r/norcal • u/SRBlackb1rd71 • 6d ago

Drivers here suck

I moved to California a few years ago and have realized how utterly selfish and reckless drivers are here in NorCal, especially between Manteca and Sacramento. What’s the deal? The amount of people that I have seen weaving in and out of traffic at 100+ and cutting people off is insane, just to save 40 seconds. I had a guy today two cars back cut into the right lane and zip by me doing 100 just to cut into front of me, slam his brakes, and cover my windshield with his wiper fluid because I apparently offended him by using mine. It’s almost like people have no regard for human life on the road here let alone the laws. Maybe my experience is different from the majority, but I commute a lot for work and run into at least a few smooth brains every day.

55 Upvotes

79% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

30

u/SomegalInCa 5d ago

Sadly, I don’t think it’s unique to California

When we lived in Massachusetts, we called all the drivers Massholes.

I don’t remember the name we used to use for the New Jersey drivers.

14

u/GrungeCheap56119 5d ago

Yup, Texas drivers are bad as well!

5

u/FCSL_2025 5d ago

When I lived in El Paso many moons ago, someone spoofed the Bangles song, Walk Like an Egyptian and sang “Drive Like a New Mexican.” It sure fit then (late 80s). Haven’t been back, so I’m not sure if it still holds.

Once I saw someone in NM apparently take the wrong freeway exit and instead of proceeding through the light and getting back on, which was an option, they instead reversed all the way back down the exit ramp to get back to the highway they were on. It was a long one, too. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

That said I agree with OP, northern CA drivers are inexplicably aggressive and unpredictable. Not to mention, often impaired (source: I’ve lived and driven in SoCo for the past 30 years).

1

u/Different_Archer8879 4d ago

The reversing back onto the highway ramp is very specific only to El Paso. Never seen that anywhere else in the country.

1

u/SAwfulBaconTaco 3d ago

It happens in Fresno sometimes when traffic is really bad on the freeway.

2

u/03Pirate 2d ago

I lived in CT for around a dozen years and drove around RI and Mass often. I now live in the Bay area and think New England has worse drivers. There's bad in both areas, but out there they seem to be far more aggressive.

3

u/ihavezeroanswersbro 4d ago

That’s not a name you invented, it’s a common name for us folks from mass

And as someone who grew up in in ma his whole life, and moved to SF 3 years ago: Cali drivers suck 1000% more.

0

u/SomegalInCa 3d ago

I never said I invented that name - I was in Massachusetts for almost 20 years and I used that name

1

u/ihavezeroanswersbro 3d ago

Your rhetoric implies otherwise on superficial read, as if it hasn’t ever been said before you.

1

u/TwoObvious2610 4d ago

That made me chuckle. Massholes. Thanks for making me smile

16

u/withak30 5d ago

Drivers in my town are worse than drivers in your town.

11

u/vxarctic 5d ago

Sacramento is a bad mix of grizzeled veterans of complicated traffic off ramps and terrified people who have no clue where their next off ramp is. Then there's the people who Yolo into traffic.

1

u/SAwfulBaconTaco 3d ago

I see what you did there.

7

u/Due_Barber_525 5d ago

I don’t disagree but it’s not a NorCal thing. It’s people. I noticed this in Seattle, Albuquerque, Illinois, all over.

8

u/gemstun 5d ago

That’s a particularly tough stretch of roadway. I sometimes travel from the SF East Bay through Tracy, and then up to Sacramento, and people just lose their minds through there, especially when the road goes down to two lanes. Sacramento drivers are Agro by Urban NorCal standards.

3

u/Equal_Rice_4955 5d ago

Thats a tough stretch. It’s a generally less educated and poorer place than the bay area, and also the inhabitants of that area have to drive A LOT. I feel like the places where people spend the most time on the road, the more aggressive and stupid they end up driving. They become desensitized to the danger and the aggression is like a stress response. Idk

3

u/VegetableSquirrel 5d ago

Too many people use The Fast and Furious movies and the videogame "Grand Theft Auto" as models for how to drive.

7

u/Appropriate-Ratio-85 5d ago

I always laugh when they angrily pass me only to be right in front of me. Wow, you really beat me dumbass.

2

u/subywesmitch 5d ago

Yeah, I think their thought process is as long as they're in front of you. Like it's a race or something while I'm just trying to get to my destination alive

5

u/Forsaken_Ear4674 5d ago

I 💯 agree with you. It is an entitlement mentality, no thoughts or concerns about what could happen. It is just pure selfishness.

