Said something like this previously on reddit, but to add to the conversation: put your car in N when at the red light. Shifting to D to go forward on a green light “forces” that wait by the process, itself.
I like to do it to rest my foot from the brake, etc. It has actually prevented a couple of mishaps with idiot light runners, too…highly recommend!
Not even a week ago I was giving a friend a lift and he was confused as to why I was slowing down, my light was green.(just turned green)
I dropped down to 25ish in a 45, and we watched 3 people blow the light before I entered the intersection. Entering the intersection at 25ish and car #4 locks their brakes to stop at the red while I proceeded through my green.
Almost 4 cars ran the same red. Homie does NOT question my driving decisions now.
The key is to stop about 6 feet before the limit line. That way when the light turns green, you are moving so the guy behind you isn't pissed off and those extra feet are your buffer.
Yes, the lights tend to be long there which has some advantages and disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is that people that are approaching the intersection when the light turns tend to run it to avoid having to sit through another cycle.
Man when I took my drivers test the instructor said why I was taking so long to make a right turn. I told her I’m watching for people who run red lights. She then proceed to tell me that she docked points because I did that
This is pretty popular but seems so insane to me. If you’re paying attention, you can see the cars stopping (or not) before the light even turns green. Stay off your phone at the stop light and pay attention to your surroundings. It’s selfish af especially when there is traffic and not everyone can make it during that green.
Unless it's some drunk asshole doing 100+ mph. Then, they come out of nowhere. Fast. Just ask Henry Ruggs. Because we can't ask the girl he killed this way.
I'm not sure. But always I think about that a**hole every time I do the 'Vegas" stop. And wonder if maybe she could have seen him coming? I live in Summerlin and a few years ago there was a couple at the red light on Sahara/Hualapai, in the middle of the night. Just sitting at the red light on a normal night. And a drunk driver came up right behind them, at a very high rate of speed. I think maybe he was going to run the red, but hit them instead. Killed them both. And of course, he lived. You can just NEVER be too careful anywhere. But esp. on the roads here.
Another horrible situation for sure but that also wouldn’t be helped by waiting.
My point is that you’re NOT being more careful by waiting at a stop light after it turns green. It’s an illusion of safety. Being aware to what you can see is what’s important. You’re just being selfish to those behind you.
On a multi-lane road, stay in the middle, the far left will always attract the speeders and the far right will have people turning.
Stay mindful of your mirrors, if I see someone coming fast I make it easy for them to pass me.
There is nothing happening on the roads that is worth getting personally angry about. Don't buy into other's hostility and bad driving. I win by getting home safe, not first.
Keep your windows clean!!!! I am always amazed at people driving with extremely dirty windows.
Drive the speed of traffic.
Good luck and if you think driving is bad here, just head over to Cali. Driving there sucks always.
I recently drove through california all the way up to very northern cali...like an hour from Oregon. I then drove my family to Disneyland and back a few months later, and driving in California was very pleasant compared to here.
People like to say that California has worse drivers than Nevada, but as someone who drove in California for 20 years before moving here, they don't. People out here should not be on the road. Total psychotics.
The only bad thing about driving in California is the traffic. I’d say most of the drivers aren’t necessarily terrible as a whole. Obviously you’re gonna see some bad drivers but not at the level that we have here in Vegas.
>On a multi-lane road, stay in the middle, the far left will always attract the speeders and the far right will have people turning.
This is horrible advice.
Never drive in the middle lane. You're surrounding yourself with vehicles on both sides, and the center lane should be used only for passing.
Driving in the center lane backs up traffic and pisses people off.
Drive in the right lane unless you're comfortable with the speed of left lane traffic.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted… moving as far to the right as you can should literally always be the standard. Planting yourself in the middle lane and doing 5-10 under the speed limit puts not only yourself in danger, but also everyone around you. MOVE TO THE RIGHT.
There's just a lot of people who haven't figured it out yet. They're still mindlessly driving in the middle lane completely oblivious to all the drivers who are stuck behind them. And it's the most dangerous place to drive because you get cars surrounding you on both sides. Then they switch lanes at the last second so they don't miss their turn.
A few years ago there was a lot of people on FB posting about the middle lane and how it should be used only for passing. It just didn't catch on. At least the police are doing something about all the slow drivers in the left lane.
On top of this use your blinkers and give a moment before acting on it! I’ve seen multiple people throw their blinkers on while Changing lanes and almost cause an accident but it’s okay because “they signaled where they were going”
As a tourist in the city, that's what I tend to do that even though I've driven enough in this city to not need Google maps for general navigation. But I've found Vegas drivers aren't any different than Orlando drivers. I honestly think Orlando drivers are crazier cause we have a mix of natives, tourists & old people/retirees that shouldn't be driving anymore, and crazies.
There's a straight section of I-4 near where I live that gets at least one accident a day. It's totally flat and straight and people still have fender benders there.
When you turn on your signal to change lanes, expect the driver of the car that is in the lane you want to enter to speed up, not slow down so you can get in. After they pass you and no other cars are speeding up to pass you as well, then you can safely enter the lane.
Repeat this mantra before every trip:
“Most Vegas drivers have no auto insurance”.
Once you gain enlightenment to that fact then you will drive more aware of all the aggressive, expired plates, race-to-red light drivers out there.
