Obeying traffic laws is becoming hazardous

[grover99]

Getting old but I am still a good driver I like to think. When I am driving down a two lane highway I run around 4 or 5 mph over the speed limit. However tailgaters pile up behind me and pass with little regard for no passing zones. When I drive a 4 lane highway I stick to the right lane again running a bit over the speed limit. People rock my car blasting by me. If I pull out to pass if I don't kick it up to 90 I get the tailgaters again. When pulling up to a stop sign if I stop for more than 1 second someone behind me blows their horn. People seem to think that I should hit my brakes when they pull out in front of me rather than waiting until the road is clear. What my dear old dad used to say is "this country is going to hell in a hand basket". I f he was still alive today I don't think I could print what he would have to say

 

[Skeet 028]

The local speed lmit here is 70MPH. When I go anywhere even if I go the posted speed...believe me...I ain't goin fast nuff. This sounds crazy but one time in Bridger Mt...I got stopped the town cop...he thanked me for going the speed limit. Not joking. So when out on the road I most often use cruise control at 67-68 and let 'em go by me. Hell they pass me anyway and don't care whether it's a passing zone or not

 

[lihpster]

Just today I was following a guy through town and he pulled up to the stop sign. I pulled up behind him and people pulled up behind me. He's stopped and sitting there, suddenly his backup lights go on! Why? Because he's realized the last parking spot of the row is open and he's gonna go back and park. So he's looking at me like I'm the one with the learning disability. Yeah, no problem, dude. It's kinda pick your own direction on these streets.

 

[GypsmJim]

A boy was murdered on my street by a speeder who left the scene. Then they reduced the speed limit to 30.

Last year a guy slowed for the stop sign in front of my house, then "stopped" (what a concept) The car behind him rear ended him and the 3rd car rear ended the second one. I was sitting on my porch. The second guy got out of his car and yelled: "Why did you stop?" The police got there just in time for a confrontation. The guy in the first car (the legal guy) got arrested because he was speaking loudly and was angry.

(CANT MAKE THIS **** UP).

Just today I was coming home and "speeding"......34 mph in the 30. When I got to the corner the young girly tailgater beeped at me because I stopped at the stop sign.

It's always been bad, but worse since covid.

 

[Greyman50]

I wish I had a M-113 that would go 70 mph………

 

[Patrick L]

This is sort of the opposite, but kind of funny too.

So I'm from New York, well known for the politeness and civility of its drivers. Yeah, right.

Anyhow, our son is Army JAG, stationed in Texas. The first time I visited him, I was driving down the highway. I was doing maybe 10 mph over the speed limit. I was in the left lane, but the nearest car had to be at least 100 yards behind me, showing no signs of gaining, so I stayed there. I kept checking the mirror, he was still there, but again no sign of gaining. This had to go on for at least 10 minutes. Finally, on a whim, I changed to the center lane. This guy suddenly punched it and flew by me like the space shuttle!!! BUT, he passed me and actually smiled. I was repeatedly struck by how polite the people were down there. I saw absolutely ZERO instances of road rage, pushiness, tailgating, nothing! If I had been home in NY (and I'm talking upstate, not even NYC) he would have been on my bumper, flashing his hi beams, beeping, probably flip me off when he passed, etc.

You gotta love Texas!

 

[lihpster]

This is sort of the opposite, but kind of funny too.

So I'm from New York, well known for the politeness and civility of its drivers. Yeah, right.

Anyhow, our son is Army JAG, stationed in Texas. The first time I visited him, I was driving down the highway. I was doing maybe 10 mph over the speed limit. I was in the left lane, but the nearest car had to be at least 100 yards behind me, showing no signs of gaining, so I stayed there. I kept checking the mirror, he was still there, but again no sign of gaining. This had to go on for at least 10 minutes. Finally, on a whim, I changed to the center lane. This guy suddenly punched it and flew by me like the space shuttle!!! BUT, he passed me and actually smiled. I was repeatedly struck by how polite the people were down there. I saw absolutely ZERO instances of road rage, pushiness, tailgating, nothing! If I had been home in NY (and I'm talking upstate, not even NYC) he would have been on my bumper, flashing his hi beams, beeping, probably flipped my off when he passed, etc.

You gotta love Texas!

You do know he was muttering, "Bless your heart." behind that smile, don't ya?

 

[Rudi]

Just going to the store you are risking your life these days.

