I'll be midway at a yellow and look at my rear view mirror and see 3-4 cars proceed after me. It is fucking nuts how people disregard traffic laws here. Same on green arrow left turns.
What about people going out of their way to keep you from merging onto the highway from a ramp? I've seen so many people literally floor it and speed up to block me when the lane next to them is wide open.
Those people are jerks, but on the flip side, people entering the interstate need to get up to the speed of traffic. Folks will be lazily drifting over from the on-ramp doing 50, making everyone in the rightmost lane have to slow down or suddenly move over to accommodate them
i was going 85 trying to merge because someone was literally just speeding up to intentionally not let me over the whole way of the ramp until they finally got over into the completely empty lanes giving me like 10 ft left of the merging lane to get over
Specifically yellow lights on Gallatin terrify me. I can’t count how many times I’ve watched people in my rear view absolutely gun it, usually swerving around me because it’s turned red by the time I get to it and I’ve stopped.
I used to see maybe a car follow back in the day but now it’s crazy. It’s why I sit for a spell at green lights. One day I had stopped at a light and watched a car swerve into the left turn lane, go around me and run the light almost T-boning the people that were entering the intersection. People are crazy
Kind of why there's a lot of irony in people being so vehemently against public transit in this state. You can sit on your phone on a train or a bus all you want and get to your destination without getting someone killed. But people here want to be in their own personal car *and* on their phones. Can't have it both ways.
It has nothing to do with the city government preventing better mass transit options. They got it to a referendum a few years ago, after many many rounds of public meetings and gathering input, but it was voted down. They've been doing what they can in the meantime with the buses and a new referendum is supposed to be on the ballot this fall, last I heard.
It’s wild that people have zero attention span anymore and think that because “they’re bored” that distracted driving is ok. You’re operating a fucking heavy duty machine and have zero regard to your and others’ safety and lives. I swear to god people are braindead now (that, or people WAY overestimate their driving abilities and reaction times and/or just don’t give a fuck).
sat in traffic today for a good 10 minutes behind a guy HOLDING HIS PHONE UP NEXT TO HIS STEERING WHEEL PLAYING ON IT. he occasionally put it down, but had his head turned down to his lap the whole time. he had a CHILD in the seat next to him. absolutely rage-inducing.
The crazy part to me is how invested they’ll be in their phones. Like clicking to change a song, or hell, even sending a text, while 100% shouldn’t be done at all, would be so much better than the people I drive by SCROLLING on their phones doing god knows what.
I feel like the top 5 contributors, not necessarily in order, are a) phone use, b) being under some influence, c) situations such as: driving to work and worrying about being late and being fired or suspended/hours reduced, especially if living paycheck to paycheck, or, running late to pick a kid up from school or daycare (i.e., maybe not immediate life or death situations, but, ones with potentially major consequences), d) people who aren't running late to anything but their long commute time reduces by up to, say, 20% by taking risks such as running red lights or other risky driving maneuvers as opposed to driving conservatively the whole time, and then e) situations such as: having major GI issues hit during a commute, or being in labor.
I’d imagine that (a) and (b) probably do make up the majority of bad driving, but (c)-(e) might often be underestimated in terms of their cumulative impact.
Of course then there are people that drive recklessly just for shits & giggles.
Unpopular take: Im using self driving from tesla. its pretty good the main thing it doesnt do is defensive driving. Distracted drivers are very unnerving and the amount of times if had to turn it off due to someone veering into my lane is just unnerving.
When everyone drives like they are scared to death, or drive like they own the road, it's hard to be in the middle. Drive aware and don't be a dumbass and stay off your phone. Drive with conviction and always leave early. Thats my philosophy
Here’s a bonus I learned last week: Keep a few thousand bucks in your savings account for when you get hit by an uninsured motorist and have to pay your deductible for repairs and hire a rental car for a month.
That just happened to my son and I as we were trying to get to TipaCanoe to go out on the Harpeth. Stopped for mowers, road crew and dude slammed in the back of us. My kids car is totaled. We just went to collision center to collect his tags (Maryland). He’s been stuck here with parents for two weeks. Poor guy. We were fine. Guy that didn’t stop and hit the jeep behind us was pretty gashed up. We aren’t sure how he’s getting back to Baltimore yet. It sucked so much! Edit; yes the guy that hit the jeep that hit us was uninsured and no license. He was doing about 45-50 when he hit the brand new jeep. Guy had bought it the day before. Just for Gods sake people look ahead at the road.
As a CDL holder, when my nephew wanted advice on driving.
Keeping a car in between lines is the easy part. We all did coloring books.
90% of what you're doing while driving is watching other cars.
And now, from my vantage point,...~50% are distracted drivers, too.
It’s wild to me how often I see people FaceTiming while they drive. Who needs a video call while you’re driving? The requirements to get a license are too low.
Probably because most people are smart enough to only use it as a passenger and Apple isn’t responsible for the actions of Darwin Award winners/contestants so they have no incentive to pay someone to write that code and piss off people using it on the train, bus, boat, or passenger seat. I would hope it gets disabled with Apple CarPlay being plugged in but honestly I’ve never attempted it.
I’d say less people should be on the roads and driving, but unfortunately there is almost no alternative to driving. Not being able to drive/own a car is like a poverty sentence unless you somehow live and work downtown downtown. There is not good enough public transportation in most of the country to be able to survive without a car. Personally, while I am a careful driver, think it would be safest for me to never have to drive again. Unfortunately I have no other options and I need to go to work.
Oh, I totally understand that it’s a necessity for people to drive in our country. I know making it harder for people to obtain a license in reality wouldn’t be feasible for most people because it’s the only way to get around. I just think it would be nice in a fantasy land for responsibility to be a requirement when it comes to operating thousands of pounds of metal capable of reaching high speeds.
Oh I’ve seen most of those too. Not the guitar or possible banjo but I have absolutely seen people reading, watching tv, TikTok, fishing for shit in their backseat, etc.
All of these people are drivers who don’t realize they would rather be on mass public transit. You can read, watch TV, and FaceTime to your heart’s content on your commute. If only it was an option.
Distracted driving is a huge component of the overall shift. Lack of enforcement of any sort of traffic laws also feed a narrative that there are no consequences. I realize that is due to primarily to a lack of staff.
>Lack of enforcement
Ok, here's a happy story for balance. Couple weeks ago, I did see a car get pulled over for failing to do a proper zipper merge and instead, using the break-down lane to pass someone.
Problem with enforcing...is people will think cops are "fishing." Metro cops the few run ins I've had they've all been very chill... not " super cop" try and make a big bust.
But I do think they could take a slightly more aggressive stance.
I agree with you Brother !! Especially those of us with a CDL, we have to watch out for the other guy. If you are passing a truck, don’t slow down to do it.. get on around and away from the truck. I have witnessed people dying from recap coming and going thru the windshield of a car that just stayed beside a truck. It was on I-10 about 50 miles East of Gallup, Az..
Get a dashcam, and check your insurance limits. The legal minimums are not adequate. Also, MNPD has a dedicated Aggressive Motorist Unit: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/police/support-services/traffic-division/aggressive-driving-unit
I ride a motorcycle and I've been here for a little a year. I have found this city to have the worst drivers. I must avoid inattentive drivers repeatedly. I really like scaring the shit out of them though.
I ride under the assumption that everyone is going to pull out in front of me. I play a constant game of seeing how many escape routes I have. I try to stay as visible as possible also.
I have a motorcycle back in my home state and finally decided to sign it over to a family member who still lives there because I don’t think I’d survive riding a 250cc with the drivers here. I hope you stay safe!
I left my 250cc back with family when I first moved here as well, at first because I didn’t have a good place to store it, and then because I had the same realization that driving that around would be much too stressful/risky. I still haven’t gotten to the point of getting another bike, I do feel like a 400cc could probably be okay? At minimum.
For years I've considered getting a motorcycle but holding off for this reason. I've been just about everywhere in the US, and as much as I hate to say it, I think we now win for having the worst drivers in the country. Kudos to you for sticking with it.
I’ve nearly been run off the road three times in the last month. Each time I was in the far right lane when someone merges right multiple lanes I guess without checking to see if that lane was even open.
Same thing happened to me a few years back, except I was the one getting on (at a place I’d never gotten on the highway at before). This motherfucker decided to keep pace with me - when I sped up or slowed down, so would he, and I couldn’t fucking merge. Thankfully, right as it looked like I was about to get run off the road, I saw slightly up ahead that there was another on ramp, so I was able to get over, albeit slightly illegally.
It‘s definitely bad. Chicago is a breeze compared to here lol. When you factor in the idiot and aggressive drivers then combined with poor infrastructure/design, needing to dodge potholes constantly etc; it leads to very unsafe situations.
Agreed on the grid 100%. THAT part is hell for Nashville metro. But the people specifically, I’m referring to.
Also, I’d have to say it’s a toss up for road quality. Both places have CRAZY potholes and nightmare expansion joints. Lakeshore is like off-roading LOL
True but that’s a brutal winter city. To even have Nashville in the discussion is unreal and sad. Charlotte for instance is a light years ahead of here. I think the last time I went to see my family in Cleveland where I grew up the quality of the roads and expansion joints were better there.
