I had forgotten how bad driving can be

[Exterous]

My mom had some major surgery (and is doing well) so I've been driving over to see her. I usually work remotely and, on the occasions I need to drive into work, usually am on the road by 6:15am

Let me just say I vastly prefer the 6am drivers to midday drivers. Yes its cut throat that early and everyone is speeding but everyone knows where they are going and are there seems to at least be a level of environment familiarity if not competence.

These midday drivers? Good grief. SE MI drivers are some of the worst in terms of insanity. On a 45mph 4-6 lane road (Telegraph for those familiar with the area) you've got people doing 70mph, 30mph, people randomly jaywalking, all kinds of crazy stuff. Saw someone at a stop at a red light just decide it was green or something and go almost running over a pedestrian and causing a huge collision with oncoming traffic right next to me. Old lady just came to a stop in the middle of a 5 lane road for some reason. No warning lights and her brake lights were broken so that was fun. Another driver saw a blinking yellow light and came to a complete stop. All on just my morning drive to see her. And, with 2 large major highways under construction still in Dec the highways around Telegraph are parking lots. So...yeah

 

[IronWing]

Yep, all the poppyheads come out after 9am. 6am is the very latest that I like to leave the house.

 

[Captante]

Things really are worse than I've ever seen them on the roads... it's always been madness on I-95 but lately it's everywhere and at all times of day.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Yeah, driving was never great here in the Bay Area but jesus christ on a pogo stick things have gone absolutely bonkers post Covid.

Its like we collectively as a society all realized at once that we *FUCKING HATE DRIVING* and also that *WE'RE BEING FORCED TO DRIVE* and decided to pour all the fear/hate/anger into the act of driving itself.

 

[nakedfrog]

When I was in Nebraska this past May, I saw multiple people doing that same thing, deciding the red light had been red long enough and just going. My mom was visiting too and noticed the same thing. I don't remember that being common when I was living there, I think I saw it maybe 3 times in 20 years?

 

[Iron Woode]

My mom had some major surgery (and is doing well) so I've been driving over to see her. I usually work remotely and, on the occasions I need to drive into work, usually am on the road by 6:15am

Let me just say I vastly prefer the 6am drivers to midday drivers. Yes its cut throat that early and everyone is speeding but everyone knows where they are going and are there seems to at least be a level of environment familiarity if not competence.

These midday drivers? Good grief. SE MI drivers are some of the worst in terms of insanity. On a 45mph 4-6 lane road (Telegraph for those familiar with the area) you've got people doing 70mph, 30mph, people randomly jaywalking, all kinds of crazy stuff. Saw someone at a stop at a red light just decide it was green or something and go almost running over a pedestrian and causing a huge collision with oncoming traffic right next to me. Old lady just came to a stop in the middle of a 5 lane road for some reason. No warning lights and her brake lights were broken so that was fun. Another driver saw a blinking yellow light and came to a complete stop. All on just my morning drive to see her. And, with 2 large major highways under construction still in Dec the highways around Telegraph are parking lots. So...yeah

We get the same crazy stuff here. I am just thankful I don't live in Toronto. The 401 there is beyond nuts.

 

[BoomerD]

Yeah, driving was never great here in the Bay Area but jesus christ on a pogo stick things have gone absolutely bonkers post Covid.

Its like we collectively as a society all realized at once that we *FUCKING HATE DRIVING* and also that *WE'RE BEING FORCED TO DRIVE* and decided to pour all the fear/hate/anger into the act of driving itself.

I used to commute from the Modesto area into all parts of the Bay area. If I left by 0400, it wasn't bad until I got to the maze...they it started going to shit. If I went up 80/580 to Richmond, it wasn't too bad, or if I did the 580/238/880, that was usually OK. 680 was usually drivable until 0530. I would rather get to work an hour early, grab breakfast or even a nap than sit in parking lot traffic.

 

[pete6032]

What I have noticed is that so many people have blindingly bright LED headlights now. Like it's great that YOU can see the road but you're literally blinding me through my rear view mirror and now I can't concentrate on driving.

 

[dank69]

Basically if you aren't pissed off or astounded when you are driving you probably aren't paying enough attention unless there is nobody around.

 

[Red Squirrel]

This is one of the many reasons I like living in a small city. While the driving even here can be brutal at some times of day, it's generally not as bad as say, the GTA or something like that.

