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Louisville's great, but the drivers are crap [Louisville newbie]

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I really like living in Louisville. There's a ton of different things to do and everyone is really friendly. However, I do have one pretty big complaint.  Why don't people here know how to drive?! Seriously, I have lived in many different places and never in my life have I seen such a blatant display of avoiding traffic laws.

News flash to people living and driving in Louisville: there is this device in you car that you push up or down and it lets all the people driving around you know which way you are about to turn. It is very helpful so that the other drivers on the road can get out of your way and avoid hitting you or being hit by you. Also, if it is raining, meaning there is water (any amount of water) coming from the sky, you are supposed to put on your lights. This helps the other drivers on the road to see you which in turn helps them not hit you and avoid being hit by you. Basically, though sometimes inconvenient these rules are there to prevent the death of you and others.

Another helpful tip, when merging onto the interstate, get on at speed. Do not merge into oncoming traffic at 30 mph...this is not helpful and will cause an accident. Seriously though, I have never seen so many accidents in my life as I have seen on I-65...it's outrageous.

When I first moved here, someone said that the only thing they didn't like about living in Louisville was the traffic. However, I assumed that after living in a big city like Chicago that it couldn't possibly be that bad. Well, I stand corrected.  It is that bad. Whoever thought it was a good idea to merge 3 highways (65, 64, & 71) at one spot should be thrown off the island. Louisville, you already have the odds against you with stupid street planning, don't make it worse by not using your turn signal or your lights. Get it together.

Photo courtest of KY Public Transit

Maggie moved to Louisville from Buffalo, NY in Dec. 2009. She has also lived in London, Chicago, and Louisiana.  Find out more about her business Weekend Wedding Warrior, LLC and her private counseling practice.

Drivers in Louisville

I was born and raisded in Louisville and have lived here for just over 67 years now and I TOTALLY agree with all comments made about driving here. I'd like to add that SOME of this is caused by inattention as well as ignorance. In the past year I have seen people in moving vehicles; talking on the phone (many will say this isn't distracting but as someone who has been behind you while you were dialing or engrossed in conversation and need your one free hand, I respectfully disagree); Texting, many if not all can see the obvious distraction here, but many also continue to do this; holding the newspaper on the steering wheel so you can glance at it off and on while you're going 65 miles per hour down the interstate; common things like putting on makeup or shaving with an electric shaver; AND one of my pet peeves (pun intended) is people with dogs running free and from side to side in the front or back seat of the car. Some are on the owner's lap looking out the driver side window. I can promise you that those drivers are not seeing all they need to see and I can also promise you that if a 30 pound dog made in mis-step between my legs, the last thing I'd be thinking of is driving my car. Enough rant, I just want to agree that as a group we are horrible drivers.

I feel you, Maggie!

You are not alone! I have lived many other places and Louisville has the worst drivers, BY FAR! It's insane! Good luck out there!

I AGREE

We've been here a year. The lack of blinker usage drives me CRAZY, too! I've also been pushed onto an exit when I was trying to merge into the left lanes, TWICE! BULLIES! (I had my blinker on and was up to speed.) Sheesh. We also, love living here. So many things to do and see, but the disrespect for others on the road is awful.

Thanks!

Thanks for the comments everyone. I'm so glad to hear it's not just me! I totally forgot about how everyone drives in the left-hand lane way too slow...I've also noticed that. It's the passing-lane, not the stay-here-at-55mph-until-I feeling-like-exiting lane. I definitely still love Louisville though and it beats driving in 2' of snow like Buffalo.

Born & raised here in Louisville

I have to say you are completely RIGHT! Welcome to some of the worlds worst drivers & the local & state politics SUCK too!! But I still love my Louisville. Jim.Ballard@gmail.com

Louisville drivers

I'm from California, and though I have been here for 11 years now, I feel the same way. It kills me when people hang out in the left lane holding up traffic. However, the volume of traffic makes up for bad driving, in my opinion. And my main complaint is just that people are very slow to react to changing driving conditions, but they are also fairly polite most of the time (not so much on 65 or the other freeways during heavy traffic). Overall, I just look at it as a small price to pay to live in a friendly, slower-paced area.

Got to agree--and I'm from Boston

Folks here drive like they're 16-year-old girls texting on their Sidekick while behind the wheel.

Ha ha ha, that is hilarious!

Ha ha ha, that is hilarious! I moved from Minneapolis / St. Paul last year (which has more traffic), but we have noticed the exact same things! The thing that scares me the most is the blatant lack of concern for stop signs and red lights. I know us "Yankees" from the North have a different way of doing things, but I was unaware that red meant SPEED UP down here; up in da nort, it meant STOP, ya know? Ya, you betcha.

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