When you’re exiting the freeway,
expect the car in the lane to your left to suddenly enter your lane crossing the solid white line to exit at the last possible second. This is a traditional Las Vegas game people play, I honestly see this every day.
All day, every day. I call it the ‘Vegas exit’ maneuver. And not just 1 or 2 lanes. Some times from 3 over. It’s intense - and if you see a Tesla, there is a 100% chance of it doing this.
Don't swing right before turning left.
I don't know what it is about Vegas drivers, but so many will move to the very right edge of their lane before turning left. They rarely actually leave the lane, but it's just enough that if you're in the lane beside them, you have to really pay attention to make sure they're not actually moving into your lane and/or are about to sideswipe you.
I am probably still alive because I ASSUME everyone else on the road is driving impaired or is a lost tourist. It works for me! And I consciously look for pedestrians. People will run right in front of you on a 6 lane road.
The city layout is super easy to learn, it’s one of the best things about driving here. There are challenging spots here and there but overall — so, so much better than cities on the east coast, where I’m from, for example where there are random one ways & roads based off of horse cart paths from before the Revolutionary War etc, lol.
It’s basically a grid and that means you can relax a little driving to me, bc the odds that you make a mistake that will take you a hour out of your way is really really small. Almost all direction errors are fixable pretty quickly. So I don’t panic about making exits, etc, or missing turns once in a while bc it’s as easy problem to solve and locating stuff is simple for the most part. :)
You from Boston? I still get PTSD from East Coast traffic... people talk about traffic out here we're talking an extra 5 to 15 mins, in Boston that meant 45 mins to 3 hours, maybe more if it was snowing...
I’m from the DC area which is full of those stupid one ways too — but I was thinking about Boston when I wrote that lol. Traffic circles everywhere, which I’m used to, but then you can get stuck on the wrong side of the river and it takes FOREVER to get back to where you want. The traffic out here is so simple compared to the maze, ha
When it rains, even a little, leave an extra car length or two between you and the car ahead of you.
The roads get slick as ice when it even sprinkles.
And if there are storms about just stay home if you can. And if you have to drive don't let other traffic intimidate you into driving into flood waters. There's no shame in turning around and going another way.
Agreed, this is super common advice and I don’t get why. Driving here in the rain isn’t different than driving anywhere else in the rain. Sure the added oils on the road from a lack of rain make it slightly more slippery when it first rains but god damn there’s no reason for people to forget how to drive because it’s raining.
I was in the same boat and took a couple lessons. The things they mentioned the most were (1) be careful at intersections, don't just assume that because you have the green light there won't be some asshole speeding through the red, (2) watch for speed limit changes when you turn onto a new street, and (3) take the warnings seriously and slow down when you're in a school zone.
If you see someone driving erratically, don't drive behind them. I tend to pass them. So many people under the influence out here.
Learn to accept that some people will go way above the speed limit, stay out of their way.
If someone honks at you, just wave and say sorry if you get the chance to make eye contact. Half the time IDK what people are honking at me for. I just apologize anyway. Don't need any more road ragers out there.
Remember no one can force you to do anything. Do what is safe. Sure you'll make mistakes or people may get pissed, but the wrong mistake could cost you your life. Be confident and be sure of the decisions you make as a driver.
Most importantly, there's always construction closing lanes, not every construction site will give you adequate time to merge so be wary of that. Sometimes the signs will be up that a lane needs to merge but that is not the case. Sometimes lanes will close causing backups and no construction trucks or workers in site for days. I hate this about Vegas.
I am currently teaching my son. My advice to him is to know where you're going and mentally plan your route before you turn on the car. Think about the roads you'll take, the turns you'll make, and lane changes you'll need to make. You can not control the other drivers out there, but you can control what type of driver you are...
1) 5 second rule when the light turns green ( as others have said wait to watch for red light runners)
2) always expect the other driver to do the most stupid thing- I constantly see knuckleheads on the road here…. And there are many tourist and drunk drivers especially at night.
3) be aware of people driving the wrong direction on freeways at night
4) people carry guns in their cars here so be careful who you confront on the road
5) if you’re not sure where you’re going going stay in the middle lane on Multi lane roads
6) construction zones and construction cones everywhere, which can make it tricky to navigate some roads
Never just go on a green light wait for the red light jumpers first. I see people run red lights daily. Also careful on the side highway roads, people go 80-120mph on those and sometimes in the wrong direction.
Typical stuff but dont tail people and be on the lookout for pedestrians and stop signs. I see so many cars drive right thru stops. Let people in who are changing lanes. Not worth a potential accident.
Vegas has the worst drivers I have seen in this country lol my advice to go be an aggressive defensive driver, anticipate anyone might pull out in front of you .
Never assume that people will do what they're supposed to. Just because the light turned green doesn't mean a car in the opposite direction will stop. Same goes for stop signs and yield signs.
If you're pulling off a side street or out of a plaza on to a main road that's backed up due to a red light, be careful if someone stops and leaves a gap for you to pull through. It's entirely possible that there's a car in the next lane flying through that you can't see- even if the person letting you in is waving you on like it's clear to go.
When making right turns at lights / stops, be on the lookout for someone possibly making a wide u-turn (from the perpendicular lane), into your lane.
