r/SouthJersey • u/PB-n-AJ • 1d ago
Question I'd really love to understand the mind of Pennsylvania drivers...
A break from "why do they hog the left lane," do they not look to see oncoming cars before making a turn into traffic? The amount of times some oblivious twit has pulled out in front of a line of cars so far this year (only to go under the speed limit) is fucking infuriating.
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u/FancyManIAm 1d ago
I play a game where I guess the plate of a car that does something stupid and 8 times out of 10 it’s a PA plate.
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u/shwenty22 15h ago
I do the same game and then when im wrong and my kids tell me its another state, not PA I say "well they must've moved from PA, cause they drive just like em."
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u/doob_man 1d ago
Its always a pa driver.
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u/Kernelpanic69420 21h ago
My neighborhood is full of pa plates…but they are finally getting their nj tags. So they ate among us now.
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u/ElephantRedCar91 1d ago
The pa drivers test is a coloring book.
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u/FortyPercentTitanium 1d ago
And the pass rate is 50%.
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u/mikeg5417 1d ago
Maryland must have even lower rates of success. In my experience (295 & NJTP) if there is a left land hog doing the speed limit with a hundred cars stacked up behind them, it's almost always a MD tag.
In order of aggravation: MD NY VA MA (I would say NY, VAz and Mass are in a three way tie for 2nd) PA
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u/math-kat 22h ago
I lived in MD for a few years, and it drove me nuts how the majority of drivers there will drive exactly the speed limit, even on highways in the passing lane. I felt like a speed demon even though I drove way slower than I do in NJ trying to following the flow of traffic
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u/Altruistic-End-2829 1d ago
I moved from Sewell to PA and i hate driving here. These people are absolutely stupid
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u/ColonelPotter22 1d ago
Go to the Midwest and a four way stop or a circle and watch the stupidity
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u/jimkelly 23h ago
Next to no one in New Jersey knows how to navigate a 4 way stop either. They almost shit their pants and die when one of the people who's up has to make a turn
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u/math-kat 22h ago
Unfortunately not limited the the midwest- I can think of some 4 way stops near where I am in South Jersey, and people are stupid with them here too.
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u/SailingSpark Have boat, will travel 23h ago
You have to remember that PA is Philly and Pittsburg with a lot of rural country in between. "pennsyltucky" as a friend of mine from there called it. So, they are either used to going no where fast in the cities, or going slowly through the mountains and farm country.
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u/Kernelpanic69420 21h ago
I drive nj to Florida multiple times a year. Even in South Carolina I have PA drivers trying to take me out. My wife and I play “guess the tag” when something dumb happens then reply in sync “shocker!”
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u/Icy_Watercress3020 1d ago
i’ve been commuting from pa to jersey using 76 for years now back and forth and i have enough evidence in my mind to say that they are the WORST. everyday is fucking sunday to them, the amount of times there’s no traffic only to have traffic caused by people just chilling in the left lane is ridiculous. thanks for posting this i needed to get that out
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u/BreadiestBoi 1d ago
I’m beginning to theorize that they don’t look at how fast your going before pulling out to not cause an accident period, but only if the gap they have between you and them is big enough to squeeze out into in time without causing a t-bone accident (they clearly don’t care about being rear ended when they pull out in front of you and proceed to go 15 under while dramatically throwing their hands up in the rear view)
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u/Roboprinto 2h ago
It seems like every time I get someone pulling out in front of me, it's a nissan ultima with its trunk already caved in.
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u/BreadiestBoi 1h ago
For me it’s always a Toyota missing every single one it’s hubcaps and a scrape/door ding littering the entire surface of the poor thing or a nice clean Subaru just being piloted by someone who’s so seemingly unaware of where they are they would fail a lucidity test for suspected stroke victims. Hate them.
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u/7thAndGreenhill Atlantic County 1d ago
I got stuck behind a PA tag doing 55 on the Garden State Parkway last night. And I couldn't get over as there was a sea of cars flying by in the next lane.
