Houston Drivers

[Errestaurants 2570]

Article I found on another site regarding Houston Metro leading the nation in driving fatalities

 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/article/Houston-s-roads-drivers-are-nation-s-most-12865072.php?utm_campaign=reddit-premium&utm_source=CMS Sharing Button&utm_medium=social

[deadshank 24652]

I live this crap everyday. My commute is not too bad and I do drive to many job sites during the day, so I spend some time on the roads around Houston.

Everywhere one goes on the highways there are drivers hauling ass and weaving through traffic.  Not just 5-10 mph over the limit but 15-25 or better.  Just yesterday I was coming back from Katy on I-10 and traffic was moderate.  I doing about 70 and here he comes,  a guy clocking at least 90 and crazily cutting from lane to lane, Joie Chitwood style acrobatics. Nary a traffic cop in sight.  

You hardly ever see one in traffic for traffic's sake.  Many times you do see HPD, HCSO or a precinct constable  in traffic on the freeways and they can be doing 65, get passed by some fool and they do nothing.  Must be more money in hanging out at the U-turn lanes under the overpasses and writing tickets for seatbelt infractions.

[Dbeasy 15047]

I’ve lived in all four of Texas’ major cities. Houston drivers are the worst and it’s not even close.

[Knoxtnhorn 5974]

Couple of things.  I think Texas (in general) has a bad combo of drivers driving far too fast as well as drivers driving far too slowly.  When I lived in TN, I often saw the latter but rarely the former.  That could be an issue re: fatalities.

Secondly, I lost my shit almost every day last month when driving downtown (Dallas) for jury duty.  You know.  If folks would stop driving 90 and weaving in and out of traffic, perhaps there wouldn't be so many wrecks causing traffic.

[Nolacycling 893]

San Antonio gets my vote, because people aren't insured.

[Dry Elbows 142]

38 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

I’ve lived in all four of Texas’ major cities. Houston drivers are the worst and it’s not even close.

But to be fair, there's so much traffic in Austin you can't drive like shit because you barely move. 

[Okie State 3818]

The running red lights makes me ragey. Happens way too often around here.

[Hate 20108]

I always act as if the cross traffic at an intersection does not have a red light when my light does turn green. I wait a second or two and look both ways as I drive through the intersection. I’ve seen too many very late red light runners to act any differently. I think Houston must be the red light running capital of the world.

 

[Guest]

agree with hate.

 

As far as the freeways, if people could merge properly at highway speeds, as opposed to 40mph; as well as exit at highway speeds and use the offramp as intended for decelleration, that would be just great.  But that's unpossible.

 

We don't even want to start to discuss the idiotic motherfuckers in the left two lanes, lollygagging the fuck around and then wondering why traffic has to weave around them to make progress.  If you're not passing someone, get the fuck over.  It's that gotdam simple.  Again, unpossible.

These are the two biggest factors in fucked up highway traffic.  easily solved... but people would have to get their heads out of their asses.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

56 minutes ago, Nolacycling said:

San Antonio gets my vote, because people aren't insured.

You are making that up and it it seems a touch racist.

[fattyflattie 4639]

All of Sloch’s post is spot on. Amazing people can’t grasp those skills. Not even marginally. 

[Fondren & Main 6710]

Speed limits are more like suggestions in Houston.

[PRONG HORN 3141]

Part of Houston's problems are because of it's diversity.  If someone grew up learning to drive by watching their parents, who grew up learning from their parents, it makes a huge difference.  We have so  many drivers here who didn't learn from their parents, or who grew up learning from parents who aren't from here. 

[clapclapclap 9000]

I picture slorch angrily vigilante tailgating using a tow truck, but with a giant cartoon Yosemite Sam head and mustache, pumping guns up with both arms while driving with his knees, cartoon cussing.

[Stella Link 534]

5 hours ago, Errestaurants said:

Article I found on another site regarding Houston Metro leading the nation in driving fatalities

 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/article/Houston-s-roads-drivers-are-nation-s-most-12865072.php?utm_campaign=reddit-premium&utm_source=CMS Sharing Button&utm_medium=social

We're Number 1!   We're Number 1!  We're Number 1!

