Atlanta-Area Drivers & The Flashing Yellow Light. Argh! (neighborhood, school)

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Another thing Atlanta and most all of Georgia drivers also don't understand is Slow drivers should keep to the right and better yet treat that left lane as a passing only lane. If everyone or even most everyone obeyed that law, it would cut congestion in half!

Realizing that many 'ATL/GA' drivers have relocated from somewhere else?

I am a slow driver and will gladly stay to the right if given a chance to do so. Intimidating me by the honking, blowing and tailgating isn't really necessary.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Got to tell you that many times the transplants are the only ones with a clue. I never saw (and don't see) the same bad driving to the same extent either where I used to live or places I travel to for business outside the southeast. I have found drivers in the southeast generally to be among the very worst. Tailgating, speeding, lack of directional use, and a general cluelessness about passing people making left turns and other facets of courtesy on the road seems to be the order of the day.

Driver from US south = terrible driver. Many places outside