This! My morning commute takes me up the Parkway to Britton Road, where there is a bigger curve, and I often get stuck 4th or 5th in line behind the paranoid driver doing 45-50 on the approach to that exit because they can't see beyond the Britton Road overpass. What obstacle do they think they're going to encounter on a 6-lane, 65-MPH freeway?

Since you mention it, I was going a breezy just-under-70 on I-240 one night when I stumbled upon a recliner sitting upright in the center lane of I-240. Perhaps that's what they're anticipating? LOL

Since you mention it, I was going a breezy just-under-70 on I-240 one night when I stumbled upon a recliner sitting upright in the center lane of I-240. Perhaps that's what they're anticipating? LOL

Speaking of obstructions in the center lane, it seems like the popular thing to do this week going southbound on i235 near 10th is for someone in the right lane to crash into someone in the center lane, there have been two in the last week (maybe three, I think the third was was just rear ending someone but after the delays it causes I would rather go than gawk).

Speaking of obstructions in the center lane, it seems like the popular thing to do this week going southbound on i235 near 10th is for someone in the right lane to crash into someone in the center lane, there have been two in the last week (maybe three, I think the third was was just rear ending someone but after the delays it causes I would rather go than gawk).

I noticed that as well. Two accidents I witnessed were both caused by people not checking lanes before they got into them, and you can't put two cars into the same lane at the same exact point. Also, what is the deal with people going from the 2nd lane across the right lane and directly into an exit? I've seen this at least 3 or 4 times a day. If you know your exit is approaching, why not get over into the right lane ahead of time?

I've seen this at least 3 or 4 times a day. If you know your exit is approaching, why not get over into the right lane ahead of time?

I see this happening way too often. I saw a car stop in the middle lane and turn their blinker on, on Shields last week during rush hour, because they wanted to turn left....... You miss your turn. You keep moving and find a safe place to make a u-turn.

The lack of common sense and feeling of entitlement in todays drivers is appalling. I really wish there was a stronger presence of traffic law enforcement but heck most of the time I see police vehicles breaking traffic laws too.

Anyone know what was up with I-235 yesterday evening around 6-ish? Northbound looked like it had a big accident, but southbound (which I was on) was having a jam as well with multiple different groups of cars pulled over by the police from around the capital area down to the junction. Just lots of people having fender benders, or was there some sort of police operation going on?

A lot of people are making their own rules these days ... Eastbound 122nd to southbound Broadway Extension for example. There are only two eastbound lanes on 122nd, with the right lane the only right turn lane available to access Broadway. I can't count how many times that when I've came to the stop sign to make a right hand turn, or been in line waiting my turn, there's someone who comes flying up in the left lane and then punches it to make the right hand turn in front of me or who ever else happens to be at the stop sign. .... Total disregard for the other folks who are in line to take their turns.

Today, on my way to work on 44/Hefner Parkway from 23rd to Britton, I encountered a white van in the left lane going 50mph with a quarter mile between he and the person in front of him. There was a car to his right but even when there wasn't, he was still going 50-55 in the left lane. I am curious if some people think if they are traveling a long distance, it is best to stay in the left lane regardless of their speed.

My biggest gripe is that these days it seems only a very few people use turn signals! I mean, it's not something done for YOU. It's a way to let OTHERS know your intentions, thereby decreasing the likelihood of an accident. This is especially true when changing lanes on a multiple-lane roadway. Seems like common sense, but I swear almost nobody uses them.

Why is that? Is is because it takes a teensy little bit of extra effort? Or is it because of that sense of entitlement, as somebody mentioned upthread: Mine, mine, mine! My car. My road. My right to turn or switch lanes unannounced and damn anyone who thinks otherwise!

You know what, though? The people who I do still see using their signals are the ones who run way up ahead of everyone else on a lane closure, refusing to take their proper place in line, and then suddenly when they're up at the point where their bumper is about to hit the cones, that's when they put on that turn signal. Cause they suddenly want to be a courteous driver and to play by the rules. Right.

My husband and I joke that cars today must not come equipped with turn signals.

Why is that? Is is because it takes a teensy little bit of extra effort? Or is it because of that sense of entitlement, as somebody mentioned upthread: Mine, mine, mine! My car. My road. My right to turn or switch lanes unannounced and damn anyone who thinks otherwise!

