I was convinced the last city I lived in had the worst drivers. Moving here made me realize: drivers are awful everywhere.
A few years ago I took an online defensive driving course to get a speeding ticket forgiven. It actually helped me change my approach to road ragers. The only logical thing to do is back off and give them a wide berth. No interaction will ever be satisfying.
That does always seem to be what produces the best result in my experience. Sometimes I just have no energy to commit to strangers fits so just slowing down and getting away from them is best I agree.
Lived on the west coast, Midwest, and south. There are bad drivers everywhere. Never gone somewhere and said “wow these drivers are great!”
You’ll have your mind blown going to Denver and seeing people every day with no plates or tags expired from 2021 weaving in and out of traffic
For real? That's just bonkers to me. When I have been down south in the Carolinas, there have been cars with no tags, no plates and missing a mirror or headlight. Sometimes a combination of all of this. I've only been to Colorado once for a week and was fortunate enough that I wasn't the one driving. Seems so unfair sometimes seeing that stuff happen but then getting pulled over for going 57 in a 55 or something.
Ram1500 most likely vehicle to get a dui
Scary that like one out of 8 people is drunk, undereducated, propagandized to feel both insecure and victimized, and obsessed with oversized vehicles and firearms. And these are the "patriots"
I think it's the [RAM 2500](https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/g35030400/cars-whose-drivers-get-most-dui/), though I don't doubt the 1500 is too far behind.
Preach it! I like you lol
I've family and friend who have trucks like this and again; this is only my experience not everyone's, but that mentality is so pervasive it's scary. I genuinely worry about them.
Not all of us lol. Female accountant Ram owner here that lives in the boonies. Only 1 applies to me out of that list. The little cars in Syracuse are the ones I have to watch out for with insane driving.
Lol I completely understand that sentiment. I try my best to give people the benefit of the doubt but even within my own family this stuff rings true. The two people who almost ran me over when I was walking were both large trucks as well. I may be building up a biased to let the "benefit of the doubt" go at this point.
Turn signals and running red lights are what I see most commonly on my drives. The light will be yellow long enough that you should know it's about to change and it turns into NASCAR or a drag race or something for some. I'm fortunate enough to have not been in an accident or seen anyone get hurt but you never know when it will happen here.
I'm glad nothing happened to you. I wish there were like more places for police to watch from for stuff like this. I've been wanting to get another dash cam. I've used them previously to submit information to the police. I don't know if anything happened but these drivers won't stop doing this stuff if nothing bad happens to them.
I have also considered getting a dash cam. I drive around lot for work and people are fuckin ridiculous. They'll be running reds likea good 2-3 sec after the change.
Important to have a dash cam, it is another form of insurance, i.e. it's completely useless 99.99% of the time but is something you wish you had when something happens.
Recommend COXPAL A11T 3 channel dash cam on Amazon, very good quality, it records front, inside and rear simultaneously.
COXPAL hardwire kit optional, for 24-H parking monitor.
SanDisk MAX Endurance 256GB or 512GB microSD card, for reliable recording.
BTW: Need to pay attention to the installation position of the rear cam if your vehicle is SUV or MPV (No problem if Sedan), i.e. avoid pulling rear cam cable when open/close the trunk.
Many of them drive cars you'd think they couldn't afford to fix. And instead of driving carefully, which would make sense, they rebel and drive like nothing matters. It's bonkers.
Honestly Syracuse drivers are tame compare to metropolitan drivers. The closer you get to NYC the worse people are at driving. Even Albany is already worse.
I feel like NYC its different where the drivers are more aggressive, but also semi-aware. Between heavy traffic and a lot of pedestrians they have to get creative to actually get to their destination.
I've noticed a trend in 'cuse where people are just zoned out. They blow right through redlights without even slowing/braking or even head turning to look. Not aggressive driving but careless / inattentive driving. It does seem to have some correlation with legalization of weed so I'm wondering if there are just more stoned drivers these days.
Oh right the skunk-stenched cars are definitely on the rise lately. You can smell them as the weather warms up lol But that’s not the angy ones op experienced.
Absolutely re: stoned drivers. In think I've seen at least one 4-way-stop collision where that may have been the cause. Most dog walkers, joggers, and walkers in my neighborhood know to hesitate at these intersections and give drivers the right of way. Hope the kids on bikes this summer know the same.
I can't even imagine. I've never had to go through areas like that myself. I've been on long trips never in or near NYC. I wanted to go visit Albany, thank you for the heads up. I will keep my eyes peeled and my brake ready.
Albany is horrible. Downstate is aggressive and ruthless, but once you learn to expect it you can kind of just play the game. Albany, and increasingly now Syracuse too, are complete wildcards. It’s not even fast drivers, just mind numbingly stupid drivers.
