We are Bad Drivers

[glossyp]

Just the news I wanted before heading out the door! We ranked 133 out of 200 cities in Allstates "Best Drivers Report". Link to PBN article which links to the Allstate report.

[scrivener]

Re: We are Bad Drivers

Hey, we made the top 200!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: We are Bad Drivers

Most of those drivers are probably from the Big Island. Last night coming home on the Pahoa Highway, some idiot decided to use the very narrow shoulder as a passing lane. Nevermind there are no street lights to illuminate evening joggers/bicyclists/pedistrians, stray dogs or parked police cars taking pictures on that shoulder.

It's very common here for motorists to use the shoulder lane as: 1) passing lanes 2) on-ramps 3) off ramps.

It's also very common here for motorists to use active left lanes as: 1) places to stop and chat with another motorist who uses the right lane as: 2) places to stop and chat with another motorist who uses the left lane as (see #1).

And it's totally normal here for motorists to use the right lane as a dedicated left turn lane despite the fact that there are cars in the left lane trying to go straight.

Yeah driving here on the Big Island is a real challenge but for some folks here it's fairly normal.

Oh and when the left turn lane's left arrow turns red that means five more cars are allowed to continue making that left despite oncoming traffic attempting to block your path, how rude eh?

And don't forget rule #1: Bicyclists are considered fair game and are treated like guard rails or speed bumps here on the Big Island.

I think I've seen more considerate driving in Waikiki by some of the most seasoned Korean taxi drivers.

[timkona]

Re: We are Bad Drivers

It's ironic that the Public Works Director was villified just a couple months ago for his crack about Big Island drivers being bad, and then the numbers come out and prove that he was right.

So I guess he was right. "It's not our roads that are bad, it's our drivers who suck"

Has it always been common in Hawaii to villify a politician when they tell the truth? Seems to me that is a HUGE part of why some candidates don't stand a chance.

Lord knows there were no friends in the room at the ILWU meeting hall when I told them that my kid couldn't get a decent education because their brat was acting up in school. Or Who gonna bring me toilet paper and rice when they go on strike at the docks. Or How the hell a crane operator makes more money than an airplane pilot. The stink-eye was so thick you could smell it.

[pzarquon]

Re: We are Bad Drivers

I don't think anyone's surprised that our drivers rate poorly. (But in the Top 200!) A combination of, yes, boneheads, and folks who are simply too nice for everyone's good.

Just yesterday at that intersection under the ramp at Ala Moana, I swear I sat as two drivers played the "no, you go!" game for nearly a minute.

[alohabear]

Re: We are Bad Drivers

Most of those drivers are probably from the Big Island. Last night coming home on the Pahoa Highway, some idiot decided to use the very narrow shoulder as a passing lane. Nevermind there are no street lights to illuminate evening joggers/bicyclists/pedistrians, stray dogs or parked police cars taking pictures on that shoulder.

It's very common here for motorists to use the shoulder lane as: 1) passing lanes 2) on-ramps 3) off ramps.

It's also very common here for motorists to use active left lanes as: 1) places to stop and chat with another motorist who uses the right lane as: 2) places to stop and chat with another motorist who uses the left lane as (see #1).

And it's totally normal here for motorists to use the right lane as a dedicated left turn lane despite the fact that there are cars in the left lane trying to go straight.

Yeah driving here on the Big Island is a real challenge but for some folks here it's fairly normal.

Oh and when the left turn lane's left arrow turns red that means five more cars are allowed to continue making that left despite oncoming traffic attempting to block your path, how rude eh?

And don't forget rule #1: Bicyclists are considered fair game and are treated like guard rails or speed bumps here on the Big Island.

I think I've seen more considerate driving in Waikiki by some of the most seasoned Korean taxi drivers.

I take it you weren't born and raised on Hawaii island. The bad drivers here get thier licenses in the past from Kress or Woolworth, now I hear Walmart sells them . I think the majority of drivers in Puna don't even drive legally.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: We are Bad Drivers

I take it you weren't born and raised on Hawaii island. The bad drivers here get thier licenses in the past from Kress or Woolworth, now I hear Walmart sells them . I think the majority of drivers in Puna don't even drive legally.

wasn't born or raised on the Big Island but I've had to drive it for almost 23-years so I can make those comparisons to Oahu.

And you're right about Puna drivers...I think the deeper you get into Pahoa the farther away you get from WalMart so it's a real inconvenience to get that special "buy one get one free" license

Yeah here you won't see that, "no please you go" attitude. Here on the Big Island it's more like, "why the fuck are you going only 10-miles over the speed limit!" And drivers here must be avid SOLO II drivers because they whip around moving vehicles like traffic cones on a slalom course.

And the truckers here are the worst! One guy told me he never fills out that checklist ALL CDL DRIVERS ARE REQUIRED TO FILL BEFORE DRIVING IN THE MORNING. And the condition of most of the rigs here wouldn't pass any weigh station set up on Oahu, some don't even have rear license plates much less mud guards.