How can you expect someone to use their turn signal to say they are getting over? They are already texting while driving and have to have at least one hand on the wheel! ::end sarcasm::

I see this happening way too often. I saw a car stop in the middle lane and turn their blinker on, on Shields last week during rush hour, because they wanted to turn left....... You miss your turn. You keep moving and find a safe place to make a u-turn.
...

I have seen this happening only in the past few years, only in OKC, and I do absolutely everything I can to make sure they know they have absolutely no right to stop ANY other traffic because they're stupid and missed their turn. Seen it happen on May Ave, MacArthur, all kinds of main streets. It's unbelievable how many times I've seen this since moving back to OKC, just completely baffled as to how anybody thinks this is acceptable.

I'm guessing that Driver's Ed isn't taught much (or at all) anymore, from what I've heard from folks with teenagers, so there are whole pieces of information that we know that they don't get taught anymore, but doing something like that is just completely absurd and should be known as unacceptable even if you've had NO Driver's Ed at all.

...and yet, everyone is still choosing to live where driving is a requirement. It seems to me the solution for dealing with bad driving habits is easer solved by not having to drive myself rather than correcting the behavior of 400,000 other people.

I'm sure most of us in this thread don't do these things, but if you know someone that does (or if you actually do them), please let me know what the thinking process is behind them, I'm curious as hell....

Changing lanes into a left turn lane without using any signals at all, sitting there without signaling while it's red, then when it turns green, you turn your signal on

Stopping at a red light with a car's length between you and the car in front of you, then creeping up a foot or so every 10 seconds (used to annoy me incredibly when I drove a stick shift, doesn't so much anymore, but still weird)

Travelling 40 MPH in the right lane of a 4 lane street, and when passing someone in the left lane turning left, you slow down to 10-20 MPH

Sitting in the left lane on a highway, I can kind of understand as ignorance and entitlement, but these things just make me wonder how someone's brain is wired...

...and yet, everyone is still choosing to live where driving is a requirement. It seems to me the solution for dealing with bad driving habits is easer solved by not having to drive myself rather than correcting the behavior of 400,000 other people.

Well, if Chicago wasn't so miserably cold and expensive, I'd still be there riding trains into and out of the city and taking buses and the El, as well as walking once I got into the city.

Circumstances kind of forced me to move back to OKC, so I didn't really choose of my own free volition and willingness to come back to OKC, I wouldn't've if I would've had pretty much any other choice at the time. So I live with all the stupidity because I don't have the money to leave again. So you can make that "everyone -1" :p

My biggest gripe is that these days it seems only a very few people use turn signals! I mean, it's not something done for YOU. It's a way to let OTHERS know your intentions, thereby decreasing the likelihood of an accident. This is especially true when changing lanes on a multiple-lane roadway. Seems like common sense, but I swear almost nobody uses them.

Why is that? Is is because it takes a teensy little bit of extra effort? Or is it because of that sense of entitlement, as somebody mentioned upthread: Mine, mine, mine! My car. My road. My right to turn or switch lanes unannounced and damn anyone who thinks otherwise!

You know what, though? The people who I do still see using their signals are the ones who run way up ahead of everyone else on a lane closure, refusing to take their proper place in line, and then suddenly when they're up at the point where their bumper is about to hit the cones, that's when they put on that turn signal. Cause they suddenly want to be a courteous driver and to play by the rules. Right.

My husband and I joke that cars today must not come equipped with turn signals.

That's funny because my wife and I joke about how turn signals must be optional on new cars.. even the very expensive ones.

Well, if Chicago wasn't so miserably cold and expensive, I'd still be there riding trains into and out of the city and taking buses and the El, as well as walking once I got into the city.

Circumstances kind of forced me to move back to OKC, so I didn't really choose of my own free volition and willingness to come back to OKC, I wouldn't've if I would've had pretty much any other choice at the time. So I live with all the stupidity because I don't have the money to leave again. So you can make that "everyone -1" :p

I haven't been up there in a while. ... I miss it.

Here's one for you TheTravelers ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5WzzaS4HF0

...and yet, everyone is still choosing to live where driving is a requirement. It seems to me the solution for dealing with bad driving habits is easer solved by not having to drive myself rather than correcting the behavior of 400,000 other people.

Or descent mass transit, but why offer a solution when you can just complain about the problem...

