seconds
It's not my problem you left the house 10 minutes late. Guess what? Speeding at 85 mph will only make you 8 minutes late. It will make you 2 hours late when you blow a tire at 85. Or 30 minutes late when you get pulled over. Or two weeks late when the interstate ahead is at a sudden standstill from congestion, and you plow into the back of someone at 50 mph.
If I am ever late for work, I drive like I do if I am 30 minutes early. The extra minute or two I save, will not make a difference in my pay or my attendance point system. I get a point for being late either way, and I am paid by 1/4 hour. So there is no reward for me in speeding and causing any undue risks to my safety or the safety of others.
I just wish more people understood time differences, and how speeding does not save any time. When I dated a girl in Edmond several years ago, for fun (and because I love numbers) I timed my commute to Edmond. I used the same route, and used several different speed profiles (speed limit+0,non-aggresive; speed limit+10,semi-aggressive;speed limit+15,very aggressive). Over a 2 month period, my average times were within seconds of each other. Each profile resulted in an average which came to a matter of seconds of the other two averages.
Any time I made up by speeding on the highway, was subtracted by stop lights. If the stoplight is on a 2 minute cycle, you have to make up more than 2 minutes of time to beat that light. For example, on a 2 minute cycle, you will get a green at 12:00, 12:02, 12:04, 12:06, 12:08, 12:10 etc. Driving at 60 will get you to that light at 12:04. Speeding at 70 will get you to that light possibly at the end of the 12:02 cycle. If you hit that light, you will depart that light at 12:04, the exact same time as you will have departed that light by driving 60mph.
It was a complete wash. All 3 driving profiles resulted in extremely similar times (again, down to seconds difference). 17 miles highway, 4 city, 4 stoplights. Doesn't matter what driving profile, the same ETA.
After that experiment, I stopped speeding excessively, and reduced myself to a less aggressive driving profile. The only thing I got out of speeding was a $182 ticket one day during the experiment, and increased fuel burn.
Holy cow. I took a class but never had the numbers memorized, but this is insane. I observe cars zoom past me when I'm driving the speed limit and 95% of the time I will see them again before I exit the interstate. Not because I get road rage and chase them down, but because they'll end up right behind a car driving the speed limit or because they're exiting at the same exit as me. They spend all that energy and impatience to get somewhere faster only to be stopped at the same red light as me. Your example is the ultimate example though since you recorded the numbers and kind of blew up the whole "excessive speeding" mentality.
venture 04-04-2014, 01:42 PM Holy cow. I took a class but never had the numbers memorized, but this is insane. I observe cars zoom past me when I'm driving the speed limit and 95% of the time I will see them again before I exit the interstate. Not because I get road rage and chase them down, but because they'll end up right behind a car driving the speed limit or because they're exiting at the same exit as me. They spend all that energy and impatience to get somewhere faster only to be stopped at the same red light as me. Your example is the ultimate example though since you recorded the numbers and kind of blew up the whole "excessive speeding" mentality.
This was my experience yesterday. There was a car that flew past me on Hwy 9 in Norman. I remembered it because of the out of state license plate that stuck in my head for some reason. I did my usual thing. Obey the limit in the construction zone. Stay with in 5 mph of the speed limit until it hits 70 in North Norman and then do 70-73 until it slows down in Moore. After I was on 240 the same car ended up passing me when I got to the Penn exit and was tailgating as much as possible to get around people. By the time I exited 44 we were pretty much even.
I just had to chuckle at home much gas they probably wasted with all the speed up/slow down and aggressive driving. Just another example of why there is no point to be a douche or speed through traffic.
TheTravellers 04-04-2014, 02:32 PM ...
I just had to chuckle at home much gas they probably wasted with all the speed up/slow down and aggressive driving. Just another example of why there is no point to be a douche or speed through traffic.
Sometimes it works in the "douche"'s advantage - get through one red light, might make it through another, then might make it through another, and then you get on the highway and make it to their exit without getting stuck behind blockers, do things like that a few times and yes, the "douche" has successfully shaved 10-15 minutes off their time. Doesn't happen often, I'd guess, but often enough to sometimes make it worthwhile. I don't do the weaving around and tailgating, though, but yes, I've sped a few times to make sure I make it through a certain light, because I know the traffic signal patterns and I know that if I can make it through *this* one and drive a certain speed, I can make it through the next couple (barring heavy traffic) and save time. I also drive very far ahead of my front bumper, as far as possible, which helps me time things.
