About the Site
Los Angeles drivers can’t drive. Plain and simple. Basic traffic laws and driving etiquette clearly do not apply in a town where the people seem to operate in their own little bubble, completely unaware or dismissive of others on the road. Call it what you will: self-entitlement, negligence, malaise, ignorance. My goal? To have mandatory driving tests randomly issued where drivers are eligible for selection after 6 years. Consider this jury duty for the road.
The author: A true bicoastalite who has driven all around the United States and has found that L.A. drivers are second only to New Jersey as to the worst drivers in this country.
Recently, L.A. Snark rated L.A. Can’t Drive #28 on a list of the top 50 L.A. blogs, and losangeles.about.com ranked us #5 on a list of 12. The site was also featured on various media outlets including KABC, CNN, KCAL9, L.A. Daily News, Seattle PI, The Marc Germain Show, Mancow, and most recently NBC.
Contact: mike at lacantdrive.com
Submissions: photos at lacantdrive.com
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Copyright (c) 2006 L.A. Can’t Drive (lacantdrive.com)
When I heard about your website I had to laugh. 1st of all YOU are part of the problem! You were not born here. You moved here from NEW YORK! 2nd. Do you ride a bike to work? No; you drive your car which is just another car added to an already overcrowded city, county and state! 3. What you refuse to even realize is that Ii rarely meet anyone who was actually born in Los Angeles or Southern CA. for that matter.
So when you say “L.A. can’t drive, you are really saying New Yorker’s, mid-westerners, tourists, Mexicans and Asians “can’t drive. ” You want proof? Look at the true statistics of who lives here, and who was actually born here. Furthermore if you were really sharp you would have done some research and found out that L.A. used to have an extensive trolly mass transit system that ran thoughout Southern CA. The Auto and tire industry eventually bought and ruined the system that has now lead to the chaos you see today. Too many cars, uncontrolled urban sprawl, and unmanaged immigration. Have you ever driven in Mexico city? I have, and it makes L.A. seem like a drive in the park. Last, if you are going to promote stereotypes about “drivers in L.A.” you better look right in the mirror. Because it did’nt used to be like this here, but it is getting worse every single year as more and more people move here. Why don’t you do us a favor and take yourself and your car and go back home. Itt would also be great if you took about a million of your friends back with you.
Just for the record. I was born here and have been driving since 1986 without an accident. Seems strange for someone actually from L.A. does’nt it?
Paul, what do you suggest? Building a border fence around the entire state of California? How about declaring some sort of martial law and ousting anyone that’s not at least a 3rd generation Angeleno? Sounds a bit fascist to me. If I get the gist of what you’re saying, every stereotype about mid-westerners, Asians, New Yorkers, Mexicans, etc. apply except for stereotypes about Los Angelenos. Interesting, though I would say a tad egocentric. For the record, my wife is a born and raised Angelenos, and quite a few natives agree with the sentiments of this blog who have been driving a lot longer than you have. As a side note, I congratulate you for having an accident-free driving experience….not an easy task in this county, regardless of who you blame for the traffic conditions. I agree that the red car mass transit system was a great idea for L.A., and conversations with other natives have definitely led to the same conclusions–auto and tire lobbyists are to blame. The fact of the matter is that bad driving exists everywhere, does it not? But does that make the bad driving that we experience on a daily basis excusable? You can have a knee-jerk defensive nature if you feel that anyone is slighting L.A. in any way, but that does nothing to address the problem. My blog creates an outlet for people to vent, and at the very least it discusses a very tired, old problem in a new light. If in doing so, it creates a greater awareness behind the wheel, then that’s a positive in my book. In the end, many cities in the U.S. (and worldwide, for that matter) have to deal with immigrants and transplants. In the U.S., a lot of these cities are in the top 10 of the list of cities with the worst road rage. However, many cities are doing better than L.A. in addressing poor driving habits, which simultaneously involves managing both natives and non-natives. I think a mandatory driving test that’s randomly issued to selected drivers (eligible for selection after 6 years) is a way to curb much of the poor driving we see on our roads. In the end, creating a positive outlet on the internet for our frustrations is better than venting it out on the road and possibly reinforcing prejudices within ourselves. This blog has been proven to be very therapeutic to me and many others. Regardless, thank you for your time and comments.
Your blog rocks. There are so many people out there who think that driving is a right, not a responsibility. And we live in a society where you’re pretty much forced to drive a car to have any freedom or opportunities, so who wants to argue?
But I must say that I drove for the first time in LA last year, and it was no worse than my city–in Canada. *sigh*
And though I have a strong respect for Angelinos, who are able to figure out those superinterchanges, I am puzzled by the endless rows of gridlocked traffic, when the carpool lane only requires two people. Hmmmm . . .
Anyway, I think you’ve provided a valuable public service with this blog, and so kudos to you.
Cheers, Drakken. I appreciate the support.
Heya Mike it’s david, been a regular since I’ve discovered your site. I’ve noticed you move the site which I think is a great idea, anyway we can still leave comments/post messages here? Let me know what updates you plan with the new site here, good job on exposing idiotic drivers, I’m sure this site will help open the eyes of current and future drivers. -David
Nevermind Mike I figured it out LOL, what are your thoughts on a message board here?
Peace -David
Hey David, glad that you like the site. A message board is a good idea, and I have one in the L.A. Can’t Drive group on Facebook. Maybe I’ll start one here, though. I have to see how much it costs, first.
