Southern hospitality in traffic leads to accidents on the road (Murfreesboro: to live, dangerous)

[RazorRob305]

I am glad to live here in a place where people are courteous in public. When it comes to driving I've seen aggressive drivers, average drivers, and all kinds of drivers you would see anyplace else, but I have come to find that here in Nashville there are lots of situations I've seen in traffic where that Southern hospitality has almost led to or has caused accidents. The number one problem I've seen with people being too nice here is when they stop dead in the middle of the road to let someone cut out and go in front of them. I have seen people get rear-ended because of how they tried to be nice and let someone go in front of them, and I've seen so many other times when accidents almost happened like this. Why do people just stop and let people go like this? Have you noticed any cases where Southern hospitality has actually created problems in traffic instead of creating a positive driving experience here in Middle Tennessee?

I come from Florida where we have our own style of issues in traffic such as road rage and people pulling guns more often then other places, but I am not used to seeing these kinds of accidents like I've seen up here when people are trying to be nice, yet not understanding that they are causing dangerous situations by being too nice sometimes.

[BirdieBelle]

Rob, I am totally with you on this one.

I firmly believe in letting others in, but NOT when it is against traffic laws.

Even though they are trying to be nice, I get so angry at those who stop in an inside traffic lane (next to my turning lane), while I am waiting in a turn lane, to let me turn into a parking lot when I can't see if a car is coming in the outside traffic lane next to them!!

If you are in a slow-moving lane and someone is trying to turn into the same lane, same flow of traffic, by all means pause to let them in. But don't make up your own rules at the risk of injuring or killing someone. I can wait to turn until there are NO cars coming, thanks.

[MisterThorns]

I have seen this problem lead to minor wrecks here in Murfreesboro more than once. There are laws about traffic flow and the right of way for a reason, and when people disregard them like this it saves one person a bit of trouble while inconveniencing many, many others.

Speaking of right of way, I very often see an issue with people who will be waiting at a four-way intersection with stop signs. They will stay parked in their spot, even though it is their turn to go, and will wait for the person who pulled up to their stop sign a number of seconds later to go instead. I suppose they think that this is courteous. Often, as soon as the second person realizes that the one who has been waiting for them is trying to let them by, they will move - only to be preempted by the original driver suddenly deciding to use their right of way privileges after all.

[Spikett]

I agree it is frustrating to sit behind someone who is letting the entire town pull out in front of them, but the very best way to avoid rear ending someone is not to tailgate or speed. Most of these accidents happen because drivers were going too fast and too close to the car in front of them and were unable to stop. In TN the person who does the rear ending is almost always found to be at fault as there are laws against tailgating, speeding, not being in control of your vehicle, etc.

[KelticWARRIOR]

O man I bet coming from Florida to there must be a whole nother' world. May be too slow some say. Everyone here in Florida drive like nascar and rally racing- talking on cell phones, texting, doing make up, eating meals. Ive seen enough of it. Im in Boca now, some of the most insane reckless driving, Worse than Dallas Despite what charts say. I feel so unsafe on these Florida roads then when I try to Obey the laws you just cant, you then have to start driving like a maniac - which is safer. lol.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by KelticWARRIOR

O man I bet coming from Florida to there must be a whole nother' world. May be too slow some say. Everyone here in Florida drive like nascar and rally racing- talking on cell phones, texting, doing make up, eating meals.

No, it's just like that here, too. The problem is you have some "nice" folks who will just randomly stop in a traffic lane to let someone turn in front of them into a parking lot, then along comes Dale Earnhardt Jr. the Third in the outside lane to T-bone the person turning.

[bmrisko]

The worst is people turning right across the intersection from you, when you are turning left, stop and don't turn when they have a green light and the right of way. Most of the time I am already starting my left turn and when they stop I am left sitting in the intersection with oncoming traffic coming at me. Freakin' pisses me off every time. I appreciate someone trying to be nice, but don't be stupid and stop on a right turn when you have green!

[Rids78]

The biggest issue I have is that many Tennessee drivers seem to ignore that little lever on the left hand side of the steering wheel that actually controls those flashing lights on the outside of the vehicle that let other people know what the heck you're going to do!