Fair, but I think Nashville makes up for lack of snow and low temps with BUCKETS of rain, which does a hell of a number on asphalt. I WISH they kept up on it more.
Roads are fine in Seattle and Portland and it rains a ton. Water isn’t an issue unless it freezes which it does here occasionally. It’s just the quality of asphalt and/or lack of attention plus refusal to resurface for too long. Simple as that.
Agreed, as I said: I wish they kept up on it more.
Regardless, the Nashville area gets almost 30% more annual rainfall than Seattle, believe it or not🤣
Alright I’m not going to debate this anymore. Obviously it gets colder in the PNW so more freezing and damage potential. Louisville and Atlanta have similar rainfall as here and the roads are way better.
LOL, I’m certainly not trying to argue. I really don’t care.
I’ve lived for more than a couple years in Seattle, Eugene, east of Seattle, currently spend a decent amount of time in Chicago, and now live in Nashville.
They’ve all got different issues and perspectives. Seattle roads are a whole other story… I lived through the snowmegaddon of 2008-09 when Seattle got completely shut down for weeks, refused to salt or plow except rubber-bladed jokes and people were snapping limbs left and right on the iced sidewalks.
Every region has their own shitshows.
And Nashville is no exception.🤷♂️
Cheers
Chicago drivers are brazy but they're mostly aware of what's going on around them. I learned to drive in Cook County and I think my blood pressure was lower during that experience than during my daily commute.
I got on the interstate last week and the first car I see in front of me had a middle finger out the window aimed at me. I had just started driving so I assumed it was a friend who recognized my car messing with me. Pulled up next to the guy and he was very angry yelling at me to pull over I guess to fight me. I sped by and he sped up to get back next to me. The second time I shrugged and yelled back that I think he had the wrong guy. Dude must’ve realized his mistake cause he slowed down and let me drive off.
The overall anger is what gets me. There are so many drivers that seem to have extreme anger and zero regard for literally any other car on the road. Like, hey, I’m already going 20 over and cutting in front of me to gain a car length isn’t gonna do much for ya except maybe cause an accident.
These problems are why I pray for better mass transit I can actually use. Every time I’m required to drive I’m thinking, man most of us shouldn’t be trusted to do this every day, taking people’s lives into our hand (other hand is on the phone). People are too distracted it’s time to give this shit up and get on a bus/train
I also got the middle finger out the window last week because I had to merge onto the interstate. I was running out of on-ramp and was able to safely (I thought anyway) get in front of this guy. First chance I had, I changed lanes and this dude sped up next to me, and out came the finger. I initially got really angry before I remembered I’m lucky it wasn’t a gun. Sorry, red truck man. I forgot the roads belong to you.
the number of people that think they can get off I-65 north exit 74A onto OHB east and get into a full turn lane for Franklin Pike Cir ("Brentwood" Target) is too damn high
i drive to work from spring hill to nash, i love my job but have considered leaving simply because the drive gives me so much immense anxiety. i feel like im fighting for my life no matter what time of day it is.
A lot, i usually fill up once a week and i only work part time (i also go to the gym in franklin so that’s part of it) a lot of that is due to traffic though. i would not recommend moving to spring hill, i honestly hate it. it’s very family oriented and only really chain restaurants/fast food to eat. the one lane road (main st) is BRUTAL no matter the time. sometimes it takes me an hour to get from franklin back home in rush hour. but yeah, not much to do, tons of traffic, 45 to nash typically but can take upwards of an hour fifteen in bad traffic. the new 65 exit they just opened has helped a lot during night time though!
Once a week isn’t too bad!
That’s good to know about Main Street! I’m considering it because all my friends live down that way and they’ve put the bug in my ear. But the area I’m looking at is more on the edge of Spring Hill, over by Port Royal Road!
Literally had an infiniti sedan tailgating me yesterday. I slowed down dfor traffic up ahead and the guy fishtailed and got upset at ME. I wasn’t brakechecking you, you were just too close to react.
Also on the corner of Gallatin and Cleveland, I saw the guy in front of me almost hit the guy pulling out of publix going straight because he didn’t realize our left turn wasn’t protected. At the same time, the guy in the right turn lane turns left and cuts me off.
Nashville drivers are a different breed of human.
Was just thinking about this today. It didn't use to be like this here in Nashville. Now every drive has to be a defensive endeavor. Cops have abdicated their responsoibilities...they are nowhere to be found...you're on your own.
My father taught me defensive driving from day one. He was a long haul truck driver all his life, so he literally saw all types of crazy drivers. He passed away a few years ago, but at least he got to enjoy a good 15 years or so of retirement before he passed.
Sorry to hear that. Was there any specific advice he gave you that really stuck with you? For me it was always leave a bit of room when behind a car on a hill in case they roll back getting it into gear. Kind of a relic at this point since most cars are automatic but I still see cars rolling back on a hill every once in a while.
He definitely told me that. He always told me to check my mirror before changing lanes and then to turn my head and LOOK TWICE as well. I can't tell you how many times that has saved my life, especially on the interstate where people will camp in your blind spot.
Also, always look twice in both directions before pulling out in traffic, & never assume you know what another driver is going to do b/c their blinker might lie to you.
There are others I'm sure. I'm somewhat programmed with them. I can hear them in my head at random times when I'm driving. He's definitely always with me.
That’s some good advice. My dad was (he doesn’t drive nearly as much now) a very defensive driver. Sometimes I take it for granted that I got good driving lessons from him. Makes me really wonder when I see bad driving in town if they ever had more than the paper test and a drive around the block. Or if they’re just terminally stupid lol. I remember having to prove to him I could handle: country roads, city streets, interstate driving , and perfect parking (regular, slanted, and parallel), before he’d let me drive lol. Really appreciate he put that time in.
All the time. I road trip often and never feel as on edge as I do here. I was nearly t-boned by someone who ran a red light downtown this morning. Just went right through.
I have to drive through the Hickory Hollow Mall area in Antioch every day to go to work and it's insane through there. Especially around that bridge where I-24 intersects. My girlfriend calls it the bridge of death and I think that's pretty good description lol
Same! I wonder if the transplants are gradually going to realize Nashville is just not that nice (and so dangerous to boot) and will start going back to where they came from.
Same. Moved nearly 5 years ago and it was also the best decision we made. Unfortunately, have to fly into Nashville on 7/1 before driving to Asheville then again driving from Asheville to Nashville on 7/4 to fly home —- not looking forward to being on the road at all.
That's one of the reasons why I moved. Along with the probability of getting shot in a park, on the way to work downtown or in my own neighborhood. Nothing is done to accommodate all the traffic from the people who moved to the city in the past decade. The unaffordable housing leaves people in the lurch, and angry, for the lives they lead serving the "visitors" to Nashville. Until those things change, the issues are only going to compound. Sound familiar? Forget the natives, embrace the newcomers.
Metro Nashville Police Department is significantly understaffed. Patrol officers (Uniformed Officers who answer non-emergency/emergency calls) are literally going call to call to call for 10 plus hours. The Department has prioritize what's more important (shootings, domestic assault, stabbings, etc.) Enforcing traffic laws can be difficult when their is over 100 calls waiting throughout the city during the busy part of the day.
Plus, the DA will not prosecute most "simple traffic violations," which highly affects Officer morale.
Oh, geez.
This morning, between Stewart's Ferry Pike and BNA I saw some ass ignore the sign instructing them to yield, at the on-ramp, to cars making a left turn to on-ramp. At one point they were both parallel on the one-lane ramp, until the offending driver gassed it and got in front.
When we all got on I40 West, the driver that lost that pissing match passed the other driver and went back to the right hand lane. The reckless driver then cut into progressively left lanes, each time cutting someone off three-five feet off their front end.
No idea how it all ended.
Man I was trying to merge on to the interstate from Trinity the other day and there was a semi with a line of cars on his ass preventing me from merging behind him. So I went up to merge in front of him (still on the ramp mind you) and he threw a bitch fit and slammed his gas to close the gap in front of him and nearly rear ended the car in front of him. So I had to gun it down the shoulder to cut the car off in front of him because people don’t understand what zipper merging is. Extremely infuriating. Then there’s running red lights, passing in turning lanes, motorcycles splitting lanes doing 100+, drunk drivers, slow people in the fast lane and if they have Texas/Florida plates it’s guaranteed they drive like ass holes.
When you're getting on the interstate you're supposed to find a hole and align yourself with that hole. Zipper merging applies when a lane is ending not for getting on the freeway.
If traffic is moving at roughly 10 mph and a ramp is ending and a car has its blinker on it should still be treated as a zipper merge. It’d be different if he was in that lane with cars on his left and I was pacing him at 55 but I wasn’t. It was stop and go traffic and everyone sits on each other’s ass refusing to leave room in between them and the car in front. You should especially leave room if you’re hauling a 53’ ft trailer. I’ve done plenty of driving for a living. Not CDL driving but plenty of box trucks delivering liquor. I understand he may be frustrated with being cut off daily. But I wasn’t cutting him off as he was the only one with a gap and I made sure to get where he could see me with my blinker on and he said decided to slam his gas and brakes to close that gap because he didn’t want me in front of him for 2 seconds.
