July 18, 2025 • 40 mins
According to Allstate's 2025 Best Driver Report, Boston ranked worst in the nation for the 10th consecutive year! The report found that Boston drivers are 244-percent more likely to get into a collision than the national average. Do you think Boston drivers are really that bad? What are your experiences driving on the roads in the Greater Boston area? What makes us so bad and what can we do, if anything, to turn that around?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm youbs Costin's new video.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Well, thank you very much. We have an interesting subject
here as we move towards the weekend, and the weekend
now is the scant less than two hours away, because
we get you all the way to set, well virtually
all the way to Saturday morning till about eleven fifty eight.
At eleven, we're going to do our twentieth hour of
the week, which has been a tradition on this program
(00:28):
for many years. And I'm not sure we're going to
do tonight, but I'll figure it out. I have a
couple of thoughts in my mind, and I don't know
I'll pick the right one. All State Insurance since two
thousand and five, for twenty years now they have filed
(00:52):
a report to analyze data related to auto insurance claims
in the two hundred most populated US cities to create
what they call the twenty twenty five America's Best Drivers Report.
This was, as they said, first launched in twenty twenty five,
(01:14):
and this year's report does the same as all the
other years reports have done. They revisit collision data published
a decade ago to reveal surprising shifts in driving safety
across the country. Well, the safest city in America in
which to drive is Brownsville, Texas. I've never been to Brownsville, Texas.
(01:39):
I've been near Brownsville, Texas, but that's okay. The second
safest city in which to drive is the capital of Idaho, Boise, Idaho.
Pretty bew collic out there in Idaho. Wouldn't you say?
Number three? Fort Collins, Colorado? Number four Carrie, North Carolina,
(02:00):
and number five Laredo, Texas. So as you can see
the top the safest communities, the safest driving cities Brownsville, Texas, Boise, Idaho,
Fort Collins, Colorado, carry North Carolina, and Laredo, Texas. Not
necessarily cities that you would think of, but you understand
(02:20):
that they driving in those cities probably safe. So let's
go to the other end of the list. Okay, the
least safe city or the riskiest driving city, the cities
where drivers are most likely to experience a collision. That
is the standard. Okay, and Boston, Massachusetts is the riskiest. Okay.
(02:50):
I want to hear those of you tonight who would
I'd like to take pride in this that we're number one.
We are the riskiest city to drive in America. If
you drive in America and you drive in Boston, you
are driving in the riskiest city. And if you drive
in Boston and you don't have things all over your car,
(03:13):
you should be congratulated because it's just not accidents that
you might cause, but it's accident that other drivers might
inflict on you. Think about it, Okay. The second most
risky city, risky for a lot of things is Washington,
d C. They're going to pick your pocket down there.
(03:35):
I mean, the Congress will pick your pocket every day
of the week. The third most riskiest city is Baltimore, Maryland.
So both of those cities are within the sound of
my voice. And if you have some experience good, bad,
or ugly in those any of those three cities, we
want to hear from you. But guess what the fourth
(03:57):
riskiest This is amongst the two hundred largest metropolitan areas
in the country, the two hundred biggest cities in the country, Worcestern,
Massachusetts is the fourth riskiest. The fifth riskiest Springfield. Not Springfield, Illinois. No, no, no,
(04:21):
not Springfield, Ohio. There's a lot of states that have
a Springfield, but Springfield Massachusetts. So of the five riskiest
cities in which to drive in these United States of America, Massachusetts,
(04:42):
Massachusetts has three of the top five, including the riskiest.
I'm not surprised I drive in this city. Oh but
I'm in the city every day. I live close to
the city. I know the city I'd love to hear from.
Do you agree with this or do you think we
(05:04):
are getting a bad rap I agree with it. I
absolutely agree with it. And I have to wonder if
bike lanes have contributed to these statistics. This is all state.
All State doesn't have an Acts to grind here. They
just put some data, collision data into some machine computer
(05:33):
and it spits out the answers. So two hundred most
populated cities, and as they say, Baltimore and Washington are
the second and third most dangerous or riskiest. Boston's number one.
We're number one, We're number one, and Worcester is number four.
(05:55):
In Springfield's number five. By the way, Providence is six, seventh, eighth, ninth. Okay,
so so we got we got a We got four
New England cities in the top ten, but three of
them are in Massachusetts. Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten,
thirty six one, seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty. You
(06:16):
can defend drivers in Massachusetts. I have the list. It's
you can find it at this all state website if
you'd like. I'm not gonna like peruse it and try
to tell you if you live in Minneapolis where that stands.
I'm just focused on the pride living in a region
(06:36):
where it is in three of the five Well, I
guess they're the three biggest cities in that. Well, Wooster's
the second biggest city in New England that I know.
The only line that's open right now is six one, seven, nine, three, one,
ten thirty. Those lines have not been very active tonight,
so you can light them up and we're gonna right
right back to carl Its. So you can defend the report.
(06:58):
You could say yeah, there right, or you can tell
me that you think we're a safe driving city. I won't.
I promise I will not laugh at you, at least
out loud. Back on nightside six one seven The only
linees open six one, seven, nine, ten thirty. And ladies,
don't let the men dominate this. You drive as much
in this city, in the cities Boston, Springfield and Worcester
(07:22):
as anyone. We'll be back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
You're on Nightside with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Far Let's go to the phones here and see what
people have to say about driving in Boston. And I
think it probably means greater Boston, but well we'll have
to see about that. Let me go to Alex in Millis. Alex,
do you think this survey is accurate or out to lunch?
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Not exactly? How is this possible because as all of you,
as probably all the listeners know, I've seen New Yorkers
and new people from New Jersey and they all qualify
for NASCAR. There there is no way that that Massachusetts
is riskier than those states. Although we're not, we're not angels,
(08:11):
you know, I have to admit.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
That's darn big of you.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Alex.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yeah, I don't know. I mean they they said it's statistics,
That's what I mean. Why would all state you know,
rig their statistics. They're basically saying, hey, Boston, of Worcester
and Stringfield your lousy drivers.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Well maybe, like you know, the majority of people, I'm
sure try to be safe and everything, but they just
picked to say, you know, I mean, it could be
biased I don't know what kind of a survey they
did or what kind of you know, how they gauged this.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
They said they've done it for twenty years, twenty five
years or twenty years, and that they say that they
they took. The strategy that they used was they took
collision data available and uh, had I found out that
that we were the worst? We were we were the
riskiest city in which to drive, That's what they said.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
I don't get it. And you know something, Dan, I've
driven overseas, you know, in uh, you know, uh in
Europe when I've gone on vacation, and those people are
you know, insane. I mean they you know, there's no
there's no you know, it's like the wild wide.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Okay, well, you know, hey, I I don't disagree with you,
but again, this survey is not in Europe. This is
just in the good old US of A. We're number one.
Maybe we should take we should take some pride of it.
We're number one at least in this where the riskiest city.
Are you a good driver?
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Well I drove. I drove for ups. I mean I
do drive. I have to admit, you know, I'm not
the slowest driver. And I'm not the cre this driver.
But you know, I was taught that you know, you
use you use a triangular method of driving, meaning that
you always, you know, shift your move your eyes left, center, right,
(10:13):
and this way here. You know you can you can next,
you can actually foresee something, you know, I mean, at
least it gives you a.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Well what you know, what my rule of thumb is
is that everybody else in the road is trying to
hit me, and therefore I definitely drive defensively. I mean,
I'm assuming that if you're coming in the opposite direction,
then anything can happen. You could have a heart attack,
you could be distracted, you could be talking on you
not not you know, going after you, Alex. But and
(10:45):
so I'm always looking, Okay, where do I go if
this person all of a sudden it comes across the
center panel. One of the reasons I don't like to
drive in the left lane, although I can, I can
drive with the fastest the fastest if you want, is
you're in the left lane and some other driver coming
in the opposite direction has a major medical problem and
(11:09):
they hit your head on its lights out.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Also, you know you have to say this, Dan, if
you drive in Boston, it does shop in your reflexes.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Do you agree?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Yeah, I would agree with that because I think people
are aggressive drivers, There's no question about that. And I
think the bike lanes don't make it any simpler. And
I think people get frustrated. I get frustrated when people
intentionally roll into intersections as the light is about to turn,
you know, or it turns yellow, and they know they
(11:40):
kind of get through the intersections, so they just keep
rolling and they stop in the middle of the intersection,
and when the light turns green in the other direction, nobody.
