Atlanta drivers are one of the worst!Lets make it a felony (airport, safe)

[MattCW]

What I hate in regards to intersection blocking are the ones where I wait behind the line until I have space to fit my entire vehicle, then when I'm halfway, or more, across the intersection, someone else either changes lanes in front of me, or turns into the intersection, leaving me now blocking the intersection. My only options at that point are to either stay blocking and hope the traffic moves ahead, back up into the vehicle that moved up behind me (or rode my bumper into the intersection), or turn right and go the wrong way down the intersecting road. This happens all the time on N Druid near Toco Hills.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Every city has a thread about their area having the worst drivers lol

Totally agree! And all over town people think that their intersection is the worst. Like posting here will make it better. Maybe at least people can feel better venting.....

Funny this thread was started in 2017 and I read all the way back. Very interesting.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by gold15

Several times on city streets THIS WEEK, I've witnessed drivers turning onto a road perpendicular to the one they are traveling on, from a CENTER lane (not a curb lane). It's like "OOPS, this is my intersection, let me just swing the steering wheel and let the chips fall where they may."

I'm not claiming this is unique to Atlanta, but I 'clare I wish a ticket or two were written around this stuff.

That, and turning without signaling.

D*mn everyone behind and around me, this is all about me.

Though it's dangerous, the number of cars that proceed through a traffic signal after it turns red is almost laughable. Not for the danger, of course, but watching 4 to 5 MORE cars go after the red amazes me.

In 18+ years of living here, I've yet to see blue lights follow any of these occurrences.

Oddly enough, that happened to me today after reading this. I was in the left turn lane and someone turned from the center lane right in front of me just as the arrow turned yellow. The left turn lane was backed up more than the through lanes, so he decided to cut the line. And I had someone pass me going on the wrong side of the road in a parking lot right before I was going to turn left at an intersection in the parking lot. I was looking for my turn and going slow, but it was still 10-15 mph and in a parking lot.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by MattCW

What I hate in regards to intersection blocking are the ones where I wait behind the line until I have space to fit my entire vehicle, then when I'm halfway, or more, across the intersection, someone else either changes lanes in front of me, or turns into the intersection, leaving me now blocking the intersection. My only options at that point are to either stay blocking and hope the traffic moves ahead, back up into the vehicle that moved up behind me (or rode my bumper into the intersection), or turn right and go the wrong way down the intersecting road. This happens all the time on N Druid near Toco Hills.

The right on reds from the side streets while you are waiting for the intersection to clear are annoying.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Every city has a thread about their area having the worst drivers lol

Originally Posted by Beretta

Totally agree! And all over town people think that their intersection is the worst. Like posting here will make it better. Maybe at least people can feel better venting.....

Funny this thread was started in 2017 and I read all the way back. Very interesting.

But ours are the worst I promise.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by bu2

Oddly enough, that happened to me today after reading this. I was in the left turn lane and someone turned from the center lane right in front of me just as the arrow turned yellow. The left turn lane was backed up more than the through lanes, so he decided to cut the line. And I had someone pass me going on the wrong side of the road in a parking lot right before I was going to turn left at an intersection in the parking lot. I was looking for my turn and going slow, but it was still 10-15 mph and in a parking lot.

Happened to me as well in the past week. But with a mother in law in hospice, my neighbor having 3 months to live with brain cancer, and so many other things that are much bigger going on I just can't let that bother me. I feel so blessed to have a car and be able to be cut off. Who knows what is going on with the other driver.

[gold15]

Originally Posted by Beretta

Like posting here will make it better. Maybe at least people can feel better venting.....

Right, because every *other* City-Data thread is a catalyst for meaningful change in the world.

It's simply a discussion, and people are choosing whether or not to participate.

[skbl17]

In three years of driving around here, I've noticed a lot of outright outrageous behaviors, including but not limited to:

> Drivers who don't know what turn signals are or don't care to use them. How are other drivers supposed to know if you're changing lanes or turning if you don't, you know, SIGNAL?

> The "Atlanta Exit", where a driver will realize at the last second that they have to exit NOW NOW NOW or miss their exit, so they cut across two lanes of traffic and the gore point to make the exit. I see this happen DAILY, usually multiple times. This is part of the reason the south 75/85 split at Langford is so bad at rush hour nowadays, it's because of the NOW NOW NOW drivers.

> As previously mentioned, some drivers will drive the wrong way for up to 1/4 of a mile just to make a left turn. Why...?

> You think the "55 in the left lane when the speed limit is 70" morons are bad (they are,) I should tell you about the time I got stuck on Jodeco Road behind a VW Beetle driver doing 30...the speed limit is 45. No traffic ahead of him, either. Oh yeah, Jodeco's a two-lane road, so me and everyone behind me wanted to blow our brains out until the slowpoke finally turned two miles later. This happens daily as well.

> Not exclusive to Atlanta, but morons who don't seem to acknowledge that traffic lights can actually turn green after being red because they're too busy texting away on their smartphones.

While I'm of the opinion that speed limits are too low (in fact, outside of school zones, subdivisions, construction zones, and near hospitals, I think something similar to Montana's old "reasonable and prudent" speed laws would be good,) I do agree there should be stronger enforcement of traffic laws, if only to cut down on tailgating, left-lane slowpokes, weaving, "Atlanta Exits", and wrong-way driving just to make a turn.

- skbl17

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by skbl17

In three years of driving around here, I've noticed a lot of outright outrageous behaviors, including but not limited to:

> Drivers who don't know what turn signals are or don't care to use them. How are other drivers supposed to know if you're changing lanes or turning if you don't, you know, SIGNAL?

> The "Atlanta Exit", where a driver will realize at the last second that they have to exit NOW NOW NOW or miss their exit, so they cut across two lanes of traffic and the gore point to make the exit. I see this happen DAILY, usually multiple times. This is part of the reason the south 75/85 split at Langford is so bad at rush hour nowadays, it's because of the NOW NOW NOW drivers.

> As previously mentioned, some drivers will drive the wrong way for up to 1/4 of a mile just to make a left turn. Why...?

> You think the "55 in the left lane when the speed limit is 70" morons are bad (they are,) I should tell you about the time I got stuck on Jodeco Road behind a VW Beetle driver doing 30...the speed limit is 45. No traffic ahead of him, either. Oh yeah, Jodeco's a two-lane road, so me and everyone behind me wanted to blow our brains out until the slowpoke finally turned two miles later. This happens daily as well.

> Not exclusive to Atlanta, but morons who don't seem to acknowledge that traffic lights can actually turn green after being red because they're too busy texting away on their smartphones.

While I'm of the opinion that speed limits are too low (in fact, outside of school zones, subdivisions, construction zones, and near hospitals, I think something similar to Montana's old "reasonable and prudent" speed laws would be good,) I do agree there should be stronger enforcement of traffic laws, if only to cut down on tailgating, left-lane slowpokes, weaving, "Atlanta Exits", and wrong-way driving just to make a turn.

- skbl17

The Speed Limit is the maximum a vehicle should be traveling, not requirement. Interstate Highways have a minimum speed, but not surface streets.

[citidata18]

One thing that's been happening a lot on Bullsboro Drive is that drivers will cut across the median to make their turn or do a u-turn because, in their mind, the light's taking too long to change.

I saw one idiot driving a big monster truck try this, but they apparently didn't see the police. It was a delayed reaction, but the cops did eventually catch up to them and pull them over.

So the system (and karma) does at least work, even when it doesn't seem it.