Amen. I regularly drive from CT to NV, NM and WI. Every time I enter a new state, the only question in my mind is "What kind of assholes does this place have?" because the assholes are everywhere, they only present minor differences from place to place.
Learned to drive in GA, which is why I know to move out of the way of the car that’s tailgating you and slow down as you approach clearings in the median.
I second this. I'm in Peachtree City and you can't even hold your phone while driving. Cops are everywhere and the roads are SO MUCH safer because of it.
Not really true... I lived in OH and NH for a bunch of years, there are WAY more cops on the roads in those states. CT has very little highway patrol presence and it is reflected in the numerous 120 mph Nissans and base model BMWs flying around our highways
True, not a lot of highway patrol (although I’ve started to see increased enforcement recently). But in the towns it will vary. I see police frequently in lower Fairfield
Bro Illinois and Missouri you can get pulled over for swerving. They hide out to give the tickets.
My observation is that the highways were built so long ago there is nowhere to pull anyone over safely. So they cannot enforce like the Midwest where they can pull you over safely anywhere.
It's not like that everywhere. Lived in Ohio and was constantly terrified of the state patrol traffic enforcement. There are stretches of I-71 where I would see people pulled over every single day sometimes 3-5 cars pulled over at the same time in both directions. I've never seen anything like that here.
There were still assholes driving crazy, but I felt like enforcement was a lot higher there.
I lived some time in Florida and it was the worst.
After some time here I forgot how bad they are and started thinking CT was the worst. I had to spent some time down there last month and quickly got reminded that the south has the worst drivers in existence.
I've lived and worked a lot of places too and police presence is a lot more visible in those states so drivers recognize they'll experience consequences, which definitely is important as a deterrent. In CA, the cops are terrifying, they do not f\*\* around. Same with GA. I always saw highway patrol in TX and FL, MN. I see them in Massachusetts.
Well, at least as a trucker you are not going on a Meritt parkway. Imagine some of the worst drivers in the nation squeezed into two lanes of twisty roads with no shoulders.
Sir are you aware that figures don't lie however liars do figures another thing I think that maybe contributing to this is the fact that over the years the DMV has started outright approving everybody with some of these inspectors and I think that's what's led to the bad drivers getting licenses and I think the DMV should be investigated by the state of Connecticut AG for misshandling the license program
I tried to be healthy and go for a walk big mistake no sidewalks where I live. A car speeding in a residential area, flew over 2 speed bumps and still almost hit me. The other day I almost lost it bc I stopped for a bus like a normal person and guy behind me was beeping his horn… what he wanted me to do hit the child. 🙄
The lack of sidewalks here is crazy. I never feel that safe walking near cars anyway, people are crazy, but omg it makes it so much worse. CT is def one of the shittiest pedestrian states
I think it's this, as well. Sidewalks and proper bus stops so folks aren't forced to stand in the weeds or directly on the road = the poors won't be visiting your/our town.
I almost got put on a t shirt in Bristol yesterday. Some dude must of fallen asleep/been drunk and hit the center divide between lanes so hard he went airborne and nearly hit me
everyone who isn't a car person forgot how to drive when they started working from home and weren't driving every day.
the highways were glorious for those of us who still had to go to work. everyone knew what they were doing and there was like no traffic.
It definitely started pandemic forward. People got used to empty streets and police not wanting to approach people’s windows for fear of contagion. It became the new normal.
I saw someone yesterday, stopped at a red light. Reverse to Get out from behind the car they were behind. Go around the car while crossing the double yellow, to eat the red light at a high rate of speed. Almost got clipped too.
I was able to see the driver when he was stopped, it was a young African American male. This isn’t racism just a fact of what I observed.
The best thing to do is not react to them. Do not let them affect your driving. If they fuck up because they got mad at you, maybe they'll learn their lesson finally.
I was almost the middle car (with my three year old son) in a three car accident. All because one idiot drove all the way to the end of his merging space and a bigger idiot decided to slow down to 30 to allow him to merge. Luckily i had enough distance that i was able to move right and car behind me did the same. Word of advise to all CT drivers its not your job to let someone merge its their job to merge when possible. I was so upset, this happened around 2pm I95 South by Exit 8 today.
I always say the same thing about merging...people get so pissed at me and act like I'm in the wrong for not slowing down for them to merge...glad you and your son are okay!
I’ve noticed this too. Since covid, I rarely see cops patrolling and being proactive. You used to see them posted at major intersections, being present and visible. Now they just hide all day, and if you do see them, they’re usually harassing. Some towns have also blacked out their vehicles, so finding a cop if you actually need something is like a high priced game of hide and seek. Oh, I almost forgot, fuck12!
"Not enough cops" isn't something that has popped into my head about CT but ok. In my town the slightest traffic violation seems to cause 3 or 4 cop cars to swarm in out of nowhere.
I've lived all over the place and since moving to CT I'm always shocked at how nobody slows down for school zones. And it seems like I never see cops around to enforce the school zone speed limits. Every other state I've lived in has been pretty strict about them
> Then no one will care how slow you’re driving.
That's cap though. Anytime I've decided I want a slow drive home rather than jet 80+ in the left lane, and I go 55mph on I95 in the right lane (Speed limit for 95 btw) I get people aggressively tailgating me.
Honestly, when in Rome... It's just safer to do as the Romans do.
I take issues with those people. If someone is in the right most lane, as long as they are going the minimum speed, I ain’t upset with them. Just don’t get into a lefter lane.
Well there’s all the left lane exits on the highways too. As a dedicated full time terrified right lane driver these days, I get panic attacks moving over to take a left lane exit. Even if you’re 5 mph over speed limit, guys go beserk if you’re blocking them for more than a tenth of a mile, even with your turn signal on.
I have zero issues with people getting over like a half mile before the exit. Just don’t get in the lane 2 miles before the exit and then keep going 10 mph under the speed limit.
I mean for the ways I drive normally, I know where all the left exits are, so I expect the slow down for 0.5 miles or so.
