Driving in Portland

Drivers are much nicer in Oregon than they are in California.  I had heard this before but, after 6 months living in Portland, I can now attest to it - they ARE nicer.  They graciously wave you into traffic; they almost race to be first to pull into an available space to let the other car pass when on a narrow street; they aren't impatient when waiting for you to move into traffic; they don't honk; they drive the speed limit - I could go on and on.  It's different for me.  I had early training in New York City.  I could go one-on-one with any taxi driver I met. And have you ever driven in Boston?  They are the worst in my mind and I survived many trips there.  Although I learned to drive in California I moved to the East right after college so didn't really understand California-style driving versus any other until I returned to California with my family in 1987.  It was easier than driving in the East so I didn't think much about it - normal to me.  

But then I moved here.  They are so nice I have had to seriously revisit how I drive.  I have become a much kinder, gentler driver.  For one thing, I no longer speed.  Well, let me explain - in California I had operated on the belief that the 25-mile local speed was a suggestion and 10 miles over a speed limit wasn't actually speeding.  I believe that most Californians are right there with me.  But not here.  I have slowed down.  I actually drive the speed limit and am, many times, surprised that I am enjoying it.  I look carefully before making turns to make sure there is enough room so that I don't startle any Oregonian who is used to lots of space between cars. When I arrive at a stop sign I wait to make sure I have the right of way before proceeding - and this is usually accompanied by others waving me forward.  I am gracious in parking lots - "No, you take that space, I can find another."  I honked for the first time about a month ago when a driver was very very very close to backing into me in a parking lot - but I really thought about it and waited to the last second to give him time to self-correct.  And when I honked, it was a tap, tap - not a California HHHHOOOONNNNKKKK.  

So I was interested in what would happen when I returned for a quick visit to California.  Would I immediately revert or would Oregonian kindness override 25+ years of California driving experience?  I wish I could say that kindness pervailed but it did not.  I was pretty appalled at how quickly California-learned behaviors reasserted themselves - about 5 miles from the airport car rental agency, I would say.  I eventually excused it, telling myself it was safer to drive as the rest of them do.  Other Californians wouldn't be prepared for my new sensibilities.  It was better to not rock the boat.

However, today, back in Portland, everything changed. Another driver honked at me.  Yes, I got honked.  I was making a right turn into traffic on a local two-lane road at 3:30 - school busses, moms driving kids to whatever appointments they had, the usual.  I had to wait a long time for a space and I knew, when I made my eventual move, that is was too close to an oncoming car for Oregonian standards.  So when I heard the honk, I knew I deserved it.  I had knowingly done wrong.  The fact that I had just returned from driving in California did not excuse me.  I started to wave an apology to the driver behind me when I noticed his license plate.  Get ready - it was a California plate.  California.  Really?  REALLY?  In an instant everything changed. How dare a Californian honk at me?  What I had just done was perfectly acceptable in California.  I would go so far as to suggest that two California drivers would have fit into the space my single car elected to turn into.  If there is a California-Drive-O-Meter anywhere, I know my behavior fell completely within the normal range.  Really! How dare he?

Of course, I then had to laugh.  It was not the end of the world - just a reminder to get back to Oregonian standards.  But thinking about it now, 6 hours later, I have come to a new conclusion.  It didn't count.  If it had come from an Oregonian, it would, but NOT from a Californian.  No way.  So I have decided I remain honk-free.  I am doing just fine.