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#1
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Better drivers needed, everywhere.
New thread time.
How many riders have been out and noticed the crappy driving habits of the car crowd? I was out a few days back and just stopped to observe traffic from the safety of the sidewalk. This was a 3 way stop sign, T type of intersection. Out of about 30 cars I watched over maybe a ten minute period, none (0.00) came to a complete stop, and one blew through at about 35 MPH in a 25 zone. All but one or two went into nearly full throttle to the next stop sign one block down the road and then slammed on the brakes for the next rolling stop. My house is near another of these 'T' type intersections and it goes on all day long. With gas now over $3.00 a gallon this makes no sense at all, yet the dipsticks with the gas pedal don't seem to get the point. So, do we really have a gasoline shortage or is it just that these idiot motorists are sucking up the fuel with their stupid driving antics? They sure can turn a 35 MPG car into a 25 MPG car with bad driving habits, like the stop sign drag races, even if with themselves. I drive my Mazda in the highest gear possible and shift 1, 3, 5, and it gets really good mileage around town. Oddly enough when I took my driving test the DMV guy gave me bad points for oddball shifting, even when I explained what I was doing. I don't think this is limited to just California so let's take a poll. Do drivers in your area drive as bad? Bill Baka |
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#2
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Better drivers needed, everywhere.
"Bill" wrote in message t... New thread time. How many riders have been out and noticed the crappy driving habits of the car crowd? I was out a few days back and just stopped to observe traffic from the safety of the sidewalk. This was a 3 way stop sign, T type of intersection. Out of about 30 cars I watched over maybe a ten minute period, none (0.00) came to a complete stop, and one blew through at about 35 MPH in a 25 zone. All but one or two went into nearly full throttle to the next stop sign one block down the road and then slammed on the brakes for the next rolling stop. My house is near another of these 'T' type intersections and it goes on all day long. With gas now over $3.00 a gallon this makes no sense at all, yet the dipsticks with the gas pedal don't seem to get the point. So, do we really have a gasoline shortage or is it just that these idiot motorists are sucking up the fuel with their stupid driving antics? They sure can turn a 35 MPG car into a 25 MPG car with bad driving habits, like the stop sign drag races, even if with themselves. I drive my Mazda in the highest gear possible and shift 1, 3, 5, and it gets really good mileage around town. Oddly enough when I took my driving test the DMV guy gave me bad points for oddball shifting, even when I explained what I was doing. I don't think this is limited to just California so let's take a poll. Do drivers in your area drive as bad? Bill Baka Part of the problem is bad design, IMO... overuse of traffic controls leads to drivers disrespecting them I think. Take your example of stop sign after stop sign after stop sign... put too many of them in and you will actually encourage people to do exactly what you observed: fail to completely stop, then speed to the next, lather, rinse, repeat. It's not too different, again IMO, than traffic facilities that are poorly designed with bicyclists' needs in mind. It seems a rare ride that I don't disregard SOME traffic signal, law, or design because it simply isn't adequate or compatible with biking! From loop detectors at traffic signals that can't detect my bike... to mixed-use bike lane/parking lanes... to too-narrow lanes... to ill-placed traffic controls, speed bumps, sidewalks, etc... to motorist/ped/bike conflicts over shared spaces or ill-thought path-crossing... Part of the problem is that authorities tend to respond to problems by constantly ADDING traffic controls... as if adding more signage, speed bumps, signals, etc. is ALWAYS the answer. The mall circle drive that loops around the mall just south of where I live is a perfect example of asinine traffic control... recently some numbskull apparently got it in his head that -- for liability reasons, no doubt, or to "slow traffic down" -- it would be a good idea to put literally SEVEN stop signs along the south stretch of the drive... this in a half-mile stretch, mind you. It is utterly ridiculous as this is a through route with a 30 MPH speed limit that has actually always been quite well-respected. There's a need for ONE stop sign, tops.... the stop signs are all at minor intersections for the occasional aisle traffic that wants to turn onto to through route... and one of the stop signs is installed at a CLOSED parking garage so no crossing traffic or peds -- a stop sign with no useful function whatsoever. Is it any wonder why people disrespect these signs? It's human nature, people. I do not intend to imply that it excuses all bad driver behavior, but this paradigm needs to be completely re-thought. brink |
#3
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Better drivers needed, everywhere.