That's something that in New York. If you what they
call block the box, they hit you with a big fine.
And they should start doing that in Boston too.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
And I was wondering, why do people back out of
You know, you shouldn't back out unless necessary.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
That's what I always always stopped at.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Well, I've seen people back out of driveways all the time.
But what happens is that in a in a city
and where you don't have a lot of room, maybe
your time turn around in your driveway. I mean it's
as simple as that. I mean, if but you better
be careful doing it, that's for sure. And then The
other thing is when you're in the parking lot and
the person next to you has to have the biggest
s u V made in the in the in the world. Uh,
(12:29):
and you have to back out of the parking lot
because you that's you drove in back out, you cannot
see a thing. It's almost you got to go slowly
and hope that there's not someone cruising through the parking lot.
It's not paying attention.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I always use my horn because you know, that's that's
another technique that you know.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Uh, that's a good tip Alex, that that might save somebody. Yeah,
use your horn while you're backing.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Up and make a little horn not aggressive. Yeah, just
tap it too, like three or four times.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
All right, Alex, Great, great suggestions. Thanks my friend, talk
to you soon. All right. Now, this survey is for
American drivers, but we have our friend Daryl up in
New Brunswick who wants the way in. So Daryl, you
go right ahead. Be careful if you come to Boston
or to Worcester or to Springfield. We're bad drivers down here.
(13:20):
How are you?
Speaker 5 (13:22):
Hey? I'm awesome, and I'm actually respecting what your callers
are saying. It's people don't realize that if you actually
do not back into your driveway and you pull out again,
people are not covered because you're backing out, and anytime
(13:44):
you have a backing accident, you're at fault.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I'm not so sure about that down here, to be
honest with you, but you might be right, and you
might be referring to what the rules are in Canada.
I mean, if you're backing out of your drive and
you're going as carefully as you can and some knucklehead
t bones you because he's going fifty five miles an
arrow on a suburban street, I'm not sure that that
(14:12):
would result in you being determined to be a fault.
But well, I don't know it well enough.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
No, Daryl, I'm actually giving you proper information from actually
people that actually came to me complaining about how I
was parking my vehicle that was actually backing in.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
But again, you're in Canada, so you have to comply
with the rules and the insurance rules in Canada. What
I'm saying is they may be different down here. That's all.
You might be right. You might be right, and it
certainly is better. It's better to turn around if you
can make what they call a three point turn and
turn around and head out of your driveway. But you
(14:53):
can get hit by some knucklehead flying down the road. Well,
you're backing out of driving straight. Unfortunately, we have three
of the most risky cities in America right here in Massachusetts.
Does that make you more or less likely to come
and visit a fine state of Massachusetts?
Speaker 5 (15:10):
Hey, I'm still coming, brave man, Darryl. No, no, no,
trust me, because when I was in Detroit again we
go back to different stuff. Right, but the whole newsiting, No,
the whole point being is people are so aggressive. They're
not looking back when rules were developed, right, all right.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
And I think you might be right. Maybe they are
too aggressive.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
No, but when you go to all state or state
farm of whoever it is, they're looking to pay out
as less as possible.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Obviously. Yeah, I mean that's pretty simple. How can I
disagree with you on that? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (15:55):
So no, but hey, you guys keep doing your good
radio and that's why we keep listening and participat right.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Thanks, have a great weekend. Okay, Thanks, thanks Daryl, Thanks
very much.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
Hey, try and say some money and the insurancement.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
We'll try to do that too, Okay, good night, let
me go to Boat and Hold in Massachusetts. I know
where holding is. Hi, Bo, how are you?
Speaker 6 (16:18):
How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Then?
Speaker 6 (16:19):
I'm fine, thank you. I just got home from work,
and I tell you what my opinion is. Again. I
have driver's licenses for Romania, United alabamir Rates, UK and
United States. Yes, I used to have a Florida one,
Michigan one, and now I have a Massachusetts for the
last I would say fifteen years.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Wow, you have lived in different parts of the world.
I'm envious.
Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah, thank you. That was my job. So it's so
easy in the United States, not only in Massachusetts to
get a driver's licens. It blows my mind. In Romania,
for example, you have to do mandat only thirty hours
of cool. The exam is infinitely more difficult. So a
lot of people they are driving here and they don't
(17:07):
have the skills. I'm sorry to say it.
Speaker 7 (17:09):
Two.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
The state of the road. I mean we have some
of the bedroads, continuous roadwork all over. I mean, I'm stunned,
but I mean, let's I know we have bad weather.
New Hampshire has bad weather. You cross the line between
the two states and you're in another world.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Because I totally agree with you on that poll. Well,
I have made that that statement as well. New Hampshire
is to the north of US and theoretically has tougher
winters than we do, and their roads not only are better,
but they cost less. They cost like about twenty percent.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Road much less.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
And it's the same areas which are the continuous road work.
Hold them for example, it's a continuous road work since
I bought the house here, I'm not gonna go fartherber
three again. And I had I'm not even gonna go
in details. It happened I think last week in couples.
Hit was on a motorcycle. Yeah, two cups. They were
(18:11):
hit by a drunk woman. It's substance abuse. This is
not And again I'm not on anybody's side. Don't drink
and drive.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
We just we just had. We just had a state
rap who apparently was in the wrapper and he plowed
into a car which was parked, and then he took off,
and I guess there was some person who followed him. Uh.
And when he got out, he was pretty inebriated, according
(18:44):
to the police reports, And of course he was doing
the telling everybody.
Speaker 6 (18:49):
I was hit head on collision in Ashland in twenty
fifteen by a dead drunk woman, me and my daughter
in the car who got in the trauma unique in
the children's hospital in Boston. I was left with the
I mean, I would say permanent disability. I have at
least I can use a crossbow. But and there was
I didn't even go to the trial. I didn't want
(19:10):
to do a victim statement, but it kind of you
know what.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
I in Iceland, I'm just you said that was in Iceland.
Was she convicted in that trial in Ashland?
Speaker 6 (19:22):
I'm sorry?
Speaker 2 (19:22):
In Aland I'm sorry. I thought you said I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (19:26):
Okay, So legion by a dead drunk person, yeah, who
I don't know what happened, but probably it's a U
I probably you know it's not. And again I'm not
for stricter punishment, but for example, I compare with you know,
Europe Romania, you get DUI two years, they suspend your
license and you have to pass the exam again. And
(19:49):
guess what, I know somebody who didn't pass it for
nine times after he got his license suspended. So in here,
I don't know, it's a very I would say high
tolerance to to people driving under interest, not only alcohol,
medication you name it.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Yeah, well yeah, now you have you have alcohol and
marijuana and medication. I'll tell you this, bowl, it has
become better. It used to be in Massachusetts that that
people you you know, if if you hadn't had four
or five drinks, then then then you know you you
(20:28):
you weren't. It was almost a rite of passage. And
there have been a lot of people killed in drunk driving.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
And I think that these are the conditions, not that
maybe bicycle lanes are not me. I'm not the cause.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
You know, they don't make they don't make it any
easier in my opinion, bowl. But but we can disagree
with that, don't.
Speaker 6 (20:49):
But again it's a sensitive I don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
By the way, back back in the seventies and eighties,
they used to have happy hours and people would go
in and and throw down four or five mixed drinks
after work and then drive home.
Speaker 6 (21:04):
I missed that times.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
See, hey, Paul, if you look on my show before,
this is your first time.
Speaker 6 (21:11):
This is your first time I called before, I called before.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Well you keep calling, Okay. I enjoyed the conversation, and
I hope, I.
