I don't know what you guys are talking about. I have put on over 400,000
miles on Chicagoland streets and expressways over the past 15 years or so
and I have to say that I am quite comfortable with driving my MGs here.
Every metropolitan area has its own "style". Once you understand the style,
everything is more or less predictable. In Chicagoland, fr'instance, one of
the rules of thumb is that no matter how far you stretch the orange light,
someone else will come through behind you. Knowing that, you can avoid
getting rear-ended at intersections by going on through. Conversely, people
here are pretty good about being sure the intersection is clear before
launching their death missile at the green light. Other places work the
other way around and any stretching of orange lights will get you plastered
by the fool who launches the instant he thinks it is about to go green.
Personally I prefer this arrangement over the drivers in Wisconsin rural
areas who pull up to a 2-way stop sign, wait until you are about four
carlengths away (with the right-of-way in your favour, of course) and then
pull out right in front of you.
David Lieb
|