Wow, Paul, you can read words but your comprehension is a little off….ok, a LOT off.
The title of the blog LA Can’t Drive has absolutely NOTHING to do with who was born there…wtf…Who cares where you were born or where everyone is from, the point is, LA has shitty drivers, as does San Diego, where I reside…and many other places in the effin’ country.
Also, you make it sound like it’s Mike’s fault that the public transportation no longer exists…like he, single handedly, brought down the auto and tire industry in the greater Los Angeles Area, ultimately, ruining the public transportation system…while we’re at it, why don’t we blame him for the melting ice caps and global warming?!
Wow, you have driven in Mexico City? Congratulations, you know how to drive in a third world country, whoop dee doo…by the way, how do you know what it’s like to drive in a park…have you experienced this lately? If so, There goes that perfect driving record.
Take OUR cars and go home? Those of us who live here have every right to live here just as you have every right to reside in this state…some of us married into this living situation. I agree Mike, you sound fascist.
And before I finish my rant. You have been driving since 1986…which means you are also contributing to the problem. Why don’t you follow your own advice and peddle ass to work, maybe set an example for others that feel the way you do.
Nice work, taking pictures of other cars while you’re driving.
I lived in LA, and the city has an underground code of driving behavior that you probably haven’t tapped into yet. LA has an excellent highway patrol system, which will nab offending drivers at every chance they get. Idiots keep the police in business, some idiots on the road are necessary. They also keep us excellent drivers on our toes, and feeling more superior than we probably deserve.
Good tip: if you find an idiot on the road, get away from the problem.
Come on over to Phoenix sometime and watch people make their own rules for traffic.
By the way, the asshole rating is an asshole thing to do.
Ahh, I was wondering when the “taking pictures with a cell phone” argument would come up again. It feels like I’ve explained this at least a dozen times throughout this blog. But for those who don’t bother to do a search: the act of having a cellphone in one’s hands is not the main cause for cellphone related accidents. It’s the distraction of having a conversation over the telephone. Given the fact that I point and shoot, then crop later in an image program, the couple of seconds it takes for me to snap a photo in the general direction of the offender is not nearly as distracting as someone ordering food for pick-up. And this is when the car is moving. I can’t speak for submissions, but the photos I personally take come out the best when taken at a stopped position, and even then it’s not like I’m sitting there, framing each shot. Either way, this argument is moot when the hands-free cell phone law goes into effect. Yet, bad drivers and this blog will still be up and running (many of the photos on this site are taken by passengers, too).
On another note, I’m glad that your experiences in L.A. have been fine. But given the fact that L.A. is in the top 5 of cities with the worst road rage (with Miami, D.C., NYC, and Seattle), consider yourself fortunate, and also fortunate for driving in Phoenix (though several readers in your city have also deplored the driving situation there).
Lastly, taking road rage digitally by using an asshole and idiocy meter seems smarter than getting angry behind the wheel. Don’t you? We all get annoyed to angry…why contain it when we can snap a photo, vent about it, and then forget about it? Either way, thanks for the input.
Love the site. I drive the 405 everyday and it’s war.
When someone starts to tailgate, I intentionally go slower. If I see some fool in the rear view mirror coming in fast (planning an aggressive lane change in FRONT of me), I’ll hit the gas and position my car such that he can’t overtake me –then I’ll make damn sure I drive parallel to the car to the right.
I’ll be minding my business, listening to the radio, driving at a steady pace and inevitably, some prick just has to drive aggressively thinking they are more important. So I intentionally piss em off for a few miles.
And if anyone here disagrees with my tactics and you drive the 405, meet me on the 405 North at Seal Beach Blvd on or around 8:30am. I’ll be in the Black 2005 Camry. Go for it. Get aggressive on me. See how I handle you.
I live in Cincinnati, Ohio and drivers here are terrible. What do I mean? Way too slow! Cincy drivers are way to careful on the roads, sometimes in a dangerous way. In Clermont County, one county to the east of Cincinnati, many drivers drive 10 MPH “UNDER” the speed limit. LOL They seem in no hurry what-so-ever. They will brake for the slightest curve in the road even if they are already going way under the speed limit. Rain? Well, let’s just say the same story goes. I have been behind drivers who will sit at a “green” light. LOL
By the way, I forgot to tell you what a great web site this is. I want to also add to Tony’s post above mine. I do the same exact thing Tony does when someone tailgates me. I will go slower.
Tony and Daniel, thanks for the support. And believe me Daniel, you see your fair share of painfully slow drivers here, though I’ve definitely heard of quite a few Cincy driving stories from friends and readers. How slowly do people have to drive below the speed limit to get ticketed in your city for impeding traffic flow?
LOL. I wonder the same thing too about how slow you have to drive in Cincy before you get ticketed. It would be very embarassing to get a ticket for driving too slow.
I LOVE this place. I will admit, I’m not a speed limit junky, I’m about 5 over usually, never hang out in the “hammer” (fast) lane except to pass, but when I get some ass that comes roaring up soo close as I can only see the roof of their car or the top of their head in my mirror, I look around, they have 3 other lanes of freeway to choose, why are they trying to push my 7000 lb truck, tell ya what, I have 12 years and 850,000 miles of big truck driving under my belt, I know alot more tricks than most. Taking my foot off the go pedal is just 1. So go ahead, try me, and you’ll see how well 800 lbs of torque can move a big ‘ol truck.
