ROAD WARRIOR: Newbie finds Wild West on valley roads
Rush hour traffic creates streaks of headlights and taillights on U.S. Highway 95 near downtown Las Vegas last week. The valley's notoriously aggressive drivers have at least one newcomer edgy about driving around town. "It's eye-opening," says the woman from the Midwest, 61. "We're not scaredy cats. But we were scared here" when on the go. Photo by Isaac Brekken.
For those of us who moved here from somewhere else, which is most of us, there comes that moment when we rub the sleep from our naive eyes, sigh deeply and wonder if a lobotomy and a death wish are required for a Nevada driver's license.
For Kirsten Detken, that realization came shortly after she and her husband moved to Henderson from the Midwest in September.
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"It's eye-opening," Detken, 61, recalled last week. "We're not scaredy cats. But we were scared here" when on the go.
That's no surprise to jaded old-timers who lament but grudgingly accept that our roads have become a bizarre Darwinian world where anything goes when jockeying for the fast lane, and who share Detken's plight.
"Everybody feels the same. They're rude. And everybody's aggressive," Detken said of valley drivers. "But you have to get used to it. It's Vegas."
Welcome to the Wild West, newbie.
Now, Detken's no amateur autoist. She's been driving since she was 20. And she's from the Detroit area, hardly a one-stoplight town. She's seen her share of finger-up, brain-off driving.
"Nothing like here," she said. "We've seen red light runners. That's everywhere. But there's so many here.
"It's just not the kids. It's not just an old person. It's a mother in an SUV having trouble staying in the lane while a kid's in the back and she's on her cell. ... Do you think everybody's lost in their own little world?"
Detken wants to be clear: She's not ragging on valley folks. She likes the people she's met. Just not the ones driving near her.
"They tailgate. They cut in. It's not everybody, but it's a lot," she said. "It's a mess on the freeways. A lot of lane-jumping. Not polite drivers. People are so rude," she said. "Why is that?"
Good question. Over the years, we've sought answers from veteran analysts and armchair psychologists alike.
Depending on whom you ask, blame our driving on our anything-goes, me-first lifestyles. Or insulated neighborhoods that encourage selfishness and a lack of social cohesion. Or unwalkable communities that force us to drive more often. Or the mishmash of driving habits from elsewhere that people bring here. Or straight and wide streets that encourage speeding. Or never-ending road work zones, congested streets and ill-timed stoplights that spark road rage.
Nothing conclusive. But the end results are apparent.
In 2003, more than half of the people killed in car wrecks in Clark County were in a crash in which at least one driver was legally drunk, compared to just 34 percent nationwide. Deadly stop sign and stoplight running wrecks happen here at twice the national rate, as do fatal wrecks blamed on distracted driving, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
Those drivers seem not to have learned from past mistakes. Nearly 65 percent of drivers in fatal crashes here had prior traffic convictions, compared to fewer than 41 percent nationwide.
And every year, we set a new record for the number of traffic deaths.
"My husband and I just find it odd that when fatalities are mentioned in this area, nobody seems to be concerned about it," Detken said. "It's like, ’ÄòOh, well, another accident.' It doesn't seem to matter to anyone."
Even though Detken's time living here has been shorter than a typical toaster warranty, she's seen plenty of close calls.
"There was a van coming off the ramp" one day from the Las Vegas Beltway to Eastern Avenue. "Just pffffft. Just pulled right in front of a guy in a convertible. It was so close," she said. "He didn't stop and almost turned over on top of the convertible."
At first, Detken wanted nothing to do with her car. "It took me a while. I was really, really intimidated to get going. I told my husband, ’ÄòI don't know if I can drive here,'" she said.
Then, she got a job at McCarran International Airport. Every workday, she passes through the airport connector tunnel from the Beltway.
"I'm just clutching that wheel," she said. "It says 55 (mph speed limit) in that tunnel. It's like, pfffft. They're gone. And I'm doing 55 or 60.
"Do you just get caught up in the whole thing and go with the flow?" she asked.
She doesn't have much advice for other newcomers.
"I don't know," Detken said. "You should be aware that it's a different type of driving.
"Everybody should just be on the lookout. Really, drive more carefully. My cousin, who's been here for two years, said you've got to be aware," she said. "I've always been conscientious. Now, I'm 10 times more conscientious. I'm looking, looking, looking."
Detken doesn't assume a green light means it's safe for her to proceed. And she's wary of unexpected or aggressive U-turns in her path.
Nevertheless, Detken plans to stick it out. She likes it here and enjoys being close to her daughter, who's just down the road in L.A.
But where she lives may ultimately depend on how we drive.
"I did say, if anything drives me out of here, it's the driving," she said.
If you have a question, tip or tirade, call the Road Warrior at 387-2904, or e-mail him at roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com or OSofradzija@reviewjournal.com. Please include your phone number.
Bridge deck repairs will cause lane reductions on northbound and southbound Interstate 15 at Lake Mead Boulevard in North Las Vegas until 4 a.m. Monday. Drivers are advised to use lane shifts as directed and use caution in the work zone.
Overnight lane shifts will be in effect on Valley View Boulevard and Decatur Boulevard between Washington Avenue and Meadows Lane every night from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. from tonight through Nov. 30.
Drivers can expect various lane restrictions on northbound and southbound Interstate 15 in San Bernardino County, Calif., around the Cajon Pass at Devore, and Barstow. Drivers can expect long delays and are urged to avoid the area altogether, if possible. Most restrictions will be lifted later this week to allow for Thanksgiving holiday traffic. Drivers should watch for updates on future closures. To sign up for e-mail alerts on I-15 road work in California or for more project information, go online to www.caltrans8.info and click on the "Devore 2" link. For phone updates on Southern California road work, call (916) 445-7623 or (909) 383-7960.
