Is It This Bad Elsewhere? How Do People Drive Where You Live?

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12many

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I've been driving since 1982, starting out in the suburbs of Chicago where stoplights and stop signs were endless, cops seemed to be around every corner, you obeyed the laws, exercised caution, and some semblense of etiquette, all the while knowing how to drive aggressively when needed, such as navigating in and out of bumper to bumper city traffic. Moved to South Carolina in 95, and noticed right away some differences in drivers. People sped more, not as many cops around, nastier accidents in general, and yet there seemed to be more courtesy displayed amongst drivers, like "you go, oh no...I insist...you go, well how nice, why thank you" But now, it seems we are one catastrophe, one massive power outage, just one flip of a switch away from a complete breakdown where it becomes anarchy, open season, a free-for-all! These days if a Traffic lights out? Nobody treats it like a stop sign. Everybody keeps on rolling! Red light and your turning right? Just roll right on through! Or going straight? Floor it! Car in front of you doing 5 mph over? Ride his ***, weave back and forth some, even flash your brights. Need a lane to pass? Just cross the double yellow, use the center turn lane! Do what you want! And do all this while holding a phone and texting or surfing the internet! Rules of the road? Where I live and work? Upstate of South Carolina.....Yes, it is a joke. How about where you live? Is it as bad? Worse, getting worse? :steering:
 
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i notice that when i cross the deleware memorial bridge heading south that the driving gets worse and worse as i head further south...
 
I moved from South Jersey in '85 to Clearwater, Fl. There was definitely more traffic, but I really didn't notice it get bad til about 15-20 years ago. With people ridding butts weaving in and out of traffic. Flicking others off. Throwing trash out the window which I hate. I just figured it was the same everywhere. The decline of civilization.
I don't know some days I hate driving.
 
Doesent matter where.
If im the slow,careful and courteous driver, i’m the asshole.

I live in a country setting so not as bad around here, or so you would think. Buddy’s wife had both hands on her phone and was steering with her forearms.
I kinda flipped on her. The 4 of us were going out for dinner, i dont like her driving.
 
Among other things, by far the worst thing we have in FL, which we did not have in OH, is the-

"That guy's coming awfully fast, and there's no one behind him...I think I can make it out in front of him, even though I intend to drive 5 MPH under the speed limit" syndrome.

That line of thinking in a state where it snows in the winter will get you killed real fast.
 
And another one that really is annoying is as your rolling along with the right of way, cars racing up a side road full bore to their stop sign, and you're watching wondering "friggin aye you stupid m-f'r are you gonna stop"??!!! an at the last second they come to a sudden stop. See it all the time, and is the habit seen I fear most. No wonder I'm always on edge on that, as last summer I had the exact happen, guy in a pickup going about 50mph actually didn't stop and crashed into the rear tandems of my tractor-trailer. Guy was looking at his phone and at last second slammed on the brakes. He's lucky he didn't go under the trailer.
 
Drivers in Missouri got a lot better when CCW laws passed....
 
12many said:
And another one that really is annoying is as your rolling along with the right of way, cars racing up a side road full bore to their stop sign, and you're watching wondering "friggin aye you stupid m-f'r are you gonna stop"??!!! an at the last second they come to a sudden stop. See it all the time, and is the habit seen I fear most. No wonder I'm always on edge on that, as last summer I had the exact happen, guy in a pickup going about 50mph actually didn't stop and crashed into the rear tandems of my tractor-trailer. Guy was looking at his phone and at last second slammed on the brakes. He's lucky he didn't go under the trailer.
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It's getting worse by the day practically.
25mph residential and I am coming up on my left turn onto my street and turn on my signal.
The car behind me starts honking their horn and I see them move over into the oncoming lane trying to pass me on my left as I'm making my left turn.
WTF? you want me to wait until you pass me to make my turn so you don't have to slow down???

I faked the turn with a quick whip of the wheel and that car came sliding to a stop on the wrong side of the road and I made my turn.
(While this ***** is throwing **** at my car and cussing and screaming)

On some of the stoplights these A holes continue turning on what was a green arrow 2-3 car more after their light turns red.
I mean enough to when my light turns green I can pull out there like I don't see them and make them panic stop in the middle of the intersection, and I do.
Then they are stuck out there because of the cars behind me are coming through.