 

[Chuck24]

As soon as the light turns green, you blow your horn, even if you’re first in line

 

[vt_shooter]

As soon as the light turns green, you blow your horn, even if you’re first in line

Imagine the cursing you'd generate if you had an electronic device that monitored the traffic light, and the nanosecond it turns green, in less than 1/100th of a second, it leans on the horn for a solid 3 seconds. OMG.

 

[arjay]

My old granny,when people annoyed her,would say we need another war!!
(She was a fierce Scot who had lived through both world wars up close)

 

[Nevada Ed]

I know that everyone is in a HURRY to get where ever they are going, since they don't give their selfs enough time to get there and that is how it is done , now.

I get even in town on my street that is posted at 25 mph on people that get behind me that want to go 35 or faster and God help them if they get behind me in a school zone, where I do 15 mph and they want to do 30 mph !!

When it gets bad on my street, I call the PD dept and have them post one or two bikes in the side streets, and they make a killing.

55 in a 25 is just too much !!

I rate myself as pretty good at driving with almost 65 years behind the wheel
with no speeding tickets or a DUI.
My wife scares the heck out of me, only looking twenty feey in front of her car !!

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[venomballistics]

I could easily out rant you on this subject.
And I think I will.
Freeway merging procedure as I was taught...
Find a hole in traffic, match speed of traffic, take your place in that hole.
It's worked for decades.
More than half seem to merge into 75 mph traffic at approximately 45.
The other day, I was behind a box truck on an on ramp DECELERATING from 35 mph into what was probably 80 MPH traffic.
I pulled to the side and let that one unfold.
3 vehicles involved ...
Likely related to this chronic dweebery is the tendency of people to slow down on the freeway as they approach an interchange.
I get it... But it's no less annoying.
One should always plan ahead and get into the lane you need a few miles ahead of need.
It's rather common to see a left lane resident zip across all lanes to kamakazzie themselves to the exit.
It's also rather common to have crayon munchers do everything they can to close the gap when you're trying to make a lane change.
Nissan Altima drivers are a species unto themselves, having ousted BMW drivers from the title of most dangerous on the road.
Avoid them or die trying.
Pickups equipped with dualies ....
Most that have them don't need them and I struggle to understand why anyone would willingly drive a vehicle that has a calendar instead of a speedometer.
The average quality of the modern driver has deteriorated.
It's so pronounced, I find a certain feeling of pride and comradery with those that ride old school.

 

[Model 15-4ever]

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Lots more traffic post-pandemic. Since so many are working from home at night in their pajamas, and not at the job where they used to be, they are driving around on the local roads all day long.

Lots more BAD drivers on the roads, many of them unlicensed "newcomers". Most are looking at their phones and no the road.

I just about stopped running outside anymore, unless I can go to a trail. Too many close calls with inattentive and poor drivers drifting into the shoulders at excessive speeds.

 

[Rustyt1953]

This all hinges on one's definition of "good driver".

 

[coltle6920]

People have to slow down and enjoy Life. Just don't do it if you are in the car in front of me. The basic traffic laws haven't changed over the years...only the mentality of the drivers.

Years ago pedestrian fatalities were pretty much unheard of. The advent of the cellphone turned people into walking or driving zombies oblivious to the World around them.

If you feel you are entitled to do whatever you want than you are entitled to suffer the consequences.

 

[pawngal]

Pickups equipped with dualies ....
Most that have them don't need them and I struggle to understand why anyone would willingly drive a vehicle that has a calendar instead of a speedometer.

Obviously you were never anywhere close to me when I was driving our F350 1 ton, 4x4 dually diesel. I loved to make it "bark at the moon" 75+ was the norm.

 

[LVSteve]

It's always been bad, but worse since covid.

This x1,000,000. Just today we were heading across town on a fairly quiet freeway flowing at 5-10 over the limit. But no, that wasn't enough for one clown in a Mustang who came blasting by on the right having weaved over there because the left lanes were too slow for him at 10 over.

On the way back we were on a chunk of freeway with construction and a 55 mph limit. Yeah, right. I had to go 65 not to be trampled underfoot.

PSA. Those visiting Vegas should know that "HOV" in HOV lanes means "High Object Velocity", not "High Occupancy Vehicle" like it does in other cities.

 

[twodog max]

It all comes down to the general attitude of " I am more important than anyone else".