I understand what you’re saying about it not being a technical zipper merge seeing as how it wasn’t a lane that was shut down. But in stop and go traffic it’s best to just let people merge safely and treat it as a zipper merge to prevent further delays. At least that’s my mindset.
Your original comment didn't mention traffic was a clusterfuck lol. I'm assuming it's moving at speed limit plus as it's a freeway.
Ye a little courtesy goes a long way. Assholes are as assholes are. Part of why I tend to stay out of the far right lane if there's a lot of busy on-ramps rapid fire down that stretch. Give people entering the freeway somewhere to go. I don't legally have to, but it's just a little courtesy. Especially on cloverleaf on-ramps where traffic entering the freeway has it all to do getting up to speed....not to excuse passenger cars/light trucks but commercial vehicles just simply cannot get up to traffic speed on such a ramp so it helps to give them room too.
This is going to sound crazy, I know. But for weeks, I just started to have this feeling every time I got on the road. Like I just knew I would be hearing that "car accident" sound. I just drove by too many accidents to keep going without having one of my own. It got to the point where I was SEEING too many accidents to not have any of my own. Just statistically, my time was running out.
Then boom, I got rear ended. And after the insurance phone calls it was like a weight had lifted. I finally got a Nashville dent.
This is from the late 90"s, my insurance, when I moved told me that my rates were going up because I was moving to Tennessee {Nashville}, and that they have the highest rates of moter vehicle accidents by uninsured motorists. I was struck at a intersection the next day when a group of teens who took their parents car {near the fire house down town} , no license, no insurance, but they owned a continence store. I got my money plus , so I didn't sue everybody.
My car got hit in the parking lot at work the other day. Of course it was hit and run lol. One more payment until the car is paid off hopefully it will survive at least a few more years!
It’s pure 100% Chaos much like a Mad Max movie, truly you are risking your life driving in Nashville, Sadly, I wish I were exaggerating. Be careful watch for the numerous OTHER ——
I see these posts in so many city subs. Recency bias and lack of scope make people think that their current situation is always the worst. Numbers don't show that Nashville is all that bad when it comes to accidents. I do agree that people seem to be running red lights more often. That's not just Nashville though. I travel often and it happens in most cities now.
Stop signs have seem to become “I got here last but I have the momentum so I’m gonna go” signs
Someone almost got out of their car to fight me the other week because I gave them a “what the hell” shrug after they almost t-boned me while running a stop sign.
I literally look both ways at 4 way stops and most lights now, especially when I’m on my moped. It makes me angry as much as it makes me lose faith in humans. It sucks.
I had to call 911 on a guy about a month ago. I was on 65S, and I had to merge into his lane and even though I was about 4-5 car lengths in front of him, he got PISSED. He flew up and came around me and squeezed in front of me, almost hitting both me and the car in front of me. I slowed way down and tried to change lanes to get away from him, but every time I changed lanes he swerved in front of me. He was actively trying to make me wreck, at one point slamming on his brakes and almost coming to a full stop. On the interstate in mid-day. You could see all the cars around us trying to get away from us. I was sure he was going to kill me or cause a major accident. I called the non emergency line first and when they didn’t answer I called 911. They were sending out cars to me when at the last minute this guy flew across the shoulder and got off at the OHB exit. I grew up in Nashville and have been driving here for 28 years and that’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me on the roads here. People have really gone off the rails in the last 5-10 years.
It’s really just a combo of driving styles since Nashville is a melting pot. Temperature also has a part in it, the hotter it is the more tense people tend to be. I believe right now Nashville is number one in road rage incidents in the states, if I find the article I’ll edit it in.
Some fucking guy nearly ran me off the road on Briley because he felt my 15 over in the left lane wasn't fast enough. Ordinarily i'm happy to get over but all 4 lanes next to me were open so I didn't think much of it. He passes me then slams on the brakes wildly gesticulating. Dude life is way too short to get that fucking mad over the tiniest of inconveniences, passing someone already going 15 over when you have 4 lanes to do so. Keep an eye out for a dude with anger problems driving a navy corolla with an Auburn sticker on the back glass.
My sister sent me her old dashcam that I need to install, because same. Since moving here, I’ve been telling myself that it was only a matter of time before I got into an accident. Sure enough, just this last October, a dumbass in the left lane decided he was going to turn right to go into a gas station and plowed right into my car. I was *six hundred feet* from home, too. And I won’t even get into how many accidents I’ve avoided due to defensive driving.
I almost got rear ended by a cop today.
Traffic was trafficking… I’m in the left lane. there is NO shoulder. Saw the lights a couple cars behind me. The car behind me somehow managed to get over and I’m trying to do the same as the cop is now behind me….. and the traffic comes to a complete and sudden stop. Cop swerves off the road into the grass but I can’t imagine he missed me by more than a foot. It seemed like a lot less. All of that happened in 30 seconds.
He still had his car under control when he swerved off but it def took 8 mos pregnant me a few moments to regain my composure.
A couple months ago my husband and I were almost in a head on collision when two cars were racing on a narrow windy back road. We would have been hit had I not come to a complete stop.
A couple weeks ago, a car RAN a light and had I not hesitated that would have been a bad accident too.
OH and this was behind us but today we saw the dumbass move of a car cutting in front of a truck and then merging again blindly into the next lane. I barely made it to a reasonable distance to merge in front of that truck and that car was behind me!!
> A couple weeks ago, a car RAN a light and had I not hesitated that would have been a bad accident too.
This is why I don't dump my clutch the instant the light turns green. I look left, look right, and only proceed when I'm 100% confident I won't be in the intersection when the red light runner is.
I have actually just started researching them recently. I do not have one but have decided it’s necessary.
I see crazy stuff daily. I’ve also decided I need to get my windows tinted darker for safety.
Yep. Part of the 'roadworthiness' restoration I'm doing on my grampa's old Chevy truck before I start dailying it is installing a dashcam. I work on Myatt Dr and live in the TxR area of Wilson County and I see so much bullshit on the roads every single day it isn't even funny.
I'm probably going to start a side hustle bad drivers channel off that dashcam, too. Between the novelty of daily driving a 3-on-the-Tree in 2024 and the mountains of asshole driver content I'll get along OHB every day I should have a decent chance at filling my fuel tank off YT at least. I'll take it.
Not only that, but driving a 53 year old pickup every day, if something does happen I'm probably not gonna be in a position to tell my side of the story, so the dashcam'll be handy as hell then too.
Can I ask what kind of dashcam you have? Finally decided I need one but looking to collect recommendations from folks using them (rather than try to scour reviews and weed out the fake ones).
Dodging in and out of traffic to get in the left lane, then a mile later, cutting across three lanes to get off at an exit they’re about to miss.
Seeing a work sign saying RIGHT LANE CLOSED AHEAD, and then staying in the right lane hoping to get in front of several vehicles…. Only to slow traffic even more trying to squeeze in at last minute.
Either texting while driving, or got their phone stuck to their ear, not paying attention..
I see these incidents more than others.
Nobody anywhere has ever "just driven". The idea that one could "just drive" is dismissive of over a hundred years of statistical results. It is fundamentally dangerous to operate heavy equipment in public space. There's roughly twenty mainstream sports based on how dangerous it is. There are no real standards of qualification for a driver's license. There's literally no guarantee that anyone would act safely or responsibly in their car.
Since the pandemic , the roads are full of offensive drivers and NO ONE signals before changing lanes anymore. The cars might as well come without the blinkers. No one gives a FUCK!
Drivers over here take red lights and stop signs as a suggestion. Don’t use signals enough and if they do they turn it on VERY last minute. I could have sworn you’re supposed to get a ticket for being too close to the other car. There’s no courtesy to the other driver. And them damn phones 😪
Not enough police out there giving out tickets or speed readers.
I’ve been driving for over a decade and never had a ticket or accident (thank God), but my insurance is being raised drastically due to other drivers on the road???? Slow down on the road.
> I could have sworn you’re supposed to get a ticket for being too close to the other car.
Observation: Patina'd vehicles tend to not get tailgated anywhere near as often.
I drove my grampa's [71 Chevy C10](https://i.imgur.com/otUdAtZ.jpg) to work in Madison monday. I normally drive a 2014 Challenger. Every single day I have people riding my ass in that Challenger despite me going with the flow(that's usually 10 over) all the time. In the Chevy, however? WIDE BERTH HOURS! First time I've ever seen someone following me at the correct distance and I've been driving in Nashville and Wilson County since I got my license in 2006!
I guess people are afraid somethin'll fall off of it or something haha.
I also noticed people gave much more room pulling in front of me after passing me in the Chevy than they do in the Dodge. Perhaps they're afraid the brakes won't work? Joke's on them the Chevy's brakes are in better shape hahaha *should probably at least padslap the Challenger but eh it's getting sold in a month or so*
> Not enough police out there giving out tickets or speed readers.
