I'm just waiting for the day when someone merges into me, it's happened almost more times than I can count. I long for that day. They're bank accounts/insurance will be sorry they ever messed with Trekker4747!
Running Red Lights
- Thread starter Mr Light
- Start date
The average commute is about an hour and a half round trip.Wow! I'd get to work instantly! Hell, I'd get there two minutes before I left! Obviously your area has discovered how to either bend space or let cars do FTL travel.
The average commute is about an hour and a half round trip.Wow! I'd get to work instantly! Hell, I'd get there two minutes before I left! Obviously your area has discovered how to either bend space or let cars do FTL travel.
Ah, well, that clairfication would've been important to your original statement.
Anyway, an hour and half?! If one's commute is that long, traffic or no, it's time to find another job.
I agree. Mines five minutes. And I walk.
But some people have to take jobs where they can find them, but they don't want to give up the nice home in the 'burbs.
It's not uncommon in urban centers for people to drive two hours one way to work. I know some.
But some people have to take jobs where they can find them, but they don't want to give up the nice home in the 'burbs.
It's not uncommon in urban centers for people to drive two hours one way to work. I know some.
It is a life goal of mine to never have to drive more than 15 minutes to get to work.
My dad used to drive 2 hours (4 hours round trip) to work because his business changed locations. He did that for many years because he couldn't get a job elsewhere that paid as much. Eventually we moved, but he still drives about 30-45 minutes to get there.
My dad used to drive 2 hours (4 hours round trip) to work because his business changed locations. He did that for many years because he couldn't get a job elsewhere that paid as much. Eventually we moved, but he still drives about 30-45 minutes to get there.
Don't get a job in California. Commutes in some areas run over two hours, each way.
That sounds just like San Francisco, where smart pedestrians also don't start crossing the street right when the "WALK" sign lights up. Give it five seconds to give the red-light runners time to go by, then start. If you're not much into thrills, give it eight seconds.
Not on purpose. I use my judgement with the yeller lights...here in Queens I swear at some intersections the yeller light isn't even yeller for more then a second...so your ass better stop. Upstate too...when your running through those little towns ...if they have local cops your screwed. They love to pull you over. Is speeding really speeding if your going 10-15 miles over the speed limit. Am I answering my own question??
Yeah, I know people who commute that far to work in London.
Memo to self - don't visit San Francisco.
I drive pretty safely. I've been informed that I'm heavy on the breaks, though.
My driving recklessness has gone way down since I got my CR-V a couple of years ago. I will not risk that car for anything. I've gotten more conservative in my driving, because I hate the thought of anything happening to this car or anyone in it.
Not in the loudness of the sound system, though, 'cuz that car is kickin' it.
Not in the loudness of the sound system, though, 'cuz that car is kickin' it.
Ok I slightly speed. But not really in my mind. Only pulled over once for that...it's those damn stop signs that have plagued me.
I've been told that too, when I bring my car in for a tune-up.
I have to admit, I've got a bit of a lead foot. Actually, truth be told, I've gotten five speeding tickets in the past six years. It's really quite amazing that I haven't gotten any demerit points on my license. The most recent ticket was given to me a few months ago, and earlier this week, I went to the court-house to see if I could get the charge reduced -- and I did! I went on the advice of the officer who gave me the ticket: he said that since I was honest and cooperative, he would have no problem helping me out if I decided to fight for a lower charge. Let that be a lesson -- never do anything to piss off a cop that pulls you over. I managed to save nearly $200, and my driver's record remains not seriously blemished.
Why do I speed sometimes? I don't know... I guess the speed limit usually feels too low to me. If I'm not paying as much attention as I should, I'll go at the speed that feels comfortable to me -- and that's usually 15-20 kph higher than the limit.
I'm trying to be more careful, I really am.I do consider myself a generally safe driver, however. I don't go through red lights or stop signs (yellow lights are, of course, always a personal judgement call), and I always watch for pedestrians. So while I may not be a perfect driver, I have no doubt there are plenty of worse ones out there.
