Yes, very true. You really gotta look far ahead and anticipate the reactions of the "average" driver. There really are plenty of idiots in rush hour traffic. Hence, I always try and avoid/plan routes around heavy rush areas. It's not really the city driving that frustrates me though, its always the backups on the freeways and major arteries.

For heavy urban traffic, I have a "city" mode. Unlike what the name suggests, I drive more aggressively if conditions permit. It's not like I'll blow by pedestrians or red lights or drive recklessly, but everything is just on heightened alert. Speed limits are ignored (no one pays attention to these in urban areas anyway), and I'm more aggressive on the gas and brake. Lane markings become suggestions. Basically, its taxicab driving, except with a compact SAV. I really couldn't do this daily though; the amount of attention I have to give is really draining and I'm dead tried by the time I get home. Gas mileage plummets (the record is 8 miles to the gallon). However, it is a quick way to scoot around. My friends always prefer it when I drive them to Washington DC because they say "See, that's the way city driving ought to be done".

Highway rush hour is different. I just plod along slowly in this case.