I love this site. I found it because I was curious about road rage in Culver City. Last night someone blew through a red light, almost hit me and when I honked the three women in the car started screaming obscenities at me. The idiot in me then continued to honk and flash my high beams as they drove off. I thought it was over. They stopped up ahead. Rather than risk the driver hitting me as I passed, I just stopped 3 car lengths or so behind as they stuck their heads out the window-again screaming obscenities. I thought this was ridiculous and I made a mistake. I flashed the high beams again. TWO OF THE WOMEN GOT OUT OF THE CAR!! and started to approach. Rather than run them down and figuring the driver wouldn’t leave them behind, I drove around the SUV on the left and continued on my way. I didn’t see them behind me. I thought it was over. That was until I was making my left hand turn onto Duquesne when they pulled up along my left side (now they are driving on the wrong side of the street) pacing with my car. I was 2 blocks from the Culver City police department so I just wanted to make it there at this point.. One of them threw something at my car and it smashed out my back side window (the little one that shaped like a triangle). That’s when it ended.. they took off and I went straight to the police department where the only office on duty ran the plate only to find out it wasn’t in the system. He wouldn’t take any information and said he couldn’t do anything without a valid plate!!!! What?!? Can’t you at least take a police report!? This was an act of violence! Can’t they look for the giant silver SUV with 3 women in it with this false plate??!! I was just in so much shock that I left the police station wishing I had run them over.
Charlene, I’m so sorry to hear about your experience. Culver City cops are useless quite ruthless, so I was surprised that he wouldn’t even fill out a police report, given that you at least had the descriptions of the vehicle and at least 2 of the the 3 women in the car. Experiences like what you faced are what unsettles my wife whenever I flip someone off. The New Yorker in me would have screamed at these idiots and assholes left and right. Unfortunately, drivers like this are so unpredictable and in such great quantities in L.A. that I actually started this site to vent my road rage, which has actually worked in the end. Thanks for your support….next time, instead of flashing lights, try taking a photo of their car if you have a camera phone. That way if you succumb to combative instincts, you at least have a photo of the car and license plate if things escalate. The better scenario would be to just write to photos@lacantdrive.com with the photo and let Karma do the work for you
.
L.A….Really? I’ve been out here 3 years… originally hailing from Michigan, with a year stint in Orlando on the way out here.
In Michigan, we can pick out an Ohio driver from a pack of cars without seeing the license plate… they stick out like a sore thumb… very bad. After moving to L.A., my wife and I would joke about the lousy driver a ways up ahead of us: “They’re driving like they’re from Ohio!” We’d catch up to it (which is inevitable, if you know Ohio drivers) and sure enough! The car has an Ohio plate! This has happened numerous times over the few years we’ve been here.
However, the year in Orlando was the most eye- opening. Florida drivers in the city (rural is much different) make Ohio drivers look like star drivers’-ed students. I’ve never seen so much lazy coasting across freeway lanes, oblivious to other traffic. We joked that turn signals must be an option that most never ordered for their cars. This was reinforced when the guys at Jiffylube checked my brake lights, headlights, and reverse lights… but NOT the blinkers!
I think the challenge with L.A. lies in the combination of 2 factors: poor traffic management features and over- crowding.
The signage is horrible. Street names aren’t visible until you’re almost in the intersection; entrance ramps are labeled at knee level at the base of the ramp; and what’s with US-101 being referred to as ‘North- South’ on some signs, and ‘East- West’ on others? The national highway standard says odd numbers are ALWAYS labeled North- South, and even number are East- West. The funniest example is in the Valley, in the area of Riverside Drive, Moorpark, and Vineland… if you follow the arrows to get on to 101 North, there’s a sign in the middle that says “West Ventura Freeway” with no number. No…not confusing at all.
These factors cause people to make sudden changes in speed and direction. Clear, large, CONSISTENT roadside instructions would go a long way to making the roads safer.
As far as the over- crowding goes… we all know how to walk, right? Put too many people on the sidewalk, and you begin to wonder if even that is true. We get frustrated and angry at groups of people that seem oblivious to our need to pass unhindered… even in the mall or on the sidewalk. Not just in cars. Try an overcrowded bikepath! Blood on the sidewalk! Cyclists can be MEAN!
In summary: Ohio- plated cars have worse drivers behind the wheel than California- plated cars; This place would be great if it weren’t for all the PEOPLE!
The antics Angelenos put up with I will never understand. 2 pet peeves:
The left-hand turn w/o arrow. LA drivers are way overly cautious & barely go out into middle of intersection. Usually only 2 cars make it through. It can take forever to turn left in this city.
110 fwy N. onto 5 fwy N. (AAAHHH!!!!). Only 1 lane splits off. But you’ve got many miles notice to queue-up.
Yet 50% think it’s cool to cut in at the front, thus causing waves of brake-lights that slow to a crawl we rule-abiders.
You don’t know who to hate more, the jerks kamikaze-ing in line, or the people letting them in.
Pulling out into the middle of an intersection is very risky on a typical busy LA street or blvd where there is a lot of pedestrian traffic!
Unless a driver is the first in line there, he is likely to be trapped between slow-walking pedestrians and the changing traffic light. He will then be the center of negative attention because he will be stuck there blocking the intersection.
This situation wouldn’t be so bad if pedestrians would act less like dumb pidgeons waddling in their private bubbles oblivious they are walking across a busy street., and would move across leaning forward like that iconic stick figure on the walk light!