I haven't been up there in a while. ... I miss it.

Here's one for you TheTravelers ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5WzzaS4HF0

Thanks much, remember that wheel squeal all too well, woke me up when we were getting into the station (although I came into Union on the BNSF line, not Northwestern, which is where this was filmed). Going back to that area later this year, but unfortunately a visit to the wife's family in NW Indiana, not going to get into Chicago, most likely. :-(

Thanks much, remember that wheel squeal all too well, woke me up when we were getting into the station (although I came into Union on the BNSF line, not Northwestern, which is where this was filmed). Going back to that area later this year, but unfortunately a visit to the wife's family in NW Indiana, not going to get into Chicago, most likely. :-(

BNSF is where we came in too, and AT&SF before that .... the line that came into town loosely following I-55 in from the southwest. Then we jumped over on to the 3 track speedway out to Berwyn or Downers Grove .... Spent a LOT of time in Berwyn though.

Where this was taken. .... I used to train watch up on that bridge a lot as a kid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7IvlEEMS-o

And this has absolutely nothing to do with motorists in OKC.

But trains are cool. Getting around a tractor pulling three pups or two 52's can be like passing a train.

BNSF is where we came in too, and AT&SF before that .... the line that came into town loosely following I-55 in from the southwest. Then jumped over on to the 3 track speedway out to Berwyn or Downers Grove .... Spent a LOT of time in Berwyn though.

Where this was taken. .... Used to train watch up on that bridge a lot as a kid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7IvlEEMS-o

And this has absolutely nothing to do with motorists in OKC.

We lived in DG at Maple and 355, used the Belmont station (which I hear has been completely redone/remade, along with the surrounding streets, have to look at it in google maps), and yeah, that triple track was a speedway, I never ever ever crossed against the signals after seeing the trains fly through there when we first moved there.

Eh, it was 200 posts, about time for a thread derail (ha, I kill myself)...

...and yet, everyone is still choosing to live where driving is a requirement. It seems to me the solution for dealing with bad driving habits is easer solved by not having to drive myself rather than correcting the behavior of 400,000 other people.

Oh but Kerry, I love to drive! I love the look and feel of my car, inside and out. I love how it performs. I love the sound system, the gadgets. I love to see beautiful scenery passing by. I love to experience lights in the city at night, or winding country roads on a crisp sunny day. There's a lot to love about driving, at least for some. It's truly a pleasure--most of the time. If only those dratted crappy drivers wouldn't get in the way of my bliss!

Fortunately I don't have to commute. My trip to work consists of exiting my bedroom, walking down a set of stairs, traveling through the kitchen and up another set of stairs to my office. With the exception of driving my child to school (about 10 miles each way), when the route occasionally gets congested, I really don't have to endure most of the rush hour issues. I do, however, remember living in Dallas back in the early '90s and spending over an hour in the car each way driving to work and back, just to go about 15 miles. That type of driving certainly wasn't a pleasure. Yep, I'd have loved to use the Dart rail system for the commute, but it was years away from being built at that time.

My biggest gripe is that these days it seems only a very few people use turn signals! I mean, it's not something done for YOU. It's a way to let OTHERS know your intentions, thereby decreasing the likelihood of an accident. This is especially true when changing lanes on a multiple-lane roadway. Seems like common sense, but I swear almost nobody uses them.

Thank you! I see a bunch of police who don't even use them. It's dumb. Just put your turn signal on a couple seconds before and change lanes. Most new cars have a lane changing feature where you gently tap he turn indicator switch and it blinks 3-5 times and automatically goes off.

Or descent mass transit, but why offer a solution when you can just complain about the problem...

Kerry gives a lot of solutions, it's just that most of them aren't realistic.

I'll admit to being a bit of a lead foot, and I also tend to change lanes a lot (though in my defense it is usually due to the aforementioned lane-squatters), but I always try to drive (or ride one of my two wheelers) with one overriding rule; my actions should NEVER singularly cause another driver to be forced to take evasive action. Meaning they should never be required to tap (or slam) the brakes because I pulled in front of them.

They should never have to change lanes to avoid hitting me. I will never zoom in front of them and stop. When I am merging, I will be going as fast as they are (or faster) and hit a provided gap. If they are in the fast lane, going faster than me, they should never have to pass me on the right. I use it to pass, and I get back to the right as soon as it is safe to do so. In my car, I ALWAYS use my signals, even in parking lots. I only change lanes in front of someone when my speed is faster than theirs.