Speaker 6 (21:19):
Hope you're going to becoming to I do too then,
and your program is fantastic. I always listen on my
way back to back from work, and uh yeah, you're
just fantastic.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Thank you, well, thank you. And we got to get
you a radio so you can listen in the house too. Okay,
I'm only kidding time for that.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Thank thanks.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Bo.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
We did a we did a river cruise about I
guess was now five or six years ago on the
Danube River. And the tour guy that we had was
a young guy from Romania. Really impressive.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
So we work on all the I worked twelve years
on cruise ships. So did you well see maybe say
it was all over the world.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
We should talk about that sometimes. That's he was fantastic.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
That would be a great topic about the modern slavery
on cruise ships registered in Bahamas registered guess what Liberia
over operated by American companies paying people. I was paid
eighty three dollars a month, so I was working sixteen
hours a day. That's a future would be fantastic to
(22:26):
talk about this.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Bo. Drop drop me an email on that and maybe
we'll we'll do that, okay, I ra, so Rob, give
you my direct email. Just send it to me as
a reminder, Rob, Givebau my direct email. Okay, we thanks Boll.
We got to take a break for the news. We're
a little late here, but Bo is a great caller
and he suggested a topic. You know, you folks can
(22:47):
suggest topics as well. Back on Night Side, we're talking
about Massachusetts having the riskiest drivers. That's what All State
Insurance has concluded. I don't think they're wrong. I don't
think they're wrong. The ten riskiest driving cities in the
US amongst the two hundred largest cities. We are number
(23:08):
one with the riskiest. Worcester is the fourth riskiest, and Springfield,
Massachusetts is the fifth riskiest. We almost we won the gold,
and we almost hit the silver and the bronze as well.
We'll be back at Night's Side after this.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on.
Speaker 8 (23:30):
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
By the way, wbz's James Rojas covered this for the
WBZ Newsroom the other day. Rob, this is cut to
twenty six James Rojas's report.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
You're more likely to get into a car crash in
Boston than in any other city. That's according to an
insurance claims report looking at the safest and riskiest drivers.
With Boston coming in last out of two hundred, it
doesn't surprise me at all. As a former Boston and
Base sed In residents, Andrew has seen his fair share
of bad drivers. Whenever we get on the highway, it's
called the mass slide, where you just cross, go right
(24:04):
across three lanes, no blinker, don't even really look.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
You look once, make sure you're good, and then three lanes.
Don't look. It's called the mass lide.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Springfield and Wolster we're also at the bottom of the
safe list, coming in at one ninety six and one
seven in downtown Boston. James Rojas w b Z Boston
some news radio.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Yeah, I wasn't kidding. That's that's one of our news
reporters are reporting on what we're talking about here. Let
me go next to Linda, Linda. Are you a driver, Linda?
And Weymouth you driver?
Speaker 9 (24:33):
Linda, Yes, I am, but I retired out of Boston,
Boston the VIA office. I took the train and I
would not drive in Boston, and I want to use
Boston for I cataract surgery.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
No way, good for you that that was a smart thing.
Do you believe this survey. I happen to believe it,
but I'd love to know what you think.
Speaker 9 (24:56):
Well, your last clip kind of gave me a little
bit of light, you know, like people driving over three lanes.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Yeah, sure, you see that all.
Speaker 9 (25:06):
The time, a different slant on things. My idea was
because of the conditions of the roads. As a gentleman
Bo from Mania said, you know, and they have to
use the side roads they use. They're making changes with
the bridges, work with the bridges, the tunnels on the roads.
(25:27):
People have to use the side streets, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Well, and that's true. Yeah, yeah, that's another factor. That's
another factor, no doubt about that. Seems like they're always working.
It seems like the one thing that will never go
out of business, or the road construction companies or the
people who leased the orange barrels, they will never go
out of business.
Speaker 9 (25:50):
But I also another comment on both calls is another
reason why we should keep the AM radio in the cars.
I know you have a clip that advertizes that.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Yeah. Yeah, we firmly believe AM radio because frankly, when
you try to listen to FM radio, if you get
I don't know, twenty five thirty miles away from the signal.
You won't be able to pick it up on FM.
FM is a good sound quality if you're close, but
WBZ can be heard, you know, hundreds of miles. You
(26:23):
hear our listeners calling in from different places. And so yeah,
we need to keep AM radio in cars, that's no question.
And maybe, of course traffic on the threes. One of
the things that AM radio provides is traffic on the threes. Now,
I know a lot of people have Google Maps and
they have ways and all of that. But the thing
(26:44):
that's good about traffic on the threes is when there's
an accident somewhere and you're making a decision whether to
jump onto twenty four South or head on to Route
three South. If all of a sudden you are listening
to traffic on the three and they say, hey, we've
just had a tractor trailer rollover, you avoid that road
(27:04):
and you're able to go a different way.
Speaker 9 (27:06):
So again, well you do well with those things there.
And I don't have the advertisement, you know text thing
I used to half an hour ago. I did it,
threw it up, but I had one other thoughts on
pulling out into the street. Traffic from my big thing
is not that the people are backing out. It's just
(27:30):
it's an issue. But when they're pulling out, they're trying
to cut across a lane to go in the opposite direction.
Then stay there on the right side of the y.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
I get the picture. I get the picture.
Speaker 9 (27:42):
Yeah, I go right and I turn around and come around.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Makes makes sense. But if you're in a hurry, and
a lot of people are in a hurry, they do
whatever is most convenient for them. Linda, you're a voice
of reason when it comes to driving. Thank you so much,
appreciate your call. You made a lot of great points.
Thank you, welcome, have a great night. Let me go
next to Rob in Medford. Hey, Rob, you're next on
(28:07):
Nightside talking about the riskiest drivers in America right here
in Greater Boston.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
Okay.
Speaker 10 (28:13):
I come to consider this, if the mastering of any
skill comes with practice. Now that thank you. Now that
being said, then you would consider even nationwide, the age
group of perhaps sixteen to twenty one is the least experienced,
(28:34):
and with the addition of cell phones and the lack
of just experience and appreciation for life, I suggest that
nationwide you would see that that age group in general.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Yeah, okay, I don't disagree with I don't disagree with
him that, But how does that compare to what we're
talking about they're saying irrespective of age?
Speaker 10 (28:56):
Boston, Yeah, one of the main educational capitals of the world.
We have an unusually large number of students here going
to college. They come nationally internationally. If you name all
the colleges, and we.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Have a lot of them, rob Remember, a lot of
them don't have cars, you know, they're all they are
relying on uber and Lyfta nowadays.
Speaker 10 (29:28):
To me, everybody, everybody's getting money and daddy's buying everybody
a cast.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Okay, So what you're telling me is because there were
so many young drivers, we should disregard this, uh and.
Speaker 10 (29:41):
Knowledge not at all. We think we should look at
the numbers a little closer and see these. You know,
it's not the mom and dad driving to the mulas
to get their groceries. Okay, It's a kid that's leaved
for class, a kid that's gonna he's going to be
at the party. It's it's it's just the I'm telling you,
it's the fact that you have an unusually lodging number
(30:03):
of students here.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
You know, I'm glad you called. I'm glad you called
because you put a different spin on the story and
it's something for people to think about. That's I really
appreciate your calls.
Speaker 8 (30:15):
All the numbers. These are people that live here.
Speaker 10 (30:17):
They're not talking about residents.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Yeah, I don't know that. Yeah, I think they just know. Yeah.
I think what happened was, Rob, they took accident reports
and said, okay, there you go. Number of accident reports
per capita, in terms of how many of them are homegrown,
how many of them native Massachusetts or Native Bostonians or
Greater Bostonians. You may be absolutely right, whether you are
or not. You you raised an interesting point, and for.
Speaker 10 (30:42):
That, I over to be here, Dan, and everybody's got
more important place to be than the next guy.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
It seems, you know, I got it.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
I got it. I'm more important than you on the road.
That's not a good attitude to have.
