How do people rate Columbus Drivers?

by Andy on July 20, 2007

In a site entitled, “the270.com,” what could be more appropriate than a column on driving. I wondered today, while driving down I-71, what we think of our driving in the 270. Are we good drivers, so-so, medicore or just plain abysmal. I’ll throw that one out there and see what floats to the top.

Without tipping my hat too much, I’ll list my biggest driving pet peeves:

1 – Drivers with the attitude that they are the most important people on the road. I’m sure you have seen them. They realize, at the last possible moment and while in the left hand turn lane, that they need to be turning right. So at rush hour and with three lanes of jam packed cars to cut through, they try to work their way all they way over to the right turn lane. Sorry, it must be my fault that I actually knew where I was going yet happened to be between you and your need to change direction. All roads lead to Rome. Go to the next block and circle around.

2 – Drivers who turn into your lane, cause you to cut your speed by 90%, and then turn right, a block later. It’s a good thing, I don’t own a gun.

3 – Drivers who have been honked at so many times because of their lousy driving that they simply are deaf to your honks. What’s going through their minds – “Uhh, the problem’s not with me, it’s with you.”

4 – Drivers who want to race me. I’m not here to race you. I’m trying to get to where I’m going.

5 – Despite my disposition, I try not to be an impatient driver. I hate unjustifiably impatient drivers. People do make mistakes. If they mouth “sorry” then move on. I was once at the parking lot for Microcenter. A guy in a truck started to back up and didn’t see the lady in her car behind him. She laid on the horn. Ok, entirely justifiable. But then she sat there and continued to lay on the horn just to be a jerk. Lady, the guy made a mistake give him a break. Of course, to tweak her, he started to back up again while she was still there. She laid on the horn again. Make your point and move on. If you prolong your revenge, you will end up looking like the idiot.

6 – Drivers who flip others off. Have you ever seen someone else do this and realize how ridiculous they look? A lady did this to me once and she looked so ridiculous that I broke out laughing. I realized that I must look as ridiculous so I quit doing it.

7 – Drivers trying to turn on to the road that pull out well into the road. Gawd, that drives me nuts. I’ve got the right of way, but your front end is preventing me from getting by without changing lanes. Is it just a problem of depth perception. If I hit you, am I at fault?

8 – Drivers that merge into the highway at unreasonably slow and thus unsafe speeds. This happened to me just today. A lady merged into 71 from Hudson at a speed of 48 mph. You merge with traffic at the speed of traffic. No one goes 48 on 71. Merge at 65 mph.

We should have a self-policing driving citation system, sort of like ebay. If I like or don’t like your driving, I give you feedback with the press of a button in my car. Once you obtain so much negative feedback, you receive a ticket in the mail. Don’t like it? Then see dispute resolution.

Got a driving pet peeve? Add it here. Am I full of it? Let me know.

Get paid to drive your car!

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Jason

The slow driver will cause a fender bender that could have been avoided with a little more tact, speed, or experience. The fast driver will cause the kind of accident where the paramedics can't tell for sure how many cars were involved or the number/gender of people in them.

Jason

8.) No doubt. Every time I try to get on 23 North from 270 East on the north outerbelt, I curse the graves of the ancestors of the idiots who came up with that one.

Jason

I love the speeders who sail out there to the fast lane as soon as they merge, no signal, almost hitting a couple of people, go about 80-85 the whole way (on a 65mph freeway), tailgate the hell out of anyone foolish enough to get in front of them, swerve over and pass on the right if they "have to" (slow lane at 75), get back in the fast lane so they can go 85 again, then when they reach their exit sail back over to the right, again no signal, almost hit a couple more people, run over the white lines, then go about sixty-five down the exit ramp, trying to get around whoever's in front of them. Then they get out onto the local roads, and God knows what happens after that.

George Lindemann Jr

I moved here a year ago and love it but I want to know why Columbus drivers don't go the speed limit? When a sign says 45 that means 35-40 for most people. Anywhere else in the country and that 45 mph would mean 55-60. Do people in C-bus have all the time in the world or do they just not pay attention to the road signs? Even in a 25 mph zone people are going 15-20. I just don't get it.

George Lindemann Jr

I moved here a year ago and love it but I want to know why Columbus drivers don't go the speed limit? When a sign says 45 that means 35-40 for most people. Anywhere else in the country and that 45 mph would mean 55-60. Do people in C-bus have all the time in the world or do they just not pay attention to the road signs? Even in a 25 mph zone people are going 15-20. I just don't get it.

Andy

Just saw another one that I forgot to mention. How about the guy who misses his exit on the freeway and stops, puts his car in reverse, and backs up so that he can get on the exit. I've actually seen this twice now.

Unbelievable!

Andy

Just saw another one that I forgot to mention. How about the guy who misses his exit on the freeway and stops, puts his car in reverse, and backs up so that he can get on the exit. I've actually seen this twice now.

Unbelievable!

jessica

people going 60 in the fast lane while on their cell phones paying absolutely no attention to the line of cars behind them.

when you are giving yourself a decent amount of space from the car ahead of you and people keep cutting into the space at the last minute. this happens on the 71 north exit from 270 constantly.

people who wait until the very last possible second to merge, which usually ends up with them cutting someone off or at least making people in the other lane brake to accommodate

Andy

I thought of a few more:

1 - the frequent braker - these people hit their brakes 20-30 times in a minute - generally when they don't need to.

2 - as mentioned above - the last second exit ramp taker - oops that's my exit - never mind approaching the guard rail at 65 mph

3 - the fast lane squatter - my wife does this despite my protestations - don't squat in the fast lane, pass and get out

How about particularly dangerous stretches of road in central Ohio? Any nominations?