Now, do I APPRECIATE when someone moves over to allow me to merge? Of course; I do it myself at every safe opportunity. But I don't DEPEND on it. Are there times when my left turn requires someone to come to a stop behind me? Sure; but that is normal traffic activity, and you can bet that 1) I didn't change lanes quickly in front of them before squatting, 2) I actually planned ahead and tried to buy some space behind me before initiating my turn, and 3) I signaled well in advance; often far enough that they could have changed lanes if desired.

If everyone on the road - regardless of how fast they like to drive - operated under this overriding principle, the "golden rule of traffic" if you will, accidents and driver angst would be pretty rare. Unfortunately, that's not how most people operate.

I will also vouch for the idea of living close to work and other activities. When I was a young(er) adult, I routinely put 30K+ per year on my car (one year I put 45K on). After moving to the area surrounding downtown (in this case it is where I work and play; others might be better off in a different part of town depending on what they do), I have put less than 10K/yr on cars for more than a decade. My current car is near the end of a 39 mo lease, and I just turned 20K, which is about 6500/yr. If you do the math, it means I spend about 75% less time in a car, I save 75% on fuel, and have about 75% less driving aggravation.

I also mostly drive on uncongested city streets as opposed to white-knuckling or red-facing it on a highway commute. I commute through sleepy, leafy neighborhoods and feel relaxed when I get to my destination, be it home or work. Sometimes I ride my scooter, or a bicycle (need to do that more, actually), and often my motorcycle.

I also mostly drive on uncongested city streets as opposed to white-knuckling or red-facing it on a highway commute. I commute through sleepy, leafy neighborhoods and feel relaxed when I get to my destination, be it home or work. Sometimes I ride my scooter, or a bicycle (need to do that more, actually), and often my motorcycle.

Same here.... I'm always looking for the path of least resistance.

I'm also very good at keeping a schedule so I'm rarely in a hurry to get anywhere either. So a longer, more scenic, route isn't discouraging to me.

I'll admit to being a bit of a lead foot, and I also tend to change lanes a lot (though in my defense it is usually due to the aforementioned lane-squatters), but I always try to drive (or ride one of my two wheelers) with one overriding rule; my actions should NEVER singularly cause another driver to be forced to take evasive action. Meaning they should never be required to tap (or slam) the brakes because I pulled in front of them.

They should never have to change lanes to avoid hitting me. I will never zoom in front of them and stop. When I am merging, I will be going as fast as they are (or faster) and hit a provided gap. If they are in the fast lane, going faster than me, they should never have to pass me on the right. I use it to pass, and I get back to the right as soon as it is safe to do so. In my car, I ALWAYS use my signals, even in parking lots. I only change lanes in front of someone when my speed is faster than theirs.

Now, do I APPRECIATE when someone moves over to allow me to merge? Of course; I do it myself at every safe opportunity. But I don't DEPEND on it. Are there times when my left turn requires someone to come to a stop behind me? Sure; but that is normal traffic activity, and you can bet that 1) I didn't change lanes quickly in front of them before squatting, 2) I actually planned ahead and tried to buy some space behind me before initiating my turn, and 3) I signaled well in advance; often far enough that they could have changed lanes if desired.

If everyone on the road - regardless of how fast they like to drive - operated under this overriding principle, the "golden rule of traffic" if you will, accidents and driver angst would be pretty rare. Unfortunately, that's not how most people operate.
...

Yes, this! Least footprint (or tireprint) method - just drive the way you should and be as unnoticeable as possible. I drive because I have to get from point A to point B, and I would like to do it with the least interference to me from other drivers and least interference from me to other drivers as possible. I don't want to play games, I don't have anything to prove, I just want to get there.

I generally don't tailgate (I will flash my lights at a lane-squatter, but I'm far enough back that they can see my headlights), and the one time I did recently was unintentional when I was on the Parkway northbound, had just changed lanes into the Kilpatrick eastbound exit lane going 70 MPH, and some dumba** in a minivan slams over in front of me (without a signal, natch) doing about 50. I let off the gas, but the idiot kept slamming on his brakes (not just flashing the lights, but actually doing a nose-dive). As soon as I got on the Kilpatrick, I *almost* decided to see how he liked his own medicine, so I blazed around him, but he was too slow and I had to get off on May. Oh, how I wish I had a paintball gun in my car - red for complete a**holes like him, yellow for the regular idiots....