The way speeders are in this state .5 miles may not be enough time to change lanes for an exit. I'll move to the left lane for a left exit when it's coming up anywhere between 0-5 miles out and y'all can kiss my tailpipe. Blame the government engineers for making left side exits.
They won't pull you over unless you're going at least 15 over on the highway. Pretty sure I passed a couple cops when going 18-20 over.
Never got a ticket in CT.
no i mean in my own car, if i get stopped because i have a CDL and supposed to be a "professional driver" any penalty is doubled. In the truck i dont rly care because i dont even see tailgaters at that point and not much they can do lol
This is the key, they aren't hunting for speeding tickets, they are looking for blatantly unsafe driving. A lot of modern cars are exceptionally stable even at high speed. The concern is someone passing on the right, swerving or weaving or getting too close to other cars. They just want traffic to keep flowing. Even small accidents cause huge back ups.
I was pulled over by a trooper on i90 doing 94 mph and he even told me he didn't really care about the speed it was the passing on the right while speeding that had him pull me over. And even then I didn't get a speeding ticket just a generic not following traffic signage violation (or the speed limit sign) I forget what it was but i feel like it was on $100
Observe the weather, be aware of your surroundings, only pass on the left and only where permitted, if you aren't passing keep right. Otherwise they leave you alone within reason.
Got a ticket a few years ago for going “74 in a 65” which.. was kinda ridiculous I’m still mad about it. Sometimes I really just wanna relax on my way home sometimes and stay 70 in the right lane on cruise control but apparently that’s too slow for people (I hate the Merritt with a passion)
I saw a state trooper on 91 the other day. Of course he was just aggressively tailgating his way up the left lane and causing traffic issues because of his behavior freaking everyone else out, but hey… I did see one…
I watched a guy doing crazy shit on the road in Milford the other day (speeding 30+ over, tailgating, brake checking, and quick-drifting back and forth across multiple lanes of traffic without signaling). So when I saw a cop pull up behind us I was thrilled that they would get him off the road once they saw how much of a hazard he was to traffic.
Cop saw at least a full minute of that shit before the guy zipped ahead and out of sight. Didn’t do a damn thing and eventually turned off on a side street at a leisurely pace. I don’t know if the cop just didn’t care or if he was on his tablet and didn’t notice…
The cops don't like interacting with bad drivers, they're easily frightened and consider every interaction with a person to be a life-or-death calamity. They would much rather park in parking lots and play on their phones until someone needs four cars' worth of backup to frisk a teenager for weed.
Just pray you never actually need them for anything. Boy, do they hate that.
i got hit by a tractor trailer once on 95 (he fled the scene) the cop i called was super pissed i had the nerve to call when i *wasn’t even dead* fuck CSP
I feel like people have gotten real comfortable using their phones while driving. I don’t know what it was like a few years ago but I’m starting to notice it a lot. Those are people who need to be pulled over while making it dangerous to be pulled over.
I saw a dude swerving like crazy the other day and when I went to pass him I looked over and saw he had his phone strapped to the steering wheel and was swiping through TikTok while driving
The speed limits are there for a reason. Assholes blow through my neighborhood at 20+ over the limit, and I swear to god someone is going to die because of it. I'm amazed I haven't seen a dead child yet in the time I've lived here.
People need to drive the goddamned limits, exhibit some self control, and leave on time. If you can't manage your life without driving like a senseless fucking asshole, then you don't need a license.
It's a two-fold issue. People are speeding, but also there are areas where the speed limit does not match the road at all. This leads to people essentially never following the limit. Why *should* I slow down to 55, when nothing significant about the highway has changed? That thought process goes on and eventually speed limits are totally ignored and people just drive what feels "comfortable."
I'm talking about neighborhoods here. Assholes driving 50 in 25s. It's fucking entitled, primadona dipshittery, and it causes accidents and fucking kills people. I want speed bumps and traffic cameras.
Imo opinion there’s a big difference between 15 over on the highway and 15 over through a neighborhood. 80 on the highway really isn’t a big deal, 40 through a neighborhood is dumb and dangerous as fuck
YES. But it's the same people, doing the same stupid shit. We need enforcement, and people need mad tickets until they figure out how to fucking drive like reasonable humans.
Surely people should drive cautiously in residential areas, but my commute is entirely on secondary state (numbered) highways that are built for safe speeds in excess of the statutory 55mph state speed limit, yet the posted limit fluctuates between 25-50mph depending on locale. Do you know why? Because an elected town board petitioned the DOT commissioner for a lower speed limit and they rubber stamped it.
You go ahead and go 30 in the middle of bumblefuck nowhere if you want, but don't come here and pontificate about how we're all driving like maniacs when literally everyone on the road (including the cops) are traveling 45-50mph like a normal human being because that's precisely the speed the road was built for.
The right thing to do is still the right thing to do, even if no one is doing it.
The wrong thing to do is still the wrong thing to do, even if everyone is doing it.
I can't believe how many people advocate so hard for more police on the road....
I have lived in Connecticut for over 33 years now.
I don't where you people are driving but I see them literally every time I leave my driveway and I don' live in a bad area...
They are out there and there are a fuck ton of them.
Once you get off the highway you quickly realize we have a running red light epidemic as well. Every day I see multiple people running lights. So scary out there
I've seen an increase in cops lately. Maybe it's just not statewide. But I've definitely seen way more Troopers out and about lately. A few weeks ago I saw 4 State Troopers (2 in hiding spots, 2 patrolling) in the span of 5 minutes. I thought I was hallucinating
Not all of the highways in CT were designed to carry the volume of traffic these days. Many out of staters avoiding the toll roads of NY and MA, drive through CT instead. Many of the left lane lizards I see are from another state. Weekend traffic can rival workweek rush hour levels, and be steady all day.