Matt

Moved here from Michigan last year... and I've noticed a big (negative) difference in the way people drive here. People just don't seem to pay attention as much, don't have much care for getting over into the right lane if they're going slow, and tailgate on the highway all the time. It's definitely more dangerous driving here, even though the speed limit on major highways is 5 mph less than most states.

Dave

I drive from my daughter's daycare in Worthington down High to CAS every morning about 7:30-8. That's where I find the worst of the worst in Columbus. Why are these people so aggressive? Are they all so thrilled to go to work? I love my casual 30-35 mph cruise to work. I relax and get ready for the day (but I'm attentive).

Otherwise, I think Columbus drivers are ok. But, I grew up in Boston.

jessica

people going 60 in the fast lane while on their cell phones paying absolutely no attention to the line of cars behind them.

when you are giving yourself a decent amount of space from the car ahead of you and people keep cutting into the space at the last minute. this happens on the 71 north exit from 270 constantly.

people who wait until the very last possible second to merge, which usually ends up with them cutting someone off or at least making people in the other lane brake to accommodate

Andy

I thought of a few more:

1 - the frequent braker - these people hit their brakes 20-30 times in a minute - generally when they don't need to.

2 - as mentioned above - the last second exit ramp taker - oops that's my exit - never mind approaching the guard rail at 65 mph

3 - the fast lane squatter - my wife does this despite my protestations - don't squat in the fast lane, pass and get out

How about particularly dangerous stretches of road in central Ohio? Any nominations?

Matt

Moved here from Michigan last year... and I've noticed a big (negative) difference in the way people drive here. People just don't seem to pay attention as much, don't have much care for getting over into the right lane if they're going slow, and tailgate on the highway all the time. It's definitely more dangerous driving here, even though the speed limit on major highways is 5 mph less than most states.

Dave

I drive from my daughter's daycare in Worthington down High to CAS every morning about 7:30-8. That's where I find the worst of the worst in Columbus. Why are these people so aggressive? Are they all so thrilled to go to work? I love my casual 30-35 mph cruise to work. I relax and get ready for the day (but I'm attentive).

Otherwise, I think Columbus drivers are ok. But, I grew up in Boston.

Keith

Ohhh I hate Columbus drivers... You see, I learned to drive in Chicago and I just cannot stand slow people (especially slow ones in the fast lane). In Chicago, 80mph was the norm and if you didn't do it, you'd be run off the road (they also had signs saying 45mph minimum, I wish they had that here).

My peeves:
1.) I hate it when someone gets on a road and pays no attention to the speed limit. For instance, a road I travel is 50mph, some will get on and do 35mph because they think its residential.
2.) People who swerve suddenly to get off at an exit, crossing the white striped lines, kicking up all that debris.
3.) People who go all the way around a big long line of cars just to cut in at the last moment. This happens all the time from 270 south to 70 east on the east side.
4.) People who drive the same speed as the person next to them. Yes, a wall of 3 cars doing the same speed (usually 65mph) which you cannot pass at all until one wakes up and passes.
5.) People who deliberately ride in my blind spot. I was always taught, don't stay there, move up. It's good advice, I wish they did it.
6.) People who don't check their blind spot. I try to pass people and they don't bother to check their blind spots and start moving over so I have to slam on my brakes.
7.) People who dart out into traffic behind you when getting onto the highway. You're obeying the law, not merging until the line is dotted, and these assholes cross over the solid lines, then speed up so you can't merge over.
8.) The highway itself. It seems like a 2 year old designed most of the interchanges without a thought. It still takes them years to even figure out a solution.

Keith

Ohhh I hate Columbus drivers... You see, I learned to drive in Chicago and I just cannot stand slow people (especially slow ones in the fast lane). In Chicago, 80mph was the norm and if you didn't do it, you'd be run off the road (they also had signs saying 45mph minimum, I wish they had that here).

My peeves:

1.) I hate it when someone gets on a road and pays no attention to the speed limit. For instance, a road I travel is 50mph, some will get on and do 35mph because they think its residential.

2.) People who swerve suddenly to get off at an exit, crossing the white striped lines, kicking up all that debris.

3.) People who go all the way around a big long line of cars just to cut in at the last moment. This happens all the time from 270 south to 70 east on the east side.

4.) People who drive the same speed as the person next to them. Yes, a wall of 3 cars doing the same speed (usually 65mph) which you cannot pass at all until one wakes up and passes.

5.) People who deliberately ride in my blind spot. I was always taught, don't stay there, move up. It's good advice, I wish they did it.

6.) People who don't check their blind spot. I try to pass people and they don't bother to check their blind spots and start moving over so I have to slam on my brakes.

7.) People who dart out into traffic behind you when getting onto the highway. You're obeying the law, not merging until the line is dotted, and these assholes cross over the solid lines, then speed up so you can't merge over.

8.) The highway itself. It seems like a 2 year old designed most of the interchanges without a thought. It still takes them years to even figure out a solution.

Betty

I always say if I'm in an accident, it will likely be caused by someone going slower than the flow on the highway. I think those drivers are more dangerous than the speeders. If I see it's a young person, probably still learning, I chill out and become patient. Much more often, it's an adult who is just clueless - and dangerous.

Betty

I always say if I'm in an accident, it will likely be caused by someone going slower than the flow on the highway. I think those drivers are more dangerous than the speeders. If I see it's a young person, probably still learning, I chill out and become patient. Much more often, it's an adult who is just clueless - and dangerous.