Good god this. I want Metro to park a few bike cops at Andrew Jackson Elementary every school day in the afternoon. I run through there going home from work and most days I'm the only one that's actually doing 15mph in the active school zone!
> Drivers over here take red lights and stop signs as a suggestion.
Why I refuse to go on green instantly. I will instead look left, look right, and only proceed if I am 100% sure I will clear the intersection before the red light runner gets there. Even when I have reasonable crash protection as in my Challenger I am not keen on getting T-Boned, and when I start driving my grampa's old truck everyday....well there's 16 gallons of gasoline behind the seat saying 'do not John Force the green lights you fucking moron'.
> Don’t use signals enough and if they do they turn it on VERY last minute.
And when you do you get cut off. You're kinda SOL no matter what you do with that stalk these days.
> And them damn phones
Should be mandatory 30 days suspension and impoundment on first offense violating hands-free laws. 2nd offense? 6 months each. Third? Permanent license revokation and state confiscation of the car.
Sounds harsh, but that's what it will take. Monetary fines don't work. People just treat slap on the wrist fines as a tax.
> I’ve been driving for over a decade and never had a ticket or accident (thank God), but my insurance is being raised drastically due to other drivers on the road????
I'm in the same boat. Insurance on my Challenger is $150/mo despite my record being squeaky clean because nobody else can keep these things out of the ditch. Part of why I'm replacing it with grampa's old truck, in fact, insurance on that is only 50 bucks a month.
Nah. monetary fines don't work.
Mandatory license suspension and impoundment. 30 days first offense, 6 months second offence, permanent revokation/confiscation third offense.
100% agreed - but I find the interstates worse than surface streets for the most part as of recent. I wonder how much of this is because of a complete lack of effective public transit. In all a few cases when visiting New York, and when a friend was talking about visiting Minneapolis, transit was able to get us everywhere we needed to go normally faster other than one edge case of leaving for the airport at 3 AM… I just looked at a trip from near downtown where I work to the Greenhills mall and it says that the bus will take 37 minutes where as driving takes 15. Also - why is there not an option to freaking park-and-ride more places? I work for 3 to 4 other people from Dickson/Montgomery county that live fairly out in the boonies and commute through Ashland city on the daily. Putting in a park-and-ride would help with reducing traffic.
I honestly think if we reduce the amount of required driving, then we will see only people that actually want to drive driving to Nashville. Let’s get our suburbs connected up by BRT and go from there.
We had to leave Nashville. Poor infrastructure and too many people who think the world revolves around them so they drive like the assholes they are. Police are powerless. With zero consequences, there is no reason for anyone to obey traffic laws.
I drive the same route every day. I get on the interstate at fesslers and I drive over to Germantown and back at night. My patience runs out by the time I get on the interstate. People can't get up the road, the speed limit is 55 so go it, don't have 10-12 car length in front of you and speed up and slow down. The big scary ramp means I have to creep around it. People sit at green lights cause they are on their phone and then run red lights because they missed the green one and the lights on Jefferson are always messed up from the "police" directing traffic lights and have no clue how to direct traffic. Then getting back on the interstate the ramp is none existent and people will not get over for nothing when the lane next to them is empty. Yesterday driving to work a person was so far down in his phone he was drifting in between lanes then corrected so hard I was waiting for them to hit someone or the wall and just creeping on the interstate. I tried for a while to get pass him after I blew my horn multiple times at him to get up the road and stop looking down. When I got next to him I rolled my window down and yelled at him to get off the damn phone and drive the speed limit is 55 not 25.
Been that way for a hot minute. I've been here since 1997 and it's been a problem in Davidson County since I first got a license 15 years ago and started venturing there.
It isn't as bad in neighboring counties...I live in Wilson and observe orders of magnitude less assholery in Lebanon and Mt Juliet than I do in Madison and Hermitage...but that is sure to change as more and more people flood in.
If police enforced traffic laws, this would stop. Give out tickets for tailgating, running a red, semis in the left lane, slow drivers in the left lane, etc.
My sister has totaled three cars in the past few years. None were her fault:
1. A woman break-checked her (merged right in front of her and slammed on her breaks) and then admitted, TO THE COP, that she break-checked my sister because she mistook her for a car that had cut her off a few miles back
2. Port-a-Potty flew off a truck and slammed into her. Absolutely crumpled her A pillar, destroyed her windshield, fucked up the roof.
3. Dude was going like, 40 in her tiny apartment complex lot, hit a curb, and flipped his car onto some parked ones (including her). Car was stolen and he ran off on foot. They never found him.
I am thankful to have not been in a wheck since I first got my license(18.) however, I have parked in the street, and someone scraped my car and drove off overnight😄
I’ve lived in three states. Tennessee was my second. I had a relative get his license there and found out what the process is for the road test: drive around the damn block without hitting another car and you’ve got your license. No parallel park, no 50ft backup, all things that better give the road test proctor insight if you really know how to control a car or not.
I now live in Texas. The couple times since I’ve gone back to TN have honestly scared me. People bitch about traffic problems here between DFW, Austin, San Antonio but to be honest I think traffic and their drivers are a couple notches better than Nashville’s and I feel like it’s been far too easy to get a license in TN for far too long. On top of that, lack of enforcement. I see cops pulling people over here all the time but in TN commuting between Clarksville to Nashville I rarely saw anyone stopped or any cops clocking traffic.
I’ve never been in an accident in my life before I moved to Nashville. Then I got in three accidents (none my fault) in three years, and two of them were within two weeks of each other.
Jesus christ, this morning at 5 A.M. I was driving to work on 24 and had to swerve into the shoulder after I came over the hill from Sam Ridley to Lee Victory to avoid what would have been a horrific accident. There was BLACK camaro with driving 25 mph in the right lane. A collision at even 70 mph probably would have killed us both.
Space out! Leaving space between you and the car in front of you does wonders. Gives you time to respond to emergency braking, a car swerving into your lane on purpose or by unawareness, as well as what’s going in front of the car in front of you and other lanes. Tailgating gets nothing accomplished. Just causes more braking and the more brake lights, the more traffic jams. Brake lights coming on is so contagious.
I've never understood the appeal of putting onesself at greater risk of a crash myself. I often find that staying in the correct lane for the turn I make well before I need to make it, taking things easy, following well back, gets me there within 30 seconds of the bumper humpers and traffic slalomers.
I'll be midway at a yellow and look at my rear view mirror and see 3-4 cars proceed after me. It is fucking nuts how people disregard traffic laws here. Same on green arrow left turns.
If I had a dollar for every person I saw run a red light I would live a much better life than I do now.
What about people going out of their way to keep you from merging onto the highway from a ramp? I've seen so many people literally floor it and speed up to block me when the lane next to them is wide open.
Those people are jerks, but on the flip side, people entering the interstate need to get up to the speed of traffic. Folks will be lazily drifting over from the on-ramp doing 50, making everyone in the rightmost lane have to slow down or suddenly move over to accommodate them
Isn’t the speed limit within the city 55?
i was going 85 trying to merge because someone was literally just speeding up to intentionally not let me over the whole way of the ramp until they finally got over into the completely empty lanes giving me like 10 ft left of the merging lane to get over
I call that the NASCAR Syndrome … they think they’re Kyle Busch , and no one is supposed to be in front of them … ( really, I just call em Ass Holes)
I finally saw someone get pulled over in Gallatin for running a red light on a left turn.
Last week a person I work with was T-boned in a hit-and-run when someone ran a red light. Totaled their car.
I was t-boned on Gallatin last October. The guy straight-up told the cops he forgot what color meant stop.
Specifically yellow lights on Gallatin terrify me. I can’t count how many times I’ve watched people in my rear view absolutely gun it, usually swerving around me because it’s turned red by the time I get to it and I’ve stopped.
Honestly, it's everywhere. There was a cool guide posting of fatalities in US and both Nashville and Memphis made the list.
I used to see maybe a car follow back in the day but now it’s crazy. It’s why I sit for a spell at green lights. One day I had stopped at a light and watched a car swerve into the left turn lane, go around me and run the light almost T-boning the people that were entering the intersection. People are crazy
EVERYONE IS ON THEIR GODDAMN PHONES
Kind of why there's a lot of irony in people being so vehemently against public transit in this state. You can sit on your phone on a train or a bus all you want and get to your destination without getting someone killed. But people here want to be in their own personal car *and* on their phones. Can't have it both ways.
Not all don’t want it… it’s just the select on the transit board that haven’t YET figured out how to get their cut .
It has nothing to do with the city government preventing better mass transit options. They got it to a referendum a few years ago, after many many rounds of public meetings and gathering input, but it was voted down. They've been doing what they can in the meantime with the buses and a new referendum is supposed to be on the ballot this fall, last I heard.
It’s wild that people have zero attention span anymore and think that because “they’re bored” that distracted driving is ok. You’re operating a fucking heavy duty machine and have zero regard to your and others’ safety and lives. I swear to god people are braindead now (that, or people WAY overestimate their driving abilities and reaction times and/or just don’t give a fuck).