Plutonic Panda 04-04-2014, 02:38 PM Sometimes it works in the "douche"'s advantage - get through one red light, might make it through another, then might make it through another, and then you get on the highway and make it to their exit without getting stuck behind blockers, do things like that a few times and yes, the "douche" has successfully shaved 10-15 minutes off their time. Doesn't happen often, I'd guess, but often enough to sometimes make it worthwhile. I don't do the weaving around and tailgating, though, but yes, I've sped a few times to make sure I make it through a certain light, because I know the traffic signal patterns and I know that if I can make it through *this* one and drive a certain speed, I can make it through the next couple (barring heavy traffic) and save time. I also drive very far ahead of my front bumper, as far as possible, which helps me time things.It happens just as much as these people saying speeding 5-10 over only saves you one or two minutes. That is only based on going on set path with no obstructions and doesn't take into account any traffic lights. I posted a graphic awhile back that explained to differences in speeding.
catch22 04-04-2014, 03:40 PM It happens just as much as these people saying speeding 5-10 over only saves you one or two minutes. That is only based on going on set path with no obstructions and doesn't take into account any traffic lights. I posted a graphic awhile back that explained to differences in speeding.
Sorry but I had two months of a real world experiment that combined city and highway driving, and the results were too similar to justify speeding.
Plutonic Panda 04-04-2014, 03:44 PM Sorry but I had two months of a real world experiment that combined city and highway driving, and the results were too similar to justify speeding.I've just been driving for a 4 years and that is what I have noticed. I'm sticking to my point and that's that. If you have been in a two month experiment that studied that, that's fine and but my point still remains valid.
ljbab728 04-05-2014, 12:29 AM It happens just as much as these people saying speeding 5-10 over only saves you one or two minutes. That is only based on going on set path with no obstructions and doesn't take into account any traffic lights. I posted a graphic awhile back that explained to differences in speeding.
And then there are the people who don't speed to save time. They just like to drive fast. Hmmm. Who could I be thinking about? :D
David 04-05-2014, 09:01 AM Here's something I occasionally see on Broadway Extension that just makes me go "huh": emergency vehicles of one sort or another on the right shoulder leading to people in the right lane going four lanes over to the far left to avoid them and then four lanes back once we're past. I admire the caution, but it seems a little excessive.
Doesn't happen too often, but I saw it twice this last week and it made me think of this thread.
no1cub17 04-05-2014, 09:36 AM So why do people slow down to 30 on on 235 N at the 235/44 junction? I get it there's a curve, but on a dry day without precipitation, there's no reason to slow down to less than the speed limit, yet people insist on slowing down to 30 IN THE LEFT LANE. I'm not talking about rush hour when that intersection is a cluster anyway, I'm talking about low traffic times. I'm sorry but this irritates the hell out of me, so you better believe I'm going to pass them on the right and then merge left again if I'm continuing on 77 north. Insane. That curve can easily be done at the speed limit. If it wasn't safe to do so, shouldn't ODOT have put up yellow signs indicating a lower speed limit? But they didn't.
bluedogok 04-05-2014, 10:41 AM So why do people slow down to 30 on on 235 N at the 235/44 junction? I get it there's a curve, but on a dry day without precipitation, there's no reason to slow down to less than the speed limit, yet people insist on slowing down to 30 IN THE LEFT LANE. I'm not talking about rush hour when that intersection is a cluster anyway, I'm talking about low traffic times. I'm sorry but this irritates the hell out of me, so you better believe I'm going to pass them on the right and then merge left again if I'm continuing on 77 north. Insane. That curve can easily be done at the speed limit. If it wasn't safe to do so, shouldn't ODOT have put up yellow signs indicating a lower speed limit? But they didn't.
Because many people seem to be scared by anything other than a straight road. The same thing happens in Austin on I-35 south of downtown around the slight bend to cross the river. It seems like some people just shouldn't be driving.
TheTravellers 04-05-2014, 01:54 PM Sorry but I had two months of a real world experiment that combined city and highway driving, and the results were too similar to justify speeding.
My experiment (not stopwatch timed, but wall-clock timed) has been going on longer than 2 months (for years, actually, if not decades) and I've gotten different results than you have, weird...
catch22 04-05-2014, 02:09 PM Well alrighty then. Mine was stopwatch timed, and I entered in every time.