Speaker 10 (30:55):
Simple, That's that's the way it seems. I don't even
soon have taken all right.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Pretty soon you'll be able to take way mods as well.
Thanks Rob, got you soon have a great weekend. We're
gonna take a break. I got John and Brookline, Kelly
and Westwood and John and Dadham got room for you.
One line at six one, seven, two, five, four to
ten thirty. One line at six one, seven, nine, three, one,
ten thirty. We'll finish strong. We're done with this. At eleven,
we go to the twentieth hour. I'll pick the topic.
(31:23):
I'm I'm caught between a couple of topics. They're both
good ones. I promise back on and everybody has a
hall pass in the twentieth hour, coming back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
It's night Side with Dan Ray Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
All right, we're gonna get everyone in here. I promise
going to first off with John. Start with John and Brookline. John,
go right a hits her.
Speaker 8 (31:47):
Thanks for taking my call. Dan, A lot of good comments.
I agree with the survey. It's being risky. Yeah, they'll
be in this area. But if a butt as far
as drivers go, I think with the best to deal
with that situation. Because we really have people from all
over the world. I'm not going to not going to
(32:07):
limit it to students, but all over the world, and
they bring their habits and their skills with them. Right,
and then you've got these Uber and Lyfts. I see
more Uber and Lyft car I drive a lot. I
drive a lot with different plates on New York plates,
New Jersey, all sorts of plates, not all just Massachusetts.
(32:30):
And uh, you know, I think that you have to
be a damn good drivers that being to be driving
in Boston.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
And it is kind of the survival of the fittest.
Speaker 8 (32:41):
Oh yeah, and depends on who's got the nicer car too,
you know.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
So there's a lot of cars out there that a
lot of people don't realize they're riding around on the
second most expensive thing that they'll ever buy is an
audible Beier and.
Speaker 8 (32:58):
Without the take the insurance away, and you see how
you watch everybody drive a little bit more carefully.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
But maybe maybe what they should do, John is is
have the insurance only apply to the people that you impact.
And you can't cover your own insurance. But so if
you're at fault, you your insurance company has to pay
for the damage you do. But if if you're in
an accident, uh and and your your fault, uh, the
(33:26):
insurance company will not you know, cover your problems if
if you know what I'm saying, I think.
Speaker 8 (33:32):
That's a good, good, good point.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (33:35):
One one other things that has come up now in
two or three year calls about bacing out of your driveway. Yeah,
if you have bacon out of your driveway, you put
your blinker on so you tail. Your car is sticking
out and there's a flashing red light that tells somebody
that you are coming out. Some people just drive out,
(33:55):
and I'm one of them to it once in a while.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Well, some people don't have a joy, they don't have
room to turn around.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
Yeah, but I mean, as Baris drivers go, I think
native Boston people, the damn good drivers just to put
up with all this stuff.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
All right, John from Brookline with the defense of Boston drivers,
it said, it's so risky, you gotta be good to
drive here.
Speaker 5 (34:19):
I like.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
I like your spin on this one. John, Thank you much.
Have a great weekend.
Speaker 8 (34:23):
You have a great day tomorrow down the Cape is
gonna be great for you.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
All right, Okay, Love, Let's go from John and Boston
to a John in Dedham. Hey, John, next time, nice.
I go ahead, John.
Speaker 11 (34:36):
I grew up in Brighton, went to school in Boston,
so I've seen the city how it was changed over
the years. But uh, I know if people have touched
on already. But the design of our city, I think
is a disaster cow path?
Speaker 2 (34:51):
What's that cow paths?
Speaker 6 (34:53):
When when you go on to other.
Speaker 11 (34:54):
Major cities, a lot of a lot of them said
on granted they have real estate, but they're own grits
and they're like a free lanes across and around here,
and everybody when you go in the city, everybody's double parking.
You can't see what's coming.
Speaker 5 (35:09):
And uh.
Speaker 11 (35:10):
But some people touched on the condition of the roads.
I drive through Newton and West Roxbury walk in every
day and I have worth The roads get worse every day,
Like where the heck does our gas tax revenue go to?
I'm dodging holes manhole.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Absolutely, go look at go look drive down Lake Street
in Brighton some day. They've been working on Lake Street
for years and most of the time it's closed off
except to local traffic. And guess what if you make
the mistake of saying, well maybe I can get through,
help you get then put into this uh, this this maze.
(35:49):
It's like being lost in a coin maze. Where am
I going? There's no signage? Do I go left? Do
I do go right? The next thing you can end up.
Speaker 11 (35:57):
In Worcester, they used to have know what I thinkstruct
I was a kids, there was science Detroy side there
now just just road closed.
Speaker 7 (36:05):
And you're on your own.
Speaker 11 (36:08):
But it wasn't there some type of scandal not want
go about. Uh somebody at the registry giving people's licenses.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Oh yeah, app they were given, they would get them,
giving them out like a trick or treat. Uh, Halloween treats. Absolutely,
do you want a license? Step right up?
Speaker 11 (36:23):
I mean, is there any study or statistics on that,
like what's the ratio of people getting license these days?
As a postal pass failing? Because I I said, I
drive a lot.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
I think we know that. I think we know the
answer to that instuitively. John, if you get my draft, yeah,
but hey, you gotta keep rolling you but they got
a couple more behind you. Hey, thank you much appreciate it. John.
Let me go to Kelly and Westwood. Kelly, you were
next on night Side. Thanks for calling in. How are you, Kelly?
Speaker 7 (36:55):
I'm very well. Thank you Dan for taking my phone call.
It's the first time caller.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
First time call. And get a round of applause for
Kelly from Western that's our digital studio audience giving you
a standing ovation. Kelly, go right ahead.
Speaker 7 (37:08):
Oh yeah, there I deserved one. I guess it's a
particular interest to me with cock crashes and accidents and
stuff like that, personally effective with the family and stuff.
But the first thing I would suggest is that it's
coming from an insurance survey. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the first thing.
(37:33):
And then but also the other thing is the cities
that were mentioned, you know, Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Washington, Baltimore
and the Providence are also very old cities without you know,
the buildings were there was no building planning. Yeah, so
so we have a lot more to deal with, and
(37:55):
on top of that, we're incredibly congested.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Just I think we should take I think we should
take it as a point of pride that we're able
to drive here and actually and survive.
Speaker 7 (38:09):
You know what, I kind of agree with this because
I think that we're not giving credit to the fact
that we go through some you know, it's very convoluted
ways to get through cities. But I also think that
because we're so congested, we also become very irritable with
(38:30):
thriving and stuff. That it becomes to that point where
we've become irritable and we're live being stuck in traffic.
We had the convoluted streets, but also that we're more
insurance like, we're more likely to base a claim.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Just remember this, Kelly, when you're out there, keep it
on busy, keep it on traffic, on the threes. You'll
never get in trouble because of that. I got one more.
I want to sneak in here. But you made inside
of two minutes, you made several points. You're a great caller.
I want to hear you call back more often. Okay,
thank you, thank you, Kelly. Take that as a compliment
because that's the way it was. Spant John and Bosk
(39:09):
and Johnny calling lane. I got about maybe thirty seconds
for you. What can you do with it?
Speaker 4 (39:14):
At one point I want to make real quick it's just, uh,
the driving is horrible, boss, it is number one. It's
definitely the worst. I see it every day. But I
think at the police, nothing is fleece. But they won't
stop motorcycles. And if there was a way that they
could put a chip somehow in a in a motorcycle,
but for them to be able to get license to
(39:34):
drive it so that the police could ramp down all right,
the injine.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
Okay, that would be a huge John I wish you'd
called early because you opened up a huge can of worms.
But I thank you very much. It's a good suggestion.
Thank you, sir. Talk to you soon. Last call it quick,
Tim and Ruber and Tim. I got about fifteen seconds
for you. I can't do much more than that.
Speaker 11 (39:54):
Go ahead, Hi, Dan, Tim mcmanson Rubin to call to
say hi. The next time I see you, only come.
