I just made a trip up to Oregon last week. And Man! I couldn't beleive how slow everyone was driving. I mean, I'm not speed racer or anything,,,well,,. Any way, we got out of the airport and headed to Lincoln City, I was doing about 55-60 on the freeway (205?) and then I get cut off in the fast lane by a big old tree hauling big rig! I don't know, maybe I'm just used to the traffic in So Cal. But around the freeway in my town, the people are constantly cruising around 80mph. Well anyway, I guess it's safer up there were you guys live. I love the greenery and the clean air, the housing cost ( I could buy a big a$$ house up there) and everyone seemed really nice. I will be going up there again after my sister has her baby, I'll just have to let my wife drive for me. [img]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

<font color=blue>2003 Caribbean Blue Coupe
6MT Prem, Aero, Nav.</font color=blue>[img]/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/img]

 

Hey Razor, it's no faster in the Seattle area. 70 is about max. We have too many troopers gunnin' for ya. The only 80's are soon pulled over with flashers behind them. Remember to tell all your friends it rains alot up here... Friendly but wet !! Some places have good house prices but some are close to the per foot cost of San Diego someplace I'd like to live.

Seattle 'Eastside' area
'R' Order - IP/Graphite 6MT Coupe; Prem. & Nav. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

 

Yeah, I rented a Subaru Outback while we were up there just for the weather and space. You got it right about San Diego, I would like to live down there as well, but the closest I've gotten was Escondido. Temecula is where I'm at now and that's pretty good. It's only about 45 minutes to S.D. My wife has some family in Washington now, maybe we will pick our next trip for there.

<font color=blue>2003 Caribbean Blue Coupe
6MT Prem, Aero, Nav.</font color=blue>[img]/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/img]

 

Suggest you come up during the Seafair festivities the first or second week of August. The hydro's and Blue Angels is quite a show and, typically, one of our best stretches of good weather. ...dean

Seattle 'Eastside' area
'R' Order - IP/Graphite 6MT Coupe; Prem. & Nav. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

 

Oregon drivers are crazy slow. I moved to Portland from Tampa, FL about 5 years ago and I am still amazed at the poor quality of drivers in this state. Merging into traffic seems to be a baffling concept, rubber necking is rampant, and there is no respect for faster traffic in the Fast Lane. I just returned from a business trip to Los Angeles - what a pleasure to drive on those roads where 80mph is the norm.

-townsley-
2003 Brilliant Silver Premium Sedan

 

I am from NYC, so amen to that townsley!!!

Especially about how people merge and the rubbernecking!!!

 

I am a transplanted L.A. native now living in Eugene and I agree on the Oregon drivers! My biggest pet peeve is the people getting on the freeway going about 35 mph, then braking when they don't have an open spot to slide into! Get on the F'in gas!! However, I just came back from a vacation in L.A. and my friend pointed out that about every 4th car down there has a dent in its bumper! We may be slower up here, but we don't NASCAR on the freeways like the good old Ventura or 405 in L.A.!!

6MT
Premium
Black/Black

 

Oh man! That's the best place to race,... I mean drive. Really though, I understand that the cars can get crazy in L.A. and around that area. I loved Oregon, but I'm just used to the faster pace I guess. I remeber when I had my Motorcycle, I made it from Ventura to Downtown San Diego in 2 1/2 hours one time. I was splitting lanes though, so that in itself made up for the traffic. And before anyone says anything, I wasn't rocketing down between the cars like some guys do on their bikes. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img] And about the dent thing, My wifes bug has been hit twice while parked in our apartment building parking lot.

<font color=blue>2003 Caribbean Blue Coupe
6MT Prem, Aero, Nav.</font color=blue>[img]/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/img]

 

I would like to defend my fellow Oregonians unfortunately I have to agree with most of the comments here.

A. the left lane is for passing thus signs that read "Slower Traffic Keep Right". And, no, just 'cause you're going 66 mph in a 65 does not qualify you to plant your *** in the fast lane.

B. the onramp is provided so you may get your car up to speed to merge with traffic. You make that merge at the end of the onramp and glide into traffic. Don't brake looking for a spot to squeeze into before the end of the ramp. That's why they painted the lines idiot.

C. I would argue it is less safe up here cause there are a lot of clueless drivers. Something about going 80 makes you want to pay attention to what you're doing. Bozos at 50mph think they can do crossword puzzles while driving.

D. Get out of my way.

I promise to go fast if you're up here again. Did find a couple of modded imports willing to cruise (80+) on the way back from above Seattle on I-5 over the 4th weekend. Yahoo. Home in no time.

P.S. I was born in CA. Maybe it's in the blood.