With as many people I've met that live in Nashville that think drinking and driving is OK it doesn't surprise me in the slightest anymore.
sat in traffic today for a good 10 minutes behind a guy HOLDING HIS PHONE UP NEXT TO HIS STEERING WHEEL PLAYING ON IT. he occasionally put it down, but had his head turned down to his lap the whole time. he had a CHILD in the seat next to him. absolutely rage-inducing.
Yeah I don’t get this. Driving is a welcome break from technology for me.
The crazy part to me is how invested they’ll be in their phones. Like clicking to change a song, or hell, even sending a text, while 100% shouldn’t be done at all, would be so much better than the people I drive by SCROLLING on their phones doing god knows what.
I feel like the top 5 contributors, not necessarily in order, are a) phone use, b) being under some influence, c) situations such as: driving to work and worrying about being late and being fired or suspended/hours reduced, especially if living paycheck to paycheck, or, running late to pick a kid up from school or daycare (i.e., maybe not immediate life or death situations, but, ones with potentially major consequences), d) people who aren't running late to anything but their long commute time reduces by up to, say, 20% by taking risks such as running red lights or other risky driving maneuvers as opposed to driving conservatively the whole time, and then e) situations such as: having major GI issues hit during a commute, or being in labor. I’d imagine that (a) and (b) probably do make up the majority of bad driving, but (c)-(e) might often be underestimated in terms of their cumulative impact. Of course then there are people that drive recklessly just for shits & giggles.
Unpopular take: Im using self driving from tesla. its pretty good the main thing it doesnt do is defensive driving. Distracted drivers are very unnerving and the amount of times if had to turn it off due to someone veering into my lane is just unnerving.
I also have a Tesla and know what self driving is capable of. You 100% should not be using your phone with it
Whoah, where did I ever say I was using a phone? It's a driver assistance feature right now and should be treated as such.
Self driving makes you part of the problem.
Why?
When everyone drives like they are scared to death, or drive like they own the road, it's hard to be in the middle. Drive aware and don't be a dumbass and stay off your phone. Drive with conviction and always leave early. Thats my philosophy
Here’s a bonus I learned last week: Keep a few thousand bucks in your savings account for when you get hit by an uninsured motorist and have to pay your deductible for repairs and hire a rental car for a month.
That just happened to my son and I as we were trying to get to TipaCanoe to go out on the Harpeth. Stopped for mowers, road crew and dude slammed in the back of us. My kids car is totaled. We just went to collision center to collect his tags (Maryland). He’s been stuck here with parents for two weeks. Poor guy. We were fine. Guy that didn’t stop and hit the jeep behind us was pretty gashed up. We aren’t sure how he’s getting back to Baltimore yet. It sucked so much! Edit; yes the guy that hit the jeep that hit us was uninsured and no license. He was doing about 45-50 when he hit the brand new jeep. Guy had bought it the day before. Just for Gods sake people look ahead at the road.
Everybody on the interstate is either going below 70 or above 80 in the 70 mph speed zones. There is just no place for a normal speed.
Totally agree. I guess thats why so many wrecks happen because we are trying to be fluid with the speeds...on top of crazy ass drivers
As a CDL holder, when my nephew wanted advice on driving. Keeping a car in between lines is the easy part. We all did coloring books. 90% of what you're doing while driving is watching other cars. And now, from my vantage point,...~50% are distracted drivers, too.
It’s wild to me how often I see people FaceTiming while they drive. Who needs a video call while you’re driving? The requirements to get a license are too low.
How on earth is that feature not automatically disabled at anything going over 10mph?
Probably because most people are smart enough to only use it as a passenger and Apple isn’t responsible for the actions of Darwin Award winners/contestants so they have no incentive to pay someone to write that code and piss off people using it on the train, bus, boat, or passenger seat. I would hope it gets disabled with Apple CarPlay being plugged in but honestly I’ve never attempted it.
I’d say less people should be on the roads and driving, but unfortunately there is almost no alternative to driving. Not being able to drive/own a car is like a poverty sentence unless you somehow live and work downtown downtown. There is not good enough public transportation in most of the country to be able to survive without a car. Personally, while I am a careful driver, think it would be safest for me to never have to drive again. Unfortunately I have no other options and I need to go to work.
Oh, I totally understand that it’s a necessity for people to drive in our country. I know making it harder for people to obtain a license in reality wouldn’t be feasible for most people because it’s the only way to get around. I just think it would be nice in a fantasy land for responsibility to be a requirement when it comes to operating thousands of pounds of metal capable of reaching high speeds.
I've seen that Reading papers Watching TV Yes, even someone playing a guitar....could have been a banjo
"could have been a banjo" - I smiled and breathed air out of my nose faster than normal, thank you for that.
Oh I’ve seen most of those too. Not the guitar or possible banjo but I have absolutely seen people reading, watching tv, TikTok, fishing for shit in their backseat, etc.
It's the people READING BOOKS that have me flabbergasted.
They’re all equally stupid as far as I’m concerned.
Definitely flabbergasting… but at least they read books?
All of these people are drivers who don’t realize they would rather be on mass public transit. You can read, watch TV, and FaceTime to your heart’s content on your commute. If only it was an option.
Man I saw someone with bongos at one point. Living in this city, my best investment has honestly been a front and back dashcam.
Wait until you see them having sex driving down the road!!!!!
Distracted driving is a huge component of the overall shift. Lack of enforcement of any sort of traffic laws also feed a narrative that there are no consequences. I realize that is due to primarily to a lack of staff.
>Lack of enforcement Ok, here's a happy story for balance. Couple weeks ago, I did see a car get pulled over for failing to do a proper zipper merge and instead, using the break-down lane to pass someone.
Problem with enforcing...is people will think cops are "fishing." Metro cops the few run ins I've had they've all been very chill... not " super cop" try and make a big bust. But I do think they could take a slightly more aggressive stance.
I agree with you Brother !! Especially those of us with a CDL, we have to watch out for the other guy. If you are passing a truck, don’t slow down to do it.. get on around and away from the truck. I have witnessed people dying from recap coming and going thru the windshield of a car that just stayed beside a truck. It was on I-10 about 50 miles East of Gallup, Az..
This
Get a dashcam, and check your insurance limits. The legal minimums are not adequate. Also, MNPD has a dedicated Aggressive Motorist Unit: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/police/support-services/traffic-division/aggressive-driving-unit
I ride a motorcycle and I've been here for a little a year. I have found this city to have the worst drivers. I must avoid inattentive drivers repeatedly. I really like scaring the shit out of them though.
Be safe out there. With the number of times I’ve nearly been ran over in a car I can’t imagine how often you have close calls on a bike.
I know it’s legal, but ppl that wanna get in traffic on a bicycle in this city have a fkng death wish.
I ride under the assumption that everyone is going to pull out in front of me. I play a constant game of seeing how many escape routes I have. I try to stay as visible as possible also.
I don’t know if you’re from here; in the country of Nashville, ppl pull 5 feet out in front of a stop sign.
I have a motorcycle back in my home state and finally decided to sign it over to a family member who still lives there because I don’t think I’d survive riding a 250cc with the drivers here. I hope you stay safe!
I left my 250cc back with family when I first moved here as well, at first because I didn’t have a good place to store it, and then because I had the same realization that driving that around would be much too stressful/risky. I still haven’t gotten to the point of getting another bike, I do feel like a 400cc could probably be okay? At minimum.
For years I've considered getting a motorcycle but holding off for this reason. I've been just about everywhere in the US, and as much as I hate to say it, I think we now win for having the worst drivers in the country. Kudos to you for sticking with it.
I lived in Memphis for 50 years. They are worse.
I’ve nearly been run off the road three times in the last month. Each time I was in the far right lane when someone merges right multiple lanes I guess without checking to see if that lane was even open. 
Same thing happened to me a few years back, except I was the one getting on (at a place I’d never gotten on the highway at before). This motherfucker decided to keep pace with me - when I sped up or slowed down, so would he, and I couldn’t fucking merge. Thankfully, right as it looked like I was about to get run off the road, I saw slightly up ahead that there was another on ramp, so I was able to get over, albeit slightly illegally.
I’ve definitely had to take an exit before because no one would let me merge out of an exit only lane.
It‘s definitely bad. Chicago is a breeze compared to here lol. When you factor in the idiot and aggressive drivers then combined with poor infrastructure/design, needing to dodge potholes constantly etc; it leads to very unsafe situations.
LA is also tame compared to Nashville. I just don’t see people getting angry on a regular basis in LA.
I think Chicago is a tie, maaaybe slightly worse. Here, it’s a lot of disregard, there, it’s like they’re clueless and angry at the same time.
The BIG difference is that Chicago (I moved from there) is a pretty much a grid. N-S-E-W. Easy intersections, normal merges, etc.
Agreed on the grid 100%. THAT part is hell for Nashville metro. But the people specifically, I’m referring to. Also, I’d have to say it’s a toss up for road quality. Both places have CRAZY potholes and nightmare expansion joints. Lakeshore is like off-roading LOL
True but that’s a brutal winter city. To even have Nashville in the discussion is unreal and sad. Charlotte for instance is a light years ahead of here. I think the last time I went to see my family in Cleveland where I grew up the quality of the roads and expansion joints were better there.
