So I'm sitting in traffic minding my business and

[coltle6920]

wondering why people act the way they do in their vehicles. Maybe those traffic cameras weren't such a bad idea.

I travel this one particular road quite often. There are a lot of major intersections and each one has lights for making turns. When the turn light is yellow you should proceed with caution. When it turns red you can only proceed if you were already in the intersection. Otherwise you are expected to stop. Apparently as long as nothing bad happens several cars can continue through the red light ignoring their fellow commuters staring at them. This has an affect in that the traffic that was sitting there waiting to proceed has less time to get through meaning that there is now more vehicles waiting for the next light to change.

Even without these drivers running a red light you still have the idiots that figure a red light is a good time to catch up reading and replying to text messages. The first couple of cars in line can set the tone for how many other cars can get through before the light changes again. Of course, if you're in the front row you don't care about what's behind you.

There are traffic laws and there is common sense. If you can't tell the difference then please pull off the road and call a taxi.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Come to southern Colorado some time. Same basic driver behaviors with the addition of taking a hit from a bowl or joint of weed. Traffic cameras ignore anything that won't allow a traffic ticket to be mailed out to the registered owner of the vehicle.

You need to, like, mind your own business, dude! Drive, like, defensively, man! Make sure you have good insurance because nobody else at the scene of the crash will, you know?

 

[fordson]

I feel your pain. This time of year in Florida is Snowbird season, where the northern Winter forces all the bad northern drivers to migrate south. Drove to our local Publix grocery store the other day, a distant of 8 miles and saw cars with license plates from NY, CT, RI, MA, ME, MI, NJ, OH, IL and even WY. Wish they’d all just stayed home and deal with their weather…….

 

[4K2022]

I believe I’ve read that when there were only 3 automobiles in Chicago two of them ran into each other!
We are slow learners,, and I agree, the Red Light has lost its Luster.

 

[gjgalligan]

Florida plates are just as much of a problem up here in Michigan in the summertime. Drive in the wrong lanes, IF they even think to use a turn signal they turn it on 5 miles to soon and just start coasting. If they decide to not turn the leave the blinker on till next turn re gardless of distance or direction.

Basically drivers of today just have no common sense or regard for anyone else.

 

[ladder13]

 

[kozmic]

Ahhh yes. The dreaded turn signal. Standard on all vehicles, but optional to most drivers.

 

[kozmic]

My morning commute is about 7 miles. A few miles on a country road. A few miles on a 65MPH divided highway and a mile in a more "city" setting. Each section is like a different level of a crash and burn video game. Going home is a bit more calm, but I can't become complacent because all of those wackjobs still lurking.

 

[glenwolde]

They run red lights because they know you won't pull out and hit them. I do my damndest to convince them otherwise. Since I drive a Super Duty they tend to be more afraid of me than I am of them. I move, they freak.

This is a national problem. The worst I've seen was in New York on a trip. We were out on Long Island somewhere and traffic backed up at an exit. A guy came all the way to the front of the line and made a violent and intentional swerve at me trying to get me to hit my brakes so he could dive in. I didn't flinch. Everybody behind me saw it and jumped on the bandwagon. They all tightened up the line and wouldn't let him in. I guess he got off at the next exit.

Never question the courage of a driver in a fully insured rent-a-car.

 

[Bald1]

I feel your pain. This time of year in Florida is Snowbird season, where the northern Winter forces all the bad northern drivers to migrate south. Drove to our local Publix grocery store the other day, a distant of 8 miles and saw cars with license plates from NY, CT, RI, MA, ME, MI, NJ, OH, IL and even WY. Wish they’d all just stayed home and deal with their weather……. FL establish an open season on Snowbird autos?……nah….but…..

I’ll tell you this. I’m in SW Florida a lot. I’ve been there June through Sept in the “off season”. Florida plates are no better. Turn signals ate not exist there. 90 mph on I75 is the norm. The list goes on

 

[LostintheOzone]

I see many license plate here covered with plastic. If I'm standing 20' away I can't read the plate because of the smoky plastic cover.

I was thinking about that a few days ago. Why would someone cover their plates with plastic. Plates are aluminum and 100% weather proof. Then it hit me. People cover their plates so traffic cameras can't read them. So running a red light is much safer. No ticket in the mail.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Phoenix area in winter. Not only do they have their share of snowbirds, they have retirees from CA moving there by the thousands every year.

 

[fordson]

I’ll tell you this. I’m in SW Florida a lot. I’ve been there June through Sept in the “off season”. Florida plates are no better. Turn signals ate not exist there. 90 mph on I75 is the norm. The list goes on

Agree with you, Florida drivers are no better, and in some cases, a lot worse……. However, there are enough Florida Man drivers here already…….don't need any more……

 

[glenncal1]

OP-common sense driving left Colorado in about the mid '90s, especially if there is any snow on the ground.

 

[Sistema1927]

In Albuquerque, you count "one one thousand, two one thou..." before proceeding after your light turns green. Notice that you don't complete the second "thousand" unless you want everyone behind you to honk at you.

Also, we have a continual shortage of "blinker fluid" here.

 

[soFlaNative]

Wish they’d all just stayed home and deal with their weather…….

Florida plates are no better.

True. Speeds on surface streets remain constant since the wide open roads during the pandemic. Roll over wrecks are common and seldom a week goes by without a report of a vehicle impacting a residence. Despite the improved handling of the newer cars age old rules of physics still apply.

 

[Bald1]

Agree with you, Florida drivers are no better, and in some cases, a lot worse……. However, there are enough Florida Man drivers here already…….don't need any more……

Lol ah yes “the Florida man”.

 

[SMSgt]

I see many license plate here covered with plastic. If I'm standing 20' away I can't read the plate because of the smoky plastic cover. ...

In FL, those are "technically" illegal for the very reason used, to obscure the plate. But like most traffic laws, they are only enforced when convenient for the LEO. The law requires headlights on when raining. Many don't. A virtual cash cow for LE, but they clearly don't want to write tickets in the rain.

 

[djohns6]

Obscured license plates , headlights not being on , burned out license plate light , etc, are all " probable cause " for a stop . My son has made a lot of arrests for outstanding warrants because some knucklehead did something to draw attention to himself .

 

[LoboGunLeather]

In FL, those are "technically" illegal for the very reason used, to obscure the plate. But like most traffic laws, they are only enforced when convenient for the LEO. The law requires headlights on when raining. Many don't. A virtual cash cow for LE, but they clearly don't want to write tickets in the rain.

The "cash cow for LE" does not exist. Traffic fines are general fund revenues for the government entity. The cops and LE agencies do not participate in traffic fine revenues (other than via budget processes).

When politicians decide to direct LE to generate revenues by targeted traffic enforcement, then the cash cow is born.

 

[LVSteve]

I've recently driven to the Dallas area and back. I'll be posting a thread on the driving I observed in due course.

I see many license plate here covered with plastic. If I'm standing 20' away I can't read the plate because of the smoky plastic cover.

I was thinking about that a few days ago. Why would someone cover their plates with plastic. Plates are aluminum and 100% weather proof. Then it hit me. People cover their plates so traffic cameras can't read them. So running a red light is much safer. No ticket in the mail.

Were I a traffic cop I'd nail every one of the cars with an obscured plate with a fixit ticket. I'd even be dishing it out to those with the number plate frames that conceal the state name. Maybe I'd carry a suitable couple of screwdrivers with a cheery. "Here, you can give me the offending item right now and avoid a ticket."