And yes I can't stand the super bright blue lights some people put on their cars, I don't get why that's legal. I always thought blue lights were illegal because they were reserved for emergency vehicles. I even see people put strobe lights as their headlights, it's brutal.

 

[Muse]

I have been on a roll lately street skating (sic pun, I know). Skate 10 miles 6 days a week, weather permitting. Had my worst skate in years around 2 weeks ago, the slowest (I wear a heart rate monitor, so I have graphs and stats that I check out when I get home). It was because my foot was killing me. It had been hurting at the start of my skate for a couple days and I figured out that I was lacing up the skates too tight. Next skate was killer fast, I amazed myself. I followed that up with 8 more killer skates, I was surprised how great I was doing. Heart rates ~10 beats/minute faster than I had been doing.

Rained this week and I missed a skate, skated yesterday determined to keep up the pace if at all possible. I was 80% done when a car ahead of me going the other way decides to do a U turn, I figured the driver saw me but acted like I wasn't there, almost hit me. I had to veer into a pile of leaves, which is dangerous, no way of knowing what was under those big leaves, could have thrown me to the ground. I was going as fast as I could! I yell real loud at the driver, and he totally ignored me and drove away. I figure him for the kind of guy who if he did hit me would have just driven off, a hit and run. I see a woman walking towards me at that point and I yell "he almost hit me!!!" She responds, "I'm sorry." I continue my skate cursing that driver, mad as hell. I really have to assume in the future that cars don't see me and that even if they do, they don't give one shit about me.

It's going to rain today and I won't be able to skate. I really should just get on my Concept 2 Model D rowing machine (that's why I bought it, for these raining days when I can't skate) but the rower's painful for me (my butt!!!), and I can only do it for 20 minutes max (10 more likely), not the 75 minutes I skate and skating is SO MUCH MORE FUN! Keeps me on my toes, is good for my balance and great for my core. It's dangerous, though.

 

[Captante]

I really have to assume in the future that cars don't see me and that even if they do, they don't give one shit about me.

After years of riding motorcycles I can tell you this is rule #1.

Roughly 25% (at best) of drivers are completely focused on the road and quite a few are devoting BELOW 50% of their attention to driving. (by far the most dangerous thing most folks ever do!)

REMEMBER there is NOTHING but air and opportunity between you and those "people" when you're on the road and TODAY a certain number of road-users in your area (usually right near their homes!) WILL DIE in traffic accidents.

Anytime you're on the road doing ANYTHING you have to understand that you have a 2-ton pistol pointed right at you and the shooter(s) have some $hit aim!

 

[Muse]

After years of riding motorcycles I can tell you this is rule #1.

Roughly 25% (at best) of drivers are completely focused on the road and quite a few are devoting BELOW 50% of their attention to driving. (by far the most dangerous thing most folks ever do!)

REMEMBER there is NOTHING but air and opportunity between you and those "people" when you're on the road and TODAY a certain number of road-users in your area (usually right near their homes!) WILL DIE in traffic accidents.

Anytime you're on the road doing ANYTHING you have to understand that you have a 2-ton pistol pointed right at you and the shooter(s) have some $hit aim!

TBH I'm always amazed when I see people stepping off the curb to cross the street and don't give a glance to see what's going on around them. Yeah, most vehicles you can hear but electric vehicles are quieter and there are things they can't hear such as bicyclists and, yes, skaters (we are rare here but do exist).

 

[MrSquished]

A good reason to live in an urban area in a metropolitan area with good mass transit (for the US) and good walkability. I can do most of my errands on foot. And NYC has the world available at your fingertips with a metrocard and your feet, or a bike. Can throw in an occasional taxi if you'd like too. Whether or not there is much traffic, living in the burbs where I have to get into a car to do anything just does not appeal to me as much.

 

[Captante]

Unfortunately NYC is one of only a handful of places in the US where you honestly are 100% fine without a car. (might even be better off!)