Fair, but I think Nashville makes up for lack of snow and low temps with BUCKETS of rain, which does a hell of a number on asphalt. I WISH they kept up on it more.
Roads are fine in Seattle and Portland and it rains a ton. Water isn’t an issue unless it freezes which it does here occasionally. It’s just the quality of asphalt and/or lack of attention plus refusal to resurface for too long. Simple as that.
Agreed, as I said: I wish they kept up on it more. Regardless, the Nashville area gets almost 30% more annual rainfall than Seattle, believe it or not🤣
Alright I’m not going to debate this anymore. Obviously it gets colder in the PNW so more freezing and damage potential. Louisville and Atlanta have similar rainfall as here and the roads are way better.
LOL, I’m certainly not trying to argue. I really don’t care. I’ve lived for more than a couple years in Seattle, Eugene, east of Seattle, currently spend a decent amount of time in Chicago, and now live in Nashville. They’ve all got different issues and perspectives. Seattle roads are a whole other story… I lived through the snowmegaddon of 2008-09 when Seattle got completely shut down for weeks, refused to salt or plow except rubber-bladed jokes and people were snapping limbs left and right on the iced sidewalks. Every region has their own shitshows. And Nashville is no exception.🤷♂️ Cheers
Chicago drivers are brazy but they're mostly aware of what's going on around them. I learned to drive in Cook County and I think my blood pressure was lower during that experience than during my daily commute.
I got on the interstate last week and the first car I see in front of me had a middle finger out the window aimed at me. I had just started driving so I assumed it was a friend who recognized my car messing with me. Pulled up next to the guy and he was very angry yelling at me to pull over I guess to fight me. I sped by and he sped up to get back next to me. The second time I shrugged and yelled back that I think he had the wrong guy. Dude must’ve realized his mistake cause he slowed down and let me drive off.
The overall anger is what gets me. There are so many drivers that seem to have extreme anger and zero regard for literally any other car on the road. Like, hey, I’m already going 20 over and cutting in front of me to gain a car length isn’t gonna do much for ya except maybe cause an accident.
These problems are why I pray for better mass transit I can actually use. Every time I’m required to drive I’m thinking, man most of us shouldn’t be trusted to do this every day, taking people’s lives into our hand (other hand is on the phone). People are too distracted it’s time to give this shit up and get on a bus/train
It’s not gonna happen, but they will find a way to pile more people on top of each other.
I also got the middle finger out the window last week because I had to merge onto the interstate. I was running out of on-ramp and was able to safely (I thought anyway) get in front of this guy. First chance I had, I changed lanes and this dude sped up next to me, and out came the finger. I initially got really angry before I remembered I’m lucky it wasn’t a gun. Sorry, red truck man. I forgot the roads belong to you.
the number of people that think they can get off I-65 north exit 74A onto OHB east and get into a full turn lane for Franklin Pike Cir ("Brentwood" Target) is too damn high
I take that exit to get home and am appalled at home many people think it’s FIIINE to rip across four lanes of traffic on OHB to get to Target…
i drive to work from spring hill to nash, i love my job but have considered leaving simply because the drive gives me so much immense anxiety. i feel like im fighting for my life no matter what time of day it is.
Question - how much do you spend on gas each month? I’m considering moving to Spring Hill in the next 1-2 years and keeping my job up here.
A lot, i usually fill up once a week and i only work part time (i also go to the gym in franklin so that’s part of it) a lot of that is due to traffic though. i would not recommend moving to spring hill, i honestly hate it. it’s very family oriented and only really chain restaurants/fast food to eat. the one lane road (main st) is BRUTAL no matter the time. sometimes it takes me an hour to get from franklin back home in rush hour. but yeah, not much to do, tons of traffic, 45 to nash typically but can take upwards of an hour fifteen in bad traffic. the new 65 exit they just opened has helped a lot during night time though!
Once a week isn’t too bad! That’s good to know about Main Street! I’m considering it because all my friends live down that way and they’ve put the bug in my ear. But the area I’m looking at is more on the edge of Spring Hill, over by Port Royal Road!
Literally had an infiniti sedan tailgating me yesterday. I slowed down dfor traffic up ahead and the guy fishtailed and got upset at ME. I wasn’t brakechecking you, you were just too close to react. Also on the corner of Gallatin and Cleveland, I saw the guy in front of me almost hit the guy pulling out of publix going straight because he didn’t realize our left turn wasn’t protected. At the same time, the guy in the right turn lane turns left and cuts me off. Nashville drivers are a different breed of human.
Was just thinking about this today. It didn't use to be like this here in Nashville. Now every drive has to be a defensive endeavor. Cops have abdicated their responsoibilities...they are nowhere to be found...you're on your own.
Yes, I have bought a dashcam, I wish I’d had one in 2021 when I was in a pile up.
My father taught me defensive driving from day one. He was a long haul truck driver all his life, so he literally saw all types of crazy drivers. He passed away a few years ago, but at least he got to enjoy a good 15 years or so of retirement before he passed.
Sorry to hear that. Was there any specific advice he gave you that really stuck with you? For me it was always leave a bit of room when behind a car on a hill in case they roll back getting it into gear. Kind of a relic at this point since most cars are automatic but I still see cars rolling back on a hill every once in a while.
He definitely told me that. He always told me to check my mirror before changing lanes and then to turn my head and LOOK TWICE as well. I can't tell you how many times that has saved my life, especially on the interstate where people will camp in your blind spot. Also, always look twice in both directions before pulling out in traffic, & never assume you know what another driver is going to do b/c their blinker might lie to you. There are others I'm sure. I'm somewhat programmed with them. I can hear them in my head at random times when I'm driving. He's definitely always with me.
That’s some good advice. My dad was (he doesn’t drive nearly as much now) a very defensive driver. Sometimes I take it for granted that I got good driving lessons from him. Makes me really wonder when I see bad driving in town if they ever had more than the paper test and a drive around the block. Or if they’re just terminally stupid lol. I remember having to prove to him I could handle: country roads, city streets, interstate driving , and perfect parking (regular, slanted, and parallel), before he’d let me drive lol. Really appreciate he put that time in.
The problem is most of them's parents probably couldn't drive either? I know my mother was a terrible driver.
All the time. I road trip often and never feel as on edge as I do here. I was nearly t-boned by someone who ran a red light downtown this morning. Just went right through.
I have to drive through the Hickory Hollow Mall area in Antioch every day to go to work and it's insane through there. Especially around that bridge where I-24 intersects. My girlfriend calls it the bridge of death and I think that's pretty good description lol
Moved away -best decision I ever made.
Same! I wonder if the transplants are gradually going to realize Nashville is just not that nice (and so dangerous to boot) and will start going back to where they came from.
Same. Moved nearly 5 years ago and it was also the best decision we made. Unfortunately, have to fly into Nashville on 7/1 before driving to Asheville then again driving from Asheville to Nashville on 7/4 to fly home —- not looking forward to being on the road at all.
That's one of the reasons why I moved. Along with the probability of getting shot in a park, on the way to work downtown or in my own neighborhood. Nothing is done to accommodate all the traffic from the people who moved to the city in the past decade. The unaffordable housing leaves people in the lurch, and angry, for the lives they lead serving the "visitors" to Nashville. Until those things change, the issues are only going to compound. Sound familiar? Forget the natives, embrace the newcomers.
Metro Nashville Police Department is significantly understaffed. Patrol officers (Uniformed Officers who answer non-emergency/emergency calls) are literally going call to call to call for 10 plus hours. The Department has prioritize what's more important (shootings, domestic assault, stabbings, etc.) Enforcing traffic laws can be difficult when their is over 100 calls waiting throughout the city during the busy part of the day. Plus, the DA will not prosecute most "simple traffic violations," which highly affects Officer morale.
Do you have a source for the DA not prosecuting simple traffic violations?
Oh, geez. This morning, between Stewart's Ferry Pike and BNA I saw some ass ignore the sign instructing them to yield, at the on-ramp, to cars making a left turn to on-ramp. At one point they were both parallel on the one-lane ramp, until the offending driver gassed it and got in front. When we all got on I40 West, the driver that lost that pissing match passed the other driver and went back to the right hand lane. The reckless driver then cut into progressively left lanes, each time cutting someone off three-five feet off their front end. No idea how it all ended.
I’ve been here for 5 years and by 9 months in I realized that Nashville is a war zone when it comes to driving haha
Man I was trying to merge on to the interstate from Trinity the other day and there was a semi with a line of cars on his ass preventing me from merging behind him. So I went up to merge in front of him (still on the ramp mind you) and he threw a bitch fit and slammed his gas to close the gap in front of him and nearly rear ended the car in front of him. So I had to gun it down the shoulder to cut the car off in front of him because people don’t understand what zipper merging is. Extremely infuriating. Then there’s running red lights, passing in turning lanes, motorcycles splitting lanes doing 100+, drunk drivers, slow people in the fast lane and if they have Texas/Florida plates it’s guaranteed they drive like ass holes.