F the selfish "all about me" dicks.
 
People around here drive like idiots. The other day a *** clown tailgated me for 5 blocks until we hit a 4 lane street then passed me like I was going backwards. I was beside him at the next stoplight. :poke::rofl:

We have some new "red light cameras" in town. If you get a ticket it's just a fine and doesn't go on your driving record. Well, they also monitor speed. There was a gal got caught doing 90+ in a 35 mph zone. Probably getting out of town in a hurry after a drug deal.
 
The other day, I was driving on I-44, and traffic was pretty heavy. I'm in the process of passing a line of several vehicles, and behind several. Some idiot comes up on my tail, and starts flashing his lights at me. I don't know where he expected me to go. Couldn't get over, and couldn't go any faster. Finally pass all the rigs, and get over. He goes flying around me, up on the next car, then switches lanes behind another car. He does this leap frog thing for about 3 or 4 miles, then takes an exit. Did I say idiot?
 
IMHO, I think one of the issues is that cars have become too safe. You're surrounded by a cocoon of air bags and crumple zones.

Want to make everyone drive safer? Mount a big old spike on the center of the steering wheel pointed directly at your face and then people will really think about how they drive.

BTW, my big gripe is how fast people drive in parking lots. Are you really in that much of a hurry to get your groceries?
 
Terrible here in Utah..
Stop signs are optional, just a quick look and keep going. Have seen parents teaching their kids to drive and have them roll on through. Right turn on red, no need to stop either. Speed limits.. don’t think we have one, 20 over in a 50 zone and 85 mph in the 70 mph zone is the norm. Texting and phones a big problem, lots of people staring at there laps while driving.
Not sure about any where else but traffic cops seem to be a thing of the past. Seems like minimal traffic enforcement these days and those caught were by an unmarked cops, not out on patrol, but commuting and pull someone for a bone head move.
 
It is just as bad here. Everyone is in a hurry and you are just a "car" in their way.
It's the main reason I want to move to a cabin in the woods somewhere.
 
Big_John said:
IMHO, I think one of the issues is that cars have become too safe. You're surrounded by a cocoon of air bags and crumple zones.

Want to make everyone drive safer? Mount a big old spike on the center of the steering wheel pointed directly at your face and then people will really think about how they drive.

BTW, my big gripe is how fast people drive in parking lots. Are you really in that much of a hurry to get your groceries?
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They have a new one around here. (as in didn't used to be this way)
Backing out of your parking space and they honk and keep going between your rear bumper and the other parked cars.


dgibby said:
Terrible here in Utah..
Stop signs are optional, just a quick look and keep going. Have seen parents teaching their kids to drive and have them roll on through. Right turn on red, no need to stop either. Speed limits.. don’t think we have one, 20 over in a 50 zone and 85 mph in the 70 mph zone is the norm. Texting and phones a big problem, lots of people staring at there laps while driving.
Not sure about any where else but traffic cops seem to be a thing of the past. Seems like minimal traffic enforcement these days and those caught were by an unmarked cops, not out on patrol, but commuting and pull someone for a bone head move.
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You should see when the local high school gets out at 3:30pm.
One big line of teenage girls driving while on the phone pouring out into already busy traffic and lots of kids along the roadsides and in crosswalks.
We actually had a kid killed in a crosswalk in a 25mph residential area recently.
(The woman was looking down texting while going through the intersection speeding)

Not long ago I was waiting for my light to turn green and noticed a pickup driving with two wheels in the street and two up on the sidewalk passing other cars waiting for the light.
A cop nailed him and I just had to hear this so I pulled in were they did.
The guy was telling the cop that Mc D's stops serving breakfast in 2 minutes and that the traffic and the cop was going to make him miss it.
I actually laughed loud enough that they both turned and looked.

