So you struggle out of your car after yet another nightmare and of course, you are not surprised to see that Atlanta is actually not among the worst cities in the country for driving.
Wait – what?
Well, the list-happy, intensely calculatin' folks at WalletHub have come up with a list of the best and worst cities for driving. And of course, we couldn't resist clicking that email message, figuring we'd have at least the moral satisfaction of seeing just how horribly ranked our dear Atlanta is.
Only. No. The worst ten are all either coastal or northern. And we are not only not the worst, Atlanta ranks 55th – that's 55th best. That means we are just the 45th worst – which really, when you come down to it, is kind of an insult.
But then, if you look at how WalletHub did the calculations, it makes sense. Sorta.
The data gnomes at WalletHub compared cities based on four categories: costs of ownership and maintenance, traffic conditions quality of roads, auto safety and "auto availability and maintenance accessibility." So sadly, they weren't focusing on the kinds of things we obsess about daily – i.e. all those other fools clogging up our darned roads.
Worst rate of car theft? Oakland.
Highest rate of accidents? Baltimore.
Most repair shops per capita? Miami.
Fewest number of car wash options? Boston.
Overall, the best cities for driving? Well, here’s a shock. It’s where there are lots of open spaces, a sprawl of development and really, when ya come right down to it, not that many people.
Number one: Scottsdale, Arizona. In fact, number five of the top six are likewise in the same corner state. Second best city for driving is Tucson. At number three is Corpus Christi, Texas.
Just to prove, perhaps, that there's no hometown favoritism going on, WalletHub's headquarters are located in the city that came in dead last, the city with the absolute worst conditions for driving: Washington, D.C.