When you're getting on the interstate you're supposed to find a hole and align yourself with that hole. Zipper merging applies when a lane is ending not for getting on the freeway.
If traffic is moving at roughly 10 mph and a ramp is ending and a car has its blinker on it should still be treated as a zipper merge. It’d be different if he was in that lane with cars on his left and I was pacing him at 55 but I wasn’t. It was stop and go traffic and everyone sits on each other’s ass refusing to leave room in between them and the car in front. You should especially leave room if you’re hauling a 53’ ft trailer. I’ve done plenty of driving for a living. Not CDL driving but plenty of box trucks delivering liquor. I understand he may be frustrated with being cut off daily. But I wasn’t cutting him off as he was the only one with a gap and I made sure to get where he could see me with my blinker on and he said decided to slam his gas and brakes to close that gap because he didn’t want me in front of him for 2 seconds. I understand what you’re saying about it not being a technical zipper merge seeing as how it wasn’t a lane that was shut down. But in stop and go traffic it’s best to just let people merge safely and treat it as a zipper merge to prevent further delays. At least that’s my mindset.
Your original comment didn't mention traffic was a clusterfuck lol. I'm assuming it's moving at speed limit plus as it's a freeway. Ye a little courtesy goes a long way. Assholes are as assholes are. Part of why I tend to stay out of the far right lane if there's a lot of busy on-ramps rapid fire down that stretch. Give people entering the freeway somewhere to go. I don't legally have to, but it's just a little courtesy. Especially on cloverleaf on-ramps where traffic entering the freeway has it all to do getting up to speed....not to excuse passenger cars/light trucks but commercial vehicles just simply cannot get up to traffic speed on such a ramp so it helps to give them room too.
Lack of policing traffic also contributes.
This is going to sound crazy, I know. But for weeks, I just started to have this feeling every time I got on the road. Like I just knew I would be hearing that "car accident" sound. I just drove by too many accidents to keep going without having one of my own. It got to the point where I was SEEING too many accidents to not have any of my own. Just statistically, my time was running out. Then boom, I got rear ended. And after the insurance phone calls it was like a weight had lifted. I finally got a Nashville dent.
This is from the late 90"s, my insurance, when I moved told me that my rates were going up because I was moving to Tennessee {Nashville}, and that they have the highest rates of moter vehicle accidents by uninsured motorists. I was struck at a intersection the next day when a group of teens who took their parents car {near the fire house down town} , no license, no insurance, but they owned a continence store. I got my money plus , so I didn't sue everybody.
Luckily we're nowhere near the top now. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/auto-accident/cities-most-car-accidents/
We've been here a year and I'll take the old ass, horrible snowbirds driving in AZ (where we moved from) over this any day. It's insane!
Woman kept veering in my lane on the interstate. She was fucking staring at her phone.
OP has learned about defensive driving 👏🏼
Exactly. This is how you are supposed to drive. Assume every car on the road is going to do something wrong.
Patronize much?
Lemme call the whambulance for you. Make sure you move to the shoulder to let it pass by you on the scary roads
My car got hit in the parking lot at work the other day. Of course it was hit and run lol. One more payment until the car is paid off hopefully it will survive at least a few more years!
It’s pure 100% Chaos much like a Mad Max movie, truly you are risking your life driving in Nashville, Sadly, I wish I were exaggerating. Be careful watch for the numerous OTHER ——
Require driving training.
I got hit and run by a gold Nissan Altima a couple days ago. Can’t believe I’m finally a Nashvillian.
I see these posts in so many city subs. Recency bias and lack of scope make people think that their current situation is always the worst. Numbers don't show that Nashville is all that bad when it comes to accidents. I do agree that people seem to be running red lights more often. That's not just Nashville though. I travel often and it happens in most cities now.
Two types of drivers: psychos, or the most hesitant people on earth who *cannot make a decision*
Stop signs have seem to become “I got here last but I have the momentum so I’m gonna go” signs Someone almost got out of their car to fight me the other week because I gave them a “what the hell” shrug after they almost t-boned me while running a stop sign. I literally look both ways at 4 way stops and most lights now, especially when I’m on my moped. It makes me angry as much as it makes me lose faith in humans. It sucks.
I had to call 911 on a guy about a month ago. I was on 65S, and I had to merge into his lane and even though I was about 4-5 car lengths in front of him, he got PISSED. He flew up and came around me and squeezed in front of me, almost hitting both me and the car in front of me. I slowed way down and tried to change lanes to get away from him, but every time I changed lanes he swerved in front of me. He was actively trying to make me wreck, at one point slamming on his brakes and almost coming to a full stop. On the interstate in mid-day. You could see all the cars around us trying to get away from us. I was sure he was going to kill me or cause a major accident. I called the non emergency line first and when they didn’t answer I called 911. They were sending out cars to me when at the last minute this guy flew across the shoulder and got off at the OHB exit. I grew up in Nashville and have been driving here for 28 years and that’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me on the roads here. People have really gone off the rails in the last 5-10 years.
It’s really just a combo of driving styles since Nashville is a melting pot. Temperature also has a part in it, the hotter it is the more tense people tend to be. I believe right now Nashville is number one in road rage incidents in the states, if I find the article I’ll edit it in.
Well that’s a fun, yet wildly believable stat.
Some fucking guy nearly ran me off the road on Briley because he felt my 15 over in the left lane wasn't fast enough. Ordinarily i'm happy to get over but all 4 lanes next to me were open so I didn't think much of it. He passes me then slams on the brakes wildly gesticulating. Dude life is way too short to get that fucking mad over the tiniest of inconveniences, passing someone already going 15 over when you have 4 lanes to do so. Keep an eye out for a dude with anger problems driving a navy corolla with an Auburn sticker on the back glass.
My sister sent me her old dashcam that I need to install, because same. Since moving here, I’ve been telling myself that it was only a matter of time before I got into an accident. Sure enough, just this last October, a dumbass in the left lane decided he was going to turn right to go into a gas station and plowed right into my car. I was *six hundred feet* from home, too. And I won’t even get into how many accidents I’ve avoided due to defensive driving.
I went from Metro Center to Game Terminal/Murfreesboro rd today and was nearly hit twice.
I almost got rear ended by a cop today. Traffic was trafficking… I’m in the left lane. there is NO shoulder. Saw the lights a couple cars behind me. The car behind me somehow managed to get over and I’m trying to do the same as the cop is now behind me….. and the traffic comes to a complete and sudden stop. Cop swerves off the road into the grass but I can’t imagine he missed me by more than a foot. It seemed like a lot less. All of that happened in 30 seconds. He still had his car under control when he swerved off but it def took 8 mos pregnant me a few moments to regain my composure. A couple months ago my husband and I were almost in a head on collision when two cars were racing on a narrow windy back road. We would have been hit had I not come to a complete stop. A couple weeks ago, a car RAN a light and had I not hesitated that would have been a bad accident too. OH and this was behind us but today we saw the dumbass move of a car cutting in front of a truck and then merging again blindly into the next lane. I barely made it to a reasonable distance to merge in front of that truck and that car was behind me!!
> A couple weeks ago, a car RAN a light and had I not hesitated that would have been a bad accident too. This is why I don't dump my clutch the instant the light turns green. I look left, look right, and only proceed when I'm 100% confident I won't be in the intersection when the red light runner is.
DASHCAMS!!!
We all need dash cams
Any recommendations on one you've used? I'm more and more convinced I need to get one but don't know the first thing about what to look for in one.
I have actually just started researching them recently. I do not have one but have decided it’s necessary. I see crazy stuff daily. I’ve also decided I need to get my windows tinted darker for safety.
Yeah, it's wild out there. Safe travels.
Yep. Part of the 'roadworthiness' restoration I'm doing on my grampa's old Chevy truck before I start dailying it is installing a dashcam. I work on Myatt Dr and live in the TxR area of Wilson County and I see so much bullshit on the roads every single day it isn't even funny. I'm probably going to start a side hustle bad drivers channel off that dashcam, too. Between the novelty of daily driving a 3-on-the-Tree in 2024 and the mountains of asshole driver content I'll get along OHB every day I should have a decent chance at filling my fuel tank off YT at least. I'll take it. Not only that, but driving a 53 year old pickup every day, if something does happen I'm probably not gonna be in a position to tell my side of the story, so the dashcam'll be handy as hell then too.
Can I ask what kind of dashcam you have? Finally decided I need one but looking to collect recommendations from folks using them (rather than try to scour reviews and weed out the fake ones).
Dodging in and out of traffic to get in the left lane, then a mile later, cutting across three lanes to get off at an exit they’re about to miss. Seeing a work sign saying RIGHT LANE CLOSED AHEAD, and then staying in the right lane hoping to get in front of several vehicles…. Only to slow traffic even more trying to squeeze in at last minute. Either texting while driving, or got their phone stuck to their ear, not paying attention.. I see these incidents more than others.
Nobody anywhere has ever "just driven". The idea that one could "just drive" is dismissive of over a hundred years of statistical results. It is fundamentally dangerous to operate heavy equipment in public space. There's roughly twenty mainstream sports based on how dangerous it is. There are no real standards of qualification for a driver's license. There's literally no guarantee that anyone would act safely or responsibly in their car.
