Traffic fills a downtown street as people make their way home from work on October 31, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. …MORE AT FORBES
The personal finance website nerdwallet.com recently aggregated the results of assorted statistics and surveys to compile a list of the ten worst big cities in the U.S. for drivers.
Though only 28 percent of its residents drive to work, New York City tops the list with the most frustrated drivers, thanks to an average 59 hours stuck in traffic per commuter, gas prices that run around 7.67 percent higher than the national average and a tightly packed population of 27,012 people per square mile (with many of them darting out randomly in traffic between parked cars like the targets in some demented video game).
The site’s editors examined the 50 largest urban areas by population and rated them according to the annual average hours delayed in traffic per commuter according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the percent difference between local gas prices and the national average and population density statistics from the 2010 U.S. Census. We’re featuring the top 10 civic offenders and full stats for each – including the overall driver frustration score (lower numbers mean commuters fare worse) in the accompanying slide show.
The Zen masters at the Washington State Patrol advise drivers to avoid a costly trip to the therapist and follow these tips to help assuage highway aggravation and avoid mixing it up with other equally perturbed motorists:
Allow plenty of time for the trip, listen to soothing music, improve the comfort in your vehicle, and understand that you cannot control the traffic, only your reaction to it. In the end, we may very well discover that personal frustration, anger, and impatience may be the most dangerous “drugs” on the highway. Be polite and courteous, even if the other driver is not. Avoid all conflict if possible. If another driver challenges you, take a deep breath and move out of the way. Never underestimate the other driver’s capacity for mayhem. Don’t make aggressive hand gestures to the other drivers when they offend you with their driving. Control your anger; remember it takes two to start a fight.Avoid prolonged eye contact with the bad or angry driver.
Fortunately, some of the urban areas on the list of cities that are worst for drivers are also among those having the best public transportation systems in the nation, including NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston and Washington D.C.. Of course there’s the misfits, malcontents and misfortunate characters commuters are forced to contend with while riding the trains and big-city buses to work, but that’s another story for another survey.
10. Philadelphia, PA
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 48
Gas Cost Versus National Average: -2.71%
Population Per Square Mile: 11,379
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 58.2
9. Portland, OR
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 44
Gas Cost Versus National Average: +15.16%
Population Per Square Mile: 4,375
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 55.1
8. Honolulu, HI
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 45
Gas Cost Versus National Average: +17.28
Population Per Square Mile: 5,573
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 51.3
7. Oakland, CA
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 61
Gas Cost Versus National Average: +5.38
Population Per Square Mile: 7.004
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 49.4
6. Washington, D.C.
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 67
Gas Cost Versus National Average: -3.07
Population Per Square Mile: 9,856
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 48.9
5. Boston, MA
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 53
Gas Cost Versus National Average: +3.04%
Population Per Square Mile: 12,793
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 48.7
4. Los Angeles, CA
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 61
Gas Cost Versus National Average: +7.24%
Population Per Square Mile: 17,179
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 36.1
3. San Francisco, CA
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 61
Gas Cost Versus National Average: +5.75%
Population Per Square Mile: 17,179
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 36.1
2. Chicago, IL
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 51
Gas Cost Versus National Average: +30%
Population Per Square Mile: 11,842
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 29.1
1. New York City, NY
Annual Hours of Commuter Delay: 59
Gas Cost Versus National Average: +7.67%
Population Per Square Mile: 27,012
Overall Motorist Frustration Score: 23.2
[Related: 10 Cities With The Most Extreme, Long Commutes]
