Well - I avoid trucks at all costs - drive parkways - or places where they enforce the no trucks in the left lane rule. I feel very unsafe if I can;t see several cars ahead - not just one vehicle - so I have sufficient time to avoid problems.

I would be much happier if many more roads banned trucks - and even big SUVs - since they're almost as bad in blocking your view of the road.

"if I can;t see several cars ahead - not just one vehicle - so I have sufficient time to avoid problems".

With all due respect you've pointed out one of the biggest problems with today's driving habits. If you are driving the proper distance behind the car (or truck) in front of you -- you WILL have enought time to avoid problems. If not, it is one of two things -- your reflexes are too slow to be driving or you are driving too close. Period.

The amount of tailgating on highways is unbelievable. I'm sure I'm not alone in the problem of keeping a decent distance back and constantly being bombarded by people cutting in between me and the guy in front while giving me a dirty look for keeping more than 6 feet between us going 70 miles an hour. That's the problem, not being able to see what's happening two car lengths ahead.

By the way, I drive a little car as much or more as a big one, so I'm speaking for myself driving that one. I really don't see what I need to know what's in front of the truck in front of me. I'm watching him. If he stops, I stop. Of course, the scenery would be nicer if he weren't blocking it, but that's beside the point.

And don't forget the original MAIN purpose of the development of the interstate highway system was for interstate commerce -- in other words, transporting goods by truck. If anyone is going to be banned from the interstates, by rights I suppose it should be those of us in cars. So let's not stir things up about that.

Comments regarding the Florida drivers are so interesting. Since we are a destination state, is it that the tourists who come here simply forget how to drive? Or those who move here decide to retire their good driving habits along with their jobs?
What really scares me the most here in FLA are the "Q" tip drivers. You can only see the tip of their blue hair over the steering wheel.

Everyplace seems to have its own quirks.

In California, they MUST be good drivers to navigate those 18-lane highways at high speeds. It always intimidates me, since I drive maybe only 5 days a year on average!

In NYC the scariest part of driving is that no one uses signals, or even looks, when they switch lanes, just expecting others to get out of the way. My favorite: the right turn from the far-left lane! I see it all the time. Ah, but using one's horn liberally to chastise a bad driver is both fun and expected.

Now what the heck is up with Pennsylvania drivers? Why do they always stop at the end of the ramp while entering the highway? I suppose that "MERGE" must equal "STOP" in that state. I swear, I almost get into an accident every time I drive there.

Patrick you are so right....

I live in Florida. The drivers here are horrible all year but it gets even worse when the snowbirds are here !!!!

Try driving behind a car and you can't even see the person's head. At first you think no one is driving it, it must be driven by remote control...

Or try the one where the drivers head is bobbing around so bad you wonder if they can even see. I think that one had Parkinson's

Yes...indeedy....I think Florida get the Gold medal for the worst drivers.

beachbum,
I agree with you about people driving in the left lane (although I am guilty of it as well...not because I prefer it, but that's just how people drive nowadays). Anyway, I wanted to reply to your post just to say that in Europe you will get a ticket for "driving" in the pass lane. Which goes back to your point...I think we have forgot that the far left lane is supposed to be for passing...right?! On our last trip home from California we have this boring stretch of road from just north of Baker, Ca into Primm, NV. It is going through the mountain pass and locally called the "Baker Grade" because it is a pretty steep hill, also lots of cars break down on this mountain pass. Anyway...there are 2 lanes + a slow lane for trucks...I could not believe the amount of cars that were using that slow lane to pass the cars in the other 2 lanes! It was amazing and scary at how idiotic people were driving.

No, we have a number but we are not the worst.

The worst is Florida, and there are some other honorable mentions as noted above- but the worst is Florida.

San Francisco, California definitally has the worst drivers anywhere in a city.
I have never made it out of San Francisco with out getting lost at least once. I'm not bad with directions or anything. The city is filled with one way streets, no parking, people who are double parked, signs that are misleading, and horrible traffic which makes it all nearly impossible to move over two lanes without getting killed. (what a run on sentence!!)
If it isn't the traffic or the sheer number of cars it gets worse. San Francisco has too many parades. They shut off half the city. So you are constantly being bombarded by people trying to cut in front of you. People also just like to stop. Just stop. No blinker, no emergency lights, nothing. They just stop next to a car, and double park. For crying out loud! 1 flash of a blinker would save the person behind you so much trouble.
People in the city don't care. You are not safe in the cross walk. Even if you see them, and it seems that they see you, they still want to hit the gas a little, rev up the engine. Perhaps they think that this will speed up your progress across the street.