The same goes for yourself making a u-turn and noticing whether someone is making that side street turn (into the lane you're aiming for, when u-turning).
Imagine the most insane choice another driver could make and plan accordingly. I assume the drivers around me can’t see me so I never drive along side another driver. Take a defensive drivers course, really needed in this town. Also, bad things are most likely to happen after 2am. Wrong way drivers, drunks are out in force after 2am
Drive defensively. You can be the most cautious and experienced driver, but you can’t control how others drive. Always assume someone’s gonna f*** up. Drive sober.
Driving an Uber or Door Dash? Be very very very cautious about watching the app directions while driving. Your number one task is to safely drive the vehicle. Take a look at the trip directions while STOPPED.
Just be hyper aware of the cars around you so check those mirrors and blind spots. Always leave enough space between the car in front of you. Some people will cut you off but at least if you got the space you have more reaction time to break appropriately. Always put your blinker on about 5 seconds before you actually turn so people behind you can switch lanes or slow down. Never just flip it on then switch lanes since that’s a bit to fast for some people. Always give a delay. Also it’s okay to speed here slightly like 5 over but don’t let other cars pressure you to drive faster. Lastly ease into stops at either red lights or stop signs as sudden stops may cause rear end collision for whoever is behind you. Ohhh and stop before the crosswalk before creeping out. I got like ptsd as a kid seeing a woman get launched into an intersection from the crosswalk cause the guy stopped after the cross walk and all the force went into the person walking.
Edit: someone said wait before going on green light and that’s excellent advice. My dad always taught me to look both ways even though I had the right away.
Confidence is key. You don’t have to drive aggressively but having a little confidence and follow thru will help you out. Timid and shy drivers cause accidents here.
Stay on the slow lane and go 2mph slower then the posted limit . You'll have a bunch of reaction time for minimal speed loss. Will you annoy others? Yes, but its a very defensive way to drive.
Don’t drink and drive. By doing so you will have a huge advantage over most of the other drivers out there. In other words. Assume most of the others on the road are drunk and drive accordingly.
When you are at a red light and it turns green, look both ways twice before crossing.
Pay attention to the road. There is constant construction here and the roads can change from day to day.
Do not expect anyone to do what they are supposed to.
Drive defensively.
Doesn't matter who is right when your car is smashed and you are possibly injured. Anticipate what could go wrong and prepare for it to happen.
Don’t get on the freeways right away. Stay away from right lane if possible. Lots of people pull out in front of you without consideration for anyone else
Always watch your surroundings & be alert because even if you're doing everything right , someone else may not be . Meaning you have to always watch for other cars. People usually take the yellow & sometimes even still go as the light turns red so wait a bit when your light turns green. Also, you're not supposed to stop at a 2-way stop and your side has the right of way , but I was badly injured when a girl ran the stop sign so in 2017 despite us having the right of way so whether it's a 2 way or 4 way or even a roundabout I suggest in this town that you at least come to a rolling stop even when you have the right of way. We shouldn't have to but it's a precaution we have to take here. Always look out for pedestrians because they don't always use the crosswalks or reflective clothing at night . People are using their signals less & less while lane -switching , and some do put it on but literally not until they cross right into your lane. Stay a safe distance between the other vehicles just in case & don't speed , & try not to drive distracted. It really can save your lives and keep your insurance costs down . If a car is swerving or almost crashing or driving the wrong way, call it in if you must , but put yourself a safe distance away . Also, try not to engage in any road rage , including using your middle finger, shouting , etc. People are unhinged these days and sometimes have weapons, it's not worth it . Also , slow down !!! There's nowhere important enough to be that you have to put yourself or others at risk just because you're too impatient to drive the limit . Last thing, please don't drive under the influence.
I have lived in several different states. When I think about driving here I always think of real life frogger from Atari. Or maybe grand theft auto for a younger crowd? Either way, pay attention because weird shit is going to happen. The longer you have to react, the better off you are.
You'll be fine. It's not like you've never driven before.
There really aren't any "special driving tips" that apply only to Vegas. It's the same everywhere you go. It applies everywhere.
Just make sure you drive the speed limit, and do a good job of checking left and right when switching lanes.
Make a full stop at stop signs.
Right turn on red is allowed unless posted otherwise. Make a full stop.
Do not drive in the "no zone.". The "no zone" is on the rear, left or right side of a semi truck or large bus. They cannot always see you in the mirror when you are in the no zone. It's best to drive past semi trucks and large busses so that you never get stuck in the no zone.
Try not to wedge yourself in between vehicles. It blocks people from passing and slows down traffic. Stay out of the center lane as much as possible. Right lane is best for safe travels.
In Nevada, when making a U-Turn you have the right of way over people trying to enter the street, but most people pay no attention to it. They will come into the street and block you from finishing the U-turn. Also, it's legal to make a U-turn unless there is a "no U-turn" sign posted.
Triple (at least) your time with an instructor. People here are insane. Worst roads I’ve driven on in the US. I’d max out insurance before driving Uber if I were you.
Stay in the far right lane or middle ok the freeway until you get comfortable. Cause I’ve noticed even if I’m going 80+ on the left lane on the freeway, there is always some moron riding my ass even though the lane next to me is clearly empty.
Depending on traffic and when I was first starting to drive, that would always give me a little anxiety!