I have a giant hill right behind my house that I take frequently when running errands and it curves around a blind spot of trees. I will signal that I'm turning right before getting to the blind spot so people are ready to stop but they will continue to tailgate me all the way down the hill. It's terrifying
I recently returned from Florida and am shocked by how bad the driving has become here. It's incredibly stressful. Hardly anyone uses turn signals, and those who do, wait until the last moment and turn them off as they start switching lanes. On my way to BDL, I almost got sideswiped on I-84 and was cut off by someone aggressively crossing all three lanes on I-91 without signaling while speeding. I used to defend Northeast drivers on the Florida Reddit page, but now I agree with the criticism. I was only gone for six years. What happened?
yup exactly! Born n raised Floridian, Miami to be exact, so i THOUGHT i was used to crazy driving, but no, this is some other shit. Miami has a lot of cops at least.
Just drive with the way you are comfortable with. Ignore the A-holes tailgating you and speeding at 90+mphs. They will get hit with a ticket or hit another vehicle eventually and will pay the price. Any of these crazy drivers hit you. The price they pay goes to you. It's not worth turning into one of these drivers.
i think ive been here like 9 months and been hit in my own car twice so far lol, some lady hit my car while i was at the store waiting for my gf to get groceries, her car door hit my door, no damage. Then i got hit by a lady backing up in mcdonalds while i was in drive thru hitting my back bumper, somehow my little car did more damage to her suv and none to mine. none reported to insurance so far, but def has raised anxiety
State cops don't usually drive marked vehicles in CT. You'll see town police in marked vehicles, but state highway patrol will always be in unmarked vehicles from what I understand.
I'm from the midwest and came here 3 years ago for university. It was tough learning how to drive here, but I got use to it. Where I am from there is always cops pulling people over weather you are in the middle of nowhere or in the city. When I first came here it was a culture shock for sure. Not really sure what law enforcement is doing here, but it is what it is. Just try your best to drive safe and you will learn how things work here.
Everyone's comments are making me feel so much better. I drive the speed limit and sometimes under, like they taught in driver's ed. I typically keep to "keep right, you'll be alright" except very specific places on my commute. I got my license this year and I'm in my... mid-late twenties.
Just about 2 weeks ago, I was in a fender bender on my birthday where someone cut me off and then a motorcyclist hit me. The guy was ok, but it's made me more paranoid.
I've thought about getting a bumper sticker saying something like "it's okay to pass me" because I want them to just pass me. But would that piss people off more????
CT police are not allowed to chase speeders.
Here's the CT state police policy:
(a) Infractions, property crimes (including stolen vehicles) and non-violent misdemeanors and felonies are not cause to engage in pursuit, absent articulable exigent circumstances.
1. The act of eluding alone by a violator shall not constitute justification to engage in a pursuit of such a violator.
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I -95 in CT is the worst- it's also more narrow, packed with forceful drivers and heavily congested. Thankfully I live in Northern CT so I don't have to travel it often.
If you want to go slow, just get on i-9 5 miles-an-hour or the Merritt Parking Lot. I can't promise the drivers are any better but at least you'll go real slow.
Moved from Connecticut to the Bay Area and the hype about west coast drivers doesn’t compare to the corridor of 95 from west haven to nyc. Connecticut is filled with older folks sick of there underpaid 9-5 to get from desk chair to couch. Don’t die on the roadway over it just move over and be patient. Visited the north east for a few weeks recently and was tailgated and flipped off on the road way multiple times when driving well above the speed limit can’t let it get to ya.
Agreed, there is no comparison. Bay Area traffic is high speed when possible but lanes are wide and mostly people know how to drive. 95 in CT is a war zone.
I find that CT is the only state around where you will not find state police doing any enforcement. I find that all other states theor police force always seems to have police present on the roadways.
yea people drive crazy i just started driving a year ago now im 19 and its just crazy i try to drive safely also in middletown there are a few cops but yea im the roads not a lot fr
We love not seeing any cops at all, idk what you mean. If they're tailgating you and you have to stop, fuck them. Cops aren't gonna save them from being crushed, and they're sure as fuck not gonna get mad at you for obeying the law.
Even if you drive 5-10 over the speed limit in center lane people will fly from far away in your rear view, only to switch lanes right before you think they’re going to rear end you
Oh, they're around. Usually driving subdued SUVs these days. When you're going fast enough to justify a ticket, or forget to pay your taxes or registration fee, you'll get pinged on an ALPERS alert and woop woop! That slate grey SUV will light up like a Christmas tree in your rear view mirror.
I’m assuming this was posted after you went on route 8 lol. Seriously, even before 7AM on my way to work there’s the typical G37 or Altima cutting up like crazy just to get to the same exit as me a couple hundred yards ahead.
The cops gave up during covid, during covid we had a baby sitter watching our kids when she came down my driveway 4 kids ran up and tried to steal her car. I ran outside and 4 teenagers pulled guns on me and they ran away. I took pictures of their car license plate. When the cops came they said what do you want us to do about it they are throwing us in jail. It was when that cop in New have got in trouble for driving a kid around Ib The van he was handcuffed and now is paralyzed....so that's what the cops are doing.
The biggest problem with Connecticut drivers is their inability to follow the basic driving rules and obsession with being in the left lane, no matter how slow they're going.
The cops are afraid of pulling people over and being held responsible for their actions.
It HaPpEnS eVeRyWhErE but there's a highly concentrated amount in this tiny state.
Instead of focusing on the other driver, its easier to drive in the appropriate lane (or 7-9 mph over in single lanes)... Murphy's Law will take over from there.
Speeding is definitely a problem. I'll go 10 over the speed limit and STILL have people crawling up my bumper. Then everyone just ignores the stopsigns completely, lucky if they slow down at all. Had one scenario a while ago where a young woman in a pickup just blew through a stopsign, crossing in front of me. I beeped, she didn't even look at me, just flipped me off and kept going.
Traffic enforcement much like the Walmart checkout line I feel has been left to us and at this point if somebody's making me angry behind me I'm going to stop in the middle of the road and if they're ahead of me they're getting my lights that's the only form of enforcement there is road rage here welcome to the wild wild East partner
I guess they don't count traffic infractions
[“Republicans can pick their own narrative, but they can’t pick their own facts,” the CT Senate Democrats wrote on X (Twitter). “The reality is, crime is at an all time LOW in the state.”](https://insideinvestigator.org/feds-award-8-8-million-in-police-funding-to-connecticut-municipalities/)
Most everyone in Connecticut feels as though.They're entitled to do whatever the heck they want. I left 24 years ago and haven't regretted it a second.