In New Haven we have relatively decent (and still free @ the moment) mass transit compared to most places but if you don't have a car with a working heater you're still going to have a bad time in winter.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Rained this week and I missed a skate, skated yesterday determined to keep up the pace if at all possible. I was 80% done when a car ahead of me going the other way decides to do a U turn, I figured the driver saw me but acted like I wasn't there, almost hit me. I had to veer into a pile of leaves, which is dangerous, no way of knowing what was under those big leaves, could have thrown me to the ground. I was going as fast as I could! I yell real loud at the driver, and he totally ignored me and drove away. I figure him for the kind of guy who if he did hit me would have just driven off, a hit and run. I see a woman walking towards me at that point and I yell "he almost hit me!!!" She responds, "I'm sorry." I continue my skate cursing that driver, mad as hell. I really have to assume in the future that cars don't see me and that even if they do, they don't give one shit about me.

Now you understand, maybe, why some people carry guns...

 

[Muse]

Now you understand, maybe, why some people carry guns...

Oh, it's no mystery to me why some people carry guns, not all of them, obviously. Look... I figure there's a price to pay for carrying a gun beyond the $$, compliance. Anybody carrying a gun is carrying that karma, a vibe. It effects them, it adds a heaviness to their persona.

I don't have a firearm but I have thought of carrying a knife when skating, in an angry, flustered moment. Haven't done it, though. For one thing, when you are on quads you're kind of vulnerable. It's difficult to defend yourself. A gun's another matter but I find it hard to imagine a situation where I'm skating and would have occasion to pull a gun and not be part of the problem.

 

[Muse]

A good reason to live in an urban area in a metropolitan area with good mass transit (for the US) and good walkability. I can do most of my errands on foot. And NYC has the world available at your fingertips with a metrocard and your feet, or a bike. Can throw in an occasional taxi if you'd like too. Whether or not there is much traffic, living in the burbs where I have to get into a car to do anything just does not appeal to me as much.

My very well off cousin grew up in Brooklyn, lived in NYC for many years and I believe never owned a car. She now lives in San Francisco and still, no car, she refuses, has a quite high end bicycle, has always been into public transit. Same with her adult son, who just did a cross country bicycle trip for the adventure of it. I suppose she's taken many a cab.

 

[lxskllr]

I hate driving so much. I wish people would at least pretend to be competent. Every 5-10 minutes is "FUCK! FUCK!!! Are you completely fucking inept?! Try that little stick on the left. It'll make my life much easier, and how about you try to maintain a steady pace? I don't need a calve workout from my brake pedal"

 

[MrSquished]

My very well off cousin grew up in Brooklyn, lived in NYC for many years and I believe never owned a car. She now lives in San Francisco and still, no car, she refuses, has a quite high end bicycle, has always been into public transit. Same with her adult son, who just did a cross country bicycle trip for the adventure of it. I suppose she's taken many a cab.

Yep. A lot of people in NYC have never had a car. When COVID started and New Yorkers were leaving for the burbs, especially those with families, the FB group I was in to discuss options was full of people who had never driven or hadn't driven in a decade or more, and all had to get drivers licenses.

I do have a car and must have a car and I like the freedom it gives me. But I also love walkability and I use mass transit when it is an option most times. Between my bike, Citibike bike share, the bus and trains I do just fine. Since distances here to cool shit are short, Ubers/Cabs can be affordable a lot of the time, though surge pricing can kill that. Sometimes I Uber somewhere, then bike or mass transit back if there is surge pricing, or vice versa. Great for when you go out drinking too, no drink and drive.

Now with portable music and wireless earbuds, and a kindle and a phone, if you want to enjoy time on transit you have options. Although on the NYC subway it's a lot of fun just to people watch too. Mass transit can be stressful sometimes, but driving is way more annoying more often. And you can multi-task when you aren't driving.

 

[Charmonium]

What I have noticed is that so many people have blindingly bright LED headlights now. Like it's great that YOU can see the road but you're literally blinding me through my rear view mirror and now I can't concentrate on driving.

I don't generally spring for dealer installed aftermarket items but an auto switching rear view is a must have. I just wish i could get an external mirror that does that.

This is one of the many reasons I like living in a small city.

Not so small. Dumas mining will be appearing on the Curse of Oak Island this season.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Not so small. Dumas mining will be appearing on the Curse of Oak Island this season.

I've done lot of work for them when I was in IT, I never realized at the time how big they were. But yeah they have sites all over the world.

 

[Muse]

Yep. A lot of people in NYC have never had a car. When COVID started and New Yorkers were leaving for the burbs, especially those with families, the FB group I was in to discuss options was full of people who had never driven or hadn't driven in a decade or more, and all had to get drivers licenses.