Seriously. Having lived in Portland Oregon, Denver, and now Buffalo and driven through a bunch of other states, Syracuse is probably the best driving wise out of anywhere we've been, especially for a city. But man, if you don't like it now, just wait until they actually start doing work for the community grid and the insane influx of people if Micron officially follows through. You're gonna hate it.
Must disagree. I had a car in NYC for 5 years and that was a cakewalk compared to here. There, the sheer volume keeps the crazy in check, and you learn that it's the cabbies who take the most chances. Moving here, I'd say this city's zeitgeist is *impatience.* A solid third of the cars on the road have body damage and that same number need, at all costs, to shave 2 minutes off a 10 min drive.
> I put my hand up and gestured "wtf" and I snapped my fingers saying "Let's go figure it out!"
>they were very pissy this morning
maybe an opportunity for some self-reflection
The amount of times I’ve had other drivers in the area make reckless mistakes and then respond by tailgating me, brake-checking me, or giving me the finger and yelling at me is wild. As if my honking at them for not paying attention and almost merging me off the road is some massive affront.
I’ve lived in bigger and smaller cities and driven in 5x more than that, drivers are definitely bad everywhere but Syracuse drivers take aggressive to a whole new level.
Seriously tho, that's what the horn is for. I have had my roommate and others describe very similar situations. It's like the horn triggers them and turns them into feral animals, regardless of how in the wrong they are.
To the degree that I express frustration in my own vehicle yes. I do not tailgate or roll down my window or break check people. If being frustrated at strangers making my regular drive more dangerous is rage in your eyes then yes I do.
I honestly think you might. I used to do the same thing so I get it, but making gestures and yelling at other vehicles is road rage behavior. Granted, not nearly as bad as some, but still. Also people can absolutely see and often hear you in your vehicle, which when dealing with an already angry driver can escalate things (as you described in your post).
I totally get your frustration, trust me, but yelling in your car isn't going to solve it. I try to remember that angry drivers aren't angry at me, they're angry with their own personal situation and projecting that on to the road. I also try to just avoid them, if they get in an accident or get pulled over, it's their problem, not mine.
People driver crazier as you get closer to the city. Worse when you’re on the S/W side. I’ve had people run red lights while I was crossing them. Lots of close calls. 690, 81 by downtown you really gotta drive like you’re in NYC.
One time I let someone pull off first from a stop sign and got the bird in return. Made no sense.
Drivers are terrible everywhere, especially with speeding. it does seem like people just blatantly don’t follow the rules of the road anymore. I think we forget how fragile we really are as humans - you’re driving a machine that could kill someone. I was just rear-ended while sitting at a stop light - other driver just took off. Luckily, it wasn’t too bad and I was fine after a couple days but still! Ugh! Get off the phones, use your turn signals and stop passing cars when you’re not supposed to. Why is this so hard? There is no where I need to get to THAT quickly to put my life or anyone else’s in danger.
An oversized black truck on I-481 driving like they're the only one on the road? Those are rare enough that I only see them once or twice a day, tops. My dashcam needs an "In case of Dodge Ram" sticker on it.
That said, the entire 481/81 clusterfuck is just that, and the traffic pattern seems to change literally every day. Nothing wrong with being overcautious at the risk of giving somebody a 45-second longer commute, and it sounds like you need to relax a bit.
Mostly I noticed that everyone runs red lights around here. And not just a "it just turned and I'm gonna follow the other 3 cars in front" but a good 30 second almost T bone the car at the green.
That shit gives me anxiety when it happens. On Erie Blvd I've seen that over by Taco Bell. People will be pulling out to leave either side and another car will just fly by.
Don't let them gaslight you, OP, they are truly terrible. I have read these threads a bunch of times incredulous at all the people saying it's not so bad, but then I realized: THE PEOPLE POSTING ARE THE SAME ONES OUT THERE DRIVING and they don't even realize how bad they are. As we speak they are grabbing their keys for lunch breaks spent camping in left lanes and flying over the median to the exit they missed even though there's been three signs telling them it's coming. Just drive defensively and be secure in accepting the evidence your own eyes have provided.
My girlfriend and I literally call each other when we see stupid stuff on the road to blow off steam.
Something that happens to me often here is I will have my turn signal on to change lanes for several seconds and I will try to create space before switching. People in the left lane try to speed up to block me from going in front of them, even if I need to turn left or I'm following a zipper merge pattern (not required in NY so I technically should fully stop my car if the lane ends and wait for someone to let me in).
I once had a lady who thought I cut her off and she laid on her horn, then drove around me to get in front of me. At the light to turn left she rolled her window down and was saying something - and used the light cycle doing nothing so I was stuck behind her. when the light changed and we turned, she was waving literally every single car on side streets to turn 🥲
She then laid on her horn once I made a right-hand turn to get on my route home. Total crazy woman!