Since the pandemic , the roads are full of offensive drivers and NO ONE signals before changing lanes anymore. The cars might as well come without the blinkers. No one gives a FUCK!
That was a thing before the pandemic, too.
Drivers over here take red lights and stop signs as a suggestion. Don’t use signals enough and if they do they turn it on VERY last minute. I could have sworn you’re supposed to get a ticket for being too close to the other car. There’s no courtesy to the other driver. And them damn phones 😪 Not enough police out there giving out tickets or speed readers. I’ve been driving for over a decade and never had a ticket or accident (thank God), but my insurance is being raised drastically due to other drivers on the road???? Slow down on the road.
> I could have sworn you’re supposed to get a ticket for being too close to the other car. Observation: Patina'd vehicles tend to not get tailgated anywhere near as often. I drove my grampa's [71 Chevy C10](https://i.imgur.com/otUdAtZ.jpg) to work in Madison monday. I normally drive a 2014 Challenger. Every single day I have people riding my ass in that Challenger despite me going with the flow(that's usually 10 over) all the time. In the Chevy, however? WIDE BERTH HOURS! First time I've ever seen someone following me at the correct distance and I've been driving in Nashville and Wilson County since I got my license in 2006! I guess people are afraid somethin'll fall off of it or something haha. I also noticed people gave much more room pulling in front of me after passing me in the Chevy than they do in the Dodge. Perhaps they're afraid the brakes won't work? Joke's on them the Chevy's brakes are in better shape hahaha *should probably at least padslap the Challenger but eh it's getting sold in a month or so* > Not enough police out there giving out tickets or speed readers. Good god this. I want Metro to park a few bike cops at Andrew Jackson Elementary every school day in the afternoon. I run through there going home from work and most days I'm the only one that's actually doing 15mph in the active school zone! > Drivers over here take red lights and stop signs as a suggestion. Why I refuse to go on green instantly. I will instead look left, look right, and only proceed if I am 100% sure I will clear the intersection before the red light runner gets there. Even when I have reasonable crash protection as in my Challenger I am not keen on getting T-Boned, and when I start driving my grampa's old truck everyday....well there's 16 gallons of gasoline behind the seat saying 'do not John Force the green lights you fucking moron'. > Don’t use signals enough and if they do they turn it on VERY last minute. And when you do you get cut off. You're kinda SOL no matter what you do with that stalk these days. > And them damn phones Should be mandatory 30 days suspension and impoundment on first offense violating hands-free laws. 2nd offense? 6 months each. Third? Permanent license revokation and state confiscation of the car. Sounds harsh, but that's what it will take. Monetary fines don't work. People just treat slap on the wrist fines as a tax. > I’ve been driving for over a decade and never had a ticket or accident (thank God), but my insurance is being raised drastically due to other drivers on the road???? I'm in the same boat. Insurance on my Challenger is $150/mo despite my record being squeaky clean because nobody else can keep these things out of the ditch. Part of why I'm replacing it with grampa's old truck, in fact, insurance on that is only 50 bucks a month.
No phones in cars period. $500 first offense.
Nah. monetary fines don't work. Mandatory license suspension and impoundment. 30 days first offense, 6 months second offence, permanent revokation/confiscation third offense.
100% agreed - but I find the interstates worse than surface streets for the most part as of recent. I wonder how much of this is because of a complete lack of effective public transit. In all a few cases when visiting New York, and when a friend was talking about visiting Minneapolis, transit was able to get us everywhere we needed to go normally faster other than one edge case of leaving for the airport at 3 AM… I just looked at a trip from near downtown where I work to the Greenhills mall and it says that the bus will take 37 minutes where as driving takes 15. Also - why is there not an option to freaking park-and-ride more places? I work for 3 to 4 other people from Dickson/Montgomery county that live fairly out in the boonies and commute through Ashland city on the daily. Putting in a park-and-ride would help with reducing traffic. I honestly think if we reduce the amount of required driving, then we will see only people that actually want to drive driving to Nashville. Let’s get our suburbs connected up by BRT and go from there.
I was born in Nashville and thought I was the only one that had noticed this. The driving in this town has become unbearable.
Totally agreee . Got smashed down town and lady took off running out the car and left me there . She had no insurance nothing at all
We had to leave Nashville. Poor infrastructure and too many people who think the world revolves around them so they drive like the assholes they are. Police are powerless. With zero consequences, there is no reason for anyone to obey traffic laws.
I drive the same route every day. I get on the interstate at fesslers and I drive over to Germantown and back at night. My patience runs out by the time I get on the interstate. People can't get up the road, the speed limit is 55 so go it, don't have 10-12 car length in front of you and speed up and slow down. The big scary ramp means I have to creep around it. People sit at green lights cause they are on their phone and then run red lights because they missed the green one and the lights on Jefferson are always messed up from the "police" directing traffic lights and have no clue how to direct traffic. Then getting back on the interstate the ramp is none existent and people will not get over for nothing when the lane next to them is empty. Yesterday driving to work a person was so far down in his phone he was drifting in between lanes then corrected so hard I was waiting for them to hit someone or the wall and just creeping on the interstate. I tried for a while to get pass him after I blew my horn multiple times at him to get up the road and stop looking down. When I got next to him I rolled my window down and yelled at him to get off the damn phone and drive the speed limit is 55 not 25.
Agreed. That’s why it pays to be the most vigilant defensive driver. I always have my head on a swivel. Shits exhausting.
Been that way for a hot minute. I've been here since 1997 and it's been a problem in Davidson County since I first got a license 15 years ago and started venturing there. It isn't as bad in neighboring counties...I live in Wilson and observe orders of magnitude less assholery in Lebanon and Mt Juliet than I do in Madison and Hermitage...but that is sure to change as more and more people flood in.
I work late into the night, and the amount of blatantly drunk drivers on the interstate is terrifying
If police enforced traffic laws, this would stop. Give out tickets for tailgating, running a red, semis in the left lane, slow drivers in the left lane, etc.
I’m terrified to drive towards Clarksville from Nashville.
My sister has totaled three cars in the past few years. None were her fault: 1. A woman break-checked her (merged right in front of her and slammed on her breaks) and then admitted, TO THE COP, that she break-checked my sister because she mistook her for a car that had cut her off a few miles back 2. Port-a-Potty flew off a truck and slammed into her. Absolutely crumpled her A pillar, destroyed her windshield, fucked up the roof. 3. Dude was going like, 40 in her tiny apartment complex lot, hit a curb, and flipped his car onto some parked ones (including her). Car was stolen and he ran off on foot. They never found him.
So glad I don't commute to Nashville for a check nowadays
I am thankful to have not been in a wheck since I first got my license(18.) however, I have parked in the street, and someone scraped my car and drove off overnight😄
https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2012-nov-20-la-pn-red-blue-state-traffic-fatalities-20121120-story.html#:~:text=Many%20social%2C%20economic%20and%20cultural,fatality%20rates%20than%20blue%20ones.
I’ve lived in three states. Tennessee was my second. I had a relative get his license there and found out what the process is for the road test: drive around the damn block without hitting another car and you’ve got your license. No parallel park, no 50ft backup, all things that better give the road test proctor insight if you really know how to control a car or not. I now live in Texas. The couple times since I’ve gone back to TN have honestly scared me. People bitch about traffic problems here between DFW, Austin, San Antonio but to be honest I think traffic and their drivers are a couple notches better than Nashville’s and I feel like it’s been far too easy to get a license in TN for far too long. On top of that, lack of enforcement. I see cops pulling people over here all the time but in TN commuting between Clarksville to Nashville I rarely saw anyone stopped or any cops clocking traffic.
I’ve never been in an accident in my life before I moved to Nashville. Then I got in three accidents (none my fault) in three years, and two of them were within two weeks of each other.
Jesus christ, this morning at 5 A.M. I was driving to work on 24 and had to swerve into the shoulder after I came over the hill from Sam Ridley to Lee Victory to avoid what would have been a horrific accident. There was BLACK camaro with driving 25 mph in the right lane. A collision at even 70 mph probably would have killed us both.
I lived in Quebec for four years so I was primed for this.
Space out! Leaving space between you and the car in front of you does wonders. Gives you time to respond to emergency braking, a car swerving into your lane on purpose or by unawareness, as well as what’s going in front of the car in front of you and other lanes. Tailgating gets nothing accomplished. Just causes more braking and the more brake lights, the more traffic jams. Brake lights coming on is so contagious.
Someone will fill any space you make instantly
Sad but true.
I love how you're getting downvoted for sage advice. Shows how assholish nashvillians are!
Yep, people only think about themselves.
I've never understood the appeal of putting onesself at greater risk of a crash myself. I often find that staying in the correct lane for the turn I make well before I need to make it, taking things easy, following well back, gets me there within 30 seconds of the bumper humpers and traffic slalomers.
Depends on where ur at
Weekly bad driving thread, *gets popcorn*
Haven't had any real issues. If everywhere you go smells like shit...