Thank goodness for a site like this! I’m so tired of being tailgated and bullied by other drivers that I thought of creating a similar site myself, but you’ve already done the work.
I found your site by accident as I was wondering what was going to happen about the texting. The cops sure aren’t enforcing the hands free phone law are they? I dislike the pedestrians that think they don’t have to wait for the walk signal. Also, I drive a Big Rig and wonder why California is the only state that I am aware of that allows the motorcycle lane splitting? Very dangerous. Oh and the other little manuver that I see is the “pull up on the right side of a semi that is in the left turn lane so I can cut across and make MY left before the truck starts moving” stunt. Not to be outdone by the pull up in the right turn only lane knowing full well there will be no right turn and then they gas on it when the light turns green. I guess it’s the “me first” syndrome.
Just for the record I treat the tailgator the same way…s l o w. I figure they couldn’t pull off the go around manuver at the speed I was going so I’ll slow down so they can pull it off.
Truckinkat, you’re absolutely right in suspecting that there has been a decline in citations regarding illegal cell phone use while driving. I am equally skeptical with regards to the enforcement of the no-texting law that’ll go in effect on 1/1/09.
With regards to jaywalking, ironically this IS something that L.A. on the whole tends to ticket more than other major cities. But I understand your frustrations, especially if someone is just sauntering across at a leisurely pace when they shouldn’t be.
As for lane-splitting/lane-sharing, I have absolutely no idea why CA is the only state in the entire union that allows it, even though it is actually DISCOURAGED by the DMV. It’s a good point, and personally I think it should be illegal. With that said, though we have our fair share of reckless motorcyclists, I find that on the whole, they tend to be much more alert than our fellow double-axled vehicle operators.
This site is fantastic! Majority of drivers in LA are horrific dangerous passive un alert drivers. Some individuals change lanes without signals, no lights on when it rains….they panic and drive unsafe when it rains accidents everywhere. No signals, It’s just wild when you see it happen constantly in a 6 mile radius almost everyday. I saw police for the first time in LA after years and years of traveling there. It’s just wild..these Hollywood cops. They were randomly pulling people over like it was a movie scene and the ass of their car sticking out into the street. They don’t drive too great either. I personally feel the officers in Compton take their jobs more seriously. Don’t get me wrong not ALL individuals that reside in LA drive disgustingly bad. Just majority in my opinion along side Long Island and New Jersey drivers.
I agree Point of View. Long Island and New Jersey drivers are the worst. Although in Los Angeles everyone has a led foot. In parking lots no less!
I agree with parts of what I’ve read here and am appalled by others.
In an effort to keep traffic moving there really needs to be a “Keep Right, Pass Left” law enforced. There are always a few drivers, whether Sunday driving or doing the speed limit, that sit in the left hand lanes impeding the flow of other vehicles. For the drivers that say they slow down or try to block another vehicle from passing – YOU ARE THE PROBLEM that gives LA drivers a bad name. You only cause those other drivers to slow down for part of the time and greatly increase the risk of accidents or injury to those around you. Drive in the left, move over when safe and keep the roads moving. Obviously if you are in traffic and have no where to go, the people behind you have no where to go as well. But holding a vehicle back because you want to and blocking the road makes you the selfish one and the cause of road rage. And causing danger to the vehicles parallel to you. During traffic there is always an end in site, and I don’t know how many times there are 4 -5 drivers just riding the left of the highway in their own bubble and the rest of the highway is wide open. If drivers can learn to work with each other and be aware of their surroundings, then merging, highway to highway interchanges, traffic and passing all might move a little smoother. It just seems like common sense.
i have to drive down la cienega from culver city to west hollywood everyday..
and i feel your pain.. although i don’t drive on the 405 or 10, the city streets
are just as bad.. i have been in two accidents in less than a year.
I was stopped at red light while a young gentleman on his phone plowed into me, I was behind a car so I had nowhere to go but into the other car. Than I was driving through a green light and a woman decided to turn left into me, her excuse a car stopped to let her go, but she didn’t bother to check all lanes.. she hit me like a wall…
this website… is my dream come true.. everyday i get to work in one piece i thank my lucky stars.
I would add constant lane changing just to go faster.. and using lanes that have parked cars.. and than expecting people to let you merge.. eek this drives me crazy!!!
keep up the good work!
cheers!
thanks so much. i actually call it leap-frogging when people use lanes meant for parked cars to pass. i used to live around your area, so i can totally relate to your problems on the surface streets. safe driving….
I live in Burbank, and have been commuting to Marina del Rey for the past 8 years. As I went through these pages, I had to think “I know that spot!” and “that reminds me of the a-hole that one time…” Cracks me up.
I have to say, the Burbank cops are pretty good. Most people know not to go 5mph above the speed limit there, and there aren’t many jaywalkers since they get ticketed quickly.
I’ve found that staring straight ahead and wearing dark sunglasses helps when people are acting out. They often like to make eye contact with you, and they either feel vindicated or even more ticked off when they get it. I like to ignore them as best I can, especially when I’m in the slow lane, doing the speed limit. And heck, chewing gum helps me stop myself from cursing at them and participating in a little road rage myself!
I agree, the Burbank police tend to be on the ball (based on my limited experiences thus far). I’ve also taken to listening to audio books to get my mind off of the bad driving.
Some of the best, most courteous drivers I’ve ever seen/driven with are in Mississippi: slower drivers kept to the right. Overall a much better, safer experience than LA.