brink wrote:
"Bill" wrote in message t... New thread time. How many riders have been out and noticed the crappy driving habits of the car crowd? I was out a few days back and just stopped to observe traffic from the safety of the sidewalk. This was a 3 way stop sign, T type of intersection. Out of about 30 cars I watched over maybe a ten minute period, none (0.00) came to a complete stop, and one blew through at about 35 MPH in a 25 zone. All but one or two went into nearly full throttle to the next stop sign one block down the road and then slammed on the brakes for the next rolling stop. My house is near another of these 'T' type intersections and it goes on all day long. With gas now over $3.00 a gallon this makes no sense at all, yet the dipsticks with the gas pedal don't seem to get the point. So, do we really have a gasoline shortage or is it just that these idiot motorists are sucking up the fuel with their stupid driving antics? They sure can turn a 35 MPG car into a 25 MPG car with bad driving habits, like the stop sign drag races, even if with themselves. I drive my Mazda in the highest gear possible and shift 1, 3, 5, and it gets really good mileage around town. Oddly enough when I took my driving test the DMV guy gave me bad points for oddball shifting, even when I explained what I was doing. I don't think this is limited to just California so let's take a poll. Do drivers in your area drive as bad? Bill Baka Part of the problem is bad design, IMO... overuse of traffic controls leads to drivers disrespecting them I think. Take your example of stop sign after stop sign after stop sign... put too many of them in and you will actually encourage people to do exactly what you observed: fail to completely stop, then speed to the next, lather, rinse, repeat. I have to agree with you about bad design, since as a motorist I wound up on a street that had stop signs every half block for about 2 miles. After about a dozen such stops I found myself falling into the stop, speed, stop again pattern. That was just plain bad design in Los Angeles. The area I was watching has stop signs about every quarter mile and only where they are actually needed. The street layout is good but the drivers were not ones I would like to be in the midst of, bicycle or car. It's not too different, again IMO, than traffic facilities that are poorly designed with bicyclists' needs in mind. It seems a rare ride that I don't disregard SOME traffic signal, law, or design because it simply isn't adequate or compatible with biking! From loop detectors at traffic signals that can't detect my bike... to mixed-use bike lane/parking lanes... to too-narrow lanes... to ill-placed traffic controls, speed bumps, sidewalks, etc... to motorist/ped/bike conflicts over shared spaces or ill-thought path-crossing... Same thing here. Legally I could be written up every time I ride, but I just ride for my own safety and not necessarily trying to act like a car. When I ride 2 towns over to visit a friend I have to go over 2 bridges and many in town streets on the sidewalk. One bridge is a freeway starting point so taking the lane would be suicide while the other forces me to ride on the sidewalk. The bridges are so crowded with cars that they all have a bad attitude and I want nothing to do with them while on 2 wheels. The loop detectors here sometimes won't pick up on a motorcycle so forget it on a bicycle. I have to get off the bike and push the pedestrian crosswalk button. Part of the problem is that authorities tend to respond to problems by constantly ADDING traffic controls... as if adding more signage, speed bumps, signals, etc. is ALWAYS the answer. The mall circle drive that loops around the mall just south of where I live is a perfect example of asinine traffic control... recently some numbskull apparently got it in his head that -- for liability reasons, no doubt, or to "slow traffic down" -- it would be a good idea to put literally SEVEN stop signs along the south stretch of the drive... this in a half-mile stretch, mind you. That makes me wonder if anyone even reviewed the proposal or if it was a one man traffic planning 'God'. It is utterly ridiculous as this is a through route with a 30 MPH speed limit that has actually always been quite well-respected. There's a need for ONE stop sign, tops.... the stop signs are all at minor intersections for the occasional aisle traffic that wants to turn onto to through route... and one of the stop signs is installed at a CLOSED parking garage so no crossing traffic or peds -- a stop sign with no useful function whatsoever. That makes about as much sense as putting stop signs at every alley between the actual roads. I'm sure if some bonehead thought it up it might get done. Is it any wonder why people disrespect these signs? It's human nature, people. I do not intend to imply that it excuses all bad driver behavior, but this paradigm needs to be completely re-thought. brink Agreed, but by the time it is re-thought the roads have been built, the buildings are right up to the legal limit, and it would all have to be torn down and done over. Planners tend to plan for maybe 5 or 10 years ahead and then wonder why in 5 years time their hot new road layout is already a traffic mess. The only solution here is more police, and that is not a good sign of planning. The locals put in a red light camera and within a few months are bragging about how much revenue it keeps bringing in. It's been there for about 6 months now and the number of drivers it catches hasn't gone down. Smarter drivers needed?? Bill Baka |
#4
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Better drivers needed, everywhere.