[Stella Link 534]

1 hour ago, PRONG HORN said:

Part of Houston's problems are because of it's diversity.  If someone grew up learning to drive by watching their parents, who grew up learning from their parents, it makes a huge difference.  We have so  many drivers here who didn't learn from their parents, or who grew up learning from parents who aren't from here. 

So, if from here and learned by parents is good, and not from here and learned from parents is bad?  I'm confused...but then again, I'm not from here and learned by my parents...

[PRONG HORN 3141]

 

1 minute ago, Stella Link said:

So, if from here and learned by parents is good, and not from here and learned from parents is bad?  I'm confused...but then again, I'm not from here and learned by my parents...

 

Drivers who learned from parents who learned to drive in the US are good.  Drivers who learned in a different country, or learned from parents from another country are worse.  

[BigHorn'13 3363]

I will say this. If you drive in Houston you have to drive aggressively or else it'll take forever or you'll end up in an accident. The city freeways taught me more about defensive driving than anything else.

Also when driving on a freeway, regardless of what city you're in, spacing is your friend. Kinda hard to get hit or hit someone when you don't have anyone around to do it. 

[George Clooney 378]

290 might be the worst freeway I've ever driven on. People going 15-20 over, weaving in and out of traffic, while there are concrete blockades in place of shoulders because of the expansion was maddening. I haven't driven on it in a while, and I'm glad I don't have to. I swear at least half of the cars doing that were lifted F-250s that had never seen a speck of mud or a driver with a dick longer than 3".

[52-80 19150]

Dallas driving is just as bad

[deadshank 24652]

2 hours ago, George Clooney said:

290 might be the worst freeway I've ever driven on. People going 15-20 over, weaving in and out of traffic, while there are concrete blockades in place of shoulders because of the expansion was maddening. I haven't driven on it in a while, and I'm glad I don't have to. I swear at least half of the cars doing that were lifted F-250s that had never seen a speck of mud or a driver with a dick longer than 3".

That's a lot of dicks to check

[George Clooney 378]

9 minutes ago, deadshank said:

That's a lot of dicks to check

I may or may not be Looch.

[Bevo 13576]

8 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

You are making that up and it it seems a touch racist.

Maybe he made it up and maybe he is racist, but I found this stat for the US interesting: The horizontal axis reads caucasian, black, asian, hispanic, average. https://www.statista.com/statistics/200970/percentage-of-americans-without-health-insurance-by-race-ethnicity/

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

290 might be the worst freeway I've ever driven on. People going 15-20 over, weaving in and out of traffic, while there are concrete blockades in place of shoulders because of the expansion was maddening. I haven't driven on it in a while, and I'm glad I don't have to. I swear at least half of the cars doing that were lifted F-250s that had never seen a speck of mud or a driver with a dick longer than 3".

I drive it often as I live out near JV. And your opinion is right. However, it is completed and open inbound from the beltway to 610, and it’s glorious. When I commute downtown early in the morning, it takes me 30 minutes door-to-door (could be less, but I like to cut up studemont to Allen parkway). It is mostly open outbound at the same points, but narrows around pinemont.

[BayouBill 835]

I was in Houston last month and an 18-wheelers tire blew out right next to me on 59. I thought I was shot.

[Viper 12108]

29 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

I drive it often as I live out near JV. And your opinion is right. However, it is completed and open inbound from the beltway to 610, and it’s glorious. When I commute downtown early in the morning, it takes me 30 minutes door-to-door (could be less, but I like to cut up studemont to Allen parkway). It is mostly open outbound at the same points, but narrows around pinemont.

I'm outside the beltway, I cannot figure out why it's taken 5 years for this construction. It feels like they do one side one year, then switch to the other side the next year and then go back to the side they've already done the year after that and so on. At one point they split the highway in two different paths at 290 and the beltway, not sure how I didn't hear about more crashes there.

It's slowly getting better, but I'm sure it's upped the crash rate by a great deal. When you add that to what are already horrible intersections like 59N 610 interchange and that's how you become #1. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13511]

7 hours ago, PRONG HORN said:

Part of Houston's problems are because of it's diversity.  If someone grew up learning to drive by watching their parents, who grew up learning from their parents, it makes a huge difference.  We have so  many drivers here who didn't learn from their parents, or who grew up learning from parents who aren't from here. 