Oakland, California, has the worst drivers on the highway.
Slow people-
Acutally going 55 in the 65 zone. These sad people get nearly run off the road. Why for the love of god are you going 55 in the fast lane? Do these people not know they are like inches from death?
Cell phone people-
MY GOD GET OFF THE F'ING ROAD!! Not only do these people drive slow, they usually have children in the car. I mean come on, don't just stop in the middle of the road to hit the end button on your cell phone.
Fast People-
These people drive me nutz in the worst way. Perhaps no one has heard the saying that no matter where you go, there will always be someone who wants to go faster than you. That might not be the exact saying, but you know what I mean ( I hope).
I'm going 80 in the 65 zone, not even in the fast lane, and people honk trying to get me to to pull over. I'm sorry dudes but if there is a lane to the left of me and I'm already going WAY over the speed limit, pull over to the left. What usually happens is I attempt to pull over to the right (of course using my blinker), and the car then tries to pass me on the right. Very annoying.
There are these cute little hondas, maybe 3 or 4 of them at a time that race through 880, I've seen them several times, different cars, different drivers, just racing and cutting people off.
People also cut infront of trucks. A fully loaded semi, does not want a small call getting in front of it then hitting the brakes.
ok enough complaining. I think my fingers are getting tired.

Deona, I think SF is #2 myself.

Worse signage absolutely, but I think Florida beats them in suicide drivers wanting to take you with them. We saw TWO cars with loose trailers cross the highway divide in one day about 3 hours apart. And that was not the worst. We would take Europe over Florida, even Naples anyday.

My driver's ed instructor in Boston told us....."the right of way belongs to the person that takes it".

Sorry Patrick - I don;t tailgate - although most everyone else does. But I still want to see what's in front of me - it gives you the chance to change lanes or give other people room to react to the huge number of idiots who do tailgate and cut people off.

There's no benefit in the road in front of the vehicle you're following being invisible - it only gives you fewer options to prevent problems.

(And for the record I have been involved in only one accident in the past 23 years - when I was stopped at a light and a drunk plowed into me because he didn;t notice it was red.)

Wherever you are, the worst drivers are there.

My town has the worst drivers because it is filled with tourists that are bad drivers back home and then become worse on our unfamiliar roads.
I do have to say that, because of experience, I give a wide berth to any car with Massachusett's plates.

"My driver's ed instructor in Boston told us....."the right of way belongs to the person that takes it"."

Dick, having just returned from a week in Massachusetts (not Boston), I have to say that I've never seen people drive the way do in that state. My husband pointed out that no matter how many people cut you off or tailgate, there are no middle fingers flying or road rage!

I'm from Belgium and if you have ever driven a car here you would be so proud about your countrymen. My country goes about 14 times into the state of California.Just to give you an idea. The drivers here are completely disrespectful of rules and regulations. I think in 5 years time the traffic will come to a complete standstill.I've driven rentals in the States for around 30000 miles and must say that it is a pleasure and wonderful experience to drive there.There is perhaps one difference we noticed and that the Western part of the country is the best what driving is concerned. But still in comparison with Europe you get an APLUS. Paul

Boston for worst drivers, Houston for most dangerous vehicles. I have seen it all: Ladders flying off trucks, entire wheels spun off their axles into traffic, a tank truck full of petroleum skid and flip 50 yards in front of me merging from a cloverleaf on ramp, an auto with its hood up driven by a man hanging on to the steering wheel through the driver's side window with his feet flailing in the air!

I know this is going to step on some people's toes, but I also have to say that Louisiana drivers aren't that great. Just today, I saw two different cars with Louisiana plates. One of them was from New Orleans, and the driver decided to make an illegal left turn where only a right turn is permissible, and of course he didn't signal either. Exactly one minute later, another car from Louisiana switched lanes in front of me without signaling either. If Louisianans are going to stay in Atlanta while their cities are being rebuilt, then I would at least appreciate it if they could drive decently.

This reply is for Patrick. I know that if somebody needs a pickup truck for carrying large items around, then they should buy one. The problem is that there is an excess of large pickups and suvs around here that people don't need.... a lot of people around here are filthy rich, and they get the large vehicles just because they look cool. There are 17 year old kids in SUVs for godsakes. Okay, my point is, with the overabundance of large vehicles on regular roads (not interstates), it creates a hazard for smaller cars around them. I have read, and heard from many other people, that, when driving, I am supposed to look up at the road way ahead of me, and not at the car immediately in front of me, so that I can see upcoming road conditions; in Parade magazine a year ago, it said that if you only look at the bumper of the car in front of you, then you will likely hit that car! Obviously it is proper to have a safe following distance behind any vehicle, large or small, but my point is that I think it is frustrating to NOT be able to see conditions way ahead of me on the road just because of some rich high school kid in his oversized pickup truck. This is especially true when there is a traffic jam, and I am curious to find out why the traffic is so bad, and what is going on up ahead, but can't, because the car in front of me is blocking my vision.

Well, not having been to every state in the US I sure cannot say who has the worst drivers. I will say this though. My DH loved, and yes I mean loved, driving in Italy including Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples etc.

However, the last time we were in Florida (we had flown there) after two days of driving he refused to drive the rest of the time there. LOL.

SF, oh yes it is a problem but I almost think the pedestrians are in more danger then people in vehicles.
Please dear travellers, when in SF be alert, very alert, when walking around beautiful SF. Safe travels to all.