Of interest, of course, to the research staff here at DLA was the incidence of Massachusetts driver reports. Massachusetts drivers were the second most reported violators over the past 30 days...but a poor second place showing it was: only five reports with first place finisher Illinois sweeping the field with 37 reports.
Source: AboveAverageDriver.com
But nothing stumps the DLA research team for long. Researchers here have long suspected that ass-like driving behavior is something of a defacto standard and, it seems, the standard to which most drivers aspire. Hence, most native assachusetts drivers would be at a loss if asked to identify a single act of ass-like driving behavior. In fact, it is theorized that quite the converse would be true: Massachusetts drivers would be more likely to identify as ass-like anyone who did NOT behave in a manner similar to the rest of the drivers since, clearly, such drivers are impeding traffic, creating a hazard, and, basically, causing a nuisance.
One grey-templed DLA staffer recalled an early example of this phenomenon in an article by Caskie Stinnett, the late travel writer, editor of Holiday magazine, founder of Leisure magazine, and all-round grumbler and intolerant. Mr. Stinnett related an incident he witnessed on Storrow Drive in Boston while driving with a "native" Boston driver in which car in front of them carefully signalled and suddenly performed a U-turn, jumping the median strip, and speeding off in the opposite direction. Stunned and speechless, Mr. Stinnett turned to his friend who, shaking his head in wonder, said: "Gosh...I'd NEVER have the nerve to try that!"
It takes one to know one, I guess.