OH boy.:D
If I was that cop I would have arrested that prick on the spot and had his truck towed off under suspicion of being under the influence just to teach him a lesson.
A person would have to be under the influence to try and pull something that stupid, right?
"Your honor, he had a bad case of the munchies suggesting he was high so I arrested him for DUI"
 
I go from NY to Florida a couple times a year for the last 10/12 years... NO matter where I drive these left lane losers drive me crazy. Every state has them, they just won't move over. I hate to pass on the right, but they leave you no choice. I'm always 10/12 mph over the suggested speed limit so I need to get by to get where I'm going. If they are in the left to pass someone and they are going slower than me, yet passing, I wait no problem (I'm not a jerk). But then they stay there for no reason. Others just drive along in the left like it's the thing to do and they were never told different or don't see the > left lane for passing only < signs. I don't get it. Need more offenders ticketed.
 
Most people drive like idiots in the first place.... :mob:

Then put a cell phone or electronic device in their reach and it 's much worse.... :mad:

Wake up and die right people... :BangHead:

Hello, McFly.... :poke:
 
TrailBeast said:
They have a new one around here. (as in didn't used to be this way)
Backing out of your parking space and they honk and keep going between your rear bumper and the other parked cars.
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I'll go you one better. They stop behind you to get the parking place you are in. You start to back out and they lay on the horn. They won't move though... They just sit right where they are and expect you to get around them. This has happened to us twice in the past month.
 
No, suprisingly not in So. Cal. I work in Long Beach, home of Snoop Dog and a very diverse population. I drive a big L90 service body pickup and I am in no hurry to get anywhere as safety is such a huge priority on my job. I let people go at a tie in a 4 way, I stop for busses, I just take it easy and let others F up. Never had an incident, no road rage..I just let it go. Whats the point getting worked up from something you can't control (Is that part of the 12 steps? ) I don't see the majority of that driving here thank goodness. I do have a dash cam in my truck for the one incident that I hope to never have.
 
Here in the Mid-Atlantic, close to DC it's nuts. Limit on I-95 is 65, I do 70 and people pass you like you were standing still.

FISHYPETE said:
Those darn deer never stop and look for traffic
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Not always - I have a small field next to my driveway the garage looks out on, the deer come down through the development and cross the busy road regularly. Last summer, I hear them. I look out, this doe walks up to the curb, looks left, right, and crosses the road. The other three follow.

If we clobber and kill the dumb ones w cars, the smart ones will be left. :lol:
 
TrailBeast said:
On some of the stoplights these A holes continue turning on what was a green arrow 2-3 car more after their light turns red.
I mean enough to when my light turns green I can pull out there like I don't see them and make them panic stop in the middle of the intersection, and I do.
Then they are stuck out there because of the cars behind me are coming through.
Click to expand...

I do that too. I even actually aim for them.

I get all sorts of deer in the headlight looks.
 
12many said:
I've been driving since 1982, starting out in the suburbs of Chicago where stoplights and stop signs were endless, cops seemed to be around every corner, you obeyed the laws, exercised caution, and some semblense of etiquette, all the while knowing how to drive aggressively when needed, such as navigating in and out of bumper to bumper city traffic. Moved to South Carolina in 95, and noticed right away some differences in drivers. People sped more, not as many cops around, nastier accidents in general, and yet there seemed to be more courtesy displayed amongst drivers, like "you go, oh no...I insist...you go, well how nice, why thank you" But now, it seems we are one catastrophe, one massive power outage, just one flip of a switch away from a complete breakdown where it becomes anarchy, open season, a free-for-all! These days if a Traffic lights out? Nobody treats it like a stop sign. Everybody keeps on rolling! Red light and your turning right? Just roll right on through! Or going straight? Floor it! Car in front of you doing 5 mph over? Ride his ***, weave back and forth some, even flash your brights. Need a lane to pass? Just cross the double yellow, use the center turn lane! Do what you want! And do all this while holding a phone and texting or surfing the internet! Rules of the road? Where I live and work? Upstate of South Carolina.....Yes, it is a joke. How about where you live? Is it as bad? Worse, getting worse? :steering:
Click to expand...
Used to be when someone put on their directional they were asking to come over now the are TELLING you they are.
 
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