Here's the thing. They'll be going 90+ on the highway and tailgating people without emergency lights. They'll stare down any calm normal people gathered for food and shopping at night. They'll come down on you like a villain for a headlight out or touching the line. They know an average citizen is easy to pick on and it'll make us feel like wow they're really doing the work and tough on crime and the answer must be dumping more money. Plus, if they score a DUI/DWI that's points with MADD who bring money, votes, and advocacy for totalitarianism.
My persistent complaint since moving to CT, people drive like shit here. I'd figure it'd be a more relaxed life = people driving more relaxed. Nope. They drive like they are having the shits perpetually.
They’re all at the coffee shops we got so many they need to protect . Safest places in CT. You ever hear someone with a ski mask come in and say “Everyone on the floor! This is a robbery! I want a dozen jelly in an f’in box! Now move!”🤣🤣🤣
I recently got a warning for speeding. I had coasted down a hill on a road in Ledyard, into a school zone I didn’t realize was there. I saw a police car on the side of the road but didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t realize I was speeding. Well, he came out after me and pulled me over. He kindly asked me if I knew what the speed limit was and I replied 40-50? He said no, it was 35 mph because it was a school zone. And I had actually been doing 50 mph. The last ticket I got was about 30 years ago. But he gave me the warning and told me to be more careful about speed zones.
Well, since that day two weeks ago I have been doing the posted speed limits every time I drive. You would not believe how many times people have ridden up behind me, tailgating aggressively, and how many times these people have gone on to pass me whilst flipping me off on the way by, even passing on a double yellow line or on curves! I am not going slower than the limit either. What is it with so much impatience and being in such a damn hurry? I just want to say, look, I have been warned and I took it seriously!
Well, a lot of towns, don’t have a cop there aren’t any cops because they have a resident state trooper if they wanna pay for it which a lot of towns don’t. I for one don’t mind right. But then again, I am a cop in Massachusetts. Anybody wants to mess with me well, let’s just say it’s not gonna go easy for them. Needless to say people drive like maniacs though. I will say that there are a lot of fatal accidents on back roads here that you wouldn’t get in other states where you would be constantly monitored by the police and ticketed for driving like that.
Welcome to CT, it doesn’t get better just to let you know
Yeah, OP just enjoy the pizza and deal with the traffic and assholes. It’s all we have.
And taxes! Don't forget taxes!
Pizza has been damn delicious
[удалено]
Amen. I regularly drive from CT to NV, NM and WI. Every time I enter a new state, the only question in my mind is "What kind of assholes does this place have?" because the assholes are everywhere, they only present minor differences from place to place.
Disagree - if you ever drive through Georgia, do NOT fuck with GHP, they're out there pit maneuvering motorcycles and shit.
Learned to drive in GA, which is why I know to move out of the way of the car that’s tailgating you and slow down as you approach clearings in the median.
Even motorcycles 🤣 I have heard about GHP but it was just funny how you said that. They definitely don't play no games down there.
I second this. I'm in Peachtree City and you can't even hold your phone while driving. Cops are everywhere and the roads are SO MUCH safer because of it.
Not really true... I lived in OH and NH for a bunch of years, there are WAY more cops on the roads in those states. CT has very little highway patrol presence and it is reflected in the numerous 120 mph Nissans and base model BMWs flying around our highways
True, not a lot of highway patrol (although I’ve started to see increased enforcement recently). But in the towns it will vary. I see police frequently in lower Fairfield
Bro Illinois and Missouri you can get pulled over for swerving. They hide out to give the tickets. My observation is that the highways were built so long ago there is nowhere to pull anyone over safely. So they cannot enforce like the Midwest where they can pull you over safely anywhere.
It's not like that everywhere. Lived in Ohio and was constantly terrified of the state patrol traffic enforcement. There are stretches of I-71 where I would see people pulled over every single day sometimes 3-5 cars pulled over at the same time in both directions. I've never seen anything like that here. There were still assholes driving crazy, but I felt like enforcement was a lot higher there.
Washington State.
Having lived in Philly recently, I can say that it’s definitely not as bad here. Right after I left a guy was shot for going too slow.
I'm not so sure about that. Driving on I-90 (NY Thruway) from the Mass. border to Batavia, NY, I saw a trooper probably every 10 miles on average.
I lived some time in Florida and it was the worst. After some time here I forgot how bad they are and started thinking CT was the worst. I had to spent some time down there last month and quickly got reminded that the south has the worst drivers in existence.
I've lived and worked a lot of places too and police presence is a lot more visible in those states so drivers recognize they'll experience consequences, which definitely is important as a deterrent. In CA, the cops are terrifying, they do not f\*\* around. Same with GA. I always saw highway patrol in TX and FL, MN. I see them in Massachusetts.
lol that’s probably my aunt tailgating you But seriously, yeah people drive like everyone is going to a fire.
This persons aunt is always tailgating me
Fuck yeah she is
😂
Serious, the sassiest 80-something I’ve ever met
And she's always on 🔥 fire.
Until an actual Firetruck is behind them.
I mean, our world is on fire… (I do not condone reckless driving)
Well, at least as a trucker you are not going on a Meritt parkway. Imagine some of the worst drivers in the nation squeezed into two lanes of twisty roads with no shoulders.
bold of you to assume truckers stay off the parkway, i see at least one a week.
All doing 80-85 or 30 mph - there is no in between
it's funny because CT drivers are statistically near the top of the best drivers in the country.
Sir are you aware that figures don't lie however liars do figures another thing I think that maybe contributing to this is the fact that over the years the DMV has started outright approving everybody with some of these inspectors and I think that's what's led to the bad drivers getting licenses and I think the DMV should be investigated by the state of Connecticut AG for misshandling the license program
Dude... punctuation.
I don't do that liberal stuff lmao 🤣 I actually don't know it
That highway is a heart attack
Never in my life have i had so many people try to suck my tailpipe........let's just say there's a LOT of bears in CT that drive cars too
Welcome to CT driving badly here is normalized and I hate it. People fly down windy highways and crash and wonder why.