Have a couple of Hershey bars for you. You enjoy
your weekend, you.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Too, Tim, Thanks very much for calling. Have a great night. Okay,
we're gonna come back on the other side of the eleven.
I'll tell you what we're gonna do in about five minutes.
Hosses for everyone.
It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm youbs Costin's new video.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Well, thank you very much. We have an interesting subject
here as we move towards the weekend, and the weekend
now is the scant less than two hours away, because
we get you all the way to set, well virtually
all the way to Saturday morning till about eleven fifty eight.
At eleven, we're going to do our twentieth hour of
the week, which has been a tradition on this program
(00:28):
for many years. And I'm not sure we're going to
do tonight, but I'll figure it out. I have a
couple of thoughts in my mind, and I don't know
I'll pick the right one. All State Insurance since two
thousand and five, for twenty years now they have filed
(00:52):
a report to analyze data related to auto insurance claims
in the two hundred most populated US cities to create
what they call the twenty twenty five America's Best Drivers Report.
This was, as they said, first launched in twenty twenty five,
(01:14):
and this year's report does the same as all the
other years reports have done. They revisit collision data published
a decade ago to reveal surprising shifts in driving safety
across the country. Well, the safest city in America in
which to drive is Brownsville, Texas. I've never been to Brownsville, Texas.
(01:39):
I've been near Brownsville, Texas, but that's okay. The second
safest city in which to drive is the capital of Idaho, Boise, Idaho.
Pretty bew collic out there in Idaho. Wouldn't you say?
Number three? Fort Collins, Colorado? Number four Carrie, North Carolina,
(02:00):
and number five Laredo, Texas. So as you can see
the top the safest communities, the safest driving cities Brownsville, Texas, Boise, Idaho,
Fort Collins, Colorado, carry North Carolina, and Laredo, Texas. Not
necessarily cities that you would think of, but you understand
(02:20):
that they driving in those cities probably safe. So let's
go to the other end of the list. Okay, the
least safe city or the riskiest driving city, the cities
where drivers are most likely to experience a collision. That
is the standard. Okay, and Boston, Massachusetts is the riskiest. Okay.
(02:50):
I want to hear those of you tonight who would
I'd like to take pride in this that we're number one.
We are the riskiest city to drive in America. If
you drive in America and you drive in Boston, you
are driving in the riskiest city. And if you drive
in Boston and you don't have things all over your car,
(03:13):
you should be congratulated because it's just not accidents that
you might cause, but it's accident that other drivers might
inflict on you. Think about it, Okay. The second most
risky city, risky for a lot of things is Washington,
d C. They're going to pick your pocket down there.
(03:35):
I mean, the Congress will pick your pocket every day
of the week. The third most riskiest city is Baltimore, Maryland.
So both of those cities are within the sound of
my voice. And if you have some experience good, bad,
or ugly in those any of those three cities, we
want to hear from you. But guess what the fourth
(03:57):
riskiest This is amongst the two hundred largest metropolitan areas
in the country, the two hundred biggest cities in the country, Worcestern,
Massachusetts is the fourth riskiest. The fifth riskiest Springfield. Not Springfield, Illinois. No, no, no,
(04:21):
not Springfield, Ohio. There's a lot of states that have
a Springfield, but Springfield Massachusetts. So of the five riskiest
cities in which to drive in these United States of America, Massachusetts,
(04:42):
Massachusetts has three of the top five, including the riskiest.
I'm not surprised I drive in this city. Oh but
I'm in the city every day. I live close to
the city. I know the city I'd love to hear from.
Do you agree with this or do you think we
(05:04):
are getting a bad rap I agree with it. I
absolutely agree with it. And I have to wonder if
bike lanes have contributed to these statistics. This is all state.
All State doesn't have an Acts to grind here. They
just put some data, collision data into some machine computer
(05:33):
and it spits out the answers. So two hundred most
populated cities, and as they say, Baltimore and Washington are
the second and third most dangerous or riskiest. Boston's number one.
We're number one, We're number one, and Worcester is number four.
(05:55):
In Springfield's number five. By the way, Providence is six, seventh, eighth, ninth. Okay,
so so we got we got a We got four
New England cities in the top ten, but three of
them are in Massachusetts. Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten,
thirty six one, seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty. You
(06:16):
can defend drivers in Massachusetts. I have the list. It's
you can find it at this all state website if
you'd like. I'm not gonna like peruse it and try
to tell you if you live in Minneapolis where that stands.
I'm just focused on the pride living in a region
(06:36):
where it is in three of the five Well, I
guess they're the three biggest cities in that. Well, Wooster's
the second biggest city in New England that I know.
The only line that's open right now is six one, seven, nine, three, one,
ten thirty. Those lines have not been very active tonight,
so you can light them up and we're gonna right
right back to carl Its. So you can defend the report.
(06:58):
You could say yeah, there right, or you can tell
me that you think we're a safe driving city. I won't.
I promise I will not laugh at you, at least
out loud. Back on nightside six one seven The only
linees open six one, seven, nine, ten thirty. And ladies,
don't let the men dominate this. You drive as much
in this city, in the cities Boston, Springfield and Worcester
(07:22):
as anyone. We'll be back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
You're on Nightside with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Far Let's go to the phones here and see what
people have to say about driving in Boston. And I
think it probably means greater Boston, but well we'll have
to see about that. Let me go to Alex in Millis. Alex,
do you think this survey is accurate or out to lunch?
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Not exactly? How is this possible because as all of you,
as probably all the listeners know, I've seen New Yorkers
and new people from New Jersey and they all qualify
for NASCAR. There there is no way that that Massachusetts
is riskier than those states. Although we're not, we're not angels,
(08:11):
you know, I have to admit.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
That's darn big of you.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Alex.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yeah, I don't know. I mean they they said it's statistics,
That's what I mean. Why would all state you know,
rig their statistics. They're basically saying, hey, Boston, of Worcester
and Stringfield your lousy drivers.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Well maybe, like you know, the majority of people, I'm
sure try to be safe and everything, but they just
picked to say, you know, I mean, it could be
biased I don't know what kind of a survey they
did or what kind of you know, how they gauged this.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
They said they've done it for twenty years, twenty five
years or twenty years, and that they say that they
they took. The strategy that they used was they took
collision data available and uh, had I found out that
that we were the worst? We were we were the
riskiest city in which to drive, That's what they said.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
I don't get it. And you know something, Dan, I've
driven overseas, you know, in uh, you know, uh in
Europe when I've gone on vacation, and those people are
you know, insane. I mean they you know, there's no
there's no you know, it's like the wild wide.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Okay, well, you know, hey, I I don't disagree with you,
but again, this survey is not in Europe. This is
just in the good old US of A. We're number one.
Maybe we should take we should take some pride of it.
We're number one at least in this where the riskiest city.
Are you a good driver?
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Well I drove. I drove for ups. I mean I
do drive. I have to admit, you know, I'm not
the slowest driver. And I'm not the cre this driver.
But you know, I was taught that you know, you
use you use a triangular method of driving, meaning that
you always, you know, shift your move your eyes left, center, right,
(10:13):
and this way here. You know you can you can next,
you can actually foresee something, you know, I mean, at
least it gives you a.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Well what you know, what my rule of thumb is
is that everybody else in the road is trying to
hit me, and therefore I definitely drive defensively. I mean,
I'm assuming that if you're coming in the opposite direction,
then anything can happen. You could have a heart attack,
you could be distracted, you could be talking on you
not not you know, going after you, Alex. But and
(10:45):
so I'm always looking, Okay, where do I go if
this person all of a sudden it comes across the
center panel. One of the reasons I don't like to
drive in the left lane, although I can, I can
drive with the fastest the fastest if you want, is
you're in the left lane and some other driver coming
in the opposite direction has a major medical problem and
(11:09):
they hit your head on its lights out.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Also, you know you have to say this, Dan, if
you drive in Boston, it does shop in your reflexes.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Do you agree?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Yeah, I would agree with that because I think people
are aggressive drivers, There's no question about that. And I
think the bike lanes don't make it any simpler. And
I think people get frustrated. I get frustrated when people
intentionally roll into intersections as the light is about to turn,
you know, or it turns yellow, and they know they
(11:40):
kind of get through the intersections, so they just keep
rolling and they stop in the middle of the intersection,
and when the light turns green in the other direction, nobody.