What's funny is, I was actually hoping for a result that confirmed I was saving time. I got a totally different result than what I was hoping for. Which ultimately has made me a safer driver, use less fuel, endure much less stress, and have increased my punctuality.
Results may vary, I suppose.
So why do people slow down to 30 on on 235 N at the 235/44 junction? I get it there's a curve, but on a dry day without precipitation, there's no reason to slow down to less than the speed limit, yet people insist on slowing down to 30 IN THE LEFT LANE.
If terrorists only killed those people then they'd be a lot more popular. Derka derka derka baby.
venture 04-05-2014, 04:39 PM My experiment (not stopwatch timed, but wall-clock timed) has been going on longer than 2 months (for years, actually, if not decades) and I've gotten different results than you have, weird...
How many speeding tickets or accidents though?
Plutonic Panda 04-05-2014, 05:43 PM And then there are the people who don't speed to save time. They just like to drive fast. Hmmm. Who could I be thinking about? :D
Couldn't be me..... ;)
TheTravellers 04-05-2014, 06:40 PM How many speeding tickets or accidents though?
No accidents and only a couple of tickets (both in OKC since 2009, never got a ticket in the 12 years I lived in Chicagoland or the 2 I lived in WA), but one was for not stopping at a stop sign (on whatever road it is that connects Wilshire to NW Expwy next to Hertz because I turned right into Hertz without coming to a full stop, which I did pretty much every day because there are almost no cars on that road and it's a right turn) and there happened to be a cop that came around the corner from the other way and saw me one time. The speeding ticket was for turning east on 122nd from May being behind someone that was literally going less than 4 MPH around the corner, so I put my foot down to get around him once we turned and a cop came over the hill right as I did it, was training his partner and wrote me a ticket, even though it was less than 10 over (yes, I know they can write a ticket for 1 over, but they usually don't bother unless it's more than 8-10 over, which I wasn't doing). Now I have a radar detector, so I hope no more tickets. I'm not counting the tickets I got when I was a teenager, most folks have a few from that time in their lives. ;-)
TheTravellers 04-05-2014, 06:46 PM Well alrighty then. Mine was stopwatch timed, and I entered in every time.
What's funny is, I was actually hoping for a result that confirmed I was saving time. I got a totally different result than what I was hoping for. Which ultimately has made me a safer driver, use less fuel, endure much less stress, and have increased my punctuality.
Results may vary, I suppose.
The largest factor, by far, for me has been traffic lights. I use the same routes to and from work (although now I work at a different place and my routes are kinda strange right now), and if I hit every light green, it could take me 15-17 minutes, but if I hit every light red, it could take 25-30. So I basically try to time my driving to get through the most green lights as possible since I usually know how fast I have to go to get through certain ones on certain routes, and sometimes it takes going a few MPH over to do that. If drivers are going 5-10 under and blocking anybody from passing them, then I can miss the next light, then the next, ... That's the main reason I do not like to be in the herd going 5-10 under. Other routes/streets are completely random, though, so nothing can help in those cases.
catch22 04-05-2014, 07:01 PM Of course if you have constant green lights your time will be different.
That's why in a statistical world (where I flourish) the averages are too similar.
If I still had my old spreadsheet is post it. There were days I made up 4-5 minutes of time. I didn't hit any lights due to happenstance, or an aggressive driving pattern. Other days I hit every one of them.
Over 45 trips, the average time for each driving profile was within the minute of the other.
Statistical average. The lower trip times were statistical anomalies. Even on the most conservative driving profile, there were day-to-day variances of minutes due to lights.
But on average, significant time savings were about 1/5 of the same trip, across driving profiles. For example, I found that for each driving profile; 1 out of every 5 trips had a significant time saving of the other 4 trips of the same profile. Traffic lights and uncontrollable circumstances such as traffic or environmental conditions.
