Top 10 Worst Cities for Traffic According to the Weather Channel.

The Atlanta-based Weather Channel has released the list for the top 10 worst cities for traffic. Although I agree with one of the cities, there's about 7 cities that I haven't had the pleasure of driving in. But the irony is that all of the cities except for number 2 and 1, you HAVE to HAVE a CAR to GET AROUND.


10. Detroit, MI. The center of the American auto industry comes in at #10 in the list of cities in which commuters spend the most time stuck in traffic.

9. San Diego, CA. The San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos metropolitan area has a population of around 3-million. It's the 17th largest metro area in the nation, but it ranks #9 for its traffic time delays.

8. San Jose, CA. The third largest city in its own state, but the tenth largest in the entire nation.

7. Orlando, FL. I guess rushing to see Mickey Mouse creates traffic.

6. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. The 12 counties that make up the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area have a total population of around 6.3-million. It is also the fastest growing metro area in the country.

5. San Francisco and Oakland. No comment.

4. Houston, TX. I guess if you're still tipping on four-fours, you holding up traffic.

3. Atlanta, GA. I guess they based the study on Sunny Mondays. But when it's raining, Friday afternoons, Fridays before Holiday weekends, and those Tuesdays where it takes you an hour to get to a location where it only should take 15 mins, Atlanta should be number 1. And I've said this before: I blame all the Gwinnett County, Cobb County, Clayton County and all those who don't have Fulton and Dekalb County plates cause you can't drive and you're the ones who cause me to have to sit in traffic. Most of Atlanta can't handle metro city driving. See my previous posts about Atlanta and their no driving suburban drivers as well as driving tips in Atlanta.

2. Washington DC. I've been to DC many times, and I've driven through DC too. Yet I haven't experienced any traffic.

1. Los Angeles metropolitan area. Although I haven't been to LA yet (but my day is coming) this seems to be the only city listed with a decent public transportation system. Then again, not every city can have an MTA system. I think I'm the only person waiting to experience LA traffic. We'll see on my birthday...

You notice how the biggest metropolitan city in the entire country isn't on this list. In New York, you can get by without driving, or having a license. Don't believe me? Just ask my cousin- he JUST got his license and we're the same age. Ask my sister too, since she has her license for identification purposes.

Hey Georgia, Let's See How Long This Lasts...

Photo lifted from sowegalive.com

*Sighs* I've spent seven years in the state of Georgia (yet I still have my New York accent and I'm happy for it), and the one thing I've noticed that the state will enforce a law and then about 2-3 months later, you won't hear about it. Remember the whole 35% tint law and the Super Speeder Law??? Yeah, where are those???

Now, according to Michelle from Straight From Tha A.com, effective on July 1st, Georgia officially banned texting, sending e-mails, and checking the internet while driving, and if you'se get caught, that's an extra $150 fine, and a point on your license. (If we're talking about points on licenses, then I would be the player with the highest MPG...)

There's no need to copy and paste the content from Michelle's blog onto here, just click on Straight From Tha A. If they ban talking on the phone and driving, I'm gonna be mad. It'll be like living in New York, the only difference is... let me stop.

I'm mad because unlike teenage girls, I don't get lost in my phone. I don't get distracted over phone calls when I'm in the 'Voy. I don't stare at my phone when I use it. But of course, I have to pay for others' mistake.

How to Drive in Atlanta, By A Proud Yankee...

Photo still by, ME!!!

Driving isn’t hard. If you are intimidated by driving, then don’t drive. Get a state issued ID that looks just like a license (Note: I know they have them in NY but not sure about GA).

Driving still isn’t hard. It’s just people make it harder on other folks.

Driving Offense Number 1 and this is major… because if people would stop doing this mess, there would be less accidents on the road.

Highways have multiple lanes, and those lanes have names. The right lane is called the Slow Lane. Those who drive a little slower than the speed limit should ONLY drive in those lanes. The middle lane, is for those who can do the speed limit, and the fast lane is for those who go over the speed limit.