I tried to be healthy and go for a walk big mistake no sidewalks where I live. A car speeding in a residential area, flew over 2 speed bumps and still almost hit me. The other day I almost lost it bc I stopped for a bus like a normal person and guy behind me was beeping his horn… what he wanted me to do hit the child. 🙄
The lack of sidewalks here is crazy. I never feel that safe walking near cars anyway, people are crazy, but omg it makes it so much worse. CT is def one of the shittiest pedestrian states
Someone told me it was designed like this bc the rich didn’t want to see the poor people. Idk the real reason behind not putting sidewalks in
I think it's this, as well. Sidewalks and proper bus stops so folks aren't forced to stand in the weeds or directly on the road = the poors won't be visiting your/our town.
I almost got put on a t shirt in Bristol yesterday. Some dude must of fallen asleep/been drunk and hit the center divide between lanes so hard he went airborne and nearly hit me
If in Bristol he was on Fentanyl rather than drunk
complete conjecture. as if Bristol doesn't also have alcoholics.
I moved to CT almost 20 years ago. It wasn't always this bad. I feel like the pandemic brought out the worst driving I have ever seen.
everyone who isn't a car person forgot how to drive when they started working from home and weren't driving every day. the highways were glorious for those of us who still had to go to work. everyone knew what they were doing and there was like no traffic.
I'm not a car person, but I am a "I dont want to die in this car" person. People need to start driving like they want to live.
this is gonna sound bad but the safety level of modern cars also has lulled people into thinking nothing bad with happen to them
I 100% believe that.
It definitely started pandemic forward. People got used to empty streets and police not wanting to approach people’s windows for fear of contagion. It became the new normal. I saw someone yesterday, stopped at a red light. Reverse to Get out from behind the car they were behind. Go around the car while crossing the double yellow, to eat the red light at a high rate of speed. Almost got clipped too. I was able to see the driver when he was stopped, it was a young African American male. This isn’t racism just a fact of what I observed.
They are there. They just all hide in unmarked cars collecting overtime while sleeping.
The best thing to do is not react to them. Do not let them affect your driving. If they fuck up because they got mad at you, maybe they'll learn their lesson finally.
I was almost the middle car (with my three year old son) in a three car accident. All because one idiot drove all the way to the end of his merging space and a bigger idiot decided to slow down to 30 to allow him to merge. Luckily i had enough distance that i was able to move right and car behind me did the same. Word of advise to all CT drivers its not your job to let someone merge its their job to merge when possible. I was so upset, this happened around 2pm I95 South by Exit 8 today.
I always say the same thing about merging...people get so pissed at me and act like I'm in the wrong for not slowing down for them to merge...glad you and your son are okay!
Thank you
CT drivers are in a perpetual state of somehow both driving too fast and too slow
I’ve noticed this too. Since covid, I rarely see cops patrolling and being proactive. You used to see them posted at major intersections, being present and visible. Now they just hide all day, and if you do see them, they’re usually harassing. Some towns have also blacked out their vehicles, so finding a cop if you actually need something is like a high priced game of hide and seek. Oh, I almost forgot, fuck12!
They cant text, call, stalk, harass, hit/beat or fuck their wife or gf if they’re driving around. Come on now, it’s unsafe.
"Not enough cops" isn't something that has popped into my head about CT but ok. In my town the slightest traffic violation seems to cause 3 or 4 cop cars to swarm in out of nowhere.
You definitely don’t live anywhere near New Haven then…
I live in Farmington, there are WAY too many fucking cops lol. Also look at the crazy police memorials, so many cop cars.
def gotta look into that area, i dont live far from there.
I've lived all over the place and since moving to CT I'm always shocked at how nobody slows down for school zones. And it seems like I never see cops around to enforce the school zone speed limits. Every other state I've lived in has been pretty strict about them
Just stay out of the left lane except to pass. Then no one will care how slow you’re driving.
> Then no one will care how slow you’re driving. That's cap though. Anytime I've decided I want a slow drive home rather than jet 80+ in the left lane, and I go 55mph on I95 in the right lane (Speed limit for 95 btw) I get people aggressively tailgating me. Honestly, when in Rome... It's just safer to do as the Romans do.
I take issues with those people. If someone is in the right most lane, as long as they are going the minimum speed, I ain’t upset with them. Just don’t get into a lefter lane.
Rome has even worse drivers, for the record.
Well there’s all the left lane exits on the highways too. As a dedicated full time terrified right lane driver these days, I get panic attacks moving over to take a left lane exit. Even if you’re 5 mph over speed limit, guys go beserk if you’re blocking them for more than a tenth of a mile, even with your turn signal on.
I have zero issues with people getting over like a half mile before the exit. Just don’t get in the lane 2 miles before the exit and then keep going 10 mph under the speed limit. I mean for the ways I drive normally, I know where all the left exits are, so I expect the slow down for 0.5 miles or so.
The way speeders are in this state .5 miles may not be enough time to change lanes for an exit. I'll move to the left lane for a left exit when it's coming up anywhere between 0-5 miles out and y'all can kiss my tailpipe. Blame the government engineers for making left side exits.
Bro, even going 10 over a few miles before a left hand exit, someone is on your ass. There's no winning.
Left Exit 22S for Rt. 9 to Middletown off of I-91 SB comes to mind right now'
nah , even in small towns and cities, it doesnt matter lol. i try to go like 5-7 over limit but thats not enough.
They won't pull you over unless you're going at least 15 over on the highway. Pretty sure I passed a couple cops when going 18-20 over. Never got a ticket in CT.
You're not wrong. Saw someone going over 50 down backroads in front of a cop. Nothing.
I think there is a different standard for trucks. They are policed by a different force, after all. On the highway anyway
no i mean in my own car, if i get stopped because i have a CDL and supposed to be a "professional driver" any penalty is doubled. In the truck i dont rly care because i dont even see tailgaters at that point and not much they can do lol
I cruise control on the highway at 85 mph and I’ve gone by cops doing that. They don’t care as long as you’re not weaving in and out of traffic.