“taking pictures with a cell phone”
It’s 2009. It’s law now, right?
Saw your website featured on NBC last night. Kudos! Great idea. You hit the nail on the head. I’m born and raised here, moved to the Inland Empire and had to commute to San Gabriel Valley. Couldn’t take it more than a couple of years. Made more than my share of trips to LAX, as well, so I’m a seasoned SoCal driver for over 30 years. No tickets, no accidents. But it’s only a matter of time before my number is up, the way I see it.
So many drivers feel they own the road. Very few drivers respect the “safe distance” rule. The car behind me would tailgate me out of anger if they felt I wasn’t close enough to protect our lane from hoppers. They would even go around me, as though I were holding up traffic! I drive the same speed as the flow of traffic. It’s best to stay in one lane for a 30-mile drive and then gradually move over as you approach your exit…I like to allow 2 miles to accomplish that, due to there being very few safe openings. And, when I do move over, I check rearview for clearance, size up the drivers 2 lanes over for those who are hopping without signaling, and then turn on my signal, actually turn my head (!) and make my move at a safe pace, without slowing down or impeding traffic in either lane. How hard is that??? No darting! No rudeness. Just respect for all drivers. Many drivers are polite, don’t get me wrong; in fact, I think kindness and respect shown, is usually reciprocated. But we’re outnumbered by a*holes.
If drivers would just consider the crammed freeway like an escalator…stay with the flow of traffic, pick a lane and stay in it until you need plan your exit, and respect everyone around you with space….what a much easier commute it would be. It is completely exhausting to be forced into the battle zone it has become….afraid to piss off the driver behind you while not rear-ending the car ahead of you. It would also help if traffice would stop racing to fill a gap, only to slam on the brakes because of slow traffic up ahead. That’s also trecherous on our car brakes! A waste all around. Grrrr, I wish I were a cop! I would ticket the slightest infraction and get people back to the rules. I see it all the time, infractions right in front of police, but they don’t bother wasting their time to ticket the small things. And so it goes…and bad driving gets worse.
I actually found it safer to drive behind the big rigs! Those are professional drivers who know how to pace themselves and keep a constant speed, rather than gas-brake-gas-brake, etc. Let’s face it, after a long stressful day at work, we are all tired and hungry and want to get home. It’s also a horrible way to begin the day. You’re worn out before you even get to work!
And, now that I’m a mother and have to take kids to school….oh, this is a whole other discussion, but try surviving the school zones before your commute! You’ll see plenty of parents who think they don’t have to abide by the rules of the “student drop-off zone” on school property. Why bother pulling into the school parking lot drop-off? NOOooo, they can just hold up traffic on the street as they stop in the middle of the road while kids unload, open the trunk to get out backpacks, and then mosey on over to the crosswalk while mommy protects them with her SUV, all the while cars are backed up for blocks! Just as you get to move up a notch, another mom does the same thing. Geez.
Okay, I vented. But I don’t feel better. My heart still pounds hard at the thought of the stress I endured as a commuter. We need empowerment to REALLY do something to stop these things. Why do we have to block out identifying information on the photos? I think law enforcement should get these photos and DO something about it. If they match up enough of the same repeat offenders, THOSE are the ones who need to be called in for DMV re-testing! I realize police cannot be everywhere, and that’s where us polite victims come in!
I think it would be much more effective if these drivers knew we could snap a photo or video of their offense, send it in to the appropriate authorities, and they could receive a ticket in the mail. If they wanted to fight the ticket, you BET I would be meeting them in court! Perhaps this system would cause bad drivers to learn a little respect for the drivers around them! They need something to keep them in line.
How ’bout it? Any officers reading here? We need help and answers before we go over the edge!
Ex Com, well said. The first thing I noticed when I lived here full-time was how closely both the aggressive and the clueless drivers travel behind other vehicles.
I 100% agree that consideration and respect is infectious and goes a long way. A driver is more likely to remember an act of kindness than an act of stupidity or aggression, and who knows, they may pass along the proverbial olive branch.
Careful about driving too close to big rigs, though. Their tires have been known to blow, which could send chunks of rubber through your windshield.
As for school zones, isn’t the irony truly precious? You often seen the most impatient, inconsiderate driving in these areas where our youth, whom we always strive to protect, are running around. And kids learn by example. What do these parents think they’re teaching by driving like that?
As for blurring out info, I don’t know if you were making a rhetorical statement, but I’ve been advised by a loyal legal team (friends who are very successful lawyers) to keep blurring out information until I can draft a proposal that marks this site as a “news-worthy” site. The 1st Amendment doesn’t come into play as much as one’s right to privacy in this situation. Unfortunately, I don’t think any case law exists for the situations presented on my site, especially if someone loses a job because their bosses happen to see that their employee is a bad driver on this site. I have actually reported drivers to authorities, and they always appreciate the call, though they also caution that you stay away from the alleged offender.
You SO get it, Mike. I hope you get the “newsworthy” status. Someone’s job is not more important than my life, your life, my neighbor’s life, my kid’s life… I can’t pity the bad driver. Thanks for the big rig tip!
YES! Finally someone feels the same as I do. I commute from the high desert to the I.E. for work. Every day I experience or witness the reckless driving of some dummy who doesn’t understand the concept of leaving EARLY to get to work on time. It’s either that or some Baby Huey in a pickup truck that needs to to stuff their face so badly at Mickey’s, that they must cut off everyone in their path. I am a California native and I have driven across the country from PA to CA, so I know we have the worst drivers here, hands down! No, I am not going to move and thanks to my defensive driving skills (which I think qualifies me for a stunt driver’s license)- my car and driving record are spotless. It seems the media here shows cases of road rage, and plays out the victim like they were a perfect saint, but you have to wonder if they were driving like idiots and just pissed off the wrong person.
