Saw this article in the Statesman about traffic congestion being the #1 problem in Austin right now. I don’t know if this is the case, but it is an issue that affects a lot of people all over the city. Another good article in the Statesman (wow, two in one week!!) is about a new book out about driving habits. One interesting tidbit I am not sure I agree with is this.
He starts, for example, by making a convincing case about why being a “late merger” — that obnoxious driver who drives down an open right lane for hundreds of yards and then noses his way into a creeping left lane — is actually a good thing. If we all did it, he finally demonstrates, there would be less congestion overall.
I need to get the book to read what he is really trying to say. I do believe in the punch it and go philosophy when it comes to the stop sign indecision in the neigborhood.
11 responses so far ↓
1 Melissa // Aug 1, 2008 at 8:59 am
I am still baffled about everyone’s insistance that Austin’s traffic is so bad. It’s not great, but compared to Houston or LA or some Northeast cities, it is nothing.
2 Anonymous // Aug 1, 2008 at 9:14 am
I am still baffled that people keep compairing our traffic to other cities. It doesn’t matter what their traffic is like, we care about traffic in Austin and when it takes up to two hours one way, that’s bad traffic.
People keep saying, “I don’t think Austin traffic is bad, but I work from home.” For those of us that don’t have flexible hours and have to be in the 8am and 5pm traffic everyday, it’s not good.
3 1234 // Aug 2, 2008 at 8:01 am
The reason people keep comparing Austin to other cities is that people are from other cities. After coming here, they find that traffic is not bad and the commute times are short compared to where they lived before moving to Austin. I am one that would agree that traffic is not bad here, but then again I am born and raised here and I do not work from home. I am in the mix everyday and I can’t complain about one thing. Two things happen here (1) get used to it because that is the way it is or (2) cry, moan and complain to your family, friends and other people who don’t want to hear your complaint.
4 JJ // Aug 3, 2008 at 9:26 am
I would agree with the previous post. I’ve been here almost 10 years and although I would agree that traffic has become more difficult it is still easy to navigate. The main problem I have noticed is that many more people are rushing and seem to become more impatient with their driving. Take for instance all the people who drive on the shoulders. I think that causes many more problems for everyone. That is my small gripe with emphasis on small. I would also agree that with all the other issues that people have (and I have) in our lives, I don’t want to be bothered with others “crying, moaning and complaining” about your drive into work and how it ruined your day.
5 SB // Aug 3, 2008 at 11:56 am
Traffic is never fun,period. The thing that annoys me the most is when people go slower than 55mph on FM 620!
6 Anonymous // Aug 3, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I agree with SB!! If you don’t want to go the speed limit stay in the right lane.
7 Melissa // Aug 5, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Totally agree, SB and Anonymous.
Another thing I have noticed about Austin that drives me crazy is that traffic lights are very poorly synchronized or not synchronized at all. So, your light turns green, but you can’t go anywhere ’cause there are still cars backed up from the next light, which is still red.
8 TXN8TV // Aug 5, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Yes, I wish people would drive the speed limit or move to the right lane, too. 620 is 65 miles an hour from Hudson Bend to the Catholic Church by Canyon Creek. 65 mph!!! People frequently go 45 or 50 and block both lanes. It is ridiculous.
9 Anonymous // Aug 5, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I can’t agree more about the 65mph speed limit. I was stuck behind two cars yesterday on my way home both going about 45mph. I also agree with the lack of synchronized lights especially on 2222 around Jester. Sometimes getting from Loop 360 to Tumbleweed Hill seems to takes forever because of the light changes.
10 Kathy // Aug 22, 2008 at 12:46 pm
As a native Texan, I too, am frustrated with all the people driving the speed limit (or slower) in the left hand lane. What is so ding-dang hard to understand about the phrase “slower traffic keep right”??? This is not merely a suggestion, but the law! Out of staters and foreigners seem to be the biggest offenders. I realize they probably don’t know “that’s how we do it here in Texas”, but you’d think they could read and comprehend signs that are posted all over the state! Geez! Also, want to add that people used to flash their headlights to warn oncoming traffic of speed traps ahead (I know it’s illegal), but people used to do this and they don’t anymore. Sure helps when driving through Lakeway!
11 Melissa // Aug 24, 2008 at 10:15 am
Totally agree, Kathy. I am from PA, but we still use the left-hand lane for passing only. Don’t know why so many people don’t get that, but it drives me crazy. And I hear ya about the flashing lights. People used to do this all the time in PA too. I’ve heard that they are big on writing tickets for that now, so maybe that’s keeping people from doing it like they used to. Someone did this on 2222 the other day. He was going up the hill (west) and we were going down Tumbleweed Hill. There were motorcycle cops at the bottom with radar. He saved me (and some others) a ticket for sure. Everyone picks up speed on that hill.
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