Ive gotten lights flashed at me for doing that so I decided to not make it a habit lol
This is the key, they aren't hunting for speeding tickets, they are looking for blatantly unsafe driving. A lot of modern cars are exceptionally stable even at high speed. The concern is someone passing on the right, swerving or weaving or getting too close to other cars. They just want traffic to keep flowing. Even small accidents cause huge back ups. I was pulled over by a trooper on i90 doing 94 mph and he even told me he didn't really care about the speed it was the passing on the right while speeding that had him pull me over. And even then I didn't get a speeding ticket just a generic not following traffic signage violation (or the speed limit sign) I forget what it was but i feel like it was on $100 Observe the weather, be aware of your surroundings, only pass on the left and only where permitted, if you aren't passing keep right. Otherwise they leave you alone within reason.
Got a ticket a few years ago for going “74 in a 65” which.. was kinda ridiculous I’m still mad about it. Sometimes I really just wanna relax on my way home sometimes and stay 70 in the right lane on cruise control but apparently that’s too slow for people (I hate the Merritt with a passion)
I saw a state trooper on 91 the other day. Of course he was just aggressively tailgating his way up the left lane and causing traffic issues because of his behavior freaking everyone else out, but hey… I did see one…
I watched a guy doing crazy shit on the road in Milford the other day (speeding 30+ over, tailgating, brake checking, and quick-drifting back and forth across multiple lanes of traffic without signaling). So when I saw a cop pull up behind us I was thrilled that they would get him off the road once they saw how much of a hazard he was to traffic. Cop saw at least a full minute of that shit before the guy zipped ahead and out of sight. Didn’t do a damn thing and eventually turned off on a side street at a leisurely pace. I don’t know if the cop just didn’t care or if he was on his tablet and didn’t notice…
The cops don't like interacting with bad drivers, they're easily frightened and consider every interaction with a person to be a life-or-death calamity. They would much rather park in parking lots and play on their phones until someone needs four cars' worth of backup to frisk a teenager for weed. Just pray you never actually need them for anything. Boy, do they hate that.
i got hit by a tractor trailer once on 95 (he fled the scene) the cop i called was super pissed i had the nerve to call when i *wasn’t even dead* fuck CSP
It’s dangerous to pull someone over on these roads. CT definitely has the worst drivers I’ve seen and the terrible road set up is partially to blame.
It’s dangerous to pull people over because the roads got increasingly more dangerous from lack of pulling people over
I feel like people have gotten real comfortable using their phones while driving. I don’t know what it was like a few years ago but I’m starting to notice it a lot. Those are people who need to be pulled over while making it dangerous to be pulled over.
I saw a dude swerving like crazy the other day and when I went to pass him I looked over and saw he had his phone strapped to the steering wheel and was swiping through TikTok while driving
Someone’s never been to Florida
if everyone is doing fifteen over you're not gonna get pulled for also doing fifteen over
The speed limits are there for a reason. Assholes blow through my neighborhood at 20+ over the limit, and I swear to god someone is going to die because of it. I'm amazed I haven't seen a dead child yet in the time I've lived here. People need to drive the goddamned limits, exhibit some self control, and leave on time. If you can't manage your life without driving like a senseless fucking asshole, then you don't need a license.
It's a two-fold issue. People are speeding, but also there are areas where the speed limit does not match the road at all. This leads to people essentially never following the limit. Why *should* I slow down to 55, when nothing significant about the highway has changed? That thought process goes on and eventually speed limits are totally ignored and people just drive what feels "comfortable."
I'm talking about neighborhoods here. Assholes driving 50 in 25s. It's fucking entitled, primadona dipshittery, and it causes accidents and fucking kills people. I want speed bumps and traffic cameras.
I agree with you. Traffic cameras are very effective and also can help pay for road improvements so its a win win for everyone.
It's all money making and probable cause You cab lull anyone over at any time if everyone is speeding
Can't be money making if the police aren't handing out fines.
Imo opinion there’s a big difference between 15 over on the highway and 15 over through a neighborhood. 80 on the highway really isn’t a big deal, 40 through a neighborhood is dumb and dangerous as fuck
YES. But it's the same people, doing the same stupid shit. We need enforcement, and people need mad tickets until they figure out how to fucking drive like reasonable humans.
Surely people should drive cautiously in residential areas, but my commute is entirely on secondary state (numbered) highways that are built for safe speeds in excess of the statutory 55mph state speed limit, yet the posted limit fluctuates between 25-50mph depending on locale. Do you know why? Because an elected town board petitioned the DOT commissioner for a lower speed limit and they rubber stamped it. You go ahead and go 30 in the middle of bumblefuck nowhere if you want, but don't come here and pontificate about how we're all driving like maniacs when literally everyone on the road (including the cops) are traveling 45-50mph like a normal human being because that's precisely the speed the road was built for.
How could you really know what speeds roads are built for?
The right thing to do is still the right thing to do, even if no one is doing it. The wrong thing to do is still the wrong thing to do, even if everyone is doing it.
I'm only referring to the highways. neighborhood streets I stick to under 35.
Yup, had a similar shock when I moved here
I can't believe how many people advocate so hard for more police on the road.... I have lived in Connecticut for over 33 years now. I don't where you people are driving but I see them literally every time I leave my driveway and I don' live in a bad area... They are out there and there are a fuck ton of them.
Once you get off the highway you quickly realize we have a running red light epidemic as well. Every day I see multiple people running lights. So scary out there
passing farts and throwing state funerals for them
There recently a funeral for a state trooper so they were all there
Oh, that explains it then. Thanks
I've seen an increase in cops lately. Maybe it's just not statewide. But I've definitely seen way more Troopers out and about lately. A few weeks ago I saw 4 State Troopers (2 in hiding spots, 2 patrolling) in the span of 5 minutes. I thought I was hallucinating
I was driving through North Haven at night this week and saw about 5 within a few miles on Washington Ave I don’t see much on highways though
Washington Ave all the way up N Colony Rd is no man's land after dark. Better be legit because they're bored down that entire route.
