I found this map on CNN today that was part of a larger article about how nation-wide 1 out of every 5 drivers wouldn't be able to pass a drivers test. And to be honest with the types of situations I deal with on the road daily, Im surprised that it wasn't 4 out of 5 drivers.

Regardless, the interactive map showing bad driving habits was very interesting. The first thing it showed that blew my mind...California was not in the top ten for any of the habits! I both see and read about plenty of bad habits here in L.A. If you don't know of the wonderful site "LA Cant Drive" you should spend a few minutes and read some of the stories of what goes on here in the greater L.A. area. Granted, most of these stories are not habits listed in the CNN map, but they are terrible none the less. Obviously people aren't going to admit that they park across multiple spaces or have no problem leap-frogging an entire group of other drivers who have waited patiently, and so there would never be a way to map it.

Still it would be interesting to map out where those types of driving tend to take place...I can think of a few locations off the top of my head. Artesia Blvd and Vermont Ave in the city of Gardena. A four lane road splits into three freeway entrances. Most traffic is heading onto the 91 East and so those lanes stack up quickly. At some point those lanes become full and people stack into the other lanes to leap frog groups of people, often times with the end result being a dozen people cutting others off as the group moves through the intersection. Here is a birds-eye view:

I'd say at least 80% of the cars inside the red box will be merging left at the last moment, where the arrow points. As you can see in the photo, the far right lane splits off almost immediately. The first car in that line guns it and heads left while behind, others will sit in the lane and wait to move over if they cannot find an opening. Needless to say, I try to avoid it on my drive home.