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I've driven all over the east coast. The drivers in the Raleigh area are some of the worst. Probably because it's a melting pot of people from all over the US and they all seem to bring their bad driving habits with them. I am guessing you've never driven on 540 if you rarely see anyone speed more than 10 over.
That is probably the only time I do it (otherwise I'm likely speeding like a jerk) - but the hazards mean "I'm freaking out and sure I'm gonna die so try to avoid me if you can and it may work out or not"
lol good explanation, it's what I assume people are feeling.
I appreciate this in extremely bad weather events like ice, snow, heavy downpour. It could also mean your car is having trouble, and you're just limping along until you can get to a garage. I did that when my transmission blew on the side of a highway. And I've done it during a downpour because I figured, if I can't see a car in front of me without their lights on, they can't see me either.
I seem to remember when I was in EMS training that blue was the easiest color for our eyes to see over great distances or difficult viewing situations, and then amber/yellow and then red.
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Originally Posted by Pixel_Dent
Maybe. Maybe I think it is and guess wrong causing an accident. If I'm coming from the left how clear is my view of your intersection? Am I coming straight in or from around a curve? Can I tell there are multiple lanes from my view? I bet there are times when it's easy to tell. I bet there are also times you think it's easy to tell but for some reason it actually isn't. Maybe I should be able to tell but I'm distracted trying to figure out if I'm going to turn or not and your flashing light catches my attention and prevents an accident.
Why not just signal all turns and then nobody has to guess? Is there any good reason not to signal your turn just in case?
I'm a fan of signals, and following all the rules of the road. I'm trying to present another point of view because I've seen this over the years, and know some people think this way.
Maybe non-signalers think it doesn't matter if they have it on or not because if they're not going to turn unless it's clear, it shouldn't matter. And if you're a good driver, you shouldn't be impacted by it either.
I take precautions that other people don't because I'm always assuming the people around me are going to do something unexpected and erratic at any second. There's plenty of times that's helped me avoid accidents over the years. The lower population density here is wonderful, because driving is a much less stressful event. I'm being reminded now, why I like driving so much.
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Originally Posted by luv4horses
Unfortunately, we have almost no traffic enforcement. Compare that to other cities where failure to make a complete stop at a stop sign is ticketable, as is failure to signal, following too close, running a yellow light that turns red, etc. So it is an area we could improve on.
Now that you mention it, I was wondering if I just wasn't seeing law enforcement or if they actually weren't actively trying to catch people who commit moving violations. Why is that, do you think?
I've also noticed a big lack of stop signs in parking lots. I assumed that meant people were trustworthy enough to know not to speed and drive offensively in lots. But I wonder how bad that gets around Christmas shopping time in big malls or Black Friday.
Maybe non-signalers think it doesn't matter if they have it on or not because if they're not going to turn unless it's clear, it shouldn't matter. And if you're a good driver, you shouldn't be impacted by it either.
I take precautions that other people don't because I'm always assuming the people around me are going to do something unexpected and erratic at any second. There's plenty of times that's helped me avoid accidents over the years.
I suspect every single poster on this board, myself included, would agree with you and would describe themselves this way.
One of the precautions I take that other people don't is to always use my turn signals because, while I'm a good driver, I'm not a perfect driver. And those other people around me that are going to do something unexpected and erratic may do slightly fewer and erratic things if I take those precautions.
You and I both know it's the right thing to do, so let's not give other drivers a rationalization to not do it as well.
One of the precautions I take that other people don't is to always use my turn signals because, while I'm a good driver, I'm not a perfect driver. And those other people around me that are going to do something unexpected and erratic may do slightly fewer and erratic things if I take those precautions.
You and I both know it's the right thing to do, so let's not give other drivers a rationalization to not do it as well.
It's chronic here, and frankly stupid. I thought I was cool as a teen to not use mine, I have been using them all the time without fail for decades now. Knowing people's attention is safe for everyone, and I actually think it makes you a slightly better driver to use them.
Although I agree with most of what greenie72 wrote, I disagree about it being less stressful to drive here, I had noticeably less stress in the tri-state area when I was living there, than here.
Turn signals, it's such an easy fix, but those who don't use them I think encourages or at legitimizes others not to as well.
I always use my turn signal and I want to throw things at people who don't use them. They exist for a reason!
If I'm waiting to make a right onto a street and someone is turning and doesn't use their turn signal, they are jerks for not signaling to me that I have time to turn out onto the street.
If I'm waiting to make a right onto a street and someone is turning and doesn't use their turn signal, they are jerks for not signaling to me that I have time to turn out onto the street.
That is very irritating...more irritating to me than not signaling when I'm behind someone?
I use pretty much every available signal and behavior humanly and automotively possible to be sure that even the most horrific drivers on the road know what I'm doing and what I plan to do.
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Just wanted to say I appreciate this! I just posted a Raleigh neighborhood question myself and it seems like we value a lot of the same things.
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