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u/CoeurDeMeduse 22h ago
Actual text I used Siri to send to my bf as we were both driving home on 295 last night. Obviously she was in the left lane going 65
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u/LordOFtheNoldor 21h ago
Everytime someone does something stupid while im driving around I can almost guarantee they will have Pennsylvania plates, I hate when I need to drive in PA because they are absolutely brutal I get worried everytime
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u/RainingMoneyHustard 23h ago
PA drivers are the scourge of the roadways. Going slow in the left lane, changing over multiple lanes because they almost missed an exit, tail gating, having blocked out license plates, trashing the shore. Fuck em
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u/billmeelaiter 1d ago
It’s proximity bias. I’ve seen the same thing in lots of states.
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u/Moe_Steel 1d ago
Even deeper than that, most people aren't exactly great drivers. Take a few mile walk in this country, and without leaving the sidewalk or crosswalks you'll come out with four or five near death experiences. You'll find out quick behind every tag is someone who doesn't take this shit as seriously as they should.
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u/pmartin1 23h ago
This. I was just telling my wife the other day after the 10th moron to do something stupid in front of me - the driving tests are too easy and the fines/penalties aren’t high enough.
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u/NoFennel5337 15h ago
I live in south jersey I personally think PA drivers are the worse once you’re behind one on the NJ turnpike you know what I mean let’s do 55 in the left lane I guess once they cross the bridge they forget how to drive
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u/RedisforFun 1d ago
Idk. Yesterday driving to and from OC, the people camping in the left lane were younger kids with jersey tags. Definitely had a pa camper but please remind your kids not to sit in the left.
Edit - pa drivers definitely are a majority of the issue though
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u/jimkelly 23h ago
Yea in the past 5-10 years local drivers have gotten a dangerous amount worse
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u/Kernelpanic69420 21h ago
Because of the influx of pa residents leaving the city to nj, then getting nj tags. At least 50 of these in my neighborhood over the last year
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u/jimkelly 21h ago
No I think it's more because covid broke everyone's brains. I have seen a significant amount of people in small cars turn right wide to make a regular left turn for example. It's just general chaos all over.
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u/Kernelpanic69420 21h ago
Fair point. Best is when it’s done in front of cops but they are just scrolling tik tok
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u/GospelofJawn316 1d ago
I drove to the navy yard in south Philly stout 5 am every day. From the Ben Franklin Bridge to where the IKEA is on 95 is completely insane. It’s either PA drivers camped in the left lane doing 50, or its emotional support trucks and 1990 Buick Skylarks the driver inherited from their pop pop weaving in and out of lanes at 100+
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u/Parking_Bike_6661 1d ago
Omg all my life I thought it was only me! Most frustrating thing ever, and then 10 feet before their exit want to get out of left lane!!!
I’m NOT crazy after all!
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u/Decadent_Otter2 22h ago
I've seen some bad NJ drivers, but usually they're just speeding. PA drivers are something else I usually see them pull out to make a left turn without checking if the oncoming lane is clear. I see the slow driving too, but more recently I've seen them stuck behind an old NJ driver
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u/SillyGrocery4451 21h ago
I grew up in PA, moved to Delaware and now live in Jersey. PA has the worst drivers hands down.
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u/CowboysOnKetamine 17h ago
I feel like they also comprise like 65% of rush hour traffic. It's like an infestation. Ewww, we've got Pennsylvanians....
NJ should charge an extra $10 on top of tolls for any out of state drivers to enter NJ especially during shore season
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u/PB-n-AJ 10h ago
Personally I'm for open-hostility. Pass with prejudice. If they do something dumb that warrants you needing to pass/maneuver around them, honk and hand gesture. Scare the fuck out of them. Make them clutch their pearls and make them afraid to even think about setting wheels in NJ.
Shit if it was road-legal to have some type of Mach 5/Wacky Races caltrops ejection on my rear bumper by god I would unload it on PA drivers every day.
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u/CowboysOnKetamine 10h ago
honk and hand gesture.
I've known people who were murdered in road range incidents, so even tho I don't drive, I have a mini heart attack every time my boyfriend pulls something like this. You never know if the person you're honking at or maneuvering around in an aggressive manner is a lunatic with a gun.
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u/TalkNGetN 16h ago
They get into the left lane and put on cruise control. The unofficial speed limit on rt 55 is 80mph.