That's something that in New York. If you what they
call block the box, they hit you with a big fine.
And they should start doing that in Boston too.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
And I was wondering, why do people back out of
You know, you shouldn't back out unless necessary.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
That's what I always always stopped at.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Well, I've seen people back out of driveways all the time.
But what happens is that in a in a city
and where you don't have a lot of room, maybe
your time turn around in your driveway. I mean it's
as simple as that. I mean, if but you better
be careful doing it, that's for sure. And then The
other thing is when you're in the parking lot and
the person next to you has to have the biggest
s u V made in the in the in the world. Uh,
(12:29):
and you have to back out of the parking lot
because you that's you drove in back out, you cannot
see a thing. It's almost you got to go slowly
and hope that there's not someone cruising through the parking lot.
It's not paying attention.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I always use my horn because you know, that's that's
another technique that you know.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Uh, that's a good tip Alex, that that might save somebody. Yeah,
use your horn while you're backing.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Up and make a little horn not aggressive. Yeah, just
tap it too, like three or four times.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
All right, Alex, Great, great suggestions. Thanks my friend, talk
to you soon. All right. Now, this survey is for
American drivers, but we have our friend Daryl up in
New Brunswick who wants the way in. So Daryl, you
go right ahead. Be careful if you come to Boston
or to Worcester or to Springfield. We're bad drivers down here.
(13:20):
How are you?
Speaker 5 (13:22):
Hey? I'm awesome, and I'm actually respecting what your callers
are saying. It's people don't realize that if you actually
do not back into your driveway and you pull out again,
people are not covered because you're backing out, and anytime
(13:44):
you have a backing accident, you're at fault.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I'm not so sure about that down here, to be
honest with you, but you might be right, and you
might be referring to what the rules are in Canada.
I mean, if you're backing out of your drive and
you're going as carefully as you can and some knucklehead
t bones you because he's going fifty five miles an
arrow on a suburban street, I'm not sure that that
(14:12):
would result in you being determined to be a fault.
But well, I don't know it well enough.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
No, Daryl, I'm actually giving you proper information from actually
people that actually came to me complaining about how I
was parking my vehicle that was actually backing in.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
But again, you're in Canada, so you have to comply
with the rules and the insurance rules in Canada. What
I'm saying is they may be different down here. That's all.
You might be right. You might be right, and it
certainly is better. It's better to turn around if you
can make what they call a three point turn and
turn around and head out of your driveway. But you
(14:53):
can get hit by some knucklehead flying down the road. Well,
you're backing out of driving straight. Unfortunately, we have three
of the most risky cities in America right here in Massachusetts.
Does that make you more or less likely to come
and visit a fine state of Massachusetts?
Speaker 5 (15:10):
Hey, I'm still coming, brave man, Darryl. No, no, no,
trust me, because when I was in Detroit again we
go back to different stuff. Right, but the whole newsiting, No,
the whole point being is people are so aggressive. They're
not looking back when rules were developed, right, all right.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
And I think you might be right. Maybe they are
too aggressive.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
No, but when you go to all state or state
farm of whoever it is, they're looking to pay out
as less as possible.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Obviously. Yeah, I mean that's pretty simple. How can I
disagree with you on that? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (15:55):
So no, but hey, you guys keep doing your good
radio and that's why we keep listening and participat right.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Thanks, have a great weekend. Okay, Thanks, thanks Daryl, Thanks
very much.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
Hey, try and say some money and the insurancement.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
We'll try to do that too, Okay, good night, let
me go to Boat and Hold in Massachusetts. I know
where holding is. Hi, Bo, how are you?
Speaker 6 (16:18):
How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Then?
Speaker 6 (16:19):
I'm fine, thank you. I just got home from work,
and I tell you what my opinion is. Again. I
have driver's licenses for Romania, United alabamir Rates, UK and
United States. Yes, I used to have a Florida one,
Michigan one, and now I have a Massachusetts for the
last I would say fifteen years.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Wow, you have lived in different parts of the world.
I'm envious.
Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah, thank you. That was my job. So it's so
easy in the United States, not only in Massachusetts to
get a driver's licens. It blows my mind. In Romania,
for example, you have to do mandat only thirty hours
of cool. The exam is infinitely more difficult. So a
lot of people they are driving here and they don't
(17:07):
have the skills. I'm sorry to say it.
Speaker 7 (17:09):
Two.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
The state of the road. I mean we have some
of the bedroads, continuous roadwork all over. I mean, I'm stunned,
but I mean, let's I know we have bad weather.
New Hampshire has bad weather. You cross the line between
the two states and you're in another world.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Because I totally agree with you on that poll. Well,
I have made that that statement as well. New Hampshire
is to the north of US and theoretically has tougher
winters than we do, and their roads not only are better,
but they cost less. They cost like about twenty percent.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Road much less.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
And it's the same areas which are the continuous road work.
Hold them for example, it's a continuous road work since
I bought the house here, I'm not gonna go fartherber
three again. And I had I'm not even gonna go
in details. It happened I think last week in couples.
Hit was on a motorcycle. Yeah, two cups. They were
(18:11):
hit by a drunk woman. It's substance abuse. This is
not And again I'm not on anybody's side. Don't drink
and drive.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
We just we just had. We just had a state
rap who apparently was in the wrapper and he plowed
into a car which was parked, and then he took off,
and I guess there was some person who followed him. Uh.
And when he got out, he was pretty inebriated, according
(18:44):
to the police reports, And of course he was doing
the telling everybody.
Speaker 6 (18:49):
I was hit head on collision in Ashland in twenty
fifteen by a dead drunk woman, me and my daughter
in the car who got in the trauma unique in
the children's hospital in Boston. I was left with the
I mean, I would say permanent disability. I have at
least I can use a crossbow. But and there was
I didn't even go to the trial. I didn't want
(19:10):
to do a victim statement, but it kind of you
know what.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
I in Iceland, I'm just you said that was in Iceland.
Was she convicted in that trial in Ashland?
Speaker 6 (19:22):
I'm sorry?
Speaker 2 (19:22):
In Aland I'm sorry. I thought you said I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (19:26):
Okay, So legion by a dead drunk person, yeah, who
I don't know what happened, but probably it's a U
I probably you know it's not. And again I'm not
for stricter punishment, but for example, I compare with you know,
Europe Romania, you get DUI two years, they suspend your
license and you have to pass the exam again. And
(19:49):
guess what, I know somebody who didn't pass it for
nine times after he got his license suspended. So in here,
I don't know, it's a very I would say high
tolerance to to people driving under interest, not only alcohol,
medication you name it.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Yeah, well yeah, now you have you have alcohol and
marijuana and medication. I'll tell you this, bowl, it has
become better. It used to be in Massachusetts that that
people you you know, if if you hadn't had four
or five drinks, then then then you know you you
(20:28):
you weren't. It was almost a rite of passage. And
there have been a lot of people killed in drunk driving.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
And I think that these are the conditions, not that
maybe bicycle lanes are not me. I'm not the cause.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
You know, they don't make they don't make it any
easier in my opinion, bowl. But but we can disagree
with that, don't.
Speaker 6 (20:49):
But again it's a sensitive I don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
By the way, back back in the seventies and eighties,
they used to have happy hours and people would go
in and and throw down four or five mixed drinks
after work and then drive home.
Speaker 6 (21:04):
I missed that times.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
See, hey, Paul, if you look on my show before,
this is your first time.
Speaker 6 (21:11):
This is your first time I called before, I called before.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Well you keep calling, Okay. I enjoyed the conversation, and
I hope, I.