Kerry gives a lot of solutions, it's just that most of them aren't realistic in OKC...yet.

Fixed it for you. Give me 10% of ODOT annual budget and the only people who would be stuck in traffic and complaining about other drivers would be those who choose to. The rest of us wouldn't even care what the cost of a gallon of gas is.

Yes, this! Least footprint (or tireprint) method - just drive the way you should and be as unnoticeable as possible. I drive because I have to get from point A to point B, and I would like to do it with the least interference to me from other drivers and least interference from me to other drivers as possible. I don't want to play games, I don't have anything to prove, I just want to get there.

I generally don't tailgate (I will flash my lights at a lane-squatter, but I'm far enough back that they can see my headlights), and the one time I did recently was unintentional when I was on the Parkway northbound, had just changed lanes into the Kilpatrick eastbound exit lane going 70 MPH, and some dumba** in a minivan slams over in front of me (without a signal, natch) doing about 50. I let off the gas, but the idiot kept slamming on his brakes (not just flashing the lights, but actually doing a nose-dive). As soon as I got on the Kilpatrick, I *almost* decided to see how he liked his own medicine, so I blazed around him, but he was too slow and I had to get off on May. Oh, how I wish I had a paintball gun in my car - red for complete a**holes like him, yellow for the regular idiots....

We'll probably be reading about you in the paper ones of these days.....

Don't bring a 'paintball gun' to a 'regular gun' fight. However, I did hear a comedian one time say that people should all be armed with 'stupid dart' guns. When you see someone do something stupid you shoot their car with a dart. When a person gets 3 darts they get a ticket.

Don't bring a 'paintball gun' to a 'regular gun' fight. However, I did hear a comedian one time say that people should all be armed with 'stupid dart' guns. When you see someone do something stupid you shoot their car with a dart. When a person gets 3 darts they get a ticket.

They wouldn't be able to supply me with enough darts to shoot at people! :wink:

Don't bring a 'paintball gun' to a 'regular gun' fight. However, I did hear a comedian one time say that people should all be armed with 'stupid dart' guns. When you see someone do something stupid you shoot their car with a dart. When a person gets 3 darts they get a ticket.

Same principle - see a car with a lot of red, ticket time... Paintballs would be the non-damaging kind, wash off after a day, not immediately, so they couldn't erase the evidence. :p

This is kind of long, but it left me shaking my head ..... From the Milwaukee files. It's really amazing watching all this unfold.


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mgvOHnujspg

I use my turn signals turning in to my driveway. My street is used as a neighborhood cut through to get to a 4 way light with a protected left turn. I have lived here since 1980 and 2 little ones have been killed by speeders on my residential street. When the High School lets out I would volunteer my driveway for the MPD to bust kids going down my street at 50 mph.

I saw something yesterday that just left me SMDH.... I really wish I could have gotten a picture of this.

A car goes flying by me, speeding and weaving in and out of traffic, on Shields yesterday. As I catch back up to them at the stop light I can see they have two large stickers in their rear window.

I was unable to read the sticker on the right but the one on the left was a lengthy paragraph about State Law making the left lane for passing only.

What left me SMDH was that here is someone breaking the law while chastising others for breaking the law.... Pot??? Kettle???

What was even more frustrating was that despite all of their dangerous lane changing and speeding. I caught back up to them at every stop light for about 5 miles while maintaining the speed limit and never changing lanes.

Yeah, on surface streets, unless you know the light timing extremely well (and even then, it's a crapshoot a lot of the time), it's pointless to weave around. I don't do that on city streets, and only do it on highways if I must, and I try light-flashing first to get them out of the left lane. I could be the pot-kettle person too - I speed, but I want people to get out of the left lane if they're not passing and I'm coming up on them, I also float through stop signs in my neighborhood...

I saw something yesterday that just left me SMDH.... I really wish I could have gotten a picture of this.

A car goes flying by me, speeding and weaving in and out of traffic, on Shields yesterday. As I catch back up to them at the stop light I can see they have two large stickers in their rear window.