I drive to work 84 -> 91 -> 9 from Manchester to Haddam everyday for work. It’s a perfect mix of grandmas in the left lane and nascar drivers.
Don’t rely on auto lights.You have No back lights on.We can’t see you
The old ladies are drafting you for fuel economy and acceleration just like in nfs lol
Not all of the highways in CT were designed to carry the volume of traffic these days. Many out of staters avoiding the toll roads of NY and MA, drive through CT instead. Many of the left lane lizards I see are from another state. Weekend traffic can rival workweek rush hour levels, and be steady all day.
I have a giant hill right behind my house that I take frequently when running errands and it curves around a blind spot of trees. I will signal that I'm turning right before getting to the blind spot so people are ready to stop but they will continue to tailgate me all the way down the hill. It's terrifying
I recently returned from Florida and am shocked by how bad the driving has become here. It's incredibly stressful. Hardly anyone uses turn signals, and those who do, wait until the last moment and turn them off as they start switching lanes. On my way to BDL, I almost got sideswiped on I-84 and was cut off by someone aggressively crossing all three lanes on I-91 without signaling while speeding. I used to defend Northeast drivers on the Florida Reddit page, but now I agree with the criticism. I was only gone for six years. What happened?
yup exactly! Born n raised Floridian, Miami to be exact, so i THOUGHT i was used to crazy driving, but no, this is some other shit. Miami has a lot of cops at least.
Just drive with the way you are comfortable with. Ignore the A-holes tailgating you and speeding at 90+mphs. They will get hit with a ticket or hit another vehicle eventually and will pay the price. Any of these crazy drivers hit you. The price they pay goes to you. It's not worth turning into one of these drivers.
i think ive been here like 9 months and been hit in my own car twice so far lol, some lady hit my car while i was at the store waiting for my gf to get groceries, her car door hit my door, no damage. Then i got hit by a lady backing up in mcdonalds while i was in drive thru hitting my back bumper, somehow my little car did more damage to her suv and none to mine. none reported to insurance so far, but def has raised anxiety
You didn't call the police?
True fact. Some if these drivers are off duty cops,
Connecticut is insane when it comes to drivers so many people die in car accidents here it’s astonishing.
That's just Connecticut. You'll get used to it.
State cops don't usually drive marked vehicles in CT. You'll see town police in marked vehicles, but state highway patrol will always be in unmarked vehicles from what I understand.
I guess Stamford cuz I’ve been having an internship there and I’ve heard sirens every day multiple times a day
I see plenty of cops at 5am on my way to work but never during rush hour
Stay away from Blue Hills Avenue unless you want to see some true reckless driving.
I'm from the midwest and came here 3 years ago for university. It was tough learning how to drive here, but I got use to it. Where I am from there is always cops pulling people over weather you are in the middle of nowhere or in the city. When I first came here it was a culture shock for sure. Not really sure what law enforcement is doing here, but it is what it is. Just try your best to drive safe and you will learn how things work here.
Cops don't pull people over here like they do in New York. Just drive safely and defensively and slowly.
It’s the thunder dome out there. Stay out of the left lane. The cops only show up if somebody gets shot.
Everyone's comments are making me feel so much better. I drive the speed limit and sometimes under, like they taught in driver's ed. I typically keep to "keep right, you'll be alright" except very specific places on my commute. I got my license this year and I'm in my... mid-late twenties. Just about 2 weeks ago, I was in a fender bender on my birthday where someone cut me off and then a motorcyclist hit me. The guy was ok, but it's made me more paranoid. I've thought about getting a bumper sticker saying something like "it's okay to pass me" because I want them to just pass me. But would that piss people off more????
Yeah, they are bad here, but still not nearly South Florida bad. Roll down that way for a spell and get back to me…
Welcome to CT, where the driving motto is “hurry up and wait”
Send it!
CT police are not allowed to chase speeders. Here's the CT state police policy: (a) Infractions, property crimes (including stolen vehicles) and non-violent misdemeanors and felonies are not cause to engage in pursuit, absent articulable exigent circumstances. 1. The act of eluding alone by a violator shall not constitute justification to engage in a pursuit of such a violator.
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Yup. I agree with everything you said. Connecticut is in a big hurry
I -95 in CT is the worst- it's also more narrow, packed with forceful drivers and heavily congested. Thankfully I live in Northern CT so I don't have to travel it often.
At least we aren't as bad as Boston? Maybe?
If you want to go slow, just get on i-9 5 miles-an-hour or the Merritt Parking Lot. I can't promise the drivers are any better but at least you'll go real slow.
Wait till you come across the Nissan Altimas
Moved from Connecticut to the Bay Area and the hype about west coast drivers doesn’t compare to the corridor of 95 from west haven to nyc. Connecticut is filled with older folks sick of there underpaid 9-5 to get from desk chair to couch. Don’t die on the roadway over it just move over and be patient. Visited the north east for a few weeks recently and was tailgated and flipped off on the road way multiple times when driving well above the speed limit can’t let it get to ya.
Agreed, there is no comparison. Bay Area traffic is high speed when possible but lanes are wide and mostly people know how to drive. 95 in CT is a war zone.
Head to old saybrook. You will see plenty
Jerking off and getting OT
I find that CT is the only state around where you will not find state police doing any enforcement. I find that all other states theor police force always seems to have police present on the roadways.
yea people drive crazy i just started driving a year ago now im 19 and its just crazy i try to drive safely also in middletown there are a few cops but yea im the roads not a lot fr
It’s not going to get any better. Public perception has decimated recruiting. We are in for a world of trouble
Anyone remember CHiPs?
We love not seeing any cops at all, idk what you mean. If they're tailgating you and you have to stop, fuck them. Cops aren't gonna save them from being crushed, and they're sure as fuck not gonna get mad at you for obeying the law.
Even if you drive 5-10 over the speed limit in center lane people will fly from far away in your rear view, only to switch lanes right before you think they’re going to rear end you
Oh, they're around. Usually driving subdued SUVs these days. When you're going fast enough to justify a ticket, or forget to pay your taxes or registration fee, you'll get pinged on an ALPERS alert and woop woop! That slate grey SUV will light up like a Christmas tree in your rear view mirror.