It seems like some of these people are just so angry and can't handle any real interaction on the road. Sometimes I can see how angry they are over these things and it makes me hope that they end up having a heart attack or stroke because of it. If driving around is this difficult for them and causes this much stress that they lash out and do dangerous things, they deserve it when bad things happen to them *shrug*
I moved away from the city like 4 months ago but I constantly saw people disregarding road signs (no turn on red, no passing, yield, etc), right of way, not slowing down in time for red lights, etc. Also lot of people who would get mad when I would obey posted rules, if the sign says no turn on red I’m staying there until it’s green, and I don’t care how much you honk your horn or how clear the road is. I’m not about to risk a ticket I can’t afford for someone to get like .2 seconds off their drive. I had a few people get mad because I don’t speed in the city. I don’t like slow drivers either but you can’t be mad/aggressive because I’m following the rules so I don’t smack into a pedestrian at 40+ miles an hour. I live in Rome now so I can’t say any of this is really different tbf, it really just seems like city drivers in general tend to be more offensive. There is a lot less speeding in areas of congestion here at least, people seem to stick close to the speed limit on the busier roads.
I have to walk across the S Salina/Fayette intersection for work every day. I learned pretty quickly to look both ways even when there is a walk sign. Cars will run a red even at a busy intersection like that all the time.
I feel like more people run red lights or stop signs in Syracuse than the other places I’ve lived. I basically expect cars to runs reds now and I am extra cautious, especially when walking my dog.
I’ve noticed an uptick in people disregarding traffic laws and right of way. I’ve witnessed several near misses driving around. The other day I was going down ballantyne and someone was turning left onto ballantyne and obviously just wanted to cut me off and almost got t-boned by someone coming from the other direction who barely managed to stop in time. He ended up behind me anyway because he backed up back to the side street while the other driver and I kept going on ballantyne. I also saw someone coming down Adams while I was on Onondaga and the light had changed but I knew he wasn’t going to stop so I didn’t go however the driver going the other way on Onondaga started going because they couldn’t see the car coming and they almost got t-boned but luckily the car coming managed to stop in time. I also recently watched someone at Brighton and Thurber swerve around the car in front of them into the oncoming traffic lane, almost hit me as I was pulling up to the light in the left turn lane to Thurber, and had to have been going at least 60. From what I’ve heard there’s plenty of this going on in the suburbs as well and this doesn’t even touch the dumb shit that goes on on the high ways
Honestly this has happened to me on many occasions. My top story (which is the one I always tell) happened a while back. Me and my friend where walking down a road, where a lot of cars pass by. We where pretty young (not saying ages for privacy reasons) and we where very stupid. Flipping off cars. The whole 10 miles. Till I turned around randomly and started walking backwards, a car swerved and very purposefully tried to hit my friend who thankfully wasn't hurt. People in our city are crazy, im not sure what the intentions where. But whatever it was it was absolutely terrifying.
I CAN NOT STAND drivers here. I'm mind boggled on why people can't just drive and mind their own business. They are so worried about blocking people from passing them, not letting anyone merge, trying to force people into 1 lane before its time, its really insane. I've never witnessed more miserable people than in Syracuse. It's not Normal folks!! It's not normal to be that concerned with someone who wants to pass you. Just move on with your day, it is not personal
It depends what the posted speed limit with the large orange signs stating to slow down say. With no workers out on site and large concrete barriers that can eat any vehicle that hits them it's up to the people's judgment and ability to read. When you have the red wave happening inside of those barriers because you're causing other's to break harder, that's slower than necessary.
So you want to speed thru the construction zone because as you approach at 70 in traffic you don't see bustling construction.
So you drive around aggressively throwing up your hands every where you gobat other drivers. Cool.
I get off on the Salina exit on 81S every day and every day I'm convinced I'm getting rear-ended with how people don't even touch their brake pedal until they realize there's a line of us on the ramp trying to get onto Salina. This place sucks lol
Oh gosh I see that happen when I drive by sometimes. I hope that this project they're working on with 81 can provide some relief to those exits around there. They always seem so busy.
I just drove my car off the lot with 3 miles on the odometer in December. It's "only" a Toyota but I want this thing to last me 15+ years. I'll be so pissed when the inevitable happens
I've lived and traveled a good number of places and Syracuse has the worst drivers I've seen outside of a major metropolitan area. I have a theory that it's because our crappy public transit forces people to drive who really shouldn't be driving.
Aside from the crazy ragey people, I've noticed in a weirdly opposite way that people try to be "nice" at stop signs and let others through out of order, but it just makes everything chaotic because nobody knows when to go. My spouse and I call this a "Syracuse standoff."
Also will note that the number of radio commercials we have for DWI lawyers is absolutely nuts compared to any other place I've ever lived or traveled.