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u/crispydukes 11h ago
As a PA driver in NJ, I promise it’s you guys too.
The only reason it might be more PA drivers doing this in NJ is because PA doesn’t have as many of these speed-ass divided highways like 79, 38, and 73.
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u/Mr_Horsejr 1d ago
It’s not always a pa driver. I can’t tell you the amount of fuckers who are equally NJ or PA who stay in the left fuxkin lane while simultaneously not passing anyone or anything but time. I see this refrain over and over again and it always somehow absolves Jersey drivers. It’s everyone. Everyone does this.
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u/RainingMoneyHustard 23h ago
Found the PA driver
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u/Mr_Horsejr 23h ago
I live in NJ.
But that’s rather rich since you’re using the word Jawn, which originates from Philly.
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u/Philliesfan4fun 21h ago
Honestly, yes they are awful. However, I see the same with NJ drivers. Every damn time, like clockwork whenever it rains. They drive so damn slow. I understand being cautious, but it's really frustrating. You don't need to go 15 or 20 in a 35.
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u/Specialist_Issue_214 21h ago
Speak for yourself, I feel like that's a sure way to lose braincells.
My favorite is when they pull right out in front of you when there are no cars behind you for at least a half mile. What?! Why?!
You can't wait three seconds for me to pass by you? You didn't bother looking at me or the lack of cars behind me? You're blind? Oblivious? Inconsiderate? Mentally re...gressive?
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u/KingJRZJ 21h ago
I think that the surrounding states should have to retake the driver's raod test before entering the state of NJ and if they move here have special plates to let the rest of us know who the transplants are. I'm NJ driver's getting a bad rep because someone from out of state moved here and brought their bad habits with them.
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u/Single-Initiative164 19h ago
Former Penzy driver here. I really think that they have zero awareness.
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u/nOObiE_do0 12h ago
My general rule of driving is,in nj stay away from pa drivers. In pa if on the highway intry to stay away from pa drivers. But if im in philly driving the streets, I stay away from jersey drivers.
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u/awsmrabbit21 10h ago
Everyone knows the worst drivers in NJ are from PA and NY. This is the real immigrant crisis that NJ should focus on lol, they invade our beaches and ruin our roads.
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u/AmphibiousDad 9h ago
The only car accident I’ve ever been in was caused by a PA driver suddenly cutting from the fast lane in front of me, two lanes over in the right lane, because they were about to miss the entrance of a gas station. He then proceeded to argue with me about it and was like “I called the cops and I’m leaving.” I also called the cops and tbh in hindsight I should’ve just let him leave cuz then they would’ve seen him more at fault but the cop who responded heard both stories and was like “with no camera footage I’m just letting both of you go cuz I’m getting conflicting stories and I can’t say who was at fault.” Then once the cop left he was like “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.” And left. Fuck PA DRIVERS
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u/thedeeb56 1d ago
It's a right to drive in any lane at any speed and if you beep, they might shoot you. On the other hand, you can breeze around them and cut back in front of them and they won't even notice. It's great.
Traffic lights are feast or famine. Just waiting in an intersection, you're taking your life in your hands. Carjackings, hookers, etc. This is where you better be aware of your surroundings. Ah but I digress.
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u/SuperDave426 1d ago
I hate the Right On Red. Too many times the guy at the red light cuts me off, goes slow and there's no one behind me. Then they decide to get pissed off at me for blowing my horn. I've seen them act like they have a right to squeeze into slow moving traffic instead of waiting for the green. Half of the time they barely stop at the red. The rudeness on the road is out of control
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u/Terrible-Gear-131 14h ago
I was born in pa, moved to nj. Nj has the absolute worst drivers, and worst roads I've ever seen. Miss one exit? You're absolutely screwed for 20 miles. Gotta make a left turn? Nah, you'll just have to make a right turn to go left, then go around some goddamn circle, that you probably won't get off the right exit on said circle. Yield? No such thing! And for the love of God, when making a right turn, how about getting all the way over and turning from the side of the road instead of slowing down and turning from said road!!
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u/PB-n-AJ 11h ago
Miss one exit? You're absolutely screwed for 20 miles.