TheTravellers 04-05-2014, 07:44 PM Makes sense, and I think we both are pretty close to agreement with each other. I think the difference is that if I see a chance to get ahead of the herd and try to make green lights or see way open lanes ahead on a highway, I will (but not by being crazy and weaving around them and being aggressive), but if I can't, I'll just deal until I do see my chance (if ever), which doesn't sound like your behavior.
thebigtamale 04-09-2014, 04:16 PM The speeding ticket was for turning east on 122nd from May being behind someone that was literally going less than 4 MPH around the corner, so I put my foot down to get around him once we turned
Man this kills me. Why can't people take turns at a decent speed?
zachj7 04-10-2014, 12:56 AM My biggest gripe coming from other states is that many here have no concept of merging. They will slow and sometimes stop right before entering the freeway on the end of the entrance. It boggles my mind at the logic in that. Also another gripe is that many here do not understand the concept of a passing lane. People call it the "fast lane" but really you pass then move over. Simple logical efficient driving. Mostly people just sit there driving slow. Lastly, I do not understand why there are left lane exits. In other cities, having a left lane exit is a last resort if there is no other way to have a right lane exit (usually too urban or not enough room to make right lane exit). Here there are tons of left lane exits when there really shouldn't be which means less efficient driving, more traffic. Overall, OKC drivers are okay.
venture 04-10-2014, 01:24 AM My biggest gripe coming from other states is that many here have no concept of merging. They will slow and sometimes stop right before entering the freeway on the end of the entrance. It boggles my mind at the logic in that. Also another gripe is that many here do not understand the concept of a passing lane. People call it the "fast lane" but really you pass then move over. Simple logical efficient driving. Mostly people just sit there driving slow. Lastly, I do not understand why there are left lane exits. In other cities, having a left lane exit is a last resort if there is no other way to have a right lane exit (usually too urban or not enough room to make right lane exit). Here there are tons of left lane exits when there really shouldn't be which means less efficient driving, more traffic. Overall, OKC drivers are okay.
Merging is always a big one. People don't prepare or look ahead of where they will be in 5 or 10 seconds time, they focus too much on now. If you drive ahead a bit you can time things out so you can merge. Granted there are times where traffic is just bad and you can't merge in and may have to stop.
Anonymous. 04-10-2014, 08:24 AM My biggest gripe coming from other states is that many here have no concept of merging. They will slow and sometimes stop right before entering the freeway on the end of the entrance. It boggles my mind at the logic in that. Also another gripe is that many here do not understand the concept of a passing lane. People call it the "fast lane" but really you pass then move over. Simple logical efficient driving. Mostly people just sit there driving slow. Lastly, I do not understand why there are left lane exits. In other cities, having a left lane exit is a last resort if there is no other way to have a right lane exit (usually too urban or not enough room to make right lane exit). Here there are tons of left lane exits when there really shouldn't be which means less efficient driving, more traffic. Overall, OKC drivers are okay.
Left lane exits are cheaper to build... No bridge needed.
Plutonic Panda 04-10-2014, 12:56 PM Left lane exits are cheaper to build... No bridge needed.cheap cheap cheap... that is what Oklahoma is built on it seems.
TheTravellers 04-10-2014, 04:11 PM Forgot a couple of other things I've seen mainly in OKC:
Garbage bags (sometimes *black*) for windows. And as a corollary - missing bumpers, parts, headlights, etc. Just a lot of beat-up cars, seems like a lot more than I've seen in other cities that I've lived in (and not just hail damage, that's understandable).
Creeping - stopping at a stoplight, leaving one car length between them and the car in front of them, then creeping up 6 inches at a time while waiting for it to turn green.
Plutonic Panda 04-10-2014, 04:16 PM Forgot a couple of other things I've seen mainly in OKC:
Garbage bags (sometimes *black*) for windows. And as a corollary - missing bumpers, parts, headlights, etc. Just a lot of beat-up cars, seems like a lot more than I've seen in other cities that I've lived in (and not just hail damage, that's understandable).Yeah, I've noticed people here seem to lack self-pride and don't really spend much on their cars. That is slowly changing though.
Creeping - stopping at a stoplight, leaving one car length between them and the car in front of them, then creeping up 6 inches at a time while waiting for it to turn green.don't even get me started on that :p
windowphobe 04-10-2014, 06:40 PM Yeah, I've noticed people here seem to lack self-pride and don't really spend much on their cars.
You won't have to go far to find a $500 car with a $1000 audio system.
Overall, I've never had any real issues driving in and around Oklahoma City. Most of the drivers are fairly courteous, in my opinion. You'll see the occasional idiot that doesn't pay attention, but coming from the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma City is a driver's dream. My fellow Texas Panhandle drivers are...ridiculous.