If you can’t handle driving in the fast lane or the middle lane then don’t drive in it. You are creating potential accidents when you do so.

“Well how do you know if you can’t handle driving in that lane?” Glad you asked me. If you look in your mirror and there’s a line of cars behind you on your bumper, maybe you should move out of that lane and stop being an insensitive jerk and messing up other people.

Driving offense number 2: The whole “talking on your phone” topic is more for specific drivers. Personally, I can handle talking on the phone while driving because I don’t get lost in my conversations. Those who get more involved in phone conversations/conversations with people in the car shouldn’t drive and talk at the same time, because those type of people are the ones who don’t pay attention to the road.

Not every driver is the same. I can drive and talk SAFETY at the same time because: I don’t have to hold or look at the phone as I’m talking because of this wonderful invention called SPEAKERPHONE. Plus like I stated before, I don’t get lost in conversations. If you’re in the middle of an intense conversation, then PULL OVER.

Driving Offense Number 3: People not knowing where they’re going. Those who suck at reading directions, there’s a wonderful invention called a navigational system. USE IT, it’s not just for decoration.

Driving Offense Number 4: Driving fast during bad conditions… Slow down when it is raining, snowing, icy conditions, etc. When it is raining, people tend to drive faster than they would when it’s dry. Because they think they’re not gonna lose control in their pickup truck (I’m stereotyping against the hillbilly South, but it is the truth). So then when it rains, there’s 90 million accidents because a dummy was speeding in the rain, and if I’m on that same road, waiting to drive past the accident in traffic, I’m mad at the dummy because they’re making me late to an event, meeting, or going home to watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

I’m gonna be honest, when it’s a rainy day, and I don’t have to go out, I don’t go out because I’m not dealing with a bunch of accidents on the road. And if someone hits my ‘Voy, that same person will feel Bernie’s wrath- young or old.

And that my friends is what Bernie top 4 Driving Offenses that’s committed in Atlanta, and I’m sure they happen everywhere… And if I offended you, then quit crying and drive better. Doesn't it feel good to vent.

Best way to lower your insurance... and you'se don't have to leave home to do it

(Photo from http://www.nscddconline.com)


Real talk, I'm gonna be honest and personal right now. And you'se might want to click on the above picture.

I bought my Envoy as a gift to myself for my 23rd birthday. I had to get a new insurance policy since all my previous cars were under my parents' policy. I'm not gonna disclose what my car payment is, but my insurance policy was MORE than my car note at $267... a month. Yes, that's $267 a month for a 23 year old female with a SUV living in Chatham County (GA), who took driver's ed.

Now let's get into what drove the price up. I got my license at the age of 18 in New York. In NY, my record was clean, but once I moved to Savannah, forget it. In 2005, I got a speeding ticket where I did 30 mph over the speeding limit. It was really 40, but I talked it down. Less than 8 weeks later, I got another one for 15 mph over the limit. Combine the two, and add a fine from an accident 2 years before and that's how I was quoted $267 through Geico.

I talked a friend of mine and he told me about how he took an online defensive driving course, and he has Geico as well. It lowered his considerably, and with his suggestion, I logged on to the same exact site, http://www.nscddconline.com, paid the $41.25 and took the test. It didn't take long, although I was a freaked out in the beginning because the first photo they showed was one of an Envoy that was in a bad car accident.

Once I completed it and got the certification in the mail, I called up good ol' Geico. Geico told me that taking the course did help my insurance rate. It went from $267 down to $137 a month.

Basically I spent $41.25, took an online course and PASSED, and saved over a $100 a month. Since then, I haven't had any speeding tickets, but I did have a little run-in with Gwinnett County 5-0, and switched over to Allstate where my insurance is down to $113 a month.

