Driving trends - is it just us?
Lately, I’ve noticed a sea change in local driving - more and more people seem to believe they’re actually in England. It seems that every day I come across some nutter careening along on the wrong side of the road, not swerving over to the right until the last possible moment. It doesn’t seem to be confined to any particular type of vehicle, and not all of them are on the phone (as far as I can tell - hands-free conversations aren’t easy to detect.)
Is this happening everywhere or just in the county where I live?
Normally nutty things like this are confined to a single type of driver, like the Civics and Volkswagens swinging across three or four lanes of highway every two to five seconds without actually gaining any distance over drivers who choose their lanes carefully; or the “why look before I leap?” lane changes of oversized, truck-based SUVs; or the “I drive faster in snow” behavior of inexperienced, overconfident 4×4 and AWD vehicles; or the “I don’t care how fast I go, as long as I don’t get passed” behavior of people driving in New Jersey with New York plates (for some reason not a big problem in their home state); or any of a number of other interesting trends of people with vehicles of a particular type. The wrong-side-of-the-road routine is inexplicable to me, and widespread as well.
Your thoughts?
Perhaps there is a congress full of brit´s or something in your county… LOL
You are not alone! It’s happening in Connecticut and Massachusetts as well.
We have been virtually commuting to the Boston area due to taking one of our dogs to Tufts University veterinary hospital for the past few weeks, taking I-84, the Massachusetts Turnpike, I-495 and Route 1-A to Walpole, MA from Hartford, CT.
Most of the trip is 2-lane or 3-lane interstate with a small 2-lane road from the interstate leading to Walpole, MA.
What is both interesting and disturbing is the fact that the econoboxes hog the far left lanes and poop out on long upgrades on the interstates, slowing to about 35 mph, causing traffic to scatter between 18 wheelers constantly operating in the MIDDLE LANES to get around those turtle racers.
Even then those left-lane squatters only VERY slowly resume their speed back up to a respectable 60 while in the FAR LEFT LANE until I could merge between 18 wheelers and pass them.
Route 1-A is hilly and full of curves, so the British way of driving makes for very interesting meets with cellphone mommies (we met no fewer than four, last week). Thank God for anti-lock brakes as we headed for the ditch.
Wow, glad that hasn’t made its way this far down in Jersey. Yet, anyway. I do notice that I-195 (Trenton to the NJ shore) now has a guardrail in the median. Not sure if it’s the whole stretch though…
Have expanded on the various people who annoy me after a trip back and forth to PA… http://acarplace.com/autos/
I understand and see much of what you talking about. I see it every day, The roads are far more dangerous, then anytime in recent memory.
Here in Florida, there are Trucks and SUV’s all over on 6 and 8″ lifts, 24″ rims Tailgating anyone in thier way, seeing a bumper behind you, knowing it’s over your trunk, and the first thing it would hit is your rear glass!, Then there are the tuner’s
(The Freaks do come out at night) 100+ on I 95, weaving in and out of traffic, local roads 35 mph limits, flashing by by at 70 and 80mph.
On a daily commute, I have begun to coin the phrase ” at the front of every HWY back up there is always a Prius”
Honestly Bad habits are one thing, But I believe the root of the problem lies with with everyone being in a hurry, and a faster pace of life everywhere. Technology helps get more done, but it also expensive to have up to date Technology.
It is asthough everybody Is playing catch up today. Civilty is rare, and courtesy rarer still.
Our whole society is changing, Do you remember when they called the 80’s the decade of greed ?
Is it ironic, go shop for a new vehicle, First thought, fuel efficient, affordable, and how many options can I get for the range I wish to spend.
Take it out for a test drive, (the reminder of how crazy it is out there) and start looking at something bigger, safer, Oops not much economy there.
Let’s see, I can buy this, afford it, afford the gas, but get crushed, totaled, perhaps killed driving it.
Or I can get this Big Heavy Gas guzzling, expensive, beast, and live longer (at least long enough to find a part time job to feed it)
Hummm choices.