I was unable to read the sticker on the right but the one on the left was a lengthy paragraph about State Law making the left lane for passing only.

What left me SMDH was that here is someone breaking the law while chastising others for breaking the law.... Pot??? Kettle???

What was even more frustrating was that despite all of their dangerous lane changing and speeding. I caught back up to them at every stop light for about 5 miles while maintaining the speed limit and never changing lanes.

The left lane thing only applies to the highways and interstates anyway, not to surface streets, so they were cutting their nose off to spite their face.

The left lane thing only applies to the highways and interstates anyway, not to surface streets, so they were cutting their nose off to spite their face.

Oh, absolutely. It's just not worth it to drive crazy on surface streets here. In other cities with dedicated left- and right-turn lanes, it works better, but not much. :p

The left lane thing only applies to the highways and interstates anyway, not to surface streets, so they were cutting their nose off to spite their face.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they are aware of how the law works.

I was mainly pointing out the irony of someone pointing out that others are breaking the law (using the left lane for anything other than passing) because they are upset that it prevents them from breaking the law (speeding).

The weaving in and out of traffice on surface streets was irrelevant to their stickers. Just something else that frustrates me.

A few days ago, I was going seven over the speed limit in the 235/Broadway Extension fast lane, passing multiple cars, never tailing anyone more than three or so car lengths. A newer sedan starts tailing me, flashing their lights at me (I didn't get over because there were cars to my right that I was passing pretty regularly and again, I had cars in front of me so I couldn't go much faster) and throwing their hands up in the air. Once I saw a clear time to get over, I did. I got the finger and a mouthed "F$%k you!" from them. I exited on Britton, was right behind them at the light and noticed they had a "Coexist" sticker and turned into the LifeChurch parking lot... Irony...

Yeah, on surface streets, unless you know the light timing extremely well (and even then, it's a crapshoot a lot of the time), it's pointless to weave around. I don't do that on city streets, and only do it on highways if I must, and I try light-flashing first to get them out of the left lane. I could be the pot-kettle person too - I speed, but I want people to get out of the left lane if they're not passing and I'm coming up on them, I also float through stop signs in my neighborhood...

Yeah, I've been in a couple neighborhoods that have yeild signs instead of stop signs and I like those better.

Got to see one of OKC's finest pull over an idiot doing probably at least 50 in a 30 on Walker yesterday.

I almost stopped to applaud.... Can't count how many times I've said to myself "Where's a cop when you need one?" as some idiot goes flying by me weaving in and out of traffic on that street.

I thought about letting this thread die, but I have noticed a couple things, quite regularly, here lately that is driving me nuts.

First, people who drive trucks that angle in to parking spots!! This drives me nuts. I drive a truck and I take the time to pull into a spot, back up, and straighten out if I need to. I NEVER leave my truck angled in there. These idiots must really like door dings!

Second, people riding the white lines in their lanes. I see this about once or twice everytime I drive now. There was one instance where I couldn't get into the left turning lane because a guy had has big SUV snugged up next to the line and his over-sized tires were hanging over into my lane.

I don't remember seeing these two things frequently until just the past couple of months. People need to pull their heads out...

People who get down to the end of an on-ramp and freaking stop!!!

I frequently enter I-44 northbound from 23rd Street, and this has to be the worst spot for those people. Damn it, if you're getting on a highway, you merge UP TO SPEED. Then, see, nobody has to stop for you, and you don't have to stop. It isn't rocket science. But I swear there's at least one accident in that area every single day. It's not a great entry point, but still.

On the other other side of that coin, those people who make it their life's goal to NOT LET YOU IN when you're merging onto the highway. Not even if you're up to speed, have on your signal, have a smile on your face, and they wouldn't even have to hit their brakes. Nope, they still want to speed up and try to force you off the road. Just cause they can. Makes 'em feel like they're powerful or something.

Sorry to rant. I got up really early this morning and probably need another cup of coffee.

I thought about letting this thread die, but I have noticed a couple things, quite regularly, here lately that is driving me nuts.

First, people who drive trucks that angle in to parking spots!! This drives me nuts. I drive a truck and I take the time to pull into a spot, back up, and straighten out if I need to. I NEVER leave my truck angled in there. These idiots must really like door dings!

