Apparently Detroit Has the Nation's Best Drivers...

[detroitpride313]

"QuoteWizard reports that based on the Motor City's statistics on accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs and citations, which incluses distacted driving or running a red light, Detroit ranks at No. 1 as the city with the best drivers."

Not sure how reliable this report is and I certainly don't believe it based on the amount of crazy drivers I see all the time within the city but interesting nonetheless...

http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/loca...64131777-story

[313WX]

I buy it.

Detroit drivers are fast and aggressive [[just take a short drive on I-696 for example), but not reckless.

I think everyone know it's an unofficial rule that the speed limit signs are just suggestions around here [[including many of the patrol officers).

EDIT: Don't forget, Detroit drivers have also mastered the art of "dodge the pothole," something drivers in other cities can't claim.

[ABetterDetroit]

It's true. I have said this many times and completely agree.

It is common out of town to have 'awful driver' manufactured gridlock and I'm thankful that it is far more rare here every time I am stuck in it. To be fair though, anywhere in the Midwest is a step above.

Metro Detroit drivers are more courteous and are able to cope with traffic and keep everything moving once you have negotiated enough metro areas because many of them can't and don't.

We can execute a merge with F1 precision in comparison.

[313WX]

I wouldn't describe it as Detroiters "coping" with traffic better. Detroit simply doesn't have bad traffic to cope with, for a couple reasons:

1. Odd commuter patterns. Unlike most major cities, not everyone commutes to/from one center of employment. It's not uncommon on a weekday to not encounter any inbound traffic backups into the city on some freeways.

2. Wide / underutilized roads. Most cities don't have 6 or 8 lane wide avenues and boulevards like we do.

3. Strategically built street grid. You really appreciate how efficient our mile-road and spoke system is after visiting and driving in other cities.

Compared to Atlanta, for example [[which is only slightly bigger than Detroit), their freeways stay clogged for most of the day. Even at 10am, you'll still have traffic backups headed into their downtown area.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

The Metropolitan Atlanta area has 5,710,795 people, Metro Detroit has 4,292,060. Atlanta is more than slightly bigger, and spread out. Every place seems like it's a hour or more away from the central city. More people, more traffic.

[313WX]

The Metropolitan Atlanta area has 5,710,795 people, Metro Detroit has 4,292,060. Atlanta is more than slightly bigger, and spread out. Every place seems like it's a hour or more away from the central city. More people, more traffic.

It is a very huge misconception that Metro Atlanta is much bigger than Metro Detroit.

The issue is the flawed way that MSAs / CSAs are defined. Not only is Detroit dinged for its odd commuting patterns [[since comparably fewer people from the suburbs commute to the city versus Atlanta), but Canada is also excluded from our official MSA.

Atlanta's metro area as defined by the Census is almost double the size in area than Detroit's. If Detroit's MSA was defined the same way, Ann Arbor, Flint, Monroe, Sarnia, Chatham-Kent and Windsor would all be included and the population would actually be around 5.7 million.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit%E2%80%93Windsor

[Cincinnati_Kid]

It is a very huge misconception that Metro Atlanta is much bigger than Metro Detroit.

The issue is the flawed way that MSAs / CSAs are defined. Not only is Detroit dinged for its odd commuting patterns [[since comparably fewer people from the suburbs commute to the city versus Atlanta), but Canada is also excluded from our official MSA.

Atlanta's metro area as defined by the Census is almost double the size in area than Detroit's. If Detroit's MSA was defined the same way, Ann Arbor, Flint, Monroe, Sarnia, Chatham-Kent and Windsor would all be included and the population would actually be around 5.7 million.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit%E2%80%93Windsor

You are correct, in how Canada and surrounding cities aren't measured with the evidence to back it up, but why would the surrounding suburbs of another country, be included in Metro Detroit's population data? Are there that many people who come to Detroit from Chatham, London and other Ontario cities? Suburban Atlanta constitutes smaller cities and towns in the state of Georgia. Windsor I could make a case for, since it's just across the river, but Flint is 70 miles from Detroit, I would think it would not be included as a suburb of Detroit, while Monroe is 40 miles, and AA 43.5 miles from Detroit. So what distance from a central city actually emcompasses a Metro area?

[313WX]

I respect what you're saying, and the evidence to back it up, but why would the surrounding suburbs of another country, be included in Metro Detroit's population data? Suburban Atlanta constitutes smaller cities and towns in the state of Georgia.