I do have a car and must have a car and I like the freedom it gives me. But I also love walkability and I use mass transit when it is an option most times. Between my bike, Citibike bike share, the bus and trains I do just fine. Since distances here to cool shit are short, Ubers/Cabs can be affordable a lot of the time, though surge pricing can kill that. Sometimes I Uber somewhere, then bike or mass transit back if there is surge pricing, or vice versa. Great for when you go out drinking too, no drink and drive.

Now with portable music and wireless earbuds, and a kindle and a phone, if you want to enjoy time on transit you have options. Although on the NYC subway it's a lot of fun just to people watch too. Mass transit can be stressful sometimes, but driving is way more annoying more often. And you can multi-task when you aren't driving.

I don't do mass transit much these days, in fact not once since the pandemic (ridership on B.A.R.T. is still off ~60-70% IIRC), but when I did/do, I too like to people watch, a lot on the trains. It's always amazed me that the great majority of the ridership seem to rarely glance at each other. I don't feel super brave or anything, I am just not in a trance in my own world. I do bring smartphone and earbuds, usually. My last full time job was bicycle 1/2 mile to the station and train to San Francisco, walk 1 block to work. Loved that!

I do little driving. I see shots of jammed freeways all the time. I'm rarely in any of those.

Driving has gotten worse and worse. I saw a professional on TV two days ago saying that there will be no new freeways in the Bay Area in coming decades. We're stuck with what we have. What they are contemplating is having all-lane tolling depending on conditions in an effort to manage what there is. Anchor said it probably won't kick in until 2035. Seems like a nightmare.

 

[clamum]

My mom had some major surgery (and is doing well) so I've been driving over to see her. I usually work remotely and, on the occasions I need to drive into work, usually am on the road by 6:15am

Let me just say I vastly prefer the 6am drivers to midday drivers. Yes its cut throat that early and everyone is speeding but everyone knows where they are going and are there seems to at least be a level of environment familiarity if not competence.

These midday drivers? Good grief. SE MI drivers are some of the worst in terms of insanity. On a 45mph 4-6 lane road (Telegraph for those familiar with the area) you've got people doing 70mph, 30mph, people randomly jaywalking, all kinds of crazy stuff. Saw someone at a stop at a red light just decide it was green or something and go almost running over a pedestrian and causing a huge collision with oncoming traffic right next to me. Old lady just came to a stop in the middle of a 5 lane road for some reason. No warning lights and her brake lights were broken so that was fun. Another driver saw a blinking yellow light and came to a complete stop. All on just my morning drive to see her. And, with 2 large major highways under construction still in Dec the highways around Telegraph are parking lots. So...yeah

LOL Telegraph, yeah, that don't surprise me.

They've been working on 96 and 696 by me so there's slowdowns but since I work remote now and only go into the office like once a month or so (and typically stick to surface streets/non-freeways just running errands) I don't usually have to deal with much. Plus I tend to go at night when I do go out so there's less peeps.

 

[Muse]

My mom had some major surgery (and is doing well) so I've been driving over to see her. I usually work remotely and, on the occasions I need to drive into work, usually am on the road by 6:15am

Let me just say I vastly prefer the 6am drivers to midday drivers. Yes its cut throat that early and everyone is speeding but everyone knows where they are going and are there seems to at least be a level of environment familiarity if not competence.

These midday drivers? Good grief. SE MI drivers are some of the worst in terms of insanity. On a 45mph 4-6 lane road (Telegraph for those familiar with the area) you've got people doing 70mph, 30mph, people randomly jaywalking, all kinds of crazy stuff. Saw someone at a stop at a red light just decide it was green or something and go almost running over a pedestrian and causing a huge collision with oncoming traffic right next to me. Old lady just came to a stop in the middle of a 5 lane road for some reason. No warning lights and her brake lights were broken so that was fun. Another driver saw a blinking yellow light and came to a complete stop. All on just my morning drive to see her. And, with 2 large major highways under construction still in Dec the highways around Telegraph are parking lots. So...yeah

That scene does sound loony. Much much worse than around here. But here there are loony drivers too, just not nearly as common. I get in my car on average every two weeks for my Costco run, maybe an errand or two thrown in. Otherwise I suffer the traffic on my bicycle or skates.