Second, people riding the white lines in their lanes. I see this about once or twice everytime I drive now. There was one instance where I couldn't get into the left turning lane because a guy had has big SUV snugged up next to the line and his over-sized tires were hanging over into my lane.

I don't remember seeing these two things frequently until just the past couple of months. People need to pull their heads out...

It probably won't ever die, as there are drivers that will constantly come up with stupider things all the time. :p

Thank you for being a decent truck driver, huge percentage here aren't (not sure if they think that they drive a big-a** truck, so they can do whatever the hell they want, or what).

As far as riding the white lines - use your horn, use it again, and again, until they move over. I can't believe how many people here can't seem to figure out how to use the horn. For example, just one of the many, many times I use it is when the 2nd car ahead of me won't go when the light turns green, and the person in between me and them throws their hands up like they can't move, and I think "If *you* would use your damn horn instead of just sitting on your ass waiting for *them* to go, I wouldn't be honking, dumba**!!!!"

Now that I think about it, quite a few drivers of trucks and SUVs don't seem to know what their vehicle's boundaries are, they turn way too wide, they swing out into the left lane while turning right, can't seem to figure out how to turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock, leave yards of space while backing up, they just don't know their vehicle well. Every car I get, I figure out how fast it can go, how wide it is, how long it is, how long it takes me to stop, what the turning radius is, etc. Apparently that's not the way lots of people handle a new car operating parameters and environment, though.

People who get down to the end of an on-ramp and freaking stop!!!

I frequently enter I-44 northbound from 23rd Street, and this has to be the worst spot for those people. Damn it, if you're getting on a highway, you merge UP TO SPEED. Then, see, nobody has to stop for you, and you don't have to stop. It isn't rocket science. But I swear there's at least one accident in that area every single day. It's not a great entry point, but still.

On the other other side of that coin, those people who make it their life's goal to NOT LET YOU IN when you're merging onto the highway. Not even if you're up to speed, have on your signal, have a smile on your face, and they wouldn't even have to hit their brakes. Nope, they still want to speed up and try to force you off the road. Just cause they can. Makes 'em feel like they're powerful or something.

Sorry to rant. I got up really early this morning and probably need another cup of coffee.

BY FAR the most annoying thing about drivers here. They stop literally right before they get on the freeway. It boggles my mind. Merge! Can you imagine those drivers in other cities? People would be livid if people randomly stopped before getting on the highway. The entrance is there for a reason...

I've noticed recently that left turns on red are the new fashionable thing to do.

And I see people taking an off ramp from the middle lane of the interstate happen so often that we might as well just make it legal.

I've noticed recently that left turns on red are the new fashionable thing to do.

And I see people taking an off ramp from the middle lane of the interstate happen so often that we might as well just make it legal.

Yeah, the red-light-runners seem to increase exponentially day-by-day. If cops would just sit at certain intersections where it's rampant, they could make their quotas (yeah, I know, quotas don't exist) and lots of money for the city as well as keeping people safer than busting folks going 10 over. As I've said before, speeders are low-hanging fruit, but damn, red-light-running is so much more dangerous! Is there any way we can contact the police dept. to say "Hey, this intersection is dangerous, can you please watch it?" or "Would you please consider cracking down on red-light-runners, they're all over the city and I've had x number of close calls personally?" or would the dept. just completely ignore you? Literally (using that word in its intended sense) 2/3 of the intersections I go through (all the way up and down May and Western from 164th to Reno, and on Reno from Portland to Western) have at least one red-light-runner during the time I'm sitting there at a red light.

When I worked at CHK, I was at the Caliber Center building, which is the large glass building on NW Expressway, 63rd and Portland. It currently has IBC Bank and Blue Cross/Blue Shield at the top. I would come south down Portland and most of the time hit the light to go through Portland. Nine times out of 10, 2-5 cars would run the light going NB Portland to WB NW Expressway. One time a car coming from that direction had to go behind me because I went when the light turned green and they ran it so late that I was already through part of the intersection.

BY FAR the most annoying thing about drivers here. They stop literally right before they get on the freeway. It boggles my mind. Merge! Can you imagine those drivers in other cities? People would be livid if people randomly stopped before getting on the highway. The entrance is there for a reason...

I think every city has their dumb drivers. Maybe not even dumb, just a different car culture. Much depends on geography, climate, etc. Yet, there are people in every city who will say they have the worst drivers in the country.

