My brother routinely bombs around B'ham at close to 90 on stretches of highway. You'd think it'd be terrifying, but I was shocked when I realized it because it wasn't (after driving around with him for days.) But on the whole? Most people bombing around at 90 are scary as shit, and so I wouldn't blame anyone for being nervous seeing my brother's car approach in the rearview mirror.

suddenly finding myself in a disappearing lane as two 3-4 lane highways merged somewhere in NJ

Houston has a few of those.

And god, the entrance to I-35 right by the UT campus in Austin is a deathtrap. It goes something like:

1) Enter freeway
2) Realize that there's no acceleration lane
3) Realize that there's no shoulder to your right, only a concrete wall
4) Realize that oncoming traffic is screaming toward you at 70mph
5) Wish you'd just stayed home

And god, the entrance to I-35 right by the UT campus in Austin is a deathtrap.

I saw quite a few of those no acceleration lane on ramps when I lived in Texas. People I knew called them suicide on ramps.

Yes, driving in Texas with the disappearing lanes was quite interesting. Although I guess it prepared me for them here. So there's that.

128? Dangerous (though not because of speed so much as douchebaggery and breakdowns and abuse of breakdown lanes).

Also due to curvy as hell and in terrible shape all the time. We won't talk about the random flying (he, typed flaying first) sewer grates.

I saw quite a few of those no acceleration lane on ramps when I lived in Texas. People I knew called them suicide on ramps.

I think acceleration lanes interfere with Texas's macho cowboy thing.

My favorite is 35 meeting up with 30 and 75. It's all, "Chane lanes! Now! To the right! 10 seconds to get all the way to the left! Go! Go! Go!"

Really woke me up on my way to work, I'll tell you what.

The no signal thing drives me insane. Why would you not signal on the 405, which is a 5 lane freeway on which people (on occasion) are going 70 and whipping across lanes? They just recently instituted a merge when going from the 405 to the 10 with NO signage. Dumbasses. Wow I'm cranky today.

My DH lays some of the blame on bad driving to kids brought up on videogames, who have learned that you are competing with other drivers, rather than sharing with them.

One thing I like about Chicagoland drivers is that it's ingrained in them to pull over to the right lane/shoulder and stop as soon as you hear a siren. When I was out at my sister's in Las Vegas last week, I was shocked that nobody pulled over until the last possible minute for an ambulance.

1) Enter freeway

2) Realize that there's no acceleration lane

3) Realize that there's no shoulder to your right, only a concrete wall

4) Realize that oncoming traffic is screaming toward you at 70mph

5) Wish you'd just stayed home

This reminds of how you used to have to get to Storrow drive from coming in to Boston from the north, except step 5 would be "Cross five lanes of 70 mph traffic in approximately 200 yards". Step 6 would be "Scream and watch your life pass before you".