Plutonic Panda 04-10-2014, 06:47 PM You won't have to go far to find a $500 car with a $1000 audio system.or $1,500 wheels. I can't tell you how many 2-3k trucks I see that have likely spent over 5k alone lifting the truck, putting on monster tires, and having big black rims :p
Roger S 04-11-2014, 06:36 AM Ok, have to add a new one as I've seen this happen twice in two days now.
Impatient idiot not happy with the people going 75 in the left lane so they cross three lanes of traffic and use the on ramp accelleration lane to pass on the right and then cut back across three lanes to get back in the left.
It's behavior like this that makes me want to go all kinds of William Foster on people.... Bonus points if you get the William Foster reference without Googling it.
Plutonic Panda 04-11-2014, 11:12 AM Ok, have to add a new one as I've seen this happen twice in two days now.
Impatient idiot not happy with the people going 75 in the left lane so they cross three lanes of traffic and use the on ramp accelleration lane to pass on the right and then cut back across three lanes to get back in the left.
It's behavior like this that makes me want to go all kinds of William Foster on people.... Bonus points if you get the William Foster reference without Googling it.sorry man, I promise it won't happen again ;)
no1cub17 04-12-2014, 04:14 PM sorry man, I promise it won't happen again ;)
LOL might be me too. Going 75 on what though - if going 75 on 60 and some crazyperson does that then that's one thing. I find it hard to believe anyone in the state of Oklahoma was going 75 mph though. I don't think I've ever seen that before. You must've been in Chicago.
Roger S 04-13-2014, 07:28 AM LOL might be me too. Going 75 on what though - if going 75 on 60 and some crazyperson does that then that's one thing. I find it hard to believe anyone in the state of Oklahoma was going 75 mph though. I don't think I've ever seen that before. You must've been in Chicago.
Both times I saw it was on I-35 South around the 44th Street ramp.
Roger S 04-13-2014, 07:31 AM Do have to say I was impressed by a driver on the interstate last night.
They turned on their signal to move into the middle lane. Instead of speeding up like most Okies do when they see a signal come on. I maintaned my speed and allowed him space to make the lane change and after he made the change he flashed his tail lights a couple of times to let me know he appreciated it. Usually only see that from truckers.
catch22 04-13-2014, 01:55 PM That's an excellent observation your kids have made. One which I am very aware of.
While drivers in New York, Chicago, LA, etc. may be more rude -- they are, for the most part, extremely respectful of the pedestrian.
In Los Angeles, I was crossing a very wide street - almost a freeway - cars flying at 60 mph. Buses, large trucks, careening down the street. About 4pm in the afternoon, which is a very busy time for that street. There is a midblock crosswalk, that is striped, has a yellow sign, but no crossing signals. It's a free for all really. As soon as I was about 4-5 feet away from the curb, all traffic on the street came to a grinding halt, to allow me to cross. I did not have to stop to wait. The drivers on both sides of the street went out of their way to stop before I was even about to enter the crosswalk. It really opened my eyes on the different car cultures. LA gets a bad rap for being a huge sprawling city -- which it is, and like us, very dependent on the car. But the mentality is completely opposite. In Oklahoma, even at a striped crosswalk, you have to force drivers to stop for you, by entering the crosswalk before they start to slow down. You literally have to force them to stop. And it's scary. In other cities, drivers are always on the lookout for pedestrians, and will pretty much always yield.
Here's the street. Sepulveda Blvd.
http://i.gyazo.com/b43b6e0fab7b8b18ccd87878ab8655f2.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Sepulveda_Blvd_Los_Angeles_from_the_air.jpeg/800px-Sepulveda_Blvd_Los_Angeles_from_the_air.jpeg
Plutonic Panda 04-13-2014, 03:24 PM I believe they are legally required to yield/stop there, same as at our airport here in the passenger loading area.
catch22 04-13-2014, 03:33 PM I believe they are legally required to yield/stop there, same as at our airport here in the passenger loading area.
The crosswalk from the employee lot at our airport has stop signs, and a huge flashing yield sign. The number of times I have almost been run over while walking to/from work is astounding. Hardly anyone stops at the crosswalk. I have almost been hit more times than I can count. Our driving culture here does not honor the pedestrian, at all.
Plutonic Panda 04-13-2014, 03:34 PM The crosswalk from the employee lot at our airport has stop signs, and a huge flashing yield sign. The number of times I have almost been run over while walking to/from work is astounding. Hardly anyone stops at the crosswalk. I have almost been hit more times than I can count. Our driving culture here does not honor the pedestrian, at all.Wow. Well, if you ever see me, I drop people off there all the time and I come to a complete stop for people, I have seen people blow through it though.
catch22 04-13-2014, 03:39 PM I'm going to make a video one of these days. I've been at the airport 80 hours a week for the past 3 months, so I don't really like spending any more time there off the clock. But maybe in the next few weeks I will park in the garage and shoot some video.