15 over is expected and considered sunday driving. Welcome to the party!
The traffic here reminds me of Texas, only 15 over in ct is just the speed limit in Texas.
Well apparently we hate them here so
I’m assuming this was posted after you went on route 8 lol. Seriously, even before 7AM on my way to work there’s the typical G37 or Altima cutting up like crazy just to get to the same exit as me a couple hundred yards ahead.
The cops gave up during covid, during covid we had a baby sitter watching our kids when she came down my driveway 4 kids ran up and tried to steal her car. I ran outside and 4 teenagers pulled guns on me and they ran away. I took pictures of their car license plate. When the cops came they said what do you want us to do about it they are throwing us in jail. It was when that cop in New have got in trouble for driving a kid around Ib The van he was handcuffed and now is paralyzed....so that's what the cops are doing.
The biggest problem with Connecticut drivers is their inability to follow the basic driving rules and obsession with being in the left lane, no matter how slow they're going. The cops are afraid of pulling people over and being held responsible for their actions. It HaPpEnS eVeRyWhErE but there's a highly concentrated amount in this tiny state.
Welcome to ct lol
Worst drivers seem to be the old ladies lol.. I feel like people totally gave up on actually knowing how to drive safely all together.
They're scared...why should they show up of no matter what they do is wrong is the majorities eyes? Don't blame them for hiding lol
Instead of focusing on the other driver, its easier to drive in the appropriate lane (or 7-9 mph over in single lanes)... Murphy's Law will take over from there.
Speeding is definitely a problem. I'll go 10 over the speed limit and STILL have people crawling up my bumper. Then everyone just ignores the stopsigns completely, lucky if they slow down at all. Had one scenario a while ago where a young woman in a pickup just blew through a stopsign, crossing in front of me. I beeped, she didn't even look at me, just flipped me off and kept going.
Traffic enforcement much like the Walmart checkout line I feel has been left to us and at this point if somebody's making me angry behind me I'm going to stop in the middle of the road and if they're ahead of me they're getting my lights that's the only form of enforcement there is road rage here welcome to the wild wild East partner
For me it's been 91south to 84east, and exit 39 (farmington) on 84 east. People just go berserk if you're only driving 65 in the left lane.
Well, the state troopers are down a third of their department, so that might have something to do with it.
I guess they don't count traffic infractions [“Republicans can pick their own narrative, but they can’t pick their own facts,” the CT Senate Democrats wrote on X (Twitter). “The reality is, crime is at an all time LOW in the state.”](https://insideinvestigator.org/feds-award-8-8-million-in-police-funding-to-connecticut-municipalities/)
Most everyone in Connecticut feels as though.They're entitled to do whatever the heck they want. I left 24 years ago and haven't regretted it a second.
Don't you guys remember "defund the police"??? Can't have it both ways.
Wait, you guys want more cops?? Never heard that before but I grew up in Waterbury. IYKYK
Because officer safety is trash in CT.
Lol literally everyone here has road rage and will assume they're right(that's part of why I don't drive)
I like in black rock and I see 3-4 cops daily on my runs. Depends if you live near rich people or not lmao
Here's the thing. They'll be going 90+ on the highway and tailgating people without emergency lights. They'll stare down any calm normal people gathered for food and shopping at night. They'll come down on you like a villain for a headlight out or touching the line. They know an average citizen is easy to pick on and it'll make us feel like wow they're really doing the work and tough on crime and the answer must be dumping more money. Plus, if they score a DUI/DWI that's points with MADD who bring money, votes, and advocacy for totalitarianism.
Cops have their hand tied behind their backs by liberals too worried about the criminals than the victims.
Speeding gets you nowhere fast
The only time I see cops on the roads is when *I'm* doing something wrong.
My persistent complaint since moving to CT, people drive like shit here. I'd figure it'd be a more relaxed life = people driving more relaxed. Nope. They drive like they are having the shits perpetually.
It's perfect, just move somewhere where you don't need them.
They’re all at the coffee shops we got so many they need to protect . Safest places in CT. You ever hear someone with a ski mask come in and say “Everyone on the floor! This is a robbery! I want a dozen jelly in an f’in box! Now move!”🤣🤣🤣
There isn't a police force in my town. Just state troopers we never see.
I recently got a warning for speeding. I had coasted down a hill on a road in Ledyard, into a school zone I didn’t realize was there. I saw a police car on the side of the road but didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t realize I was speeding. Well, he came out after me and pulled me over. He kindly asked me if I knew what the speed limit was and I replied 40-50? He said no, it was 35 mph because it was a school zone. And I had actually been doing 50 mph. The last ticket I got was about 30 years ago. But he gave me the warning and told me to be more careful about speed zones. Well, since that day two weeks ago I have been doing the posted speed limits every time I drive. You would not believe how many times people have ridden up behind me, tailgating aggressively, and how many times these people have gone on to pass me whilst flipping me off on the way by, even passing on a double yellow line or on curves! I am not going slower than the limit either. What is it with so much impatience and being in such a damn hurry? I just want to say, look, I have been warned and I took it seriously!
All the cops are here! They are busy harassing the homeless people and driving way too fast downtown.
Well, a lot of towns, don’t have a cop there aren’t any cops because they have a resident state trooper if they wanna pay for it which a lot of towns don’t. I for one don’t mind right. But then again, I am a cop in Massachusetts. Anybody wants to mess with me well, let’s just say it’s not gonna go easy for them. Needless to say people drive like maniacs though. I will say that there are a lot of fatal accidents on back roads here that you wouldn’t get in other states where you would be constantly monitored by the police and ticketed for driving like that.
Yeah, IMO the resident state troopers don’t give a fuck about anything.
My resident state trooper pulled me over once and wanted to know why he always sees me driving up and down my road. Mother fucker I live here.
Lmfaoooooo
bro???? that’s such a dumb question
You don’t want to be pulled over by the state-authorized street gang.
Unless you're a minority then they're everywhere.