Letters to the Editor
Baltimore Sun Newspaper
Dear Sir,
We were invited to Baltimore to spend the Holidays with friends. I must say it was certainly a learning experience in driving. Before I enumerate some the things we learned, there is one thing we are not sure of its meaning. Other drivers would blow their vehicle's horn and give a gesture with the middle finger of the hand. To me, this was an obscene gesture but we saw it so often, it must have a totally different connotation for Baltimore drivers -- one of approval! My wife and I called it the "Balto Salute."
Some of the lessons we learned from driving in Baltimore:
1. When the traffic light turns green, you must wait for a few seconds before entering the intersection so you are not hit by the other drivers running the red light. The drivers behind you must approve of your actions because they give you the Balto Salute.
2. Traffic signs are only suggestions as we observed vehicles disregarding STOP, NO TURN ON RED, NO LEFT TURN, NO PARKING FIRE LANE and many other traffic signs.
3. The use of directional signs to change lanes, are indicators to other drivers to not let you move over and if space permits, speed up to ensure you cannot move over a lane. This was experienced both when I discovered I was in a turn-only lane when I wanted to go onward and getting on and off of Interstate 83 in Baltimore.
4. Marked pedestrian walkways are just areas where drives can attempt to run you over and then give you the Balto Salute as they speed by.
5. Texting with both hands while steering with elbows seems to be skill acquired by many Baltimore drivers.
6. Motor bike operators are immune from traffic laws as they can do just about anything they want. Traffic rules must apply only to larger vehicles as they can run red traffic lights, change lanes by rapidly cutting in and out, drive on the side-walks and ignore just about every other traffic law.
7. Speed limit signs are just suggestions also. When driving the speed limit, we were passed by just about every vehicle and some gave their approval of my driving the speed limit by the Balo Salute.
8. Courtesy seems to be a concept foreign to Baltimore drivers. I stopped to permit a vehicle to make a right turn into the lane I was occupying. The driver wouldn't move -- after flashing my lights, blowing the horn and waving them on with my arm, did they finally make the turn. The drivers behind were expressing their approval through the Balto Salute.
Since we had to learn these features of Baltimore driving by experiencing them, I would like to make a suggestion. Perhaps a pamphlet listing the Baltimore Driving Rules and Regulations be put into each Maryland Welcome Centers on the interstates so other drivers who must drive in Baltimore are aware of them before they have to learn them first hand.
Baltimore Sun Newspaper
Dear Sir,
We were invited to Baltimore to spend the Holidays with friends. I must say it was certainly a learning experience in driving. Before I enumerate some the things we learned, there is one thing we are not sure of its meaning. Other drivers would blow their vehicle's horn and give a gesture with the middle finger of the hand. To me, this was an obscene gesture but we saw it so often, it must have a totally different connotation for Baltimore drivers -- one of approval! My wife and I called it the "Balto Salute."
Some of the lessons we learned from driving in Baltimore:
1. When the traffic light turns green, you must wait for a few seconds before entering the intersection so you are not hit by the other drivers running the red light. The drivers behind you must approve of your actions because they give you the Balto Salute.
2. Traffic signs are only suggestions as we observed vehicles disregarding STOP, NO TURN ON RED, NO LEFT TURN, NO PARKING FIRE LANE and many other traffic signs.
3. The use of directional signs to change lanes, are indicators to other drivers to not let you move over and if space permits, speed up to ensure you cannot move over a lane. This was experienced both when I discovered I was in a turn-only lane when I wanted to go onward and getting on and off of Interstate 83 in Baltimore.
4. Marked pedestrian walkways are just areas where drives can attempt to run you over and then give you the Balto Salute as they speed by.
5. Texting with both hands while steering with elbows seems to be skill acquired by many Baltimore drivers.
6. Motor bike operators are immune from traffic laws as they can do just about anything they want. Traffic rules must apply only to larger vehicles as they can run red traffic lights, change lanes by rapidly cutting in and out, drive on the side-walks and ignore just about every other traffic law.
7. Speed limit signs are just suggestions also. When driving the speed limit, we were passed by just about every vehicle and some gave their approval of my driving the speed limit by the Balo Salute.
8. Courtesy seems to be a concept foreign to Baltimore drivers. I stopped to permit a vehicle to make a right turn into the lane I was occupying. The driver wouldn't move -- after flashing my lights, blowing the horn and waving them on with my arm, did they finally make the turn. The drivers behind were expressing their approval through the Balto Salute.
Since we had to learn these features of Baltimore driving by experiencing them, I would like to make a suggestion. Perhaps a pamphlet listing the Baltimore Driving Rules and Regulations be put into each Maryland Welcome Centers on the interstates so other drivers who must drive in Baltimore are aware of them before they have to learn them first hand.
