driving in the seattle area (Rainier: day care, live, law)

[vnodak]

Hey, I am just wondering. I have lived in seven different states and never have I come across this issue. What am I missing???? This has happened to me three times in the last three years I have lived here. I am driving down a main street and have stopped at a light. Someone has entered on the turn lane to my right or is in a parking space to my right and stops and sticks their front end of their car in front of my car and cuts in front of me. This not because they have made a misstake and are in the wrong lane---they have come from a parking space or a shopping center and do not even use their turn signal. I am very polite and let people in who are in a bad area to get in line but this act of aggressiveness shocks me. Am I just the lucky one or have others had this happen or what am I missing????

[allforcats]

Once a year you've encountered a problem? It really doesn't sound like much to me. They probably moved here from Ca... uhhhh some other state.
I wish you continued joy in the 99.99999% of the rest of your life!

[vnodak]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Once a year you've encountered a problem? It really doesn't sound like much to me. They probably moved here from Ca... uhhhh some other state.
I wish you continued joy in the 99.99999% of the rest of your life!

Ha ha ha----thanks----I think it is all in perspective but in all my years I had never had that happen so I was just wondering---as you know I am old and almost dead and I just had to ask. I would never do anything like that so-------thanks for setting me straight and as always a great perspective.

[Ira500]

You know, I've experienced this also, and just lately. But I also visited the east coast and Los Angeles fairly recently and experienced the same thing, people driving badly and seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. Either drivers across the country are getting worse, or I am becoming more of a crotchedy old man..Probably both.

[vnodak]

Hey---maybe you are old and almost dead like me

Originally Posted by Ira500

You know, I've experienced this also, and just lately. But I also visited the east coast and Los Angeles fairly recently and experienced the same thing, people driving badly and seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. Either drivers across the country are getting worse, or I am becoming more of a crotchedy old man..Probably both.

[jenlion]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Once a year you've encountered a problem? It really doesn't sound like much to me. They probably moved here from Ca... uhhhh some other state.
I wish you continued joy in the 99.99999% of the rest of your life!

haahahaa.....

Originally Posted by Ira500

Either drivers across the country are getting worse, or I am becoming more of a crotchedy old man..Probably both.

I doubt I'm becoming a crotchety old man, so my vote is that it's getting worse. I've only been driving for 14 years, but that puts me into that group that learned to drive before there were cell phones, at least. Trying to re-learn to speak so that the toddler who repeats a lot of what I say doesn't spout out something bad at day care ("what the f" and "that's just f'd" are new phrases for me now), but it's hardest while driving ("you stupid mother-f-ing idiot f-head" doesn't do it for me AND probably isn't really teaching him the right idea anyway). Isn't there a law here about using your phone while driving, anyway? :: sigh ::.... seems like everyone is either being a jerk, or they are really clueless.

Saw a motercycle wreck coming back from Mt Rainier yesterday. After sitting on the highway for an hour, we finally passed the scene, where they were loading a couple of bikes on a truck and clearing away the, um, debris. Guy's jeans were on the side of the road, boots a few yards away one direction, gloves scattered a bunch of yards the other direction. Scary.

[allforcats]

Well I've been driving since the beginning of time, in various different states. So as an Elder Of The Tribe, I shall herewith pontificate.

Back in history, I remember New York City drivers were only slightly less rude, selfish and dangerous than New York City cab drivers.
Long Island drivers, however, believed they owned the road and the newer car won any contest.
Connecticut drivers were sweet and slow, but a little blind.
Ontario drivers were much more sensible than New Yorkers but fast.
Massachusetts drivers were pretty much like Connecticutters.
Montana drivers were either very young or very old, drove way under the speed limit or way over it (well actually, in ancient times when I drove in Montana, there were hardly any posted speed limits, so what the hell).
British Columbia drivers were a bit intense and surprisingly a bit fast, less polite than in person, but pretty sensible.
Arizona drivers out of the city were fine and sensible, and in Phoenix were bad bad bad, selfish and dangerous.
California drivers were, uhhhh I'm gonna choose the word "insane", the worst, most unpredictable and most dangerous drivers I've ever encountered in my life, even worse than Japanese drivers in Japan, which is a whole 'nother story.
Oregon drivers were rather like Montanans, laid back, relaxed, and a lot kinder than anyone else I'd encountered. Except Washington drivers, who generally strike me as sensible and patient.

I just thank my loving guides that I am still alive!

[brinegar312]

In Chicago, we will run you off the road.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by brinegar312

In Chicago, we will run you off the road.

Then that's a suicidal place to drive. Glad I'm not there!

[Ira500]

To me, it's a tie for the craziest drivers between LA and Boston. In LA, tailgaiting and crazy passing and darting in and out of lanes is common. In Boston, stopping is considered unmanly or something , so red lights almost mean nothing.