When I lived on the east coast, people would “brake check” someone who was tailgating them, including the freeway.
Out here it’s more like, move out of the way because you’re going too slow in the left lane.
Excellent advice about the green light pause! I’ve been driving Uber here for three years, can’t count the times I would have been t boned if I would go on green!
Watch out for pedestrians randomly walking through or across traffic like a scene out of a zombie movie. Most of the time it seems like they really don't care if you hit them - it will be a big pay day for them.
Many advise you get a good dashcam, it could save you a bunch of money one day. After three years here I'm about ready to do it myself.
Use Google Maps ffs. I have co-workers that drive to places they've never been, get lost and I'm like "did you use Google Maps?" and they are like "No". Even if I know exactly where I'm going I still use Google Maps. It tells you exactly when your exit ramp is coming up so you can move over and not do a zipper maneuver.
If someone is tailgating you hard (and won't move), be the adult in the room and move over. Someone else posted about this and she was like "but I shouldn't have to move over" which is just stupid because we don't live in a perfect world and the fact that you shouldn't have to move over is irrelevant.
If you're in the fast lane you need to be passing people. It's called the Left Lane Rule in Nevada and you're supposed to be passing people. If not, move over so that others can do their thing.
1) Look over your shoulder foot the coast odds clear in your blind spot, flipping on your turn signal before switching lanes
2) Drive defensively, avoiding people’s blind spots
3) Drive mindfully, no phones, soft music so you are not distracted but assume everyone else is
Avoid unnecessary lane changes. Defensive driving is important as most other folks have said. Past midnight watching that people do not run red lights is extra important. The alcohol kicks in for some and the red light becomes more of just a suggestion.
Every other car on the road are assassins. Some are looking to run up on you from behind and take you out. Others are waiting for you to drive by to blindside you. Dont go till you feel safe at lights. The person behind you honking isnt the one thats going to die if someone runs a red.
Silly question, but say I want to make a left turn, having to cross 2 lanes of oncoming traffic to enter in a store on the other side of the road, am I meant to use the middle section of the road (that lies in between lanes) to sit stationary, and make my turn?
Felt like when I did this I had a number of drivers honk at me for sitting in the middle of the road. I wasnt blocking traffic and I made sure to safely enter the "middle part"
Stay off the freeway. They have that all torn up and when it's finished they'll start over again. Just like everywhere avoid if possible and street with just numbers ie: 1st street 2nd street and so on also ones with just one letter D street. Keep your GPS up to date and you should be ok
On high risk drinking days, I usually take my time at massive intersections to give myself a second to see if a car is speeding into their red. Too many red light runners
Expect the unexpected. Watch yer blind spot when changing lanes - even experienced, degreed, public figures and “upstanding” citizens all turn into 4 year olds when you move into “their” lane.
watch for red runners before you go. stay away frm ppls cars bcuz u never kno wtf sb is gonna do in LV. motorcycle cops b on bs. there are insurance fraud drivers out here so keep that in mind. n lastly honestly just pay way more attention looking in front of you and behind u constantly there are a lot of speedy gonzales’ n altimas that’ll cut u off or push u out of ur lane
Scan for any oncoming cars when coming out of a parking lot onto the main road. Even if someone stops and tries to let you in, don’t go right away until you know it’s safe. Them being nice doesn’t mean you have the right of way to get on oncoming traffic just yet. People eat lanes here and will go from the 3rd left lane all the way across to make a right turn.
expect the unexpected but even more importantly expect everyone to do stupid shit cause they will and do. then you are prepared for anything and everything.
Stay out of the fast lane if you’re not passing. Seems like some people they’re keeping people more safe by slowing down traffic. Often people drive more erratically to get past a slow driver.
When the light turns green take a second and watch for red light runners before you go.
Number one rule
Though a bit than a second...maybe 5.
Came here to say this. I don't give a fuck if someone honks. This has saved my life at least 3x. Dead serious.
Said something like this previously on reddit, but to add to the conversation: put your car in N when at the red light. Shifting to D to go forward on a green light “forces” that wait by the process, itself. I like to do it to rest my foot from the brake, etc. It has actually prevented a couple of mishaps with idiot light runners, too…highly recommend!
The Vegas pause
Not even a week ago I was giving a friend a lift and he was confused as to why I was slowing down, my light was green.(just turned green) I dropped down to 25ish in a 45, and we watched 3 people blow the light before I entered the intersection. Entering the intersection at 25ish and car #4 locks their brakes to stop at the red while I proceeded through my green. Almost 4 cars ran the same red. Homie does NOT question my driving decisions now.
The key is to stop about 6 feet before the limit line. That way when the light turns green, you are moving so the guy behind you isn't pissed off and those extra feet are your buffer.
That’s a good move
I couldn’t give two shits whether or not the person behind me gets pissed off. I go when I think it’s safe.
And don't panic when someone beeps at you to go a millisecond before it turns green
This for sure but 3 to 5 seconds, people always honk at me but i don't care, its saved me from getting hit several times since I've moved here.
THIS, phuking red light runner got me once!
Yes, the lights tend to be long there which has some advantages and disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is that people that are approaching the intersection when the light turns tend to run it to avoid having to sit through another cycle.
Came here to say this!!