If I can take an online defensive driving course, passed, and saved money from it, anyone can. You may not have as many points as I do (does anyone have as many points as I do), but it doesn't hurt to inquire with your insurance company. Ask them if ________________ (insert insurance company here) honors National Safety Council site for Online Defensive Driving. I can tell you right now that Geico honors it.

I'm a very suspicious person, I've been swindled before, but this does work, and I do co-sign it.

Top 10 Driving Mistakes that people make… Part II

So part one was yesterday, and if you missed it, click here to go back to Top 10 Driving Mistakes That People Make... Part I

• Not letting other cars merge… Has Bernie been guilty of this??? Yes, because if they drove slow when you were several cars behind them, chances are if you get them get in front of you, they’ll drive at that same slow speed.
  
  
• Honking at Traffic Lights. Has Bernie been guilty of this??? No, because it’s dumb. Honking at the lights will not make it change any faster.
  
  
• Sharing Your Music. What’s worse is when guys are blasting Rihanna, Beyonce, Chaka Khan, anyone along those lines. Or two, when guys have crappy sound systems and you hear their trunk rattling. Has Bernie been guilty of this??? Yes because I still have that CD of old school TV theme songs that I do play, as well as songs like bad 80’s songs like “Sweet Dreams” (The Eurthymics) and “Tainted Love”. I get strange looks like “why is she listening to that”. What, you thought I listen to Jay-Z all the time.
  
  
• Not Cleaning Your Car In The Winter. If you don’t clean your car off in the winter, the snow flies off and hits other folks cars. Plus it adds weight to your vehicle, which means it has to work a little harder. Has Bernie done this: Whenever I’m driving in the NY in the winter, and that is once in a blue moon.
  
  
• Finally: Not using your turn signals. Has Bernie been guilty of this??? No because it gets on my nerves when people don’t use theirs, thus causing me having to use my horn to point out others mistakes.
  

And there you have it. And honestly, I’ve been guilty of 5.5 out of 10. The whole "Not cleaning your car in the winter" thing counts only as a half since Atlanta doesn't get measureable snow.

Top 10 Driving Mistakes that people make… Part I

And that does include Bernie. I’ll admit to my mistakes but this top 10 list I found is very interesting.

According to the guys (at least I hope it’s guys running that site) at Ask Men.com, this is their top 10 driving mistakes in no particular order.

• “Nudging Pedestrians”, which means blowing at them so they can hurry up, while crossing the road. First question: Where do they do that??? After living in NY and Atlanta, I’ve never seen that. You have to have serious road rage to do that. Has Bernie been guilty of this: No!!!! It breaks my heart seeing old people trying to run across the street.
  
  
• Tailgating. Has Bernie ever done this: Yes because it burns my very soul on fire when someone is so quick to jump in front of me and drive 10 mph slower than the speed limit.
  
  
• Speaking of which, Driving Slowly. Has Bernie been guilty of this? Yes, when the cops are around, in crappy weather conditions, and in school zones/parking lots. Any other times, forget it.
  
  
• Double Parking: If you live in Atlanta, think of Peters Street in Castleberry Hill. Has Bernie ever done this?? No, Double Parking is just laziness.
  
  
• Leaving Your Brights On. Has Bernie been guilty of this?? Yes, only when a car decides to cut me off at night. Then I decide to keep up with them, with my brights on. Hey, it’s more effective than screaming at them.
  

Part II is coming tomorrow... I won't leave you'se hanging.

Part 2 of Wrecked Exotics fiasco, and the poor Bentleys on them...

I already stated how I felt in Part 1 so there’s no need in my repeating what I said. Cause I still stand by what I said.

The first part had to do with a vehicle that is virtually impossible, at least I thought, to total: The Hummer H2..

Part two I’m gonna touch on the car company that makes my dream car. Yes, I’m gonna talk about Bentleys. Not just the Bentley Continentals (My favorite), but the Bentley Arnage, Azure, anything from that line that people have messed up… But in this post, I’ll leave the Russians alone. But check out the Bentleys section on the Wrecked Exotics site cause FOR ONCE, there quite a few stories where the owners weren’t at fault. Just because I said that there were a lot of stories where the owners weren’t at fault, I found some where the owners proved that common sense is still a rarity in people’s traits.

