America's slowest drivers live in the Seattle area

[skierman64]

I'm in the beginning of a 3 week trip here to Seattle. I've been up and down 5 a few times while I've been here. Why does everyone here drive so slow. If I'm going 10 over, I'm by far the fastest car on the highway. Are the cops here so strick or is it a green thing?

I'd be very frustrated if I had my M3 here.

As a comparison, if I drove around at 10 over in NJ, I'd be in the slowest 25% percentile on the road most likely. I'm talking interstate driving here.

Don't take this as a critisism, I'm only trying to determine why there are so many speed limit obeying folks here. It's unusual in most of the rest of America.

[Big Windy]

uh come to california on a sunday. you will want to :suicide:

i think that it is just the general sentiment of the local culture towards life. people in highly commercial and industrial areas lead driven and ambitious lives...they want to get where they are going with a purpose. people in other random places (which seattle really isn't, but washington could be) don't really give a shit how or when they get there. just a thought...

[malter2.0]

uh come to california on a sunday. you will want to :suicide:

i think that it is just the general sentiment of the local culture towards life. people in highly commercial and industrial areas lead driven and ambitious lives...they want to get where they are going with a purpose. people in other random places (which seattle really isn't, but washington could be) don't really give a shit how or when they get there. just a thought...

agreed.

[Ken.T]

I'm living in Seattle, I used to drive over 80 on the highway, but I got stopped by the PC 3 time in a year...so now I only going 60...

[GregW / Oregon]

I'm in the beginning of a 3 week trip here to Seattle. I've been up and down 5 a few times while I've been here. Why does everyone here drive so slow. If I'm going 10 over, I'm by far the fastest car on the highway. Are the cops here so strick or is it a green thing?

I'd be very frustrated if I had my M3 here.

As a comparison, if I drove around at 10 over in NJ, I'd be in the slowest 25% percentile on the road most likely. I'm talking interstate driving here.

Don't take this as a critisism, I'm only trying to determine why there are so many speed limit obeying folks here. It's unusual in most of the rest of America.
Enforcement in Washington is much stricter than Oregon. I tend to be more cautious up there, but certainly not slow.

[exadius]

The Seattle area is known for its courteous drivers, and bad traffic. Seattle has the highest pecentage of college graduates of any city in the US. I guess smart people speed less, I mean just how fast can you go in a Prius anyway. Lets face it you can go 80 in any car its how fast you get there that makes the M3 fun.

[chitosing]

I'm in the beginning of a 3 week trip here to Seattle. I've been up and down 5 a few times while I've been here. Why does everyone here drive so slow. If I'm going 10 over, I'm by far the fastest car on the highway. Are the cops here so strick or is it a green thing?

I'd be very frustrated if I had my M3 here.

As a comparison, if I drove around at 10 over in NJ, I'd be in the slowest 25% percentile on the road most likely. I'm talking interstate driving here.

Don't take this as a critisism, I'm only trying to determine why there are so many speed limit obeying folks here. It's unusual in most of the rest of America.

Try visiting Northern Virginia.

[impulsoren]

The Seattle area is known for its courteous drivers, and bad traffic

If they are so courteous, why do people with Washington license plates hang out in the left lane of the freeway going exactly the same speed or slightly slower than the car on the right?
Seriously, the farther North you go, the worse it gets. I understand the driving slow and safe part, and I guess when everyone is driving slow it doesn't matter. But in Oregon when you see those big signs that say slower traffic keep right? That means you Washington driver!

[skierman64]

If they are so courteous, why do people with Washington license plates hang out in the left lane of the freeway going exactly the same speed or slightly slower than the car on the right?
Seriously, the farther North you go, the worse it gets. I understand the driving slow and safe part, and I guess when everyone is driving slow it doesn't matter. But in Oregon when you see those big signs that say slower traffic keep right? That means you Washington driver!

I totally concur, as this is one of my major pet peeves. It was very prevelant going up and down I-5 between Ft Lewis and Seattle. I call them "left lane lurkers" Not courtious at all.

[6SpeedMan]

I'll agree with you guys that the drivers here are SLOW and I believe that it is in part because of our highway patrol. The good thing is that if your a speeder like me it teaches you to be really aware. I have an eye for cops like a eagle. Ha.

[Banker335i]

yeah i was pissed when i got here....One Week now, From TX one of the biggest raceing areas around. now im here and no one will Run. not to mention that there are hardley any fast cars. But yeah the Left Lane shit is killing me.

[schadenfreude]

I think part of the problem is we have such long commute times. People get lazy driving the same route all the time and just sit in one lane. Usually if you hop into the "slow lanes" you can get around the "lurkers" and go a little quicker.

My personal favorite is the 55mph driver in the HOV lane. If it weren't for them I'd be all for the HOT lanes they're trying out down near Renton on 167. A few bucks to shorten my commute would be great if not for the slowpokes.

[Dr. T]

The Seattle area is known for its courteous drivers, and bad traffic. Seattle has the highest pecentage of college graduates of any city in the US. I guess smart people speed less, I mean just how fast can you go in a Prius anyway. Lets face it you can go 80 in any car its how fast you get there that makes the M3 fun.