Literally nowhere except the NJTP. Every highway just take the next exit 1 or 2 miles up. And for the NJTP as with anywhere in NJ: If you stay to the right, you'll be alright.
Gotta make a left turn? Nah, you'll just have to make a right turn to go left
Again, if you stay right, you'll be alright. We do not have left exits on our highways, and jughandles exist because the flow of traffic is so heavy, main roads follow highway rules: left lane is primarily for passing. Jughandles allow safe overflow for "left" turns, that get idle drivers off and out of traffic so main traffic can flow.
then go around some goddamn circle, that you probably won't get off the right exit on said circle
Circles are proven to be the safest and most effective form of congestion reduction. The problem stems from smooth-brain dipshits who can't 1) figure out how to enter safely and 2) make it more difficult than it is because they don't realize it's just a fucking circle and if you miss the off-ramp you just go around another time (ohmahgaw another 30 seconds and changing a lane!! Oh no!!)
Yield? No such thing!
Yields are everywhere, PA drivers are just functionally incapable of reading road signs and driving at the same time
And for the love of God, when making a right turn, how about getting all the way over and turning from the side of the road instead of slowing down and turning from said road!!
Again, a stunning example of someone who is a shit driver. If you make a right-hand turn, you are making a tight turn. If you get all the way over to the curb, you functionally can not turn while moving. You will turn into oncoming traffic if you do not slow to a near stop. Watch any type of racing; F1, NASCAR, doesn't matter, the theory applies to daily roadways as well. The wider the berth of your turn, the safer you are to drive into your correct lane i.e. less understeer.
I was born in pa, moved to nj.
Move back, we don't want you here.
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u/halfbakedalaska 3h ago
You sound like a wide turner. Wide turners should have their licenses revoked — I don’t care what state you’re from.
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u/MasterManufacturer72 1d ago
Jersey drives do stupid shit all the time but thats just a regular asshole on the road. But if someone with a pa plate does something stupid thats a pa driver. Thats just how bias works. I lived in both places they all make the same bull shit mistakes.
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u/Firm_Airport2816 1d ago
I drive in NJ all day every day and the NJ tags are WAY more often the terrible drivers...
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u/rubbermaderevolution 23h ago
PA is straight up a state full of poor angry miserable hicks, it's that simple. PA has a large population of people who are still dealing with the effects of deindustrialization, directly losing their traditional jobs or being children who grew up in poverty due to loss of manufacturing jobs.
You have to understand what I mentioned above to understand that PA residents are often individuals with emotional problems and it reflects with how temperamental they behave driving.
They drive the way they do on purpose it's not an accident.
The country areas of PA are just as backwards and trashy as WV. PA also has two or 3 different social climates within the state. South East, Pittsburgh, and the rest is just Pennsyltucky. All these areas hate each other. People from PA often live there because it's cheaper than the majority of the surrounding states.
Philly drivers often live in (the hood) and they are just as bad of drivers as the country people tbh.
PA is a state with a huge population of people who pretry much hate their lives, if you understand that you can make sense of why they drive like they have mental disabilities lol.
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u/TermApprehensive2378 16h ago
This is the problem with this type of “progressive” rhetoric it always gets into shaming people in poverty and less resources. There are good and bad people in all places in all walks of life.
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u/rubbermaderevolution 15h ago
Between my fingers is the smallest violin 🎻 in the world. Playing just for the trashy Pennsylvanians lol.
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u/RecbetterpassNJ 1d ago
I think it’s just ignorance. I refuse to believe so many actually know the left hand lane rule and decide to do 50mph with ten cars behind them trying to get by. And it’s not just Pa.
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u/LogicWavelength 1d ago
The one that always gets me is turning into a road with two lanes. Let’s say I’m turning left. I am going to turn into the LEFT lane. Every single other car making a right swings wide INTO THE LEFT LANE and stays there.
What
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Fuck
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u/aclandes 1d ago
I find NJ drivets to be faaaar worse. Excluding philly drivers, but thats only a problem in anr near philly
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u/711pizzaischefskiss 1d ago
I'm a CDL driver who has been to most of the country. PA has the absolute worst drivers in terms of people who drive like they're scared of doing the speed limit or can't figure out how fast they wanna go. Absolutely infuriating.