Another silly study. I am suspecting some of this is the fact that verbal abuse from other drivers is considered normal behavior in areas like New York 
Nearly 50% of drivers in California have experienced this, the study found California ranked fourth in the nation in terms of the percentage of drivers who have “been on the receiving end of yelling, insults, curses or threats,” according to Forbes Advisor.
About 32% of drivers in the Golden State have faced verbal abuse from other motorists. About 11% of California drivers have seen other motorists leave their vehicles to fight or yell at them, Forbes Advisor said, and about 35% reported that other drivers tried to block their car from merging or changing lanes.
These are the top 10 states in the United States with the most confrontational drivers, according to Forbes Advisor:
- California
- Missouri
- Utah
- Oklahoma
- Colorado
- Mississippi
- Virginia (Tied with Indiana)
- Indiana (Tied with Virginia)
- New York
- Maryland
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article290374889.html
RevRico
MegaDork
7/31/24 12:35 p.m.
Only 32%? That seems low.
That was quickly my favorite part of owning a Miata in California though, when I yelled at someone, they heard me.
SkinnyG
PowerDork
7/31/24 12:56 p.m.
Last summer me and the whole Skinny Family drove all the way down the Oregon Coast to Disneyland, including a stop in San Francisco and touring Alcatraz, and then came back by way of the Grand Canyon and even a visit at Kindigit Design in Salt Lake City.
I could not believe how NICE it was to drive in California. Eight lanes, 95 miles an hour, blinker on for my exit and people let me move over. Really no tailgating to speak of, no sketchy actions, no crazy drivers. I was really impressed. The E36 M3tiest driver's were closest to home for me, way up here in Canada.
No Florida? I declare shenanigans.
Whoa!
Indiana made the top 10 !
David S. Wallens said:
No Florida? I declare shenanigans.
The study was for verbal road rage ... rookies.
Minnesota #1 in road passive aggressio
California is the state that worries me the most when I'm towing through it. I'm literally 50' long and weigh 10 tons, and yet distracted minivans are cutting me off constantly. The level of phone use while driving is substantially higher in CA than in the other western states.
I'm installing a dash cam specifically for California so I can explain to the insurance company why I had to pick pieces of Sienna out of my push bar.
Never had any verbal abuse there, just people who would rather be doing anything but operating their motor vehicles.
I am amazed that Texas isn't right at the top of that list. I guess shooting at other cars isn't considered verbal abuse.
Virginia is for lovers. It doesn't belong in that list, and I'll happily castigate any driver who says otherwise.
SkinnyG said:
Last summer me and the whole Skinny Family drove all the way down the Oregon Coast to Disneyland, including a stop in San Francisco and touring Alcatraz, and then came back by way of the Grand Canyon and even a visit at Kindigit Design in Salt Lake City.
I could not believe how NICE it was to drive in California. Eight lanes, 95 miles an hour, blinker on for my exit and people let me move over. Really no tailgating to speak of, no sketchy actions, no crazy drivers. I was really impressed. The E36 M3tiest driver's were closest to home for me, way up here in Canada.
Agreed, California was fine. New Jersey OTOH is a downright cesspool to drive in.
As a California lifer, considering the state to be one big homogeneous entity is just silly.
Los Angeles = If you make me late for my audition I will make you bleed.
Surrounding towns = Well howdy there neighbor, merge on in.
RX Reven' said:
As a California lifer, considering the state to be one big homogeneous entity is just silly.
Los Angeles = If you make me late for my audition I will make you bleed.
Surrounding towns = Well howdy there neighbor, merge on in.
I'd add that over the course of my life, what used to be unique to Los Angeles is also the case in the other large city areas to a certain extent. I do a vintage rally each year that takes me well into the hinterlands, and it always strikes me as how within an hour or so of the SF Bay Area, drivers get less and less considerate.
Noddaz
PowerDork
7/31/24 2:33 p.m.
Maryland made the list. I don't have to wonder why.
I am and am not surprised Oklahoma made the list. I don't know if it's road rage most of the time or just complete, abject idiocy and lack of awareness.
Noddaz said:
Maryland made the list. I don't have to wonder why.
Maryland tailgaters are like nothing I've ever experienced. Apparently me going 20 over in the right lane is grounds for almost having my rear bumper taken off by a Nissan Altima or Toyota Corolla.
^Doing my part to represent Connecticut.
Shocked Illinois isn't on there for Chicago alone.
So, what that is telling me is that California has more distracted and inconsiderate drivers than any other state.
Hard to imagine. I was sure that South Carolina had more idiots than anyone.
Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) said:
Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:
RX Reven' said:
As a California lifer, considering the state to be one big homogeneous entity is just silly.
Los Angeles = If you make me late for my audition I will make you bleed.
Surrounding towns = Well howdy there neighbor, merge on in.
I'd add that over the course of my life, what used to be unique to Los Angeles is also the case in the other large city areas to a certain extent. I do a vintage rally each year that takes me well into the hinterlands, and it always strikes me as how within an hour or so of the SF Bay Area, drivers get less and less considerate.
Stay out of the 209.
Stockton and Modesto being such genteel garden spots the way they are. LOL. Although I think that the high desert Northeast of LA may be one of the weirdest areas that I've been in. You've got super-smart scientists working for the military, lots of bible-thumpers, tweakers, and gang-bangers who've been thrown out of LA and commute back in.
I work in many states and will have rental cars and it is very interesting how different areas each have their own style of driving. Atlanta drivers tailgate like crazy but not in a mean way - it's just how they drive.
Boston drivers change lanes without regard.
I was somewhere recently where many people would pass traffic on the shoulders.
Los Angeles has pretty aggressive drivers but if you don't expect consideration, everything seems to be pretty smooth.
In reply to jfryjfry :
I always characterized the difference between driving in Toronto and Montreal as the Toronto driver would cut you off without realizing you were there, while the Montreal driver would do it on purpose :)
I agree there's quite a difference in culture between coastal and desert CA, which is why I like to stay in Mojave or Lancaster when I'm visiting LA for press trips. I like the desert people.
Piguin
Reader
7/31/24 3:55 p.m.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Same experience here regarding San Diego. Not much if any road rage - excluding my wife I guess - but distracted drivers are the norm, and the reason I decided not to ride motorcycles while living here.
We have a two related problems here in OKC. Because the city is so spread out, people run red lights like it's their job. So because of that, people then take a really long time to go on green lights and the people behind leave huge gaps and it just exacerbates the problem of getting around.
Kind of like higher prices beget insurance begets higher prices, ad nauseum.