Courteous drivers? That's a myth. Rather than honking and giving you the finger as might happen elsewhere, they slow down in front of you and box you in if they think you're going a bit faster than they deem necessary....all the while avoiding eye contact and pretending they don't see you. The worst drivers I've ever seen. Here's a link to a thread on this very topic http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/off-topic-forum/139563-rant-socal-vs-seattle-freeways.html

[zacbol]

I moved out here from Detroit last year for a new job. A few of my friends had made the move out here first and as my friend was driving me to my new apartment from the airport he turned to me and said:

"I've resolved that before I leave Washington I am going to end up killing someone due to road rage."

Drivers here almost universally drive like 80-year old women, slow down to 5 mph to take a turn, and will do just bizarre shit like stopping in the middle of the road for no apparent reason. It seriously drives me insane having come from Detroit where people actually drive with some balls, and will do 90-mph...past a cop.

[ferrari6891]

haha im happy i live in Jersey where if your not in a rush, you better get out of the left three lanes heheh

[exadius]

I moved out here from Detroit last year for a new job. A few of my friends had made the move out here first and as my friend was driving me to my new apartment from the airport he turned to me and said:

"I've resolved that before I leave Washington I am going to end up killing someone due to road rage."

Drivers here almost universally drive like 80-year old women, slow down to 5 mph to take a turn, and will do just bizarre shit like stopping in the middle of the road for no apparent reason. It seriously drives me insane having come from Detroit where people actually drive with some balls, and will do 90-mph...past a cop.

What do you expect. You live in Bellevue. If there is a worse place to drive in the state of Washington I don't know about it. The Bellevue police have been training the locals for decades to drive like little old ladies. Add in all the Microsoft millionares and there Ferrari's and thats what your get. Go to Seattle once and a while and discover what its like to dirve in a city with a police force that has better things to do than bust speeders.

[apw2607]

Go to Seattle once and a while and discover what its like to dirve in a city with a police force that has better things to do than bust speeders.

You living in the same city as me?

[michaeldorian]

I have to agree on this one. I just move here and driving took some getting used to. I came back to SoCal for a visit and from the airport I was driving 70 thinking I was moving and cars were blowing past me.

[andytaro]

Things gets more interesting when it starts raining here. It rains most of days in Seattle, but ppl don't know how to drive in rain..... and when it snows an inch, ppl freak out.

[scollins]

Things gets more interesting when it starts raining here. It rains most of days in Seattle, but ppl don't know how to drive in rain..... and when it snows an inch, ppl freak out.

Hell no man, it doesn't take an inch of snow to freak people out. A mere 1/8" dusting of snow and people are buying up supplies like Y2K at the grocery store, leaving work early and skidding into the ditch on the drive home.

A whole inch. Sheesh. At one inch of snow, this place is completely shut down!

[black3]

I'm in the beginning of a 3 week trip here to Seattle. I've been up and down 5 a few times while I've been here. Why does everyone here drive so slow. If I'm going 10 over, I'm by far the fastest car on the highway. Are the cops here so strick or is it a green thing?

I'd be very frustrated if I had my M3 here.

As a comparison, if I drove around at 10 over in NJ, I'd be in the slowest 25% percentile on the road most likely. I'm talking interstate driving here.

Don't take this as a critisism, I'm only trying to determine why there are so many speed limit obeying folks here. It's unusual in most of the rest of America.



YES, it's called BALLARD...

[Great White]

If I may offer my 5 cents here. Don´t think that Seattle area is slow... if your every in a hurry never be it in Switzerland. On an average its the motto here: If not today then mabye tomorrow
Me being a German says : DRIVE THE FUCK!NG CAAAAAR !!! :mad0260:

[skierman64]

YES, it's called BALLARD...

I don't get it?

[TTG]

I don't get it?

He claims people in Ballard are slower than people in Bellevue which I am going to strongly disagree. I am going to agree with the previous post where Bellevue (or most of East Side) has by far the slowest & worst drivers in this state. Every single time I cross one of the bridges I go nuts....

I am also going to agree with the comment about Seattle PD not giving crap about how fast you go. If being the key, the road is open I just go as fast as I can until a moron on the left lane slows me down....

However, WA State does have one of the toughest traffic enforcements in the country and after couple of tickets you slow down or start dealing with the consequences of your Detroit or Texan style driving.

[zacbol]

Bellevue is no worse and, in my opinion, slightly better than many parts of Seattle. The condition is endemic to the entire state.

95% of drivers in Washington drive like post-menopausal women. If you think otherwise, I don't know what to say.

[apw2607]

Bellevue is no worse and, in my opinion, slightly better than many parts of Seattle. The condition is endemic to the entire state.

95% of drivers in Washington drive like post-menopausal women. If you think otherwise, I don't know what to say.

Agreed.

[mykcheng]

When I was stationed in Japan, I thought I'd have all the patience in the world when I returned stateside b/c it could take 2 hours to go 10 miles. Of course, I returned stateside to WA and I have to admit, this state is absolutely horrible. I thought Florida drivers were bad b/c so many old people are on the road, but this state beats them out. I agree that enforcement up here lacks any leniency whatsoever. But, the biggest gripe I have as with everyone else here is the fast lane. It's called a fast lane for a reason!! Glad to be leaving this state next year, hopefully around the same time as my M3 arrives.