 I do think there is truth that a good driver makes a better teacher to their kids than a bad driver.   And yes, learning from someone from another country may not be good as they could be used to different laws or etiquette.   But it also doesn’t mean that an American born driver can’t be horrible as well.

As someone that commutes on streets not freeways in Houston, the problem is slow drivers.  On the streets during a commute, it’s impossible to speed.  But you sure as hell can decide to drive 10 under the limit, leading to multiple cars behind you trying to get out of the lane.   

Generally the worst problem is selfishness of drivers.  Let me finish this Instagram post before i notice the light is green.  I couldn’t switch lanes in time to make that turn, so I will full on stop and wait for someone to let me in instead for driving 200 feet to the next street to turn.  

[Nice Guy Eddie 13511]

1 minute ago, Viper said:

I'm outside the beltway, I cannot figure out why it's taken 5 years for this construction. It feels like they do one side one year, then switch to the other side the next year and then go back to the side they've already done the year after that and so on. At one point they split the highway in two different paths at 290 and the beltway, not sure how I didn't hear about more crashes there.

It's slowly getting better, but I'm sure it's upped the crash rate by a great deal. When you add that to what are already horrible intersections like 59N 610 interchange and that's how you become #1. 

I believe that one of the major contractors for the 290 construction went bankrupt during the construcution which led to them rebidding some of it.  Still it’s not easy to rebuild a freeway on top of the old one.

I used to believe that it might be better to shut down major highways for a year when reconstructing them.  Should be a fast rebuild if you don’t worry about always leaving lanes open. Then I saw some of the worst-ever city wide traffic problems after Harvey with the western beltway and a few other roads were closed for a few weeks.   It’s was a bad Houston traffic day times 5. 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, clapclapclap said:

I picture slorch angrily vigilante tailgating using a tow truck, but with a giant cartoon Yosemite Sam head and mustache, pumping guns up with both arms while driving with his knees, cartoon cussing.

Great image, but not a tailgater. 

 

People do need to GTFO of the way though. It’s a massive disrespect for others. 

[Okie State 3818]

Post Harvey was horrible. Nearly two hour commutes to go twenty miles.

 

Most of us in my group just ended up working from home.

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, Viper said:

I'm outside the beltway, I cannot figure out why it's taken 5 years for this construction. It feels like they do one side one year, then switch to the other side the next year and then go back to the side they've already done the year after that and so on. At one point they split the highway in two different paths at 290 and the beltway, not sure how I didn't hear about more crashes there.

It's slowly getting better, but I'm sure it's upped the crash rate by a great deal. When you add that to what are already horrible intersections like 59N 610 interchange and that's how you become #1. 

I think there’s no place for them to store the barrels. 

[DaysOff 7947]

Native Houstonian checking in. I wonder have any of you spent more than a day in souf Florida? I love Houston driving. Ain't got time to waste got to get on down the road.

[52-80 19150]

this is what the dumbfuck texan drivers do

 

 

 

[Hate 20108]

and then there is this.  I avoid I-45 and the Beltway at all costs.  

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/metal-pole-pierces-womans-windshield-on-i-45-in-spring/285-591241798

SPRING, Texas – A metal pole crashed through a woman’s windshield near I-45 and FM 1960 in Spring.

Fortunately, the woman was not severely injured. She was treated on scene for cuts from flying glass, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said an 18-wheeler got into an accident and some of the metal poles it was hauling came off.

The driver directly behind the 18-wheeler rolled over a pole. The pole popped one of his tires before it flew into the air and pierced the woman’s windshield on the passenger side.

[BrickHorn 18218]

^^^^This.  The highways in Houston are littered with shit.  Every time I drive there, I have to swerve to avoid running over obstacles like mattresses, pallets, and bags of garbage.

[woohorn 1131]

Aren't there Constapuds writing traffic tickets EVERYWHERE in Houston?

[Shenanigans 31]

One time I almost got in a massive pileup caused by a GRILL that had fallen out of someone's truck bed on I-45. That was a wonderful experience.

I'm impressed by the amount of people I see drive over the pylons to get into the managed lanes on I-10 when they see traffic starting to back up but they didn't want to pay the toll.