I've noticed recently that left turns on red are the new fashionable thing to do.

And I see people taking an off ramp from the middle lane of the interstate happen so often that we might as well just make it legal.there are way too many traffic signals around the city that have red arrows at left turn when oncoming traffic is completely visible and it should be a flashing arrow instead.

there are way too many traffic signals around the city that have red arrows at left turn when oncoming traffic is completely visible and it should be a flashing arrow instead.

I'm not talking about oncoming traffic.... I'm seeing people making lefts while the cross traffic is green.

Yes, I've been seeing a lot of both. Left turn runners are a big problem because not only do they run the red, but they speed through the stripped safety zones to get there, which is equaly dangerous.

This afternoon I witnessed two red light runners within minutes of each other. One westbound 150th at Penn and the other at 178th & Penn.

I try to keep a sharp eye out for this since I ride a motorcycle, so I've made it a habbit to sit still for a moment when a light turns green and check both ways before I proceed. I do this whether I'm on the bike or in my truck. I

Yes, I've been seeing a lot of both. Left turn runners are a big problem because not only do they run the red, but they speed through the stripped safety zones to get there, which is equaly dangerous.

This afternoon I witnessed two red light runners within minutes of each other. One westbound 150th at Penn and the other at 178th & Penn.

I try to keep a sharp eye out for this since I ride a motorcycle, so I've made it a habbit to sit still for a moment when a light turns green and check both ways before I proceed. I do this whether I'm on the bike or in my truck. I

Now that I have a kid in the car with me most of the time, I'm especially dubious about going as soon as the light turns green. And the people running through the red lights are often going very fast. It'd be an injury accident if they hit anyone. I'd rather not risk that when my daughter's with me.

I'm not talking about oncoming traffic.... I'm seeing people making lefts while the cross traffic is green.I see what you mean.

People who get down to the end of an on-ramp and freaking stop!!!

I frequently enter I-44 northbound from 23rd Street, and this has to be the worst spot for those people. Damn it, if you're getting on a highway, you merge UP TO SPEED. Then, see, nobody has to stop for you, and you don't have to stop. It isn't rocket science. But I swear there's at least one accident in that area every single day. It's not a great entry point, but still.

On the other other side of that coin, those people who make it their life's goal to NOT LET YOU IN when you're merging onto the highway. Not even if you're up to speed, have on your signal, have a smile on your face, and they wouldn't even have to hit their brakes. Nope, they still want to speed up and try to force you off the road. Just cause they can. Makes 'em feel like they're powerful or something.

Sorry to rant. I got up really early this morning and probably need another cup of coffee.
The third leg of the stool in the trifecta of dumb associated with ramps: drivers who HAVE to race the driver in front of them to the exit, just to slam on the brakes to negotiate it. A less-pronounced (but still occasional) type of dumbassery is the merging guy who HAS to race down the ramp to merge ahead of traffic beside them on the highway when there is an ample gap behind said traffic.

If all of the aforementioned dumbasses would operate under the one simple golden rule I detailed earlier in this thread - drive in such a way that other drivers almost never have to account for and react to your actions - the world would be a better place and traffic would almost always flow smoothly and at a brisk pace.

As a side note, despite the fact that I routinely drive above the posted limit, I can probably count the number of time that I have been honked at, had lights flashed at me or flipped the bird in the past 15 or more years on one hand. Also, road rage is for the most part nonexistent in my life. All it takes is pulling your head out and an adherence to the basic principle that part of my job on the road is to not be unnecessarily in the way of other drivers.

It's going to be super-fun getting out on the roads in a few minutes--but we have an appointment we can't cancel. I'm sure we'll have a few more rants after dealing with people who don't know how to drive on snow/ice. Hopefully we'll make it out unscathed. :)

I'm so glad working from home is an option for me. :)

My drive this morning was amazingly uneventful... For the most part the drivers on I-35 were keeping good spacing and speeds.

Only problem I encountered was a Mustang with a flat tire and it would have been slowing traffic regardless of the road conditions.

Yeah, I was surprised how tame everything was when we were out today. People were driving well. Of course, by the time we were on the roads, things were *much* better than they were early this morning. Now I just need a car wash. There's nothing more awful than snowy, slushy, ick coating my car.

There's nothing more awful than snowy, slushy, ick coating my car.i hate that!