Speaker 6 (21:19):
Hope you're going to becoming to I do too then,
and your program is fantastic. I always listen on my
way back to back from work, and uh yeah, you're
just fantastic.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Thank you, well, thank you. And we got to get
you a radio so you can listen in the house too. Okay,
I'm only kidding time for that.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Thank thanks.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Bo.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
We did a we did a river cruise about I
guess was now five or six years ago on the
Danube River. And the tour guy that we had was
a young guy from Romania. Really impressive.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
So we work on all the I worked twelve years
on cruise ships. So did you well see maybe say
it was all over the world.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
We should talk about that sometimes. That's he was fantastic.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
That would be a great topic about the modern slavery
on cruise ships registered in Bahamas registered guess what Liberia
over operated by American companies paying people. I was paid
eighty three dollars a month, so I was working sixteen
hours a day. That's a future would be fantastic to
(22:26):
talk about this.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Bo. Drop drop me an email on that and maybe
we'll we'll do that, okay, I ra, so Rob, give
you my direct email. Just send it to me as
a reminder, Rob, Givebau my direct email. Okay, we thanks Boll.
We got to take a break for the news. We're
a little late here, but Bo is a great caller
and he suggested a topic. You know, you folks can
(22:47):
suggest topics as well. Back on Night Side, we're talking
about Massachusetts having the riskiest drivers. That's what All State
Insurance has concluded. I don't think they're wrong. I don't
think they're wrong. The ten riskiest driving cities in the
US amongst the two hundred largest cities. We are number
(23:08):
one with the riskiest. Worcester is the fourth riskiest, and Springfield,
Massachusetts is the fifth riskiest. We almost we won the gold,
and we almost hit the silver and the bronze as well.
We'll be back at Night's Side after this.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on.
Speaker 8 (23:30):
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
By the way, wbz's James Rojas covered this for the
WBZ Newsroom the other day. Rob, this is cut to
twenty six James Rojas's report.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
You're more likely to get into a car crash in
Boston than in any other city. That's according to an
insurance claims report looking at the safest and riskiest drivers.
With Boston coming in last out of two hundred, it
doesn't surprise me at all. As a former Boston and
Base sed In residents, Andrew has seen his fair share
of bad drivers. Whenever we get on the highway, it's
called the mass slide, where you just cross, go right
(24:04):
across three lanes, no blinker, don't even really look.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
You look once, make sure you're good, and then three lanes.
Don't look. It's called the mass lide.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Springfield and Wolster we're also at the bottom of the
safe list, coming in at one ninety six and one
seven in downtown Boston. James Rojas w b Z Boston
some news radio.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Yeah, I wasn't kidding. That's that's one of our news
reporters are reporting on what we're talking about here. Let
me go next to Linda, Linda. Are you a driver, Linda?
And Weymouth you driver?
Speaker 9 (24:33):
Linda, Yes, I am, but I retired out of Boston,
Boston the VIA office. I took the train and I
would not drive in Boston, and I want to use
Boston for I cataract surgery.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
No way, good for you that that was a smart thing.
Do you believe this survey. I happen to believe it,
but I'd love to know what you think.
Speaker 9 (24:56):
Well, your last clip kind of gave me a little
bit of light, you know, like people driving over three lanes.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Yeah, sure, you see that all.
Speaker 9 (25:06):
The time, a different slant on things. My idea was
because of the conditions of the roads. As a gentleman
Bo from Mania said, you know, and they have to
use the side roads they use. They're making changes with
the bridges, work with the bridges, the tunnels on the roads.
(25:27):
People have to use the side streets, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Well, and that's true. Yeah, yeah, that's another factor. That's
another factor, no doubt about that. Seems like they're always working.
It seems like the one thing that will never go
out of business, or the road construction companies or the
people who leased the orange barrels, they will never go
out of business.
Speaker 9 (25:50):
But I also another comment on both calls is another
reason why we should keep the AM radio in the cars.
I know you have a clip that advertizes that.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Yeah. Yeah, we firmly believe AM radio because frankly, when
you try to listen to FM radio, if you get
I don't know, twenty five thirty miles away from the signal.
You won't be able to pick it up on FM.
FM is a good sound quality if you're close, but
WBZ can be heard, you know, hundreds of miles. You
(26:23):
hear our listeners calling in from different places. And so yeah,
we need to keep AM radio in cars, that's no question.
And maybe, of course traffic on the threes. One of
the things that AM radio provides is traffic on the threes. Now,
I know a lot of people have Google Maps and
they have ways and all of that. But the thing
(26:44):
that's good about traffic on the threes is when there's
an accident somewhere and you're making a decision whether to
jump onto twenty four South or head on to Route
three South. If all of a sudden you are listening
to traffic on the three and they say, hey, we've
just had a tractor trailer rollover, you avoid that road
(27:04):
and you're able to go a different way.
Speaker 9 (27:06):
So again, well you do well with those things there.
And I don't have the advertisement, you know text thing
I used to half an hour ago. I did it,
threw it up, but I had one other thoughts on
pulling out into the street. Traffic from my big thing
is not that the people are backing out. It's just
(27:30):
it's an issue. But when they're pulling out, they're trying
to cut across a lane to go in the opposite direction.
Then stay there on the right side of the y.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
I get the picture. I get the picture.
Speaker 9 (27:42):
Yeah, I go right and I turn around and come around.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Makes makes sense. But if you're in a hurry, and
a lot of people are in a hurry, they do
whatever is most convenient for them. Linda, you're a voice
of reason when it comes to driving. Thank you so much,
appreciate your call. You made a lot of great points.
Thank you, welcome, have a great night. Let me go
next to Rob in Medford. Hey, Rob, you're next on
(28:07):
Nightside talking about the riskiest drivers in America right here
in Greater Boston.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
Okay.
Speaker 10 (28:13):
I come to consider this, if the mastering of any
skill comes with practice. Now that thank you. Now that
being said, then you would consider even nationwide, the age
group of perhaps sixteen to twenty one is the least experienced,
(28:34):
and with the addition of cell phones and the lack
of just experience and appreciation for life, I suggest that
nationwide you would see that that age group in general.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Yeah, okay, I don't disagree with I don't disagree with
him that, But how does that compare to what we're
talking about they're saying irrespective of age?
Speaker 10 (28:56):
Boston, Yeah, one of the main educational capitals of the world.
We have an unusually large number of students here going
to college. They come nationally internationally. If you name all
the colleges, and we.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Have a lot of them, rob Remember, a lot of
them don't have cars, you know, they're all they are
relying on uber and Lyfta nowadays.
Speaker 10 (29:28):
To me, everybody, everybody's getting money and daddy's buying everybody
a cast.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Okay, So what you're telling me is because there were
so many young drivers, we should disregard this, uh and.
Speaker 10 (29:41):
Knowledge not at all. We think we should look at
the numbers a little closer and see these. You know,
it's not the mom and dad driving to the mulas
to get their groceries. Okay, It's a kid that's leaved
for class, a kid that's gonna he's going to be
at the party. It's it's it's just the I'm telling you,
it's the fact that you have an unusually lodging number
(30:03):
of students here.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
You know, I'm glad you called. I'm glad you called
because you put a different spin on the story and
it's something for people to think about. That's I really
appreciate your calls.
Speaker 8 (30:15):
All the numbers. These are people that live here.
Speaker 10 (30:17):
They're not talking about residents.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Yeah, I don't know that. Yeah, I think they just know. Yeah.
I think what happened was, Rob, they took accident reports
and said, okay, there you go. Number of accident reports
per capita, in terms of how many of them are homegrown,
how many of them native Massachusetts or Native Bostonians or
Greater Bostonians. You may be absolutely right, whether you are
or not. You you raised an interesting point, and for.
Speaker 10 (30:42):
That, I over to be here, Dan, and everybody's got
more important place to be than the next guy.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
It seems, you know, I got it.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
I got it. I'm more important than you on the road.
That's not a good attitude to have.
Speaker 10 (30:55):
Simple, That's that's the way it seems. I don't even
soon have taken all right.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Pretty soon you'll be able to take way mods as well.
Thanks Rob, got you soon have a great weekend. We're
gonna take a break. I got John and Brookline, Kelly
and Westwood and John and Dadham got room for you.