Hi, just saw you on the news. I drive everyday all day. I am a limodriver. I totally agree you. I dont understand why people can”t or refuse to drive well. Its not that hard!! Hopefully your website will get some drivers to stop and think before they go out there and almost kill us good drivers.. People please put your phones down and just drive so you will stop running to me. You need two brains to drive and talk on the phone at the same time and we only have one , so just drive!!! THANKS!!
I live near Barstow and travel all over So Cal visting various job sites for the company I work for, it is amazing the morons that jump in and out of the Diamond lanes, or refuse to let you over if you have your turn signal on in order to change lanes,. or the stupid motorcycle drivers that are traveling faster than the traffic is moving and are moving from lane to lane ( I thought that excessive changing of lanes was considered to be a ticketable offense) and then give you the finger just because you where in their way. Or how about the drivers that are totally oblivious to what is going around them and do not know what red lights and sirens means you are supposed to do.
I sent in a request for a mini gun and turret to the top of my service truck so I could get rid of these morons but the company saw little humor in it ! What I do not understand is traffic on the 101 at 7 pm at night moving along at 20 mph for around 6 miles and then speeding up to 60 mph for no obivious reason, makes no sense to me at all and especially why one would like to spend hours of their life sitting inside of their steel coffin ! instead of taking mass transit and being home earlier spending time with their families, keep in mind that mine are all grown now and I get paid from the time I leave until the time I get home so I have little to complain about !
I got a real laugh last Dec when all the major hwys where shut down here in the real desert and no one could get to Vegas or Laughlin and my wife had to listen to them whine and complain about then being inconvenced by not being able to get there because the freeways had been shut down and that cal trans should be out plowing the hwys for them. Welllllllll heck next time they need to request that Obama does a bailout for the road closures !
Have a safe and nice day Real Pizzaman
wow!!!!! This is website is pretty cool……
Paul go to Hell…..Idiot. For sure you are one of those idiots that drive like if you own the city….
anyways….This is a pretty cool idea…is there any ways we can post pictures or videos. that will be cool…man! there are some people that suck driving and other ones that need to improve their driving skills.
sometimes i wish i could be a traffic police to give tickets to idiots or what about having sings in my car that i would be able to use in some situations and let people know what i think about them for being bad drivers, some signs like: Idiot, looser, get off of my but, thank you etc….
Sorry, but I don’t have a photo for this one. Just saw a story about your website on TV and I wanted to share what happened to me.
The agency I work for owns several buildings that are a few blocks apart. On Friday, I had to pick something up at another building and decided to walk (because it was a GORGEOUS day). I was walking, on the sidewalk, at a moderate pace and was crossing the entrance of a gas station. I was a quarter of the way across and was startled by a car horn. I look behind me and realized that it came from a car with a driver who was too impatient to wait for me to cross the entrance. Honestly, if he wanted to get in bad enough there was plenty of room. And can I just say that he was lucky I didn’t own a shotgun!?
Lili, send any picture or video to us. As long as there isn’t any identifying info in the videos, then we’re good to go. We’ll edit the photos for you (blur out license plates, bumper stickers, etc.).
UD, that just pisses me off. They don’t respect pedestrians in this town, and most drivers don’t even look for them when, for example, they’re making a left on a green light and only check for oncoming traffic instead of pedestrians crossing the street. With that said, many pedestrians actually act like many drivers in this town and are either completely unaware of traffic patterns around them or strut across the street with a sense of entitlement without any thought to safety.
California’s driving motto:
“No in front of ME!”
I used to work near 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, and was amazed by the equally bad level of consciousness of both the drivers AND the pedestrians. When I was a pedestrian crossing at an intersection with the walk signal, I still had to be very wary of idiot drivers, mostly seniors, bling rappers, or mothers in huge SUVs. As a driver, the number of homeless wretches who would barge into the street without any concern for concepts like ‘walk / don’t walk’ signs amazed me. To not kill or be killed always gave me a sense of accomplishment.
I-95: great site! The number of rude or clueless drivers in L.A. has increased annually for the past 40 years. When I was on assignment in Central California recently, I always noticed that once I came south into Ventura / L.A. counties, the number or drivers who wouldn’t yield to let me merge into traffic, or who would race past flipping me off went up exponentially with the increased population of the area.
I was so happy to see your site. I’ve lived in cities that I thought had terrible drivers until I moved to LA. This city, by far, has the worst drivers that I have ever seen. I kept asking myself “why don’t these people know how to drive?”
The answer finally came to me…..most of these drivers have never had a driving lesson to learn the “rules of the road”. Apparently, drivers here have to pay to learn to drive correctly and just don’t have the money or don’t want to spend the money to learn. I just wish “drivers ed” could become mandatory for every teen before they are issued a license. I know, I know, this won’t help the selfish ones that are rampant or the ones who will ignore the law anyway. Case in point…..the use of cell phones or texting even though it is against the law, but, it would be a start. And, I so agree with all the problems everyone has pointed out including tailgating, no headlights in the rain or fog (especially black or grey cars….you just can’t see them …..they blend with the grey road!!!!!). Not using turn signals another…….on and on, etc.!!!!
