Learning How Not to Kill Others or Get Killed by Me on the Road. Without a doubt, the Charlottesville community features the lowest-quality drivers of any place that I have ever visited, save perhaps downtown Pittsburgh at 3 AM on New Year's Day. The problem stems from the demographic makeup of the area, with several thousand college retirees meshing with several thousand college students. Many of the former seemingly have not gotten used to a third speed on a transmission. I have witnessed more accidents in my year and a half here than in 17 years spent in three different states.
Drivers tailgate each other like a redneck family pursuing a groom for a shotgun wedding.
Then they look dumbfounded when someone stops suddenly and they can't react in time to maintain the four-millimeter space cushion. Then, these same people clam up when trying to turn into a remotely busy road. Apparently, they're waiting for Moses to wave his hands before they'll make that left. Part of the problem stems from the types of automobiles driven around here. Most students spend more on their undergraduate books than they do on their cars.