One line at six one, seven, two, five, four to
ten thirty. One line at six one, seven, nine, three, one,
ten thirty. We'll finish strong. We're done with this. At eleven,
we go to the twentieth hour. I'll pick the topic.
(31:23):
I'm I'm caught between a couple of topics. They're both
good ones. I promise back on and everybody has a
hall pass in the twentieth hour, coming back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
It's night Side with Dan Ray Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
All right, we're gonna get everyone in here. I promise
going to first off with John. Start with John and Brookline. John,
go right a hits her.
Speaker 8 (31:47):
Thanks for taking my call. Dan, A lot of good comments.
I agree with the survey. It's being risky. Yeah, they'll
be in this area. But if a butt as far
as drivers go, I think with the best to deal
with that situation. Because we really have people from all
over the world. I'm not going to not going to
(32:07):
limit it to students, but all over the world, and
they bring their habits and their skills with them. Right,
and then you've got these Uber and Lyfts. I see
more Uber and Lyft car I drive a lot. I
drive a lot with different plates on New York plates,
New Jersey, all sorts of plates, not all just Massachusetts.
(32:30):
And uh, you know, I think that you have to
be a damn good drivers that being to be driving
in Boston.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
And it is kind of the survival of the fittest.
Speaker 8 (32:41):
Oh yeah, and depends on who's got the nicer car too,
you know.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
So there's a lot of cars out there that a
lot of people don't realize they're riding around on the
second most expensive thing that they'll ever buy is an
audible Beier and.
Speaker 8 (32:58):
Without the take the insurance away, and you see how
you watch everybody drive a little bit more carefully.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
But maybe maybe what they should do, John is is
have the insurance only apply to the people that you impact.
And you can't cover your own insurance. But so if
you're at fault, you your insurance company has to pay
for the damage you do. But if if you're in
an accident, uh and and your your fault, uh, the
(33:26):
insurance company will not you know, cover your problems if
if you know what I'm saying, I think.
Speaker 8 (33:32):
That's a good, good, good point.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (33:35):
One one other things that has come up now in
two or three year calls about bacing out of your driveway. Yeah,
if you have bacon out of your driveway, you put
your blinker on so you tail. Your car is sticking
out and there's a flashing red light that tells somebody
that you are coming out. Some people just drive out,
(33:55):
and I'm one of them to it once in a while.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Well, some people don't have a joy, they don't have
room to turn around.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
Yeah, but I mean, as Baris drivers go, I think
native Boston people, the damn good drivers just to put
up with all this stuff.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
All right, John from Brookline with the defense of Boston drivers,
it said, it's so risky, you gotta be good to
drive here.
Speaker 5 (34:19):
I like.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
I like your spin on this one. John, Thank you much.
Have a great weekend.
Speaker 8 (34:23):
You have a great day tomorrow down the Cape is
gonna be great for you.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
All right, Okay, Love, Let's go from John and Boston
to a John in Dedham. Hey, John, next time, nice.
I go ahead, John.
Speaker 11 (34:36):
I grew up in Brighton, went to school in Boston,
so I've seen the city how it was changed over
the years. But uh, I know if people have touched
on already. But the design of our city, I think
is a disaster cow path?
Speaker 2 (34:51):
What's that cow paths?
Speaker 6 (34:53):
When when you go on to other.
Speaker 11 (34:54):
Major cities, a lot of a lot of them said
on granted they have real estate, but they're own grits
and they're like a free lanes across and around here,
and everybody when you go in the city, everybody's double parking.
You can't see what's coming.
Speaker 5 (35:09):
And uh.
Speaker 11 (35:10):
But some people touched on the condition of the roads.
I drive through Newton and West Roxbury walk in every
day and I have worth The roads get worse every day,
Like where the heck does our gas tax revenue go to?
I'm dodging holes manhole.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Absolutely, go look at go look drive down Lake Street
in Brighton some day. They've been working on Lake Street
for years and most of the time it's closed off
except to local traffic. And guess what if you make
the mistake of saying, well maybe I can get through,
help you get then put into this uh, this this maze.
(35:49):
It's like being lost in a coin maze. Where am
I going? There's no signage? Do I go left? Do
I do go right? The next thing you can end up.
Speaker 11 (35:57):
In Worcester, they used to have know what I thinkstruct
I was a kids, there was science Detroy side there
now just just road closed.
Speaker 7 (36:05):
And you're on your own.
Speaker 11 (36:08):
But it wasn't there some type of scandal not want
go about. Uh somebody at the registry giving people's licenses.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Oh yeah, app they were given, they would get them,
giving them out like a trick or treat. Uh, Halloween treats. Absolutely,
do you want a license? Step right up?
Speaker 11 (36:23):
I mean, is there any study or statistics on that,
like what's the ratio of people getting license these days?
As a postal pass failing? Because I I said, I
drive a lot.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
I think we know that. I think we know the
answer to that instuitively. John, if you get my draft, yeah,
but hey, you gotta keep rolling you but they got
a couple more behind you. Hey, thank you much appreciate it. John.
Let me go to Kelly and Westwood. Kelly, you were
next on night Side. Thanks for calling in. How are you, Kelly?
Speaker 7 (36:55):
I'm very well. Thank you Dan for taking my phone call.
It's the first time caller.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
First time call. And get a round of applause for
Kelly from Western that's our digital studio audience giving you
a standing ovation. Kelly, go right ahead.
Speaker 7 (37:08):
Oh yeah, there I deserved one. I guess it's a
particular interest to me with cock crashes and accidents and
stuff like that, personally effective with the family and stuff.
But the first thing I would suggest is that it's
coming from an insurance survey. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the first thing.
(37:33):
And then but also the other thing is the cities
that were mentioned, you know, Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Washington, Baltimore
and the Providence are also very old cities without you know,
the buildings were there was no building planning. Yeah, so
so we have a lot more to deal with, and
(37:55):
on top of that, we're incredibly congested.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Just I think we should take I think we should
take it as a point of pride that we're able
to drive here and actually and survive.
Speaker 7 (38:09):
You know what, I kind of agree with this because
I think that we're not giving credit to the fact
that we go through some you know, it's very convoluted
ways to get through cities. But I also think that
because we're so congested, we also become very irritable with
(38:30):
thriving and stuff. That it becomes to that point where
we've become irritable and we're live being stuck in traffic.
We had the convoluted streets, but also that we're more
insurance like, we're more likely to base a claim.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Just remember this, Kelly, when you're out there, keep it
on busy, keep it on traffic, on the threes. You'll
never get in trouble because of that. I got one more.
I want to sneak in here. But you made inside
of two minutes, you made several points. You're a great caller.
I want to hear you call back more often. Okay,
thank you, thank you, Kelly. Take that as a compliment
because that's the way it was. Spant John and Bosk
(39:09):
and Johnny calling lane. I got about maybe thirty seconds
for you. What can you do with it?
Speaker 4 (39:14):
At one point I want to make real quick it's just, uh,
the driving is horrible, boss, it is number one. It's
definitely the worst. I see it every day. But I
think at the police, nothing is fleece. But they won't
stop motorcycles. And if there was a way that they
could put a chip somehow in a in a motorcycle,
but for them to be able to get license to
(39:34):
drive it so that the police could ramp down all right,
the injine.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
Okay, that would be a huge John I wish you'd
called early because you opened up a huge can of worms.
But I thank you very much. It's a good suggestion.
Thank you, sir. Talk to you soon. Last call it quick,
Tim and Ruber and Tim. I got about fifteen seconds
for you. I can't do much more than that.
Speaker 11 (39:54):
Go ahead, Hi, Dan, Tim mcmanson Rubin to call to
say hi. The next time I see you, only come.
Have a couple of Hershey bars for you. You enjoy
your weekend, you.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Too, Tim, Thanks very much for calling. Have a great night. Okay,
we're gonna come back on the other side of the eleven.
I'll tell you what we're gonna do in about five minutes.
Hosses for everyone.
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