They finally put up a new LED flashing light. I was going to make a formal complaint to the city, with an attached video. It's a matter of time before someone dies at that crosswalk. Some people don't float through, they are going 20-30 mph.
no1cub17 04-13-2014, 06:08 PM I'm going to make a video one of these days. I've been at the airport 80 hours a week for the past 3 months, so I don't really like spending any more time there off the clock. But maybe in the next few weeks I will park in the garage and shoot some video.
They finally put up a new LED flashing light. I was going to make a formal complaint to the city, with an attached video. It's a matter of time before someone dies at that crosswalk. Some people don't float through, they are going 20-30 mph.
Damn - I fly fairly often and had no idea such a lot existed. Will look for it next time.
catch22 04-13-2014, 06:15 PM On the left are the two parking garages, the right is the employee lot. You can see the crosswalk that joins the two. I usually cross to the very center, then walk down the sidewalk to the arrivals area when going into work.
And a lot of people do not look, they just slow down to make it over the speed bumps, and once they are past the speed bumps, they gun it through the crosswalk. A lot of times, I try and make a point, by stepping out into the street to give them a "heart attack". When they realize it's possible they could have killed me, maybe next time they find themselves at a crosswalk they will stop.
http://i.gyazo.com/c2aa34bc0672e72c1f553bf7e3492220.png
Urbanized 04-13-2014, 06:57 PM Drove through there just today. Almost killed some idiot trying to cross there.
catch22 04-13-2014, 07:05 PM :d
Plutonic Panda 05-24-2014, 01:43 AM Some funny videos. Not all of them are bad, but a few clips are pretty funny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xms9WJrItfk
Plutonic Panda 05-24-2014, 01:43 AM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqb1ucpmrVI
Plutonic Panda 05-24-2014, 01:44 AM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQXrFUFcP50
Plutonic Panda 05-24-2014, 01:45 AM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STeST9dosnc
there are more under related videos and if you click on the user, they have some more as well.
Again, not all of those are bad and a bunch are just nit picky, but there are still some funny ones in there.
TheTravellers 05-24-2014, 12:29 PM The videos are probably pretty funny, but I'd rather not relive the crappy experience of driving in OKC in my own home, there are lots more enjoyable things to do there. :-D
rezman 05-24-2014, 08:54 PM The video displays one dangerous practice that doesn't get much attention, and that is the act of driving through the striped safety zones at intersections. It used to be that you would see this periodically, but has become something that I see every day. I have almost been hit several times when I was slowing down to enter a left turn lane, staying within the lines, when someone came shooting up through the safety zone on the left as I was appropriately moving into the turn lane. In all incidents, the offender had to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting me, and one time the person had to veer into the oncoming lane to avoid hitting me, thus creating a new hazard. In one of these times, I was on my motorcycle. The motorists that do this are crossing over a double yellow line, and many times they drive around stopped traffic in front of them, completely crossing the double yellow, just to get to the left turn lane.
catch22 05-25-2014, 11:08 AM The video displays one dangerous practice that doesn't get much attention, and that is the act of driving through the striped safety zones at intersections. It used to be that you would see this periodically, but has become something that I see every day. I have almost been hit several times when I was slowing down to enter a left turn lane, staying within the lines, when someone came shooting up through the safety zone on the left as I was appropriately moving into the turn lane. In all incidents, the offender had to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting me, and one time the person had to veer into the oncoming lane to avoid hitting me, thus creating a new hazard. In one of these times, I was on my motorcycle. The motorists that do this are crossing over a double yellow line, and many times they drive around stopped traffic in front of them, completely crossing the double yellow, just to get to the left turn lane.
I only get in the striped safety zone if the entire queue is filled. That way I do not block people who want to be in the lanes that go straight through the intersection. Especially if it's a center turn lane that turns into a left turn at an intersection, I will use that to continue the queue so traffic isn't blocked going into the straight lanes. The number of times I have not been able to make a green light because everyone who wanted to turn left kept the straight lanes blocked while there is a center turn lane to queue in is a number I cannot count.
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