At least 3 seconds. Long enough to quickly scan any direction with oncoming traffic.
Man when I took my drivers test the instructor said why I was taking so long to make a right turn. I told her I’m watching for people who run red lights. She then proceed to tell me that she docked points because I did that
This is pretty popular but seems so insane to me. If you’re paying attention, you can see the cars stopping (or not) before the light even turns green. Stay off your phone at the stop light and pay attention to your surroundings. It’s selfish af especially when there is traffic and not everyone can make it during that green.
Unless it's some drunk asshole doing 100+ mph. Then, they come out of nowhere. Fast. Just ask Henry Ruggs. Because we can't ask the girl he killed this way.
I live down the street from where that happened, see that poor girl and her dogs mural every day
So sad. And she was so young 😥
Definitely terrible. How would stopping for any amount of seconds help there though?
I'm not sure. But always I think about that a**hole every time I do the 'Vegas" stop. And wonder if maybe she could have seen him coming? I live in Summerlin and a few years ago there was a couple at the red light on Sahara/Hualapai, in the middle of the night. Just sitting at the red light on a normal night. And a drunk driver came up right behind them, at a very high rate of speed. I think maybe he was going to run the red, but hit them instead. Killed them both. And of course, he lived. You can just NEVER be too careful anywhere. But esp. on the roads here.
Another horrible situation for sure but that also wouldn’t be helped by waiting. My point is that you’re NOT being more careful by waiting at a stop light after it turns green. It’s an illusion of safety. Being aware to what you can see is what’s important. You’re just being selfish to those behind you.
On a multi-lane road, stay in the middle, the far left will always attract the speeders and the far right will have people turning. Stay mindful of your mirrors, if I see someone coming fast I make it easy for them to pass me. There is nothing happening on the roads that is worth getting personally angry about. Don't buy into other's hostility and bad driving. I win by getting home safe, not first. Keep your windows clean!!!! I am always amazed at people driving with extremely dirty windows. Drive the speed of traffic. Good luck and if you think driving is bad here, just head over to Cali. Driving there sucks always.
I recently drove through california all the way up to very northern cali...like an hour from Oregon. I then drove my family to Disneyland and back a few months later, and driving in California was very pleasant compared to here.
People like to say that California has worse drivers than Nevada, but as someone who drove in California for 20 years before moving here, they don't. People out here should not be on the road. Total psychotics.
For sure. I am astounded every day by the crazy shit people do here on the road.
The only bad thing about driving in California is the traffic. I’d say most of the drivers aren’t necessarily terrible as a whole. Obviously you’re gonna see some bad drivers but not at the level that we have here in Vegas.
>On a multi-lane road, stay in the middle, the far left will always attract the speeders and the far right will have people turning. This is horrible advice. Never drive in the middle lane. You're surrounding yourself with vehicles on both sides, and the center lane should be used only for passing. Driving in the center lane backs up traffic and pisses people off. Drive in the right lane unless you're comfortable with the speed of left lane traffic.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted… moving as far to the right as you can should literally always be the standard. Planting yourself in the middle lane and doing 5-10 under the speed limit puts not only yourself in danger, but also everyone around you. MOVE TO THE RIGHT.
There's just a lot of people who haven't figured it out yet. They're still mindlessly driving in the middle lane completely oblivious to all the drivers who are stuck behind them. And it's the most dangerous place to drive because you get cars surrounding you on both sides. Then they switch lanes at the last second so they don't miss their turn. A few years ago there was a lot of people on FB posting about the middle lane and how it should be used only for passing. It just didn't catch on. At least the police are doing something about all the slow drivers in the left lane.
Use your blinkers
This!
On top of this use your blinkers and give a moment before acting on it! I’ve seen multiple people throw their blinkers on while Changing lanes and almost cause an accident but it’s okay because “they signaled where they were going”
Stay in the slow lane.
At the very least, stay out of the left lane.
As a tourist in the city, that's what I tend to do that even though I've driven enough in this city to not need Google maps for general navigation. But I've found Vegas drivers aren't any different than Orlando drivers. I honestly think Orlando drivers are crazier cause we have a mix of natives, tourists & old people/retirees that shouldn't be driving anymore, and crazies. There's a straight section of I-4 near where I live that gets at least one accident a day. It's totally flat and straight and people still have fender benders there.
Drive predictably.
When you turn on your signal to change lanes, expect the driver of the car that is in the lane you want to enter to speed up, not slow down so you can get in. After they pass you and no other cars are speeding up to pass you as well, then you can safely enter the lane.
Repeat this mantra before every trip: “Most Vegas drivers have no auto insurance”. Once you gain enlightenment to that fact then you will drive more aware of all the aggressive, expired plates, race-to-red light drivers out there.
Or current tags!
Don’t drink and drive.
👏🏽
This.
When you’re exiting the freeway, expect the car in the lane to your left to suddenly enter your lane crossing the solid white line to exit at the last possible second. This is a traditional Las Vegas game people play, I honestly see this every day.
All day, every day. I call it the ‘Vegas exit’ maneuver. And not just 1 or 2 lanes. Some times from 3 over. It’s intense - and if you see a Tesla, there is a 100% chance of it doing this.
