Crazy Drivers or Careless Driver with New Rules: Part 2
Silly Stupid Drivers
I am writing a series on bad driving habits that Americans are picking up in increased numbers. People today are driving faster and faster and the increase of bad habits is alarming. Americans are getting aggressive and lazy behind the steering wheel. People are even throwing their morals or values out the window as they drive.
Right-Hand Red Light Turn & Not Looking Left - Of coarse there are people in the crosswalk. That’s the first thing you want to check when you are making a right hand turn. The majority of drivers are very aware when making a right turn that some happy go lucky person, texting on their phone, will jump out in the crosswalk at the very last minute. It’s happened to me many times and this is not the habit I am talking about. Don’t get me started about bicyclists who cut you off before right hand turn. I road a bike in SF for 10 years, that is one thing I can safely say I never did. I saw to many bicyclists get hit that way.
Instead I am talking about the yolk driving their car and before/during/after they make the right hand turn, they either look to the right the whole time or only glance for second to the left. The end result, they don’t pay attention to oncoming traffic. Or they simply take a single glance and then focus on the crosswalk for 30-60 seconds. In the meantime a driver who is nearing this person whose not looking, their fear or anxiety kicks in that the car turning is going to jump out in front of them. And they do! Yes, I will agree this habit is bread from the fear of hitting someone in the crosswalk. But I think the roots, come from some drivers who are just to lazy to turn their neck or simply think they already looked to the left and no one is coming.
Right Turn Red Light Jockey - Another red light/right turn habit that is truly dangerous, is when a driver come to a red light and plan to attempt a right turn. You know these drivers, they don’t stop at the light or stop sign, they just slow to roll and gauge wether or not they can beat you. You could be going 20mph or 40mph, they’re not to smart and gun it to beat you! And there you are, slamming on your breaks because they are less than a car length from you. You slam on your horn and they flip you off. Not to mention the 4 cars behind you also had to slam on their breaks.
Before I had kids, I wanted to hit these people with my car to teach them a lesson. The reality is these people are so consumed with themselves, respecting others safety is not apart of their vocabulary. It’s moments like this you just wish a cop was right there to cuff this person and haul them off to jail. How do we curb either of these habits, I plan to explore some options in the final installment of this series.
coming up signals and yellow = go