Where I live, the vast majority run the red. If you don't, odds are someone will rear-end you. And never, ever, go immediately when your light turns green, or you'll be t-boned.
I automatically wait a few seconds to go when the light is green. Down here, that is never a problem, but when I unthinkingly did that up north a few years ago, I was immediately honked at.
Down here, if you go when that light first changes, you're dead.
I can't help wondering if your "up north" experience was in the Boston area, because you are absolutely describing where I live.
I grew up and learned to drive in Oregon. Back then, at least, Oregonians were some of the safest and most law-abiding drivers in the country, and very much defensive drivers.
Then I moved to Boston. For the first 2 years I lived here I couldn't get anywhere and got honked at all the time because I actually stop at stop signs and red lights, wait my turn at 4-way stops, don't pull out into oncoming traffic to make a left turn, etc. Or, I should say I didn't do any of those things.
I'm still a very safe driver and obey stop signs and lights, etc. But, unfortunately, I have had to become a much more "assertive" driver, as someone above put it. If you're not at least somewhat assertive here you won't get anywhere.
There are many things that make me nutso about Boston/Mass drivers, but the biggest is the running red lights thing. And here it's not just 1 car, but typically 3 or 4 cars through a red at "rush hour" times. It's just insane. And then, as T'Bonz commented, you get honked at for not jack-rabbit starting off the line when the light turns green while said 3 or 4 cars are running the red. And, I'm honked at fairly regularly for actually *gasp* stopping at one particular stop sign the I pass on my way home from work every day. Most everyone just blows through it, most with barely a tap of the brakes. I literally even had a nun honk at me and wave her fist one time because I came to a complete (or very nearly complete) stop there.
Not signaling for turns or lane changes is one of my other huge pet peeves about drivers in this part of the country. I have this personal little rule that I abide by: if you signal for a lane change I will happily let you in. If you don't, #^$& you. It's my beat up ol' Explorer against your shiny new (fill-in-the-luxury-car); guess who cares less what their car looks like?
It's probably my one driving nastiness. And I would never take it to dangerous extremes; just far enough to let others know my displeasure.
Oh, and I do have to admit that since I've lived in Boston (20 years now) I have discovered the wonderfully cathartic effects of blowing the horn. Oregonians would never, ever, ever use the horn (except maybe to scare a varmint out of the road.) I only do it at the most egregious offenses, but it can really make you feel better.
That's why I'll never drive into NYC even though it would be nice to visit. No way in hell would I survive having to drive in there! I'd never want to drive in any major/inner city. That's the other thing people do here, merge abruptly to the point where you have to slam on your brakes to avoid getting hit. That really pisses me off. When I see someone sidling up next to me I match their speed so they can't do it. It's even funnier with my GF who will loudly shout at these people; she uses the horn a lot more than I do 
Why would *anyone* want to drive there? You don't even need to. They have decent public transit.
You're being very kind when you say decent. Ahhhhhh I love the smell of piss in the morning!
I am right on the border of Margate, one neighborhood over. If I walk out my door and go about a block and a half east, I'm in Margate!
So yes, I most definitely know Margate. That's where my Mom now lives.
I was describing Pittsburgh. Fortunately, unlike Boston, they don't run red lights.
They do have one very annoying thing about driving in Pittsburgh though. They have some sort of law that if you're on a road with two lanes in your direction, you can ONLY use the left one when making a turn. You can't just drive in it.
My mom told me that when I very naturally went into the almost empty left lane from a crowded right lane. I was like, "WTF? That makes NO sense. Take away half of the space in which to drive?"
Gotta love my home state.
But at least people there don't blow through red lights and they do use turn signals. They use them here, but often *after* they've changed lanes right in front of you.
Now if only they would learn that an acceleration lane means SPEED UP to merge onto the highway, not drive up to the end, stop, wait in a long lane, THEN accelerate. Another WTF for me.
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