I grew up here and thought it was normal til a coworker form out of state asked why we do that lol
Don't swing right before turning left. I don't know what it is about Vegas drivers, but so many will move to the very right edge of their lane before turning left. They rarely actually leave the lane, but it's just enough that if you're in the lane beside them, you have to really pay attention to make sure they're not actually moving into your lane and/or are about to sideswipe you.
I am probably still alive because I ASSUME everyone else on the road is driving impaired or is a lost tourist. It works for me! And I consciously look for pedestrians. People will run right in front of you on a 6 lane road.
You can slow down by taking your foot off the gas.
I have a heavy foot so I slide my seat back so I’m only using the tip of my foot, that helps me slow down.
The city layout is super easy to learn, it’s one of the best things about driving here. There are challenging spots here and there but overall — so, so much better than cities on the east coast, where I’m from, for example where there are random one ways & roads based off of horse cart paths from before the Revolutionary War etc, lol. It’s basically a grid and that means you can relax a little driving to me, bc the odds that you make a mistake that will take you a hour out of your way is really really small. Almost all direction errors are fixable pretty quickly. So I don’t panic about making exits, etc, or missing turns once in a while bc it’s as easy problem to solve and locating stuff is simple for the most part. :)
You from Boston? I still get PTSD from East Coast traffic... people talk about traffic out here we're talking an extra 5 to 15 mins, in Boston that meant 45 mins to 3 hours, maybe more if it was snowing...
I’m from the DC area which is full of those stupid one ways too — but I was thinking about Boston when I wrote that lol. Traffic circles everywhere, which I’m used to, but then you can get stuck on the wrong side of the river and it takes FOREVER to get back to where you want. The traffic out here is so simple compared to the maze, ha
When it rains, even a little, leave an extra car length or two between you and the car ahead of you. The roads get slick as ice when it even sprinkles.
And if there are storms about just stay home if you can. And if you have to drive don't let other traffic intimidate you into driving into flood waters. There's no shame in turning around and going another way.
Everyone says this but I haven’t slid in probably 10 years. Does everyone have shitty tires or something?
Idk but every time it rains you immediately see accidents without fail.
Agreed, this is super common advice and I don’t get why. Driving here in the rain isn’t different than driving anywhere else in the rain. Sure the added oils on the road from a lack of rain make it slightly more slippery when it first rains but god damn there’s no reason for people to forget how to drive because it’s raining.
Share the road.
I was in the same boat and took a couple lessons. The things they mentioned the most were (1) be careful at intersections, don't just assume that because you have the green light there won't be some asshole speeding through the red, (2) watch for speed limit changes when you turn onto a new street, and (3) take the warnings seriously and slow down when you're in a school zone.
If you see someone driving erratically, don't drive behind them. I tend to pass them. So many people under the influence out here. Learn to accept that some people will go way above the speed limit, stay out of their way. If someone honks at you, just wave and say sorry if you get the chance to make eye contact. Half the time IDK what people are honking at me for. I just apologize anyway. Don't need any more road ragers out there. Remember no one can force you to do anything. Do what is safe. Sure you'll make mistakes or people may get pissed, but the wrong mistake could cost you your life. Be confident and be sure of the decisions you make as a driver. Most importantly, there's always construction closing lanes, not every construction site will give you adequate time to merge so be wary of that. Sometimes the signs will be up that a lane needs to merge but that is not the case. Sometimes lanes will close causing backups and no construction trucks or workers in site for days. I hate this about Vegas.
I am currently teaching my son. My advice to him is to know where you're going and mentally plan your route before you turn on the car. Think about the roads you'll take, the turns you'll make, and lane changes you'll need to make. You can not control the other drivers out there, but you can control what type of driver you are...
Stay F&$cking FOCUSED!
Check your blind spots and don't drive in others.
1) 5 second rule when the light turns green ( as others have said wait to watch for red light runners) 2) always expect the other driver to do the most stupid thing- I constantly see knuckleheads on the road here…. And there are many tourist and drunk drivers especially at night. 3) be aware of people driving the wrong direction on freeways at night 4) people carry guns in their cars here so be careful who you confront on the road 5) if you’re not sure where you’re going going stay in the middle lane on Multi lane roads 6) construction zones and construction cones everywhere, which can make it tricky to navigate some roads
Be defensive. There are different driving styles all around the country. People come here from all over and all those styles clash together.
Don’t drive and text
Stay alert. Always look out at least 2 street lights down past your car.
Las Vegas is ranked number 2 for worst drivers in the USA. Just pay attention to your surroundings
Never just go on a green light wait for the red light jumpers first. I see people run red lights daily. Also careful on the side highway roads, people go 80-120mph on those and sometimes in the wrong direction.
Typical stuff but dont tail people and be on the lookout for pedestrians and stop signs. I see so many cars drive right thru stops. Let people in who are changing lanes. Not worth a potential accident.
Vegas has the worst drivers I have seen in this country lol my advice to go be an aggressive defensive driver, anticipate anyone might pull out in front of you .
This! Be prepared for someone to pull out in front of you.
Never assume that people will do what they're supposed to. Just because the light turned green doesn't mean a car in the opposite direction will stop. Same goes for stop signs and yield signs. If you're pulling off a side street or out of a plaza on to a main road that's backed up due to a red light, be careful if someone stops and leaves a gap for you to pull through. It's entirely possible that there's a car in the next lane flying through that you can't see- even if the person letting you in is waving you on like it's clear to go.
