Rhode Island - Driving to Stay Alive!
The way people drive in Rhode Island is not like anywhere else. Here are some of the things that AAA may not tell you.
Have you ever seen a school bus run a red light? I saw that on the way into work this morning. It's not atypical as Rhode Island drivers don't care beans about school zones and routinely drive forty and fifty miles an hour through them. The explanation is that Rhode Island kids are raised smart enough not to run out in front of cars. Since I don't hear of any getting run over, perhaps that's true but beware of it nevertheless.
In a recent survey of driver cluelessness, out of all fifty states, Rhode Island rated #50 and that's the bottom not the top. The state coming in at #49 is Massachusetts, our next-door neighbor. Boston has a reputation for rude drivers and their style is not particularly different from drivers in Rhode Island. It's not so much that they're deliberately rude; they just don't seem to know any better. For example, if you are stopped at a red light and another car is facing you getting ready to turn left, you can positively guarantee that car will cut in front of you as soon as the light changes. New Englanders are accustomed to it and will frequently wait for the person to do it!
The left turn behavior is the biggest reason for writing this page as this is what will get you killed. I've driven in practically every state of the union and I've never seen anywhere outside of New England where people will routinely cut you off by turning left in front of you. Be very wary of this as it will come as quite a shock if you've never driven here before. They assume they have the right to cut you off and will take great offense if you get angry about it.
There are two Interstate highways in Rhode Island. I-95 runs north and south. I-195 runs east from Providence to Cape Cod. I-95 is typical of the north/south Interstates with heavy congestion and frequent accidents. I-195 is a drag strip. I've never seen another Interstate on which people routinely drive ninety to one hundred miles an hour. It's not immortal high-school kids who are doing this stuff, it's people on the way to work. It's the law in New England that you must get out of the way if a faster driver is approaching you from behind, regardless of whether that driver is speeding. You might wonder what difference the law makes if it's not catching the speeders but it will come into play if there's an accident. Also, don't assume you won't get caught. There are marked police cars, unmarked police cars, and some that would have to be characterized as 'stealth' police cars as every single part of the car is black. The basic rule here is to stay with the traffic flow and stay out of the fast lane. Let the other guy get the ticket because it'll cost you at least $200 if you're caught.
Don't mistake the driving habits of New Englanders for their personal nature. The people here are charming and friendly, so long as you keep them out of cars!
Last updated: May 10, 2008