03.5 Sedan AT (Black-Willow-Premium-Sport-Aero-GG Grounding Kit)

 

[img]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/img] Oh man! I was just picturing some nut driving down the freeway doing a cross word! That's just too much, and I love (D) Get out of my way! It must be in the blood. I was talking to my mom the other day, and she told me that when I was little and we went for family walks, my stroller had to be in the front. I wouldn't even let the dogs walk ahead of me! [img]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/img] If anyone did I would start screaming. So I think your right, we must be born with this.

<font color=blue>2003 Caribbean Blue Coupe
6MT Prem, Aero, Nav.</font color=blue>[img]/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/img]

 

Which is why we drive the G.

03.5 Sedan AT (Black-Willow-Premium-Sport-Aero-GG Grounding Kit)

 

Transplanted midwesterner here - love Oregon, but drivers, well, they are just bad, but oh well.. gotta take the bad with the good..

Things I have learned about Oregon driving since I moved here:

1) There is no fast lane in Oregon. Get over it.. I did...
2) People on the ENTIRE WEST COAST have *shitty* driving skills. Sorry, that was kind of harsh... But the bottom line is, people here on the west coast think wet roads are dangerous, and roads with 0.5 inches of snow require chains. That's pathetic. But, it is understandable. Since I've moved here, I've definitely noticed my driving skills going down. If you live in the snowbelt, you learn how to handle a car on any surface (including ice), 'cause if you don't, you stay at home. And no, the ability to tailgate someone at 85 mph doesn't make you a skilled driver - it makes you a dumb one. *whew* sorry about that flame explosion... Again, I apologize for the sweeping generalization..
3) ODOT wouldn't know how to design a straight road if it smacked them in the head with a 2x4.. Here in Portland I can't even begin to count the number of @!#$&%# up intersections we have because the roads weren't planned properly... Of course, one of my friends is a senior engineer with ODOT and I continually harangue him about it, and he agrees... LOL..
4) Totally agree about the inability of people to use the on-ramps. But, I know people in the midwest who have the same lack of understanding of how to merge onto highways, so I can't say it's just an oregon thing.
5) Overall, people here on the west coast just have much lower driving skills (oh wait, I already said that... well, I guess it just sticks out in my mind..)
6) Oregon drivers aren't any more or less courteous than other drivers that I've noticed. However, I guess if you're coming from California's hellacious driving scene, they are nicer... But who isn't? I have noticed a lot more road rage here in Oregon, but that may be just a national trend..
7) Cars last a LOT longer here without salted roads (for those who don't know why one would ever want to add a condiment to the road, it's because it melts SNOW...)

Ack, I'm going to stop..

Chaster

 

Nice rant Chaster! I wholly agree with all aspects of your post, except for one thing. I simply CANNOT get over the fast lane issue. What is wrong with these people? How can they be stopped. What about the tunnels on 26? It's like each time they go through them it's a whole new experience. "I wonder if the tunnel has caved in today. I'd better go reeeeaaal slow." Don't even get me started on the slick road issue. It rains all the time here and people act like they've never seen the stuff before. "What is this strange magic from the sky." I've been trying to "clock down" my brain to get into the Portland driving groove, but the program isn't taking. Maybe if I bought a big *** truck with a gun rack...


-townsley-
2003 Brilliant Silver Premium Sedan

 

I agree townsley...

Why the hell do people slow down so much going through that friggin tunnel? Is it because they don't realize it is a slight upgrade and need to press a little more on the gas? For that matter, I can't understand why traffic has to slow down so much on the dang curves...even on the interstate!!!

Also, you figure with the number of rainy days we have, NWsterners would be the best drivers in rain conditions...NOT! I just don't get it.

What are they teaching in the driving schools here?

G35C 6MT Prem DG/G
Alum Pedals
Clear Bra

98 Altima GXE

 

I'm a native Oregonian, but I went to school in LA. In SoCal, I always drove with the pace of traffic, which was usually between 75 and 80. In Portland, the flow of traffic is usually 60-65.

The thing I don't get about people here, is that nobody knows how to merge. I don't know how many times people COME TO A COMPLETE STOP at the end of the on ramp!! I shudder at how Oregonians would handle the Orange Crush interchange in Orange County, or the suicide ramps in Pasadena, or the fact that there are no left turn signals in LA county It almost seemed like an unwritten rule in LA, that you allow 3 cars to run the red to make a left turn.

But in Oregon's defense, when I was in LA, I don't know how many times my friends would stand on the brakes on the freeway when approaching a puddle of water for fear of hydroplaning Heck, it seems that none of my friends cars had functional wipers. Anyways, seems like nobody knows how to drive in the rain in LA. Then again, lately seems like nobody knows how to drive in the rain/snow in Portland either. Must be all those CA transplants