Portland's polite drivers

You've probably already seen the story.

New York City replaced Miami as the most road-rage filled city in the United States, according to a survey commissioned by AutoVantage of 25 metropolitan areas. Miami had "won" the top spot the past three years but slipped to No. 7 this year.

And how did Portland do?

We topped the list of cities with Most Courteous Drivers. Like you, I'm shocked -- just shocked -- at the ranking.

I mean, come on, this is a city where drivers at a four-way stop burn a gallon of gas waiting for someone to actually proceed through the intersection.

Please, you first.
No, go you first.
Oh, I insist.
No, really..

It's also a city where, as I've noted previously, drivers are apt to stop in the middle of the road -- even though there's no stop sign, no crosswalk, no bad weather -- to let someone cross the street.

Doesn't matter if other drivers have to suddenly brake to avoid a rear-end collision. Doesn't matter if the pedestrian is a healthy, physically capable adult. Heck, doesn't even matter if you're on a four-lane street with a green light. I was traveling west on Hawthorne Boulevard when two eastbound drivers decided to stop to let a dude and his dog cross. Good thing for them they didn't step into the crosswalk cuz I had no intention of stopping. Hello? That's what a red light is for.

Listen, I'm happy to live (and drive) in a city where motorists are civil to each other. New York, Dallas, Detroit...they deserve their high rankings for Most Road Rage. But when it comes to common sense, there is such a thing as being too polite.

Read the press release and see the complete rankings here: http://www.autovantageroadragesurvey.com/

Read a blog post by The Oregonian's Joe Rose on the survey findings at OregonLive.com

Photo by Jamie Francis, The Oregonian