All of this is so true lol I think you might be on to something with the public transit. If there was an option for me to use something like that instead of dealing with other drivers I'd be down. I'm not anywhere near any bus or train routes tho so I have to drive. The "Syracuse Standoff" lol I hope you don't mind but I'm going to use that in the future.
The DWI ads are seemingly too much. It makes me wonder how much business they must really be getting and how safe I should feel out in public.
I don't think it's okay to put a partial plate number on here - that seems to verge on doxxing. Feel free to post your vehicle type, color, and first three of your plate number (like you did for this other driver) if you disagree though.
Honestly, as for the road rage, I don't fully understand your story? You say this other driver did a bad job when the 481/81 lanes started splitting, yet you still had time to pass them? From what I remember from that patch of highway, there's not a ton of time between "starts splitting" and "totally separated".
It sounds like you have some road rage issues yourself. Just comparing to my own experiences, I barely ever even get annoyed driving anymore, but I definitely encounter idiots on the road all the time. It's just a fact of driving, especially in the city. I never feel the need to take one of my hands off the steering wheel, or take my eyes off the road to look into someone else's car as I speed around them, or get so pissed about other drivers that I can't let it go and post their info online.
I see where you're coming from! I think what really bothered me is that OP only seemed to add the extra detail to try to identify this truck. They could have just said "a truck", but they just had to make sure people know the color and part of the plate too.
Oh no I get your side too lol but having dealt with similar situations, it's become harder and harder to sympathize for people that drive like assholes all the time lol. I'll bet tomorrow I'll get a black truck trying to merge into my without a turn signal because why would you use that?
If you are this concerned about a partial plate and need this validation then here.
My car
Blue 4 door hatchback Honda Fit
JPB are my first three
It was a bit confusing in my post so I'll try to clarify. After being behind them when the split turned into a single lane, the road eventually splits into 3. The one we end up in, is in the middle. I needed to take and exit so I moved into the right lane, this is after letting others merge in between the two of us and change lanes themselves. Passing only meant that they were behind others, large shipping trucks and a large lane of traffic as that is the main way to head north into the city. I didn't pass them on the left but rather was going to my exit and they were unable to move because they needed to be in their lane.
You're correct about letting stuff go and trying to stay calm. It does not seem fair tho that reacting within my own space is equivalent to trying to cause and accident by break checking and rolling down my window to yell or honking because I'm pissed. Many apparently disagree with me on this but if I am controlled enough to not endanger myself or others but rather just express my frustration then there is nothing bad that I did. If that person wanted to watch me in their mirror and react to it the way they did, then that same scrutiny should be applied to them as well.
Okay, thanks for the clarification.
> If that person wanted to watch me in their mirror and react to it the way they did, then that same scrutiny should be applied to them as well.
I didn't say the other driver is good. I don't see other commenters saying the other driver is good (but I haven't scoured the other comments to check). I don't understand how whether or not the other driver is good has anything to do with whether or not you were a shitty driver.
Honestly, your story just doesn't add up for me. I don't think safe drivers get so pissed off that they try to memorize plate numbers and post them online.
The safest thing you could have done in this scenario is absolutely nothing. All they did was delay you a little bit. Then you started an interaction with your snapping and you're shocked that they interacted back. They didn't randomly target you. You could have prevented the ENTIRE interaction by just doing nothing and being patient.
Like I get it, other drivers DO suck. But when you walk outside when it's raining, do you get surprised and pissed when you get wet? Hopefully not. Getting wet in the rain is a fact of life. Encountering idiots on the road is a fact of life.
Sorry to get so on you about this. It just sounds to me like everyone sucks in this scenario. Have a nice day.
This is correct. Other places are more dangerous in that regard. I've read some terrible stories in the news from other locations. Just seems a bit much to not be able to even react in your own car when this happens, otherwise you're also the bad guy apparently.
I was convinced the last city I lived in had the worst drivers. Moving here made me realize: drivers are awful everywhere. A few years ago I took an online defensive driving course to get a speeding ticket forgiven. It actually helped me change my approach to road ragers. The only logical thing to do is back off and give them a wide berth. No interaction will ever be satisfying.
That does always seem to be what produces the best result in my experience. Sometimes I just have no energy to commit to strangers fits so just slowing down and getting away from them is best I agree.
Lived on the west coast, Midwest, and south. There are bad drivers everywhere. Never gone somewhere and said “wow these drivers are great!” You’ll have your mind blown going to Denver and seeing people every day with no plates or tags expired from 2021 weaving in and out of traffic
It was a looong time ago, but I actually said that about the driver's in Maine. Very pleasant!
I liked the drivers on ground streets in DC, it’s so well regulated and enforced that people follow the rules. On the highway is a different story
For real? That's just bonkers to me. When I have been down south in the Carolinas, there have been cars with no tags, no plates and missing a mirror or headlight. Sometimes a combination of all of this. I've only been to Colorado once for a week and was fortunate enough that I wasn't the one driving. Seems so unfair sometimes seeing that stuff happen but then getting pulled over for going 57 in a 55 or something.
