I invite you to add your city if you like:
| Scenario | San Diego | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Merging onto the freeway | The car merging seems to have the right of way. | The car merging better look out for everyone else. |
| Signaling | Using a signal lets other know your intentions so they can let you in. | Using a signal lets others know your intentions and thereby allows them to block your next move. Most drivers never use them. |
| Horn usage | Use of the horn is withheld for only the most extreme times. | Horns no longer register as drivers use them so often, they have lost all meaning. |
| Taxis | Better call ahead and plan to travel at least 10-15 miles. | Always around and its not uncommon to get in a cab to go two blocks because of the weather. |
| Rush Hour | Its bad because traffic moves at only 20 mph. | Its bad because traffic actually goes in reverse sometimes. |
| Parking Spaces | Spaces are about half the size of an average car which is funny since 75% of San Diegans have SUVs. | Parking spaces don’t exist, drivers must “bump” cars apart to parallel park. |
| Gas Prices | Sucks a lot. | Sucks a lot. |
| Average Driving Style | Defensive because “Most other people don’t know how to drive”. | Offensive because “I’m a better driver than you are.” |
| Bad weather effect | Accidents up 200% during a light drizzle. | Average speed slows from 85 mph to 65 mph durring most blizzards. |
| Spacial Awareness | Doesn’t exist. Assume a buffer of 5 feet beyond the car’s actual dimensions. | Very precise. Car dimensions are known down to the centimeter. Knowledge acquired from parking (see Parking Spaces). |
4 Responses to “San Diego vs. Chicago - Driving”
Pete, what I can add to above is only an old (in Europe) joke about different driving styles in whole US:
How to identify where a driver is from
One hand on wheel, one hand on horn: Chicago.
One hand on wheel, one finger out window: New York.
One hand on wheel, one finger out window, cutting across all lanes of traffic: New Jersey.
One hand on wheel, one hand on newspaper, foot solidly on accelerator: Boston.
One hand on wheel, one hand on nonfat double decaf cappuccino, cradling cell phone, brick on accelerator, with gun in lap: Los Angeles.
Both hands on wheel, eyes shut, both feet on brake, quivering in terror: Ohio, but driving in California.
Both hands in air, gesturing, both feet on accelerator, head turned to ask someone in the back seat: Italy.
One hand in pocket, one knee on wheel, cradling cell phone, foot on brake, mind on radio game: Seattle.
One hand on wheel, one hand on hunting rifle, alternating between both feet being on the accelerator and both feet on brake, throwing McDonald’s bag out the window: Texas.
Four-wheel drive pick-up truck, shotgun mounted in rear window, beer cans on floor, squirrel tails attached to antenna: West Virginia.
Two hands gripping wheel, blue hair barely visible above the steering wheel, driving in the left lane at 35 on the Interstate with the left blinker on: Florida.
JUST GOT BACK TO MY HOME DOWN SOUTH. CAME FROM A TRIP TO CHICAGO. FINALLY GOT TO SEE A BIG CITY. WENT DOWN MICHIGAN AVENUE 3 TIMES & HUNG OUT OF MY PICKUP TRUCK TAKING 2 ROLLS OF FILM. GREAT EXPERIENCE. WILL PUT IT INTO MY TOP TEN. SPENT 4 HOURS CRUISING THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN THE HEART OF ALL THOSE HIGHRISES. HARD TO BELIEVE? NOT FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNTRY ALL OF THEIR LIFE. wENT TO THIS WELL RENOWNDED ASTRONOMY TOURIST ATTRACTION OUT ON THE PEIR, OFF LAKESHORE BLVD. ABOUT 10 PARKING SPACES DOWN FROM THE FRONT DOOR, WE WAITED PATIENTLY FOR SOMEONE PULLING OUT OF A SPACE. WE PULLED IN & NOT 5 MINUTES LATER A COP PULLED UP & TOLD US YOU COULDN’T PARK A PICKUP TRUCK ON THE STREET. INCREDULOUS, I STARTED INVESTIGATING THE WEB & REALIZED PICKUPS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF CHICAGO. ASIDE FROM SPENDING 4 HRS. AMONGST THE HIGHRISES ON THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, WE ALSO PARKED ON THE
CONTINUED FROM SUE: WE ALSO PARKED ON THE STREET (N.RUSH INTERSECTING WITH MICHIGAN AVE.) AMONGST THE HIGHRISE DISTRICT FOR AN HOUR & HALF, NOT TO MENTION WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION SIGNS, A DOUBLE BUBBLE ATOP OUR VEHICLE,& AN EXTENDED CAB 2002 Z71 CHEVY PICKUP TRUCK. DIDN’T KNOW ANY OF THIS WAS TABOO UNTIL I STARTED INVESTIGATING. I CAN’T BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE ANY PLACE THAT EXISTED THAT I COULDN’T DRIVE MY PICKUP TRUCK! WELL I’M SURE GLAD I’M BACK DOWN HOME TO THE FARM. ANY CHICAGOANS VISIT OUR NECK OF THE WOODS YOU’LL BE GREETED WITH A SMILE, WAVE, & COME BACK AGAIN HONEY. THERES NO STRANGERS WHERE I COME FROM. (UNLESS YOU COME DOWN HERE WITH A RUDE ATTITUDE. I SUGGEST YOU LEAVE THAT IN CHICAGO)
Something to say?
I am a Chicagoan who have friends moving to San Diego today, and I just came across your Chicago vs SanDiego Driving Comparison. GENIUS
Anyways- I would like to submit another comparison that could be applied to any city on the Southwest Coast of Florida (greatly populated with Senior Citizens, Rednecks, and Illegal Aliens).
Here we go…
Merging onto the freeway-The vehicle with the biggest wheels has the right of way. In some neighborhoods however, the low-rider ElCamino with a horn that plays “La Cucaracha†takes precedence. Senior citizens only have the right of way if they are traveling as a patient in an ambulance.
Signaling-Signaling is not taken too seriously as many senior citizens tend to leave turn signals, hazard lights, etc. on without knowledge. The Rednecks occasionally use physical gestures, ie. the middle finger, mooning, flashing, to communicate with others on the road.
Horn usage-If the horn is functional, it is perceived more as an artistic cultural expression and takes the forms of classic ballads such as “Dixieland†or the “Mexican Hat Dance.â€
Taxis- Yellow Cabs do not exist. Medi-vans are only available to Medicare recipients needing transportation to MD appointments or Adult Day Care.
Rush Hour-Rush hour occurs at 4:00 a.m.- it consists of the seniors rushing to get their Newspaper and the early bird breakfast, Rednecks leaving the local bar, and Pickup Trucks full of illegal aliens on route to pick fruit.
Parking Spaces-Over half of the parking spaces are reserved for handicapped. The rest generally get filled up with the Manatee County Chapter of the Hells Angel’s or Go-carts.
Gas Prices- Not concerning to the vast siphoning population.
Average Driving Style-Unlicensed, uninsured, uninsurable, legally blind per cataracts or having one eye shot out by a BB gun as a child.
Bad weather effect:During emergency hurricane evacuations, traffic increases to 15 mph from 10 mph. on major highways. This traffic is composed completely of senior citizens as redneck etiquette is to remain with the trailer and illegal aliens stay behind for a potentially prime looting situation
Spacial:Very inconsistent due to many factors: ie. prescription and non-prescription medications, advancement of Alzheimers Disease, hallucinations, random items such as gardening equipment flying off the back of one’s pickup.
Hope you enjoyed, drive safely, and GO BEARS!
Left by Erin S. on March 3rd, 2007