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Nov
30

Raleigh Named to Best Driver Cities List

The January 2010 issue (p. 72) of Car & Driver magazine has named Raleigh to its “10 Best Drivers’ Cities in America†list. Factors such as frequency of sunny days, car ownership costs, and annual road salt use factored into the ratings.

I take issue, though, with the article’s commentary about the area. The two points made are that we are in the “heart of NASCAR countryâ€. Wile WIR, Rockingham, and Level Cross are within 100 miles, the number of NASCAR fans per capita here is likely much lower than author Andrew Smart surmises. (are those tracks even on the NASCAR circuit?)

He also notes the drive-in theater in Henderson, an hour away. Just how many Raleigh people have actually driven an hour to get to the Raleigh Road theatre??

  • John

    Old stereotypes die slowly. There will always be a certain amount of people who will always embrace the picture that they have in their mind.
    Isn’t it interesting that the writer of the article will cite a drive in theater in Henderson while the Census Bureau doesn’t even consider a city as close as Durham to be in the same MSA as Raleigh?

  • Andrew

    To me, Raleigh won’t be a great city for drivers until the stoplights on major thoroughfares are timed better. If we really *are* influenced by NASCAR, why won’t drivers accelerate to the speed limit when the stoplight turns green, green, green?

    As an aside, I’ve been to the drive-in movie theater. It’s a bit of a trip to get there, but it’s a fun experience when the weather’s good.

  • RaleighRob

    Sounds like a writer who knows nothing about this area had a deadline for an article so he just whipped out something on paper without proper research.
    Best drivers? Here? The only way this area could rank high on such a list is if the definition of a “good driver” is driving 10 mph under the speed limit in an oversized gas-guzzling minivan or SUV while taking up more than one travel lane because you’re too busy with your cellphone, and never once ever using a turn signal. 😛

    • http://www.danamccall.com Dana

      I feel your pain, Rob. Add my big pet-peeve, people who won’t accelerate to cruising speed BEFORE merging!

  • RaleighRob

    ^Total agreement there.
    And of course the worst spot for that is where traffic from Western Blvd merges into the fast lane of I-440. I want to get a time machine and find out what idiot designed that and slap the $#&@ outta him. 😀

  • http://www.raleighmsa.com Ernest

    I can only say this: I agree with y’all :) I have the same troubles, but I must also say that the drivers here are not bad. One of the issues is that so many transplants come from various areas that differ in terms of driving style. If you live in NYC you adopt to a more aggressive driving style, or you use public transit. Some transplants come from “slower” areas, while other like to drive in the “fast lane”. No easy solution, IMO :(

  • JeffS

    We should be embarrassed to be known as a driving city.

    And RaleighRob… limit means maximum, not minimum – in case you forgot.

  • http://www.jonathanhawkins.net Jonathan Hawkins

    Best cities to drive in, worst cities to try and get around any other way in…

  • Justin

    Apparently headlights, turn signals, horns or flashers don’t factor into good driving criteria.

Posted by Dana on November 30, 2009 | Tags: Honors . | ( 9 ) Comments

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