[52-80 19150]

12 minutes ago, woohorn said:

Aren't there Constapuds writing traffic tickets EVERYWHERE in Houston?

not for real driving violations and dangers

 

theyre usually parked under bridges to nab the solo speeders 

[Viper 12108]

49 minutes ago, Hate said:

and then there is this.  I avoid I-45 and the Beltway at all costs.  

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/metal-pole-pierces-womans-windshield-on-i-45-in-spring/285-591241798

SPRING, Texas – A metal pole crashed through a woman’s windshield near I-45 and FM 1960 in Spring.

Fortunately, the woman was not severely injured. She was treated on scene for cuts from flying glass, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said an 18-wheeler got into an accident and some of the metal poles it was hauling came off.

The driver directly behind the 18-wheeler rolled over a pole. The pole popped one of his tires before it flew into the air and pierced the woman’s windshield on the passenger side.

This was an awesome scene in Final Destination 2

[Okie State 3818]

Aren't there Constapuds writing traffic tickets EVERYWHERE in Houston?

Yeah, for no front license plate.

[Bevo 13576]

2 minutes ago, Viper said:

This was an awesome scene in Final Destination 2

My dad stopped after an accident in Houston when someone slammed into the back of an 18 wheeler. The person was decapitated so he just went back to his car and went on to work. I would think it would be pretty traumatic to see a head separated from the body but he was a doctor in the Navy during Vietnam so he has probably seen it all.  Another time when he was doing his residency he thought someone had placed a wood splint on a patient: In reality, the guy had run into a fence and a fence post went through the guy from the groin into his back.

[Viper 12108]

35 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

^^^^This.  The highways in Houston are littered with shit.  Every time I drive there, I have to swerve to avoid running over obstacles like mattresses, pallets, and bags of garbage.

I remember being on a highway in downtown, 45 I think and a small 2x4 just came flying right to my windshield from out of no where. You can see the number it did on my windshield below

[Hate 20108]

The damage is not the most remarkable part of that picture. WTF is going on with the car with a propeller?????

[Bevo 13576]

Changing the subject for a second, Cedar Park to Houston (Meyerland or possibly Memorial depending if I see family), would you choose 290 or 71 on a Sunday? I use to always go 71 back in the day but now traffic seems to always be a pain in the ass in Bastrop.

[Born to Run 6569]

Native Houstonian here. I went back for a couple of years and I’ve also driven all over the country. Houston is fine, just a lot of people driving long distances daily to skew the numbers.
West Austin is the absolute worst area I’ve encountered. Entitled rich fucks giving no fucks, Prius drivers and olds are a bad mix. Texting while driving, speeding, driving 40 in a 55 passing at 100mph in the median, coming to a complete stop on 620 to turn right. I’ve been in 3 wrecks in 5 years and none were my fault. I was rear ended once by a BMW bro who was texting when he plowed into me while I was sitting at a red light, about 40 yards from another accident that was still being cleaned up.

[deadshank 24652]

3 hours ago, Viper said:

I'm outside the beltway, I cannot figure out why it's taken 5 years for this construction. It feels like they do one side one year, then switch to the other side the next year and then go back to the side they've already done the year after that and so on. At one point they split the highway in two different paths at 290 and the beltway, not sure how I didn't hear about more crashes there.

It's slowly getting better, but I'm sure it's upped the crash rate by a great deal. When you add that to what are already horrible intersections like 59N 610 interchange and that's how you become #1. 

Grupo Tredeco out of Old Mexico done went bankrupt during the construction and got canned.  Williams Brothers to the rescue.

 

[BrickHorn 18218]

44 minutes ago, Viper said:

I remember being on a highway in downtown, 45 I think and a small 2x4 just came flying right to my windshield from out of no where. You can see the number it did on my windshield below

Goddamn you, Hacksaw Jim Dugan!

[SHOOTER12 8800]

44 minutes ago, Hate said:

The damage is not the most remarkable part of that picture. WTF is going on with the car with a propeller?????

Solar powered propellocar

Edited September 6, 2018 by SHOOTER12

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

I believe that is a powered parachute. You strap that to your back, add a parachute, and fly around.

[sidis 9826]

posts that quantify the ability of 4 million people's ability to drive vs. another set of 2 million people's ability to drive based on their residential location and the quantifiers subjective experiences are funny.