Monday, June 17, 2013

Drivers Two Fold

Well this is a two fold topic. First driving in Florida has become all but annoying. People complain relentlessly in the winter months about the state of our "Snow Bird" drivers, and while they do add some extra vehicles to the congestion which already exists, they are far from the cause. We are in our summer months and while there are slightly fewer cars in the congestion mix the typical driving habits have not changed. It seems we want someone to blame the accidents, road rage, and poor driving on but who do you blame it on now. In my humble opinion, people just don't know how to drive anymore. Drivers seem to feel a sense of entitlement to the road and the space they occupy on it. Texting and Driving is horrible, I see people daily speeding up, slowing down, lingering at red lights, playing line tag, near rear endings, and red light running due to texting and talking on cell phones. People also don't pay attention to their driving. Cars following cars and not the flow of traffic and signals. Two to Four cars following the last one through a red light, why, because they're not watching the signals and paying attention to driving and just following the car in front of them. We've also seem to have lost the tact for safe following and safe stopping. If I can't see the grill of your car behind me you're to close. Everyone is also in some damn hurry to get somewhere, no regard for posted speed limits and no patience or courtesy on the road. They hold on to their spot like it's their guaranteed spot into heaven, and they way they drive it just may be. Then we have the slow drivers, in the left lane doing the speed limit or up to 15mph under and not moving for anyone. Really at that point you're inhibiting the flow of traffic, and causing problems because you feel entitled to be there. MOVE over and let the line of traffic behind you pass, they'll be happier and so will you, if you just drive. Oh and now we have the drivers who decide "hey need to turn here" and either stop, slow down, or turn across and cut people off. Really? Just go up make a U-turn and come back to it. You're not entitled to do whatever you want out there, and it might help if you were paying attention to where you need to be and not on your phone or jabbering with the passenger, or speeding around traffic just to get there quicker. Those of you who speed to get there quicker, especially in urban traffic, have you noticed the guy you passed two blocks ago sitting next to you at the light? I see it all the time. Someone in a hurry weaving through traffic, tailgating, just to end up sitting next to me at the light. Guess that worked out for you, all you did was waste gas. I guess you have all the money in the world. Oh the few of you out there who deem it necessary to make a left on a red arrow, that is against the law, there is no left on red law if it's clear. I have had this argument with people and guess what, they lose. No such law exists. All in all, Drivers today just can't drive. They've become entitled morons behind the wheel. Sure the Snow Birds don't help, but they are only adding to what already exists. They pretty much just hand out drivers licenses these days, and since law enforcement doesn't have the budget for traffic control like the once did, drivers become idiots. What's your opinion?