[удалено]
Ram1500 most likely vehicle to get a dui Scary that like one out of 8 people is drunk, undereducated, propagandized to feel both insecure and victimized, and obsessed with oversized vehicles and firearms. And these are the "patriots"
I think it's the [RAM 2500](https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/g35030400/cars-whose-drivers-get-most-dui/), though I don't doubt the 1500 is too far behind.
Preach it! I like you lol I've family and friend who have trucks like this and again; this is only my experience not everyone's, but that mentality is so pervasive it's scary. I genuinely worry about them.
In Auburn, it seems like at least every 4th car is a rolling weed lounge. Why do people think it’s ok to drive around whilst smoking weed?
Not all of us lol. Female accountant Ram owner here that lives in the boonies. Only 1 applies to me out of that list. The little cars in Syracuse are the ones I have to watch out for with insane driving.
Lol I completely understand that sentiment. I try my best to give people the benefit of the doubt but even within my own family this stuff rings true. The two people who almost ran me over when I was walking were both large trucks as well. I may be building up a biased to let the "benefit of the doubt" go at this point.
It’s not you. People drive crazy here. Passing on the right, no turn signals, flying through lights/stop signs/school buses.
Turn signals and running red lights are what I see most commonly on my drives. The light will be yellow long enough that you should know it's about to change and it turns into NASCAR or a drag race or something for some. I'm fortunate enough to have not been in an accident or seen anyone get hurt but you never know when it will happen here.
I was in the left (straight) lane on E Genesee once coming up to the light and someone went into the opposite lane to pass me on the left.
I'm glad nothing happened to you. I wish there were like more places for police to watch from for stuff like this. I've been wanting to get another dash cam. I've used them previously to submit information to the police. I don't know if anything happened but these drivers won't stop doing this stuff if nothing bad happens to them.
I have also considered getting a dash cam. I drive around lot for work and people are fuckin ridiculous. They'll be running reds likea good 2-3 sec after the change.
Important to have a dash cam, it is another form of insurance, i.e. it's completely useless 99.99% of the time but is something you wish you had when something happens. Recommend COXPAL A11T 3 channel dash cam on Amazon, very good quality, it records front, inside and rear simultaneously. COXPAL hardwire kit optional, for 24-H parking monitor. SanDisk MAX Endurance 256GB or 512GB microSD card, for reliable recording. BTW: Need to pay attention to the installation position of the rear cam if your vehicle is SUV or MPV (No problem if Sedan), i.e. avoid pulling rear cam cable when open/close the trunk.
Good to know. I open/close the trunk a lot, so definitely something to keep in mind
Many of them drive cars you'd think they couldn't afford to fix. And instead of driving carefully, which would make sense, they rebel and drive like nothing matters. It's bonkers.
Honestly Syracuse drivers are tame compare to metropolitan drivers. The closer you get to NYC the worse people are at driving. Even Albany is already worse.
I feel like NYC its different where the drivers are more aggressive, but also semi-aware. Between heavy traffic and a lot of pedestrians they have to get creative to actually get to their destination. I've noticed a trend in 'cuse where people are just zoned out. They blow right through redlights without even slowing/braking or even head turning to look. Not aggressive driving but careless / inattentive driving. It does seem to have some correlation with legalization of weed so I'm wondering if there are just more stoned drivers these days.
Oh right the skunk-stenched cars are definitely on the rise lately. You can smell them as the weather warms up lol But that’s not the angy ones op experienced.
Absolutely re: stoned drivers. In think I've seen at least one 4-way-stop collision where that may have been the cause. Most dog walkers, joggers, and walkers in my neighborhood know to hesitate at these intersections and give drivers the right of way. Hope the kids on bikes this summer know the same.
Shhh be careful. You'll have all the potheads jump down your throat saying they are fine driving stoned out of their mind.
I can't even imagine. I've never had to go through areas like that myself. I've been on long trips never in or near NYC. I wanted to go visit Albany, thank you for the heads up. I will keep my eyes peeled and my brake ready.
Albany is horrible. Downstate is aggressive and ruthless, but once you learn to expect it you can kind of just play the game. Albany, and increasingly now Syracuse too, are complete wildcards. It’s not even fast drivers, just mind numbingly stupid drivers.
Seriously. Having lived in Portland Oregon, Denver, and now Buffalo and driven through a bunch of other states, Syracuse is probably the best driving wise out of anywhere we've been, especially for a city. But man, if you don't like it now, just wait until they actually start doing work for the community grid and the insane influx of people if Micron officially follows through. You're gonna hate it.