It's not, but that's not the point.

My point is Detroit [[metro) has a lot more people than the statistics show.

[313WX]

I respect what you're saying, and the evidence to back it up, but why would the surrounding suburbs of another country, be included in Metro Detroit's population data? Suburban Atlanta constitutes smaller cities and towns in the state of Georgia. Flint is 70 miles from Detroit, I would think it would not be included as a suburb of Detroit, while Monroe is 40 miles, and AA 43.5 miles from Detroit. So what actually emcompasses a Metro area?

To address your edits, Athens [[included in Atlanta's MSA) is about the same distance from downtown Atlanta as Flint is from downtown Detroit. Meanwhile, Cartersville [[also in Atlanta's MSA) is the same distance from downtown Atlanta as Monroe and Ann Arbor are from downtown Detroit.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

To address your edits, Athens [[included in Atlanta's MSA) is about the same distance from downtown Atlanta as Flint is from downtown Detroit. Meanwhile, Cartersville [[also in Atlanta's MSA) is the same distance from downtown Atlanta as Monroe and Ann Arbor are from downtown Detroit.

Ok, point made.

[One Shot]

This is a joke to me. I think locally everyone has turned nuts. Speeding, tail-gaiting, cutting one another off, running red lights. All while texting of course!

[Hermod]

I have lived in the Washington DC metro area and now in SE Florida. When I am up in Michigan the traffic is common sense compared to the first two. I rarely have to scream at my windshield or pound the steering wheel in Detroit.

[Richard]

I have lived in the Washington DC metro area and now in SE Florida. When I am up in Michigan the traffic is common sense compared to the first two. I rarely have to scream at my windshield or pound the steering wheel in Detroit.

It is the difference between controlled chaos and uncontrolled chaos.

In Fl you take all of the drivers from every other state that does not know how to drive,then you take all of the drivers from every other country in the world that do not know how to drive and mix them all together.

[O3H]

Many forget 16% of Warren's population was 65 or older at the last census.

Michigan really does need to re-test senior citizens who do some bizarre things on the roads

[ABetterDetroit]

It is the difference between controlled chaos and uncontrolled chaos.

In Fl you take all of the drivers from every other state that does not know how to drive,then you take all of the drivers from every other country in the world that do not know how to drive and mix them all together.

Then mix in tons of ancient people.

Phoenix is right up there among the worst. The jaws of life on the fire trucks there get plenty of work. Sometimes it seems like half the cop cars you see on patrol have collision damage on them.

[Richard]

Then mix in tons of ancient people.

Phoenix is right up there among the worst. The jaws of life on the fire trucks there get plenty of work. Sometimes it seems like half the cop cars you see on patrol have collision damage on them.

I find it safer to drive in the middle lane of the freeway at 40 mph with my right blinker on at all times,it keeps others on thier toes and provides a safer journey.

I wonder if Detroiters can take this information to the insurance companies and dispute thier justification for the high rates that they charge.

[313WX]

I wonder if Detroiters can take this information to the insurance companies and dispute thier justification for the high rates that they charge.

Only if they can get the criminals to stop breaking into and stealing their vehicles, or if they can get all Motorcycle riders to wear helmets.

[WKL]

Greetings from the city with the worst drivers - Sacramento.

[Honky Tonk]

Only if they can get the criminals to stop breaking into and stealing their vehicles, or if they can get all Motorcycle riders to wear helmets.

You forgot to add stealing their car parts too....

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Greetings from the city with the worst drivers - Sacramento.

Houston isn't far behind.....

[Richard]

It is looking like Detroit is a safe place to move to driving related.

[Zacha341]

But please, PLEASE pause before proceeding thru a green light from being stopped at intersection. Many people here are running reds! Increasingly so IMO.

[Hermod]

But please, PLEASE pause before proceeding thru a green light from being stopped at intersection. Many people here are running reds! Increasingly so IMO.

Come to SE Florida, Zacha, running red lights is endemic here. Haitians, Brazilians, Mexicans, Venezuelans, etc consider traffic signals as "suggestions".

[Zacha341]

^^^ Uhhh, goodness I best keep my 'snow bird' self on up here in Micheee!

[jackie5275]

If we're the best, imagine how bad the rest of the country is!