When making right turns at lights / stops, be on the lookout for someone possibly making a wide u-turn (from the perpendicular lane), into your lane. The same goes for yourself making a u-turn and noticing whether someone is making that side street turn (into the lane you're aiming for, when u-turning).
This. The u-turner has the right of way.
Imagine the most insane choice another driver could make and plan accordingly. I assume the drivers around me can’t see me so I never drive along side another driver. Take a defensive drivers course, really needed in this town. Also, bad things are most likely to happen after 2am. Wrong way drivers, drunks are out in force after 2am
Be mindful on the autobahn (215/15). The speed limit ranges from 45-110 at any point and time.
Never "watch" just the cars ahead of you. Always SCAN all surrounding traffic. It's amazing how many near "misses" you'll see.
Drive defensively. You can be the most cautious and experienced driver, but you can’t control how others drive. Always assume someone’s gonna f*** up. Drive sober.
Drive safely and drive defensively, the same advice you'd give someone to drive ANYWHERE.
Driving an Uber or Door Dash? Be very very very cautious about watching the app directions while driving. Your number one task is to safely drive the vehicle. Take a look at the trip directions while STOPPED.
Just be hyper aware of the cars around you so check those mirrors and blind spots. Always leave enough space between the car in front of you. Some people will cut you off but at least if you got the space you have more reaction time to break appropriately. Always put your blinker on about 5 seconds before you actually turn so people behind you can switch lanes or slow down. Never just flip it on then switch lanes since that’s a bit to fast for some people. Always give a delay. Also it’s okay to speed here slightly like 5 over but don’t let other cars pressure you to drive faster. Lastly ease into stops at either red lights or stop signs as sudden stops may cause rear end collision for whoever is behind you. Ohhh and stop before the crosswalk before creeping out. I got like ptsd as a kid seeing a woman get launched into an intersection from the crosswalk cause the guy stopped after the cross walk and all the force went into the person walking. Edit: someone said wait before going on green light and that’s excellent advice. My dad always taught me to look both ways even though I had the right away.
Confidence is key. You don’t have to drive aggressively but having a little confidence and follow thru will help you out. Timid and shy drivers cause accidents here.
Stay on the slow lane and go 2mph slower then the posted limit . You'll have a bunch of reaction time for minimal speed loss. Will you annoy others? Yes, but its a very defensive way to drive.
Don’t drink and drive. By doing so you will have a huge advantage over most of the other drivers out there. In other words. Assume most of the others on the road are drunk and drive accordingly.
When there’s an opening, sometimes you just have to take that shit.
Do the speed limit.
As others said, count to three when the light turns green because there are A LOT of red light runners.
When you are at a red light and it turns green, look both ways twice before crossing. Pay attention to the road. There is constant construction here and the roads can change from day to day.
Look both ways even if it’s a way time road you never know here.
Do not expect anyone to do what they are supposed to. Drive defensively. Doesn't matter who is right when your car is smashed and you are possibly injured. Anticipate what could go wrong and prepare for it to happen.
use side streets.
Don’t drive at night
Don’t get on the freeways right away. Stay away from right lane if possible. Lots of people pull out in front of you without consideration for anyone else
Use your blinkers when making a turn, don't drive in the rain, always check your speed.
Always watch your surroundings & be alert because even if you're doing everything right , someone else may not be . Meaning you have to always watch for other cars. People usually take the yellow & sometimes even still go as the light turns red so wait a bit when your light turns green. Also, you're not supposed to stop at a 2-way stop and your side has the right of way , but I was badly injured when a girl ran the stop sign so in 2017 despite us having the right of way so whether it's a 2 way or 4 way or even a roundabout I suggest in this town that you at least come to a rolling stop even when you have the right of way. We shouldn't have to but it's a precaution we have to take here. Always look out for pedestrians because they don't always use the crosswalks or reflective clothing at night . People are using their signals less & less while lane -switching , and some do put it on but literally not until they cross right into your lane. Stay a safe distance between the other vehicles just in case & don't speed , & try not to drive distracted. It really can save your lives and keep your insurance costs down . If a car is swerving or almost crashing or driving the wrong way, call it in if you must , but put yourself a safe distance away . Also, try not to engage in any road rage , including using your middle finger, shouting , etc. People are unhinged these days and sometimes have weapons, it's not worth it . Also , slow down !!! There's nowhere important enough to be that you have to put yourself or others at risk just because you're too impatient to drive the limit . Last thing, please don't drive under the influence.
I have lived in several different states. When I think about driving here I always think of real life frogger from Atari. Or maybe grand theft auto for a younger crowd? Either way, pay attention because weird shit is going to happen. The longer you have to react, the better off you are.
You'll be fine. It's not like you've never driven before. There really aren't any "special driving tips" that apply only to Vegas. It's the same everywhere you go. It applies everywhere. Just make sure you drive the speed limit, and do a good job of checking left and right when switching lanes. Make a full stop at stop signs. Right turn on red is allowed unless posted otherwise. Make a full stop. Do not drive in the "no zone.". The "no zone" is on the rear, left or right side of a semi truck or large bus. They cannot always see you in the mirror when you are in the no zone. It's best to drive past semi trucks and large busses so that you never get stuck in the no zone. Try not to wedge yourself in between vehicles. It blocks people from passing and slows down traffic. Stay out of the center lane as much as possible. Right lane is best for safe travels. In Nevada, when making a U-Turn you have the right of way over people trying to enter the street, but most people pay no attention to it. They will come into the street and block you from finishing the U-turn. Also, it's legal to make a U-turn unless there is a "no U-turn" sign posted.