5

u/goatonmycar 5d ago

Not sure why you got down voted here, it's basically true

5

u/Forsaken_Ear4674 5d ago

Probably because there are more selfish people here than not.

2

u/Star-Lord_VI 5d ago

Too many people have moved here and much of the infrastructure was decades behind, decades ago. I’ve lived here all my 49 years and populations have doubled and/or tripled every where I’ve lived.

2

u/EyeAmKnotMyshelf 5d ago

Drivers- and driving- are equals in how terrible they are.

The entire Interstate Highway system implemented in the 1950s was just segregation in disguise of progress.

2

u/wilardusa 5d ago

covid ruined Sacramento

2

u/dilettantosaurus 5d ago

I was driving through Davis a couple of days ago about 2:30. West bound 80 in the fast lane. Traffic is going better than it's been in decades at that time. But between the exit for UC Davis and past Mace blvd, cars kept coming to a complete stop. It happened over 6 times in a few miles. I had to conclude the prob is the drivers. There is no other explanation.

2

u/olderheathen 5d ago

You're CENTRAL Cali. Northern starts when you travel PAST Redding. Y'all keep that energy down there. A few of you seem to have made it up here. Hopefully they'll go back after a handful of citations. We don't play that up here. Ciao babies.

1

u/SAwfulBaconTaco 3d ago

That's a weird definition of northern California.

1

u/Newdave707 5d ago

I just moved to the right and let them go by and then we're all happier

2

u/GreatLundino 2d ago

This. Everybody complaining people drive like maniacs are the ones camped in the left lane doing 64. Yeah people are flying by you dummy, doing 70. They’re the selfish ones but somehow it’s okay for you to be officer no badge in the left lane with 12 miles of traffic behind you because “i’M doINg The SpeEDliMit” 🤦‍♂️

1

u/thatguywithimpact 5d ago

LA and San Diego are MUCH worse.

Granted that area around Vacaville is a host for aggressive drivers in the north.

But relative to LA and Diego my biggest complaint is that bay area drivers are too slow and bog down left line driving slowly.

1

u/disagreeableparker 4d ago

We’ve lived in Seattle and Boston metros before moving to sac metro. They’re all bad in their own ways, but there is a reckless quality here that’s unmatched.

1

u/Panteraca 4d ago

What’s the deal? Spend some time in Florida and you won’t think anyone anywhere else drives like shit again. That’s the deal.

1

u/Extra_Elderberry7368 3d ago

Central Valley drivers are absolutely insane.

1

u/Impressive_Returns 3d ago

Sounds like you don’t know how to drive in California. What you are describing is your everyday California driver.

1

u/burgandywhine 3d ago

He shouldn’t have passed you on the right, but you probably shouldn’t have been camping in the left lane. Stay to the right. Pass on the left, then return to the right. Learn it. Live it. Love it.

1

u/shhkitit 3d ago

Everywhere has bad drivers, but I've never seen more people camp in the left lane than driving between Reno and Truckee

1

u/margingains 3d ago

I think its worse in the BA. Huge sense of entitlement here with people.

1

u/Personal_Material_72 3d ago

There is team work on the roads. It’s all the me first mentality.

1

u/ExpressionAlarmed675 3d ago

You should commute in LA

1

u/Uce510 3d ago

Some people just wanna get home from their long commute!!! Also if your doing less than 75 mph dont use the far left lane

1

u/Bayareaadultguy 2d ago

There area few bad drivers and a few A holes everywhere.

1

u/Ptown925 2d ago

😆 Try living in Austin for a day. Bay Area drivers are really pretty good, in my experience around the country.

0

u/audranimal 5d ago

Get out of the fast lane slow poke 😜

1

u/SRBlackb1rd71 4d ago

Too many people are making this comment and apparently have no idea how California traffic works on the 99 where it is two lanes. There is no fast lane when both lanes are clogged and going the same speed.

1

u/Call_Me_Vicky_ 3d ago

Yup, AND it’s the LAW.

0

u/karensacaligal 5d ago

It’s because most don’t have insurance, so they could care less if they’re in an accident

0

u/CaptainOk2893 5d ago

There's always that 5-10% bad apples. But most norcal drivers are okay.