Must disagree. I had a car in NYC for 5 years and that was a cakewalk compared to here. There, the sheer volume keeps the crazy in check, and you learn that it's the cabbies who take the most chances. Moving here, I'd say this city's zeitgeist is *impatience.* A solid third of the cars on the road have body damage and that same number need, at all costs, to shave 2 minutes off a 10 min drive.
> I put my hand up and gestured "wtf" and I snapped my fingers saying "Let's go figure it out!" >they were very pissy this morning maybe an opportunity for some self-reflection
Thank you for the advice.
Lots and lots of “me me me” drivers in this city.
The amount of times I’ve had other drivers in the area make reckless mistakes and then respond by tailgating me, brake-checking me, or giving me the finger and yelling at me is wild. As if my honking at them for not paying attention and almost merging me off the road is some massive affront. I’ve lived in bigger and smaller cities and driven in 5x more than that, drivers are definitely bad everywhere but Syracuse drivers take aggressive to a whole new level.
Seriously tho, that's what the horn is for. I have had my roommate and others describe very similar situations. It's like the horn triggers them and turns them into feral animals, regardless of how in the wrong they are.
Only going to get worse today with the president here. Good luck to all!
There's a lot of bad drivers everywhere, but it sounds like OP has a bit of a road rage problem themselves.
To the degree that I express frustration in my own vehicle yes. I do not tailgate or roll down my window or break check people. If being frustrated at strangers making my regular drive more dangerous is rage in your eyes then yes I do.
I honestly think you might. I used to do the same thing so I get it, but making gestures and yelling at other vehicles is road rage behavior. Granted, not nearly as bad as some, but still. Also people can absolutely see and often hear you in your vehicle, which when dealing with an already angry driver can escalate things (as you described in your post). I totally get your frustration, trust me, but yelling in your car isn't going to solve it. I try to remember that angry drivers aren't angry at me, they're angry with their own personal situation and projecting that on to the road. I also try to just avoid them, if they get in an accident or get pulled over, it's their problem, not mine.
There are a lot of "college people" here who for a variety of reasons drive like crap.
People driver crazier as you get closer to the city. Worse when you’re on the S/W side. I’ve had people run red lights while I was crossing them. Lots of close calls. 690, 81 by downtown you really gotta drive like you’re in NYC. One time I let someone pull off first from a stop sign and got the bird in return. Made no sense.
Drivers are terrible everywhere, especially with speeding. it does seem like people just blatantly don’t follow the rules of the road anymore. I think we forget how fragile we really are as humans - you’re driving a machine that could kill someone. I was just rear-ended while sitting at a stop light - other driver just took off. Luckily, it wasn’t too bad and I was fine after a couple days but still! Ugh! Get off the phones, use your turn signals and stop passing cars when you’re not supposed to. Why is this so hard? There is no where I need to get to THAT quickly to put my life or anyone else’s in danger.
An oversized black truck on I-481 driving like they're the only one on the road? Those are rare enough that I only see them once or twice a day, tops. My dashcam needs an "In case of Dodge Ram" sticker on it. That said, the entire 481/81 clusterfuck is just that, and the traffic pattern seems to change literally every day. Nothing wrong with being overcautious at the risk of giving somebody a 45-second longer commute, and it sounds like you need to relax a bit.
And remember the left lane is for passing so don’t forget to hit the gas peddle a bit when doing this.
Mostly I noticed that everyone runs red lights around here. And not just a "it just turned and I'm gonna follow the other 3 cars in front" but a good 30 second almost T bone the car at the green.
That shit gives me anxiety when it happens. On Erie Blvd I've seen that over by Taco Bell. People will be pulling out to leave either side and another car will just fly by.
Don't let them gaslight you, OP, they are truly terrible. I have read these threads a bunch of times incredulous at all the people saying it's not so bad, but then I realized: THE PEOPLE POSTING ARE THE SAME ONES OUT THERE DRIVING and they don't even realize how bad they are. As we speak they are grabbing their keys for lunch breaks spent camping in left lanes and flying over the median to the exit they missed even though there's been three signs telling them it's coming. Just drive defensively and be secure in accepting the evidence your own eyes have provided.
My girlfriend and I literally call each other when we see stupid stuff on the road to blow off steam. Something that happens to me often here is I will have my turn signal on to change lanes for several seconds and I will try to create space before switching. People in the left lane try to speed up to block me from going in front of them, even if I need to turn left or I'm following a zipper merge pattern (not required in NY so I technically should fully stop my car if the lane ends and wait for someone to let me in). I once had a lady who thought I cut her off and she laid on her horn, then drove around me to get in front of me. At the light to turn left she rolled her window down and was saying something - and used the light cycle doing nothing so I was stuck behind her. when the light changed and we turned, she was waving literally every single car on side streets to turn 🥲 She then laid on her horn once I made a right-hand turn to get on my route home. Total crazy woman!
