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Old 07-16-2007, 03:34 PM
 
159 posts, read 810,566 times
Reputation: 68

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I'm curious as to why highway 17 is so dangerous. Is it two lanes and
windy or is it agressive drivers speeding and tailgating? I will only
have to use it occasionally and not for commuting but am wondering.
How bad is it? Going to and from san jose and santa cruz.
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Old 07-16-2007, 04:07 PM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,213 posts, read 16,686,935 times
Reputation: 9463
I have driven it in the rain and fog and people drive like 'bats out hell' and that is no exageration. It seems like a recipe for accidents just waiting to happen. I have driven a lot of mountain roads in all kinds of weather (snow, ice, driving hail, rain, fog) while living here in Colorado and while I lived in California. I don't even really consider the Santa Cruz Mtns. real mountains. But that seems to be one of the more dangerous drives based on the speeds ppl travel in bad weather.

Here in Colorado we have much more dangerous mtn. roads with no guard rails and 1000+' cliff drop offs. But 'most' ppl. drive accordingly. Not so on HWY 17 IMO. It 'seems' like most people are on crack and 5+ cups of coffee on their way to some emergency. When all they are really doing is just 'rushing' to watch TV or dinner. You can see the skid marks and I'm sure that once one car starts bouncing off the guard rail others join in.

- Derek
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Old 07-16-2007, 04:24 PM
 
Location: Northern California
3,722 posts, read 14,719,328 times
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Highway 17 is a windy mountain road. It's 4 lanes wide with a concrete barrier between opposing lanes. There is also a lot of truck traffic. People tend to drive faster than the posted limit and there is usually cops on this highway going after speeders. And driving this highway in the dark or on a rainy day can make things worse.
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Old 07-16-2007, 04:24 PM
 
159 posts, read 810,566 times
Reputation: 68
HWY 17 IMO. It 'seems' like most people are on crack and 5+ cups of coffee on their way to some emergency. When all they are really doing is just 'rushing' to watch TV or dinner. You can see the skid marks and I'm sure that once one car starts bouncing off the guard rail others join in.

- Derek[/

Okay, now I get it... it's crazy commuters. I'm going to pick off hours
to use it and avoid it completely if possible in bad weather. Thanks!
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Old 07-16-2007, 04:27 PM
 
159 posts, read 810,566 times
Reputation: 68
Quote:
Originally Posted by humboldtrat View Post
Highway 17 is a windy mountain road. It's 4 lanes wide with a concrete barrier between opposing lanes. There is also a lot of truck traffic. People tend to drive faster than the posted limit and there is usually cops on this highway going after speeders. And driving this highway in the dark or on a rainy day can make things worse.
Okay, so it is four lanes but with the truck and the windy turns and
agressive drivers I can see it's not a great place to travel on.

Thanks for the info. I'm glad the highway patrol watches it...
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Old 07-16-2007, 04:34 PM
 
Location: yeah
5,717 posts, read 16,343,273 times
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It's all the people that drive it. Highway 17 is a freeway in the valley (also signed as 880 further north) that becomes a winding mountain pass. The switch is not made accordingly by most people, though.
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Old 07-17-2007, 07:52 PM
 
60 posts, read 435,674 times
Reputation: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by lexi View Post
I'm curious as to why highway 17 is so dangerous. Is it two lanes and
windy or is it agressive drivers speeding and tailgating? I will only
have to use it occasionally and not for commuting but am wondering.
How bad is it? Going to and from san jose and santa cruz.
In addition to the previous comments about 17, when it is foggy out, especially in the evening, visibility is incredibly difficult. And unfortunately, that doesn't usually slow down drivers as much as it should. When I think about my ten years of commuting over 17 (occasionally), it is night fog that fills me with dread.
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Old 07-25-2007, 08:07 PM
 
Location: Lubbock Texas
42 posts, read 210,620 times
Reputation: 42
I drove over 17 from San Jose to Santa Cruz every day for 10 years. The first three months are scarry but after that you become as crazy as all the others!
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Old 07-26-2007, 09:55 AM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,213 posts, read 16,686,935 times
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LOL...

Jim that is geat! I was hoping someone who got used to the madness like yourself would chime in. And no, I don't think everyone was OD'ing on Crack and/or Caffeine. It just really appears that way to the casual observer.

I guess after the first three months you realize it is either speed and drive a 'bat out of hell' or get run over while driving more sane.

- Derek
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Old 07-28-2007, 06:13 AM
 
Location: Sarasota, Florida
251 posts, read 1,066,001 times
Reputation: 114
I live in Santa Cruz County for two months, and took 17 a handfull of times going back and forth between SC and SJ. There is no way in heck that I would travel it everyday. While (for some reason) there are not a lot of accidents on that highway, when there is one it's usually pretty serious, and from what I've seen, getting emergency help (fire/ems) usually takes some time.

Personally, I wouldn't make that trip everyday, unless my employer's pay was worth it.
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