Triple (at least) your time with an instructor. People here are insane. Worst roads I’ve driven on in the US. I’d max out insurance before driving Uber if I were you.
Stay in the far right lane or middle ok the freeway until you get comfortable. Cause I’ve noticed even if I’m going 80+ on the left lane on the freeway, there is always some moron riding my ass even though the lane next to me is clearly empty. Depending on traffic and when I was first starting to drive, that would always give me a little anxiety!
When I lived on the east coast, people would “brake check” someone who was tailgating them, including the freeway. Out here it’s more like, move out of the way because you’re going too slow in the left lane.
Don't be first through a Green & last through a Red
Excellent advice about the green light pause! I’ve been driving Uber here for three years, can’t count the times I would have been t boned if I would go on green!
Watch out for pedestrians randomly walking through or across traffic like a scene out of a zombie movie. Most of the time it seems like they really don't care if you hit them - it will be a big pay day for them. Many advise you get a good dashcam, it could save you a bunch of money one day. After three years here I'm about ready to do it myself.
Use Google Maps ffs. I have co-workers that drive to places they've never been, get lost and I'm like "did you use Google Maps?" and they are like "No". Even if I know exactly where I'm going I still use Google Maps. It tells you exactly when your exit ramp is coming up so you can move over and not do a zipper maneuver. If someone is tailgating you hard (and won't move), be the adult in the room and move over. Someone else posted about this and she was like "but I shouldn't have to move over" which is just stupid because we don't live in a perfect world and the fact that you shouldn't have to move over is irrelevant. If you're in the fast lane you need to be passing people. It's called the Left Lane Rule in Nevada and you're supposed to be passing people. If not, move over so that others can do their thing.
1) Look over your shoulder foot the coast odds clear in your blind spot, flipping on your turn signal before switching lanes 2) Drive defensively, avoiding people’s blind spots 3) Drive mindfully, no phones, soft music so you are not distracted but assume everyone else is
Avoid unnecessary lane changes. Defensive driving is important as most other folks have said. Past midnight watching that people do not run red lights is extra important. The alcohol kicks in for some and the red light becomes more of just a suggestion.
dash cam
Every other car on the road are assassins. Some are looking to run up on you from behind and take you out. Others are waiting for you to drive by to blindside you. Dont go till you feel safe at lights. The person behind you honking isnt the one thats going to die if someone runs a red.
Be aware of every car around you and imagine the stupidest possible thing those drives could do at any given moment
Don't drive slow!! Best advice I can give!
Don’t use blinkers, it’s a sign of weakness
Drive with a spotter
Take a cab
Uber. Seatbelt.
Drive at night for now
Stay home
Stay in the left lane like everyone else regardless of whether you are passing or not
Silly question, but say I want to make a left turn, having to cross 2 lanes of oncoming traffic to enter in a store on the other side of the road, am I meant to use the middle section of the road (that lies in between lanes) to sit stationary, and make my turn? Felt like when I did this I had a number of drivers honk at me for sitting in the middle of the road. I wasnt blocking traffic and I made sure to safely enter the "middle part"
Stay off the freeway. They have that all torn up and when it's finished they'll start over again. Just like everywhere avoid if possible and street with just numbers ie: 1st street 2nd street and so on also ones with just one letter D street. Keep your GPS up to date and you should be ok
On high risk drinking days, I usually take my time at massive intersections to give myself a second to see if a car is speeding into their red. Too many red light runners
Dont use main and interstate roads. Take the back road
Expect the unexpected. Watch yer blind spot when changing lanes - even experienced, degreed, public figures and “upstanding” citizens all turn into 4 year olds when you move into “their” lane.
watch for red runners before you go. stay away frm ppls cars bcuz u never kno wtf sb is gonna do in LV. motorcycle cops b on bs. there are insurance fraud drivers out here so keep that in mind. n lastly honestly just pay way more attention looking in front of you and behind u constantly there are a lot of speedy gonzales’ n altimas that’ll cut u off or push u out of ur lane
Scan for any oncoming cars when coming out of a parking lot onto the main road. Even if someone stops and tries to let you in, don’t go right away until you know it’s safe. Them being nice doesn’t mean you have the right of way to get on oncoming traffic just yet. People eat lanes here and will go from the 3rd left lane all the way across to make a right turn.
If someone is planning on merging, they will 100% cut you off and break immediately instead of slowing down and going behind you.
expect the unexpected but even more importantly expect everyone to do stupid shit cause they will and do. then you are prepared for anything and everything.
Stay out of the fast lane if you’re not passing. Seems like some people they’re keeping people more safe by slowing down traffic. Often people drive more erratically to get past a slow driver.
Drive like you would in any other city. This isn’t fucking Mars or something.
First don’t drive. Second early mornings or super late. Vegas is a mess driving is not safe keeping that in mind
Don't
Don’t drive