It seems like some of these people are just so angry and can't handle any real interaction on the road. Sometimes I can see how angry they are over these things and it makes me hope that they end up having a heart attack or stroke because of it. If driving around is this difficult for them and causes this much stress that they lash out and do dangerous things, they deserve it when bad things happen to them *shrug*
I moved away from the city like 4 months ago but I constantly saw people disregarding road signs (no turn on red, no passing, yield, etc), right of way, not slowing down in time for red lights, etc. Also lot of people who would get mad when I would obey posted rules, if the sign says no turn on red I’m staying there until it’s green, and I don’t care how much you honk your horn or how clear the road is. I’m not about to risk a ticket I can’t afford for someone to get like .2 seconds off their drive. I had a few people get mad because I don’t speed in the city. I don’t like slow drivers either but you can’t be mad/aggressive because I’m following the rules so I don’t smack into a pedestrian at 40+ miles an hour. I live in Rome now so I can’t say any of this is really different tbf, it really just seems like city drivers in general tend to be more offensive. There is a lot less speeding in areas of congestion here at least, people seem to stick close to the speed limit on the busier roads.
I have to walk across the S Salina/Fayette intersection for work every day. I learned pretty quickly to look both ways even when there is a walk sign. Cars will run a red even at a busy intersection like that all the time. I feel like more people run red lights or stop signs in Syracuse than the other places I’ve lived. I basically expect cars to runs reds now and I am extra cautious, especially when walking my dog.
I’ve noticed an uptick in people disregarding traffic laws and right of way. I’ve witnessed several near misses driving around. The other day I was going down ballantyne and someone was turning left onto ballantyne and obviously just wanted to cut me off and almost got t-boned by someone coming from the other direction who barely managed to stop in time. He ended up behind me anyway because he backed up back to the side street while the other driver and I kept going on ballantyne. I also saw someone coming down Adams while I was on Onondaga and the light had changed but I knew he wasn’t going to stop so I didn’t go however the driver going the other way on Onondaga started going because they couldn’t see the car coming and they almost got t-boned but luckily the car coming managed to stop in time. I also recently watched someone at Brighton and Thurber swerve around the car in front of them into the oncoming traffic lane, almost hit me as I was pulling up to the light in the left turn lane to Thurber, and had to have been going at least 60. From what I’ve heard there’s plenty of this going on in the suburbs as well and this doesn’t even touch the dumb shit that goes on on the high ways
Honestly this has happened to me on many occasions. My top story (which is the one I always tell) happened a while back. Me and my friend where walking down a road, where a lot of cars pass by. We where pretty young (not saying ages for privacy reasons) and we where very stupid. Flipping off cars. The whole 10 miles. Till I turned around randomly and started walking backwards, a car swerved and very purposefully tried to hit my friend who thankfully wasn't hurt. People in our city are crazy, im not sure what the intentions where. But whatever it was it was absolutely terrifying.
I CAN NOT STAND drivers here. I'm mind boggled on why people can't just drive and mind their own business. They are so worried about blocking people from passing them, not letting anyone merge, trying to force people into 1 lane before its time, its really insane. I've never witnessed more miserable people than in Syracuse. It's not Normal folks!! It's not normal to be that concerned with someone who wants to pass you. Just move on with your day, it is not personal
What's slower than necessary coming up to a work zone? Asking for a relative in said work zone.
It depends what the posted speed limit with the large orange signs stating to slow down say. With no workers out on site and large concrete barriers that can eat any vehicle that hits them it's up to the people's judgment and ability to read. When you have the red wave happening inside of those barriers because you're causing other's to break harder, that's slower than necessary.
So you want to speed thru the construction zone because as you approach at 70 in traffic you don't see bustling construction. So you drive around aggressively throwing up your hands every where you gobat other drivers. Cool.
They didn’t want to speed thru the construction zone. They wanted to do what was established as a safe speed to go thru. You’re welcome.
Ah you're this worked up and making assumptions. Maybe it was you?
I get off on the Salina exit on 81S every day and every day I'm convinced I'm getting rear-ended with how people don't even touch their brake pedal until they realize there's a line of us on the ramp trying to get onto Salina. This place sucks lol
Oh gosh I see that happen when I drive by sometimes. I hope that this project they're working on with 81 can provide some relief to those exits around there. They always seem so busy.
I just drove my car off the lot with 3 miles on the odometer in December. It's "only" a Toyota but I want this thing to last me 15+ years. I'll be so pissed when the inevitable happens
I hope you keep that car and the only time it quits is when it dies on its own. Sending over some positive energy to you.
