Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Driving in MN??? Up your limits!!

So, I have always had a reputation of being a fairly aggressive driver. I prefer to call it "driving with a purpose." I feel like I have gotten to be way better, though; especially since I started working for State Farm. I have read countless "facts of the loss" in claim files that describe all the dumb things people do to cause accidents. I have also seen pictures of mangled cars... some with dead bodies in them... and I have even seen a slide show of an autopsy on a poor lady who was hit as a pedestrian. These types of photos and files are quite sobering.

Let's start with CA drivers. I think everyone can agree that it's just a faster pace out in California. Everyone drives pretty fast and has no reservations about cutting you off. Everyone does it, and you get used to it. Sometimes, it is actually a matter of survival. If you don't keep up, you get run over. If you don't cut someone off, you are stuck in the same lane for miles. No one will just "let you in" when you need to make a lane change. You will most likely be tailgated at some point during your commute, and motorcycles can whiz by between two cars going 65 miles per hour.

Here is my least favorite part of driving in CA: when slow drivers use the carpool lane JUST BECAUSE they have 2 or more people in their car. They clearly do not understand that the "carpool" lane does not cease to be the "fast" lane between the hours of 6-10am and 3-7pm. Just because you have 2 people in your car does not mean you must drive in the carpool lane, especially when the "non-carpool" lanes are going the speed limit - this happened to me all the time on my way to school!!

Driving in California is basically a death trap. Skydiving is safer.

BUT, after all of that, I would take the drivers in California ANY DAY over the Minnesota drivers. Here is the difference: CA drivers are predictable. You know that you are going to get cut off, run off, and flipped off on your way to work. If you didn't, you probably forgot to put your car in drive.

I can't tell you how many times I have been driving down the road here in MN and have had someone cut into my lane, but then literally just stop to make a turn. One time I came inches from hitting a lady in a minivan when she literally stopped when entering a highway on the on-ramp. I thought I had missed something (maybe a bunch of cars were coming and I missed it... nope, not a car in sight). People cut me off to come into my lane all the time going about half the speed limit. Usually, I am the only car around and if they just wait, they'd have the whole lane to themself. Like CA drivers, people here drive 10 mph over the speed limit, but unlike CA drivers, people drive 10 mph below the speed limit on freeways JUST as often. It's inconsistent, unpredictable, and annoying.

You have all heard the term, "Minnesota Nice" - I would like to change that too, "Minnesota Oblivious." I was driving down a road the other day (a street with businesses, about a 30-35 mph speed limit) and I was the 3rd car in a line of 4. We were all driving along and suddenly the guy in front slams on his breaks. Again, I was thinking maybe I missed something. No, I missed nothing. He apparently saw a pedestrian on the side of the road and decided to let him cross. There was no crosswalk, stop light or stop sign. Neither was there a sense of urgency in the pedestrian; he appeared totally content waiting for the only 4 cars around to pass before he crossed the road. The oblivious driver had no idea that while he was being "nice" the other 3 cars behind him were about 4 inches away from exchanging insurance information.

It really is scary. I can't really describe how annoying it is to not know if the guy who just cut you off is going to speed off or slam on their breaks. I am on edge when I drive here. It's no wonder that the medical limits on auto policies in Minnesota START at $20,000!

Ugh!

THIS IS MY 3rd BLOG IN 24 HOURS SO KEEP READING! =)

8 comments:

erin said...

i've also heard that MN drivers go the wrong way down one-way streets... ;-)

yeah, i understand about the unpredictability of MN drivers... and i'm related to one of those slow freeway drivers... try riding with one. that's just as scary! hehe.

well drive safely :-) and if you do get into an accident at least you have the comfort of knowing that state farm is there! (thought i'd put in another plug for ya!)

not2brightGRAM said...

"I was driving down a road the other day...and I was the 3rd car in a line of 4."

Were you all driving the right way down the street?

;-)

not2brightGRAM said...

P.S. Please do drive defensively whether in CA or MN. I've grown rather fond of you.

Anonymous said...

You guys are funny with the one-way references... =) BUT in my defense, I have not done it again (after the first 2 times). haha

A day in the Life... said...

Like a good neighbour state farm is there.....

I think I spelled neighbour wrong lol

Elizabeth said...

yeah... idaho is just as bad. we had people that would be speeding then slam on their breaks at a stop sign, then look both ways for a good five seconds (when the four way stop was completely deserted except for the car -- us -- behind them) before finally, 1 mph at a time, accelerating through the intersection.

idaho drivers also do not stop for pedestrians, even when the crosswalk has flashing lights. a girl was even killed in the fall.

Anonymous said...

I know what you are talking about! I hate when people try to be nice to a ped or another car in front of them and forget the people behind them! Hannah is one of those drivers, an extreme case, so I do make exceptions on the hate thing :)

Anonymous said...

I am so down for a chauffeur! Anyone else in????