Los Angeles, we get it already! Your traffic is the worst. The biggest problem with this old humblebrag is that it assumes soul-sucking gridlock is the lone measure of automotive misery. Well hear this, Angelenos: There's a lot more to it than that, and we motorists in cities across the nation suffer, too —perhaps nowhere more so, ironically, than the Motor City itself: Detroit.
According to a new study by WalletHub, The D gets an F when it comes to driving desirability — and it ranks as the No. 1 worst city to drive in.
WalletHub's report named 2018's best and worst cities to drive in based on 29 key metrics across four categories:
- Cost of ownership and maintenance
- Traffic and infrastructure, including weather
- Safety, including accident and fatality rates, seat belt use, car theft and traffic laws
- Access to vehicles and maintenance, including gas prices
So, where else is driving a drag? Rounding out the top 10 worst places to drive in are:
- San Francisco
- Oakland, Calif.
- Philadelphia
- Seattle
- Boston
- New York
- Newark, N.J.
- Then Los Angeles
- And Chicago
Other notable cities on the list of places to avoid if you love to drive include:
- Washington, D.C., at No. 11
- Cleveland, No. 16
- New Orleans, No. 22
- Buffalo, N.Y., No. 24
- Denver, No. 26
- Minneapolis, No. 31
- My hometown, St. Louis, No. 34
- Louisville, Ky., No. 39
- Portland, Ore., No. 41
- Sacramento, Calif., No. 48
On the other end of the driver-satisfaction spectrum, the top three best places to drive in are:
- Raleigh, N.C.
- Corpus Christi, Texas
- Orlando, Fla.
Now, these rankings mean little when you're inching your way home on the highway after a long day at the office, stranded in the snow or paying through the nose for gas — which is why everyone tends to think their city is the worst to drive in.
But, hey, take heart in at least this: Not being special for having a crummy commute will drive those L.A. people nuts.
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