People need to pay attention when they drive! (Salt Lake City, Logan: schools, college)

[gemini_chick]

A man was being tailgated by a woman on Foothill Boulevard in Salt Lake City. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have
beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman slammed on her brakes and leaned on the horn. She opened her window, stuck her hand out and made a gesture, all the while screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection with him. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on
her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.
The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands raised. He handcuffed her and took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see; I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the *Choose The Right* license plate holder, bumper stickers that read *Families Are Forever* and *Follow Me To Sunday School*, and the chrome-plated Angel Moroni emblem on the truck. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.

[Phazed-Coug]

Heres a good one... just yesterday
(I have a good one everyday at least)
Here I am doing 45 in a 40...ooh I'm a bad boy now.

I'm left lane(preparing to make a left at the next light)
Lady comes up behind me, swerves(like mario andretti or Dale earnhart)
to the right, floors it(I can here her micro SUV engine screaming)
She's now doing about 65 in a 40.. swerves back in front of me
no signal, just to make a left at Walmart(prior to the next light)

Happens all day, people will fly by you swerve over and make the next turn..
I hope the 1/2 second they save by whipping around town like deranged lunatics is worth it.

BTW I'm no stranger to speed, I love to drive fast, I've hit 130 on public roads, I've been known to do 20 over....

But there is a time and a place for everything, I'm not saying what I do is right, but my oh my... the in town driving skills are scary.

Anyone want to petition for Driver Re-education?

[xamsx]

Originally Posted by urbanlemur

I lived in Utah for 18 years and believe me, it's not as bad there as it is here in NYC.

I have to disagree. NYC drivers do not run red lights (probably has to do with a cop on nearly every Manhattan intersection hand signaling). Do not stop for a red in Salt Lake because the four cars behind you that are running the light will rear end you!

I never got behind someone doing 45 in the left land on the West Side Highway (ok, probably due to grid-lock, but still...) The left lane is not the slow lane, people.

People do not pass on the right in Manhattan.

Directionals are used in Manhattan for a purpose.

There is no right-on-red in Manhattan. This prevents a lot of pedestrian problems.

I'd rate the drivers in SLC second worst in the country (Boston is the worst hands-down). I've asked people who have lived in the SLC area for 30-40 years "why!?" I get a chuckle, an agreement that all normal laws of the road are different in Salt Lake and then shrugs. The fact the infrastructure is overbuilt due to the Olympics should have HELPED the situation. I think it only exacerbated the problems.

[urbanlemur]

I wish I could agree with you about NYC drivers but I speak from present day experience. I have seen many people run the red lights and very often they pass on the right. I have been nearly clipped in the front as they go speeding around my right side doing 40-50 mph in a residential neighborhood.

Regarding rush hour traffic, this is true. However, there are still a lot of those who dart inbetween cars trying to get ahead. I have had to slam on my brakes numerous times to avoid being hit.

Even though it is true that they are not SUPPOSED turn right on red, there are many who still do.

This story exemplifies the attitudes of many (not all) drivers here in NYC. My wife and I went to a Modell's (sports equipment store) and were walking toward it when a man parked in the red fire lane, got out and locked his car. As we went in, I commented that I hoped that a fire wouldn't break out because the fire dept. would not be able to get in. He got upset at me and said "I will park any damn place I want to when I want and ain't no one goin to stop me!!!" I rest my case.

New Yorkers are generally pretty nice until you put them behind the wheel of a vehicle and then they transform into a demon on wheels.

[coolcats]

Here’s one I saw yesterday. We heard a honk from somewhere. Didn’t think much of it. Then we got in a double left turn lane with a commercial truck in front of us. While waiting at the light, the driver of the truck in front of us got out of his truck and walked over to the SUV next to him in the other turn lane. They started arguing and it got pretty animated. The truck driver then got back in and made his left hand turn. I was wondering if I was going to see one of those incidents where someone pulls a gun on another driver.

That’s why I work on controlling my honking when I see someone doing stupid stuff. You never know what it might start. I’m pretty good at staying calm. However, I will admit I have yet to achieve perfection, especially when the violation is really egregious.

[scirocco22]

I've enjoyed reading this thread! Thanks to all who've posted so far and I hope the posts keep on coming.

I'm really surprised at what I'm hearing though. It's funny because I originally am from the Seattle area. I keep telling people that Seattle has the worst drivers in the country (compared to the places I've been to and observed). AND what's even more amusing is that I actually think that SLC drivers are pretty good ...until I read this thread.

I frequently drive through as well as visit the SLC area and my comments to friends and family in Washington state are that I am impressed that so many SLC drivers use their turn signals especially when changing lanes because in Seattle, nobody seems to anymore. One friend (who is LDS, btw) told me jokingly that it's because of the Mormon influence. No matter what the reason, I keep saying that it "seems" like the majority of drivers in SLC area use turn signals where it's just the opposite in the Seattle area, the majority don't use turn signals. From what I'm hearing from this thread, it's obviously not the case.

Since I now go to Las Vegas frequently, I see that it's even worse there than what I remember Seattle being. I guess what I have to conclude is that anywhere where there is a big population base (big metropolitan area), people are going to drive agressively, there' going to road rage incidents, and you're just going to see more illegal driving maneuvers than you would in a small or smaller towns. All places where there's horrendous traffic congestion is going to produce this type of driving behavior no matter where in the country it might be.

Anyway, thanks again for this thread ...carry on!

--'rocco

[xamsx]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

Since I now go to Las Vegas frequently, I see that it's even worse there than what I remember Seattle being.
--'rocco

I think Vegas is bad because it is a convergence of every bad driving habit in the US via all the tourists.

[chazcrew]

I think the real problem is, each of us think we're the only good driver on the road!

[coolcats]

Originally Posted by chazcrew

I think the real problem is, each of us think we're the only good driver on the road!

Yep -- read this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wobegon_effect

In my case it doesn't apply, but for the rest of you it should be a good read

[Purplegrapes]

When I have company come to visit I have had 2 of them comment on "Utah Drivers"...Pfft...I came from an area in Southern Ca. that is now predominately Asian and lol Utah doesn't hold a candle to that ...I think it's because there are a lot of new immigrants that are just getting their license is why, but anyway I would like to comment on one thing my husband always points out here...

The Fire lane or red zone right outside the market...There are always people parked there while while their family or friends go inside to shop..What's with that?...Once my husband started pointing it out we discovered it's a very common occurrence..In fact we tease when we go to park...Oh look there is a nice spot right be the door...Why don't you park there?