Judging by the stories, I only feel bad for one person’s Bentley, which will be the first one…



I feel sorry for this one because this was done during the "pre-delivery inspection". So that means that the owner didn't get to burn rubber in it. And that sucks…

Now all the other ones, you know the owner was at fault, except for this next one.



I still say the owner is at fault for being stupid enough to loan out his car to his brother, especially this kind of car. So the owner’s brother was perpetrating like this car was his and did a spin out in the greatest city to stunt in, New York. Of course, he failed Spin Out 101 and slammed into a light pole. The car was drivable, but who wants to drive a dented Bentley…


Let’s keep it in New York for awhile. As much as I love NY, there are stupid people who live there…



This is what happens when you don’t carefully plan who you’re going to cut off. If you’re a skilled enough driver (very few by the way), and you’re smart enough to plan your maneuvers through traffic, the more exotic the vehicle, the more you plan.

But honestly, Midtown Manhattan would be the LAST place I would cut someone off in a car. I wouldn’t even drive in Midtown, cause walking is a lot less stressful.



I’m not going to even comment, just click on the photo to see. This was heartbreaking, but you know I only care about the car because the idiot of a driver is at fault.



This Bentley is just as bad as the black one. Seriously, if I had this car, this would be the last thing I would do to it.



How fast do you have to go to slam into a guardrail and only damage the side and knock out the glass. The front bumper is okay, except for the piece missing from the grille.

For the grand finale…




I honestly hope that the driver didn’t actually try to get this fixed. If there’s over $115,000 in damages to the car, then you might as well buy a new one. I don’t think the Queen is gonna like that one, but I guess that’s how the Brits get down.

Tally Ho…

If You Can Drive in Atlanta, Then You Can ALMOST Drive Anywhere.

Photo by, ME!!!

I say almost because seeing how I’ve never ventured out onto the West Coast, so I can’t comment about LA. There’s a lot of Atlantians that I can guarantee that can’t handle BIG city driving (New York)

Driving in Atlanta sucks. And this is coming from a person who loves to drive. If you’ve read articles about Atlanta traffic, you know that in the last 10 years, A LOT OF PEOPLE moved to Atlanta. And by a lot, I do mean over a million people, including me.

This is why it sucks and I’m breaking it down by using geographical logic. Atlanta is made up of mostly Fulton County, a little DeKalb County, and a little bit of Clayton County, and THAT’S IT!!!.

Let’s add the bad drivers: those who “think they live in Atlanta” and they really don’t, like the rest of Fulton (Alpharetta), DeKalb (Stone Mountain/Lithonia), and Clayton (Riverdale) Counties, and all of Gwinnett (Duluth), Douglas (Douglasville), and Cobb (Marietta/Roswell) Counties. Ladies and Gentlemen: If your mailing address does not say “Atlanta GA” on it, you DO NOT live in Atlanta. You live close to it, major difference. And you’re also the culprit behind rush hour traffic, because rush hour traffic always originates in Cobb and (especially) Gwinnett Counties and it backs all the way into Atlanta.

Now for the worst drivers: Those with out-of-county plates (Cars from parts of Georgia that doesn’t matter), and those with out of state plates. Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina, and Florida isn’t far from Atlanta. You can make it there in less than two hours (Trust me, I know). Then you get the folks who are just passing through to go through: like people on their way to Florida, and they’re from states that I forget that they even exist.

So you get all these people driving on 75, 85, 20, and 285, and the minority are those who can handle big city driving.

And that’s why if you can drive in Atlanta, you can almost drive anywhere, except for Gwinnett County drivers… They just can’t drive, period.

I wonder is Kasim Reed has this problem… And doesn't it feel good to vent...