In fact, I’m always taken back when someone is courteous…..it is definitely not the norm but unusual.
I’m also surprised that you haven’t mentioned the illegal drivers who not only don’t have a license but probably don’t have insurance either…..what do we do about that one? In fact, I was actually told that most can’t get a license because they don’t have enough command of the English language.
And, now that the economy is so bad, a lot of people are not getting insurance because they can’t afford it. What a mess!!!!
I so agree with your “Mandatory Driving Test”……at least if might help those who are ignorant of the law learn just what is a correct driving technique and what isn’t. I understand that this won’t help everyone, but might help someone who just doesn’t know the law.
I also agree with the problems of signs in this city. If every street, exit, etc. were clearly marked and easy to see, it would not only help those who live here but those who visit. And, while I’m on it, what’s with the terrible lane markings. They are so hard to see in the rain or at night…..is anyone who can do something about these problems reading this???
And, would it hurt to give people who go to DMV to get a license to let people know the different names of all the freeways as well as what a “sig alert” means……that one was one I had never heard….must only be and LA thing!!!! And, I haven’t ever lived in a place that calls a “car pool lane” an HOV. Most people who have lived here for years or were born here take this stuff for granted, but it would help anyone who moves here or even just visits (and rents a car) to “get it”!
Thanks for letting me vent…..this stuff has bugged me and I’m glad you have a site to hopefully let those who are the offenders mend their ways. I think if I saw myself in one of your photos, it would be an eye opener. In fact, just reading all the comments everyone has written definitely gives me pause. Have I done any of these things…….have any of you who complain been guilty of these offenses???? If we all try to be better drivers, would that help??
At least, give it a try. I, for one, plan to do just that and see if it makes a difference…….even if I don’t succeed (and I’m sure it will be difficult), it might make someone’s day to be courteous more often.
Mike, I love this site, although I wish you’d include the license #s in the photos.
To Tony, who thinks blocking faster drivers makes some sort of sense: Dude, if you want to drive like gramma that’s fine; just get out of the way so those of us with things to do (besides hang out on Seal Beach Blvd. waiting for a fight) can get where we’re going.
As for meeting at Seal Beach, I’d rather meet behind the bike racks after recess. After all, if we’re going to behave like school kids I want the full experience.
My advice: Grow up (and move over).
Rich, do you know a good privacy lawyer that’s also well-versed in the first amendment?
I need to make sure this is deemed as a news-worthy site before I start revealing ID info. Until then, more blurring and less videos (harder to blur).
I suspect people doing stupid or selfish things on the road falls into “Public Domain” since they ARE out in public.
Newsworthy? You’ve already been on TV; what else do you need?
All in fun; keep up the good work and expect lots of input from people like me who are tired of morons who ruin things for the rest of us.
Rich, I appreciate it. By newsworthy, the law means that this site is a place where people can get news (not just a site that’s covered on the news). If it’s NOT a newsworthy site, and some person doesn’t get a job that he/she is applying for because the future employer saw the person and/or person’s vehicle on this site doing something extremely egregious and illegal, then that person MAY have a case of libel against us for defamation. It’s a right to privacy, even though they are driving in the public domain. It’s a gray area that hasn’t been tested in the court system yet, and to be honest we don’t want to be the guinea pig…not worth the potential hassle.
Has anyone had the amazing difficulty of stopping at at 4-way stop? I must travel through 2 of these stops and it is so surprising how many times 2 cars will travel through the intersection, with other cars in all directions, or the blank stare of those in the other 3 directions when none move!?
Mayleen, there are quite a few posts that deal with stop sign intersections. At one point, I used Charleville as a shortcut instead of traveling on Wilshire. That resulted in a myriad of encounters of people who have no clue or don’t care about how to navigate through stop sign intersections. Remembering that the person to your RIGHT has the RIGHT-of-way if both cars reach an intersection at the same time seems too much for a lot of these drivers to handle. As for two cars squeezing through at one time? That’s just typical L.A. impatience.
I guess I get tired of telling people who complain about Californai drivers that the vast majority of those driving in California are transplants. To get two natives in the same room at the same time in an anomaly… that’s all
a native californian
I must say that I was amused by your nice blurb on the channel 4 news but I must echo what many have said about you…..YOU ARE NOT A NATIVE ANGELENO! The majority of people you are complaining about are NOT from here! Many people, like you are transplants. Yes, that means that you could have lived here for 21 years but did not grow up here which means you are NOT from here!
If we were talking about the 70’s or even 80’s, that would be different, but when I meet a native Angeleno, we have a connection, a bond, we remember things before carpool lanes, cell phones, etc.
The vast big group of people are from the entertainment field–wanna bees, studio workers, porn stars, people driving here illegally, etc. You yourself, are not from here, so before complaining about OUR driving, take a look at yourself, you did not grow up driving here as many Chicago natives, NYC natives did not grow up driving and thus are putting us Angelenos at risk!!!
I’m not a native but I’ve been in cars with native drivers. I think LA drivers are hands down worse then NJ drivers. My all time favorite…the semi-circle turn. Does that make the car turn better?
saw you on the news tonight. i actually did this a while back, taking pictures of bad drivers and blogging about them. that is, until this crazy guy followed me a few blocks pointing at my camera phone trying to pull me over. i can’t say i’m a perfect LA driver, but there are some pretty bad ones out there.