I'm from Boston and yes, you have no ideyah how wicked bad they ah around
heyah. "Bill" wrote in message t... I don't think this is limited to just California so let's take a poll. Do drivers in your area drive as bad? Bill Baka |
#5
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Better drivers needed, everywhere.
"Bill" wrote in message t... New thread time. How many riders have been out and noticed the crappy driving habits of the car crowd? I was out a few days back and just stopped to observe traffic from the safety of the sidewalk. This was a 3 way stop sign, T type of intersection. Out of about 30 cars I watched over maybe a ten minute period, none (0.00) came to a complete stop, and one blew through at about 35 MPH in a 25 zone. All but one or two went into nearly full throttle to the next stop sign one block down the road and then slammed on the brakes for the next rolling stop. My house is near another of these 'T' type intersections and it goes on all day long. With gas now over $3.00 a gallon this makes no sense at all, yet the dipsticks with the gas pedal don't seem to get the point. So, do we really have a gasoline shortage or is it just that these idiot motorists are sucking up the fuel with their stupid driving antics? They sure can turn a 35 MPG car into a 25 MPG car with bad driving habits, like the stop sign drag races, even if with themselves. I drive my Mazda in the highest gear possible and shift 1, 3, 5, and it gets really good mileage around town. Oddly enough when I took my driving test the DMV guy gave me bad points for oddball shifting, even when I explained what I was doing. I don't think this is limited to just California so let's take a poll. Do drivers in your area drive as bad? Bill Baka We used to call this a "kansas city stop". But, lately, it's becoming known as a California Stop. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 6502 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Try SPAMfighter for free now! |
#6
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Better drivers needed, everywhere.
In article ,
Bill writes: New thread time. How many riders have been out and noticed the crappy driving habits of the car crowd? How many consider their fellow street users might have to get home fast in the throes of a potty emergency? Especially if they're wearing white Dockers, and heading home from Red Lobster. There really is a lot of nice people out there, even if some of 'em drive "crappily". What are ya gonna do -- summarily execute them for crappy driving? Things seem to go in cycles. Last week I had drivers giving me the courtesy of honking at me from right behind, to warn me they were about to cut me off. This week I've had a bunch of arduous pull-outs from boxed-in parking positions ahead of me. I see what's going on, hang back, and let them go. Then the driver sees me laying off, and gives me an appreciative wave, and I smile and wave back. I like to think they come away with the feeling that cyclists aren't so bad after all. It kinda feels good to interact sociably and friendlily with other folks out and about on the streets, to cut some slack, and have some slack cut for me. And if cyclists aren't so bad, maybe drivers aren't either. Of course there are exceptions in both groups, but screw 'em. Actually, they end up screwin' themselves. cheers, Tom -- Nothing is safe from me. Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca |
#7
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Better drivers needed, everywhere.
Tom Keats wrote:
In article , Bill writes: New thread time. How many riders have been out and noticed the crappy driving habits of the car crowd? How many consider their fellow street users might have to get home fast in the throes of a potty emergency? Especially if they're wearing white Dockers, and heading home from Red Lobster. I know where that came from after an 'all you can eat' Chinese outing. Been there, done that. There really is a lot of nice people out there, even if some of 'em drive "crappily". What are ya gonna do -- summarily execute them for crappy driving? Some people that are, in fact, really nice seem to get a 'personality transplant' when they get behind the wheel. Things seem to go in cycles. Last week I had drivers giving me the courtesy of honking at me from right behind, to warn me they were about to cut me off. This week I've had a bunch of arduous pull-outs from boxed-in parking positions ahead of me. I see what's going on, hang back, and let them go. Then the driver sees me laying off, and gives me an appreciative wave, and I smile and wave back. I like to think they come away with the feeling that cyclists aren't so bad after all. It kinda feels good to interact sociably and friendlily with other folks out and about on the streets, to cut some slack, and have some slack cut for me. I've had the same kind of things happen in the last 2 weeks of being out on the bike. Some people were almost too nice and we got into a "You go first" standoff, so I went. It was nice that people were not out with bad attitudes. And if cyclists aren't so bad, maybe drivers aren't either. Of course there are exceptions in both groups, but screw 'em. Actually, they end up screwin' themselves. I have to agree, since I have been on both sides of the situation. cheers, Tom There's still hope. Bill Baka |
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