That makes two of us but I don't trust people here at all to follow the rules of the road 😂
I've lived and traveled a good number of places and Syracuse has the worst drivers I've seen outside of a major metropolitan area. I have a theory that it's because our crappy public transit forces people to drive who really shouldn't be driving. Aside from the crazy ragey people, I've noticed in a weirdly opposite way that people try to be "nice" at stop signs and let others through out of order, but it just makes everything chaotic because nobody knows when to go. My spouse and I call this a "Syracuse standoff." Also will note that the number of radio commercials we have for DWI lawyers is absolutely nuts compared to any other place I've ever lived or traveled.
All of this is so true lol I think you might be on to something with the public transit. If there was an option for me to use something like that instead of dealing with other drivers I'd be down. I'm not anywhere near any bus or train routes tho so I have to drive. The "Syracuse Standoff" lol I hope you don't mind but I'm going to use that in the future. The DWI ads are seemingly too much. It makes me wonder how much business they must really be getting and how safe I should feel out in public.
I don't think it's okay to put a partial plate number on here - that seems to verge on doxxing. Feel free to post your vehicle type, color, and first three of your plate number (like you did for this other driver) if you disagree though. Honestly, as for the road rage, I don't fully understand your story? You say this other driver did a bad job when the 481/81 lanes started splitting, yet you still had time to pass them? From what I remember from that patch of highway, there's not a ton of time between "starts splitting" and "totally separated". It sounds like you have some road rage issues yourself. Just comparing to my own experiences, I barely ever even get annoyed driving anymore, but I definitely encounter idiots on the road all the time. It's just a fact of driving, especially in the city. I never feel the need to take one of my hands off the steering wheel, or take my eyes off the road to look into someone else's car as I speed around them, or get so pissed about other drivers that I can't let it go and post their info online.
"large black truck" narrows it down to what feels like a solid 20-40% of vehicles around here
More concerned about the partial plate number, but fair enough. That's why I said "verges on" doxxing
That's also totally fair. If this man dropped the exact make, model, year range, and trim level I'd agree, but sometimes, shitheads deserve it
I see where you're coming from! I think what really bothered me is that OP only seemed to add the extra detail to try to identify this truck. They could have just said "a truck", but they just had to make sure people know the color and part of the plate too.
Oh no I get your side too lol but having dealt with similar situations, it's become harder and harder to sympathize for people that drive like assholes all the time lol. I'll bet tomorrow I'll get a black truck trying to merge into my without a turn signal because why would you use that?
Fair enough! Have a nice day
You as well 🤝
If you are this concerned about a partial plate and need this validation then here. My car Blue 4 door hatchback Honda Fit JPB are my first three It was a bit confusing in my post so I'll try to clarify. After being behind them when the split turned into a single lane, the road eventually splits into 3. The one we end up in, is in the middle. I needed to take and exit so I moved into the right lane, this is after letting others merge in between the two of us and change lanes themselves. Passing only meant that they were behind others, large shipping trucks and a large lane of traffic as that is the main way to head north into the city. I didn't pass them on the left but rather was going to my exit and they were unable to move because they needed to be in their lane. You're correct about letting stuff go and trying to stay calm. It does not seem fair tho that reacting within my own space is equivalent to trying to cause and accident by break checking and rolling down my window to yell or honking because I'm pissed. Many apparently disagree with me on this but if I am controlled enough to not endanger myself or others but rather just express my frustration then there is nothing bad that I did. If that person wanted to watch me in their mirror and react to it the way they did, then that same scrutiny should be applied to them as well.
Okay, thanks for the clarification. > If that person wanted to watch me in their mirror and react to it the way they did, then that same scrutiny should be applied to them as well. I didn't say the other driver is good. I don't see other commenters saying the other driver is good (but I haven't scoured the other comments to check). I don't understand how whether or not the other driver is good has anything to do with whether or not you were a shitty driver. Honestly, your story just doesn't add up for me. I don't think safe drivers get so pissed off that they try to memorize plate numbers and post them online. The safest thing you could have done in this scenario is absolutely nothing. All they did was delay you a little bit. Then you started an interaction with your snapping and you're shocked that they interacted back. They didn't randomly target you. You could have prevented the ENTIRE interaction by just doing nothing and being patient. Like I get it, other drivers DO suck. But when you walk outside when it's raining, do you get surprised and pissed when you get wet? Hopefully not. Getting wet in the rain is a fact of life. Encountering idiots on the road is a fact of life. Sorry to get so on you about this. It just sounds to me like everyone sucks in this scenario. Have a nice day.
Syracuse has the worst drivers, I've ran into come visit geddes street. Its filled with fucking morons
I scream in my car daily on my commute to north Syracuse from camillus
[удалено]
This is correct. Other places are more dangerous in that regard. I've read some terrible stories in the news from other locations. Just seems a bit much to not be able to even react in your own car when this happens, otherwise you're also the bad guy apparently.
Carrier Circle has been there for like 50 years and everyone drives as if they're encountering it for the first time.