To the chick above and others alike, stop with this “native angeleno” bullshit. Point is, there are still people home grown in LA that don’t know how to drive worth a damn.
Your implied standard doesn’t account for the “native angeleno” 16-18 year old who tailgates or weaves in and out of lanes without signaling. Don’t act like you haven’t seen some.
So get the fuck over yourselves. “Native angelenos” don’t know how to drive any better than transplants. As the guy said above, it’s about LA drivers. Whether transplant or native the point is there are fucks that don’t know how to drive and LA just so happens to be one of the worst places.
Great site. Unfortunately, I learned about it from a friend who forwarded your site address to me along with the message about Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart being killed earlier today by someone running a red light.
This shit has to stop. Perhaps instead of increasing City revenue through parking tickets a special task force should be assigned to crack down on people running red lights and stop signs. Do it once…$500. Twice…$1,000. Third time your license is suspended.
I don’t agree that LA drivers can’t drive but I absolutely agree that many are unaware or dismissive.
I am so glad you have this site.
Even the police drive like crap. They don’t signal, they ride alone in the carpool lane, in and out of the double yellow lines to pass cars.
Are they above the law ….They think so .
They should be setting a good example not joining in on the problem but no they wear blue and that excuses them.And they wonder why they are disliked.
If you want to get a good snapshot of LA driving, hang out at the corner of Lankershim and Magnolia in North Hollywood. This is probably the armpit of this entire area. Drivers constantly run the red light at that intersection. Crossing on the crosswalk, driver’s will yell at you to “hurry up %($*%!!” as they make a left or right turn – while talking or texting on their cellphone to the beat of music so loud that their entire car is shaking about to fall apart. Motorcyclists and cars like to go from 0-60 in 3 secs on Lankershim south past Magnolia till they hit the next light. Police? Well, there are these yellow-shirted ambasaddors who bike around looking important and empowered – totally useless in my opinion. The guys who drive around in black Escalades just laugh at them as they drive by talking on their cellphones. There’s a firestation a little ways north on Lankershim and one time I saw them come out with sirens and lights going, and this guy blocks them at the intersection of Magnolia and Lankershim cursing them out for “getting in his way”. I was crossing the crosswalk so I heard all this. Other than that “NoHo” is a lovely place!
This blog is priceless. I’m moving to LA in two weeks and have never lived in the big city. I recently started making trips there to take care of a new apartment lease, and after four weekends of driving around LA, I feel like a new person. It’s like you’ve conquered a whole new level of existence after surviving LA highways and city streets. Kudos for an awesome blog. I’m subscribing for sure
Lauren, congrats on the move out here, and best of luck with your endeavors. This blog definitely helped me deal with my frustrations with L.A. driving.
HollywoodCommuter, I wouldn’t intentionally try to stop someone from passing me just to stop them from passing me, but if I’m in a 65-mph zone going consistently 65 mph in the left (or any) lane, I’m not going to go out of my way to change lanes just to allow someone who wants to go 80, 85, 90+ mph to pass me. The law says I have no obligation to do so (unless of course the other vehicle is a law enforcement or emergency vehicle with its emergency lights on, in which case I would have gotten out of its way long before it reached my position). LA freeways are not the German Autobahn and it is not necessary to yield the right of way to someone who thinks they have the right to ignore the speed limits based on the laws of physics, engineering, common sense, and the State of California due to their social status, lateness to an appointment, horsepower of their vehicle, belief they own the public roadways, or any other reason.
I have to tell you, this blog is brilliant. I find myself totally dumbfounded by the parking/driving blunders of people in this city. I mean…common sense. Go fast in the fast lane. Go slow in the slow lane. Eyes on the road. Don’t merge into a busy lane at 15 MPH. You’d think it would be obvious. And I can’t say that I’m following the law when I blare my horn for 15 seconds straight, but someone’s gotta teach these people! Too bad they’re chatting on their cell phones and didn’t hear the honk…
Anyway, keep it up, your commentary is hilarious, and I’m glad you’re catching these a-holes red handed!
I have a question for you, now that I’ve perused the site a bit more…why do you blur the license plates? Surely it can’t be a legal issue, because other websites allow you to post the license plates of terrible drivers. Why not warn LA who these idiots are?
Just wondering
Aubrey, we’ve actually vetted this issue pretty thoroughly. Until we find a lawyer that can draft a proposal that states that this site is a “newsworthy” site, it’s safer for us to protect private information (unless we’re dealing with commercial or municipal vehicles). We often do reveal some of the alphanumeric characters on select cases, but for the most part, we need to be conservative on what we show. Other sites may “allow” you to post license plates, but what they’re doing is probably illegal. Truth of the matter is very little case law exists for new media. If someone runs a red light and gets cited by a sworn officer, then that person gets fined, points on a license, etc. But what happens if that person somehow gets fired because his boss saw what happened on some random internet site? On top of that, this guy’s wife divorces him because she also finds out what happened on the internet and not from his own mouth. Lastly, this guy’s insurance premiums go through the roof because insurance agents see how reckless he is. Sure, the odds of all that happening is slim to none, but IF they happen, the courts could argue that the pain and suffering he endured didn’t equal the infraction committed. That opens the site in question to libel issues.
Soo….this reply is a bit long-winded, but my wife got her masters in communication management with an emphasis on online communities, and she took a few classes that discussed these issues quite thoroughly. But if there are any lawyers out there that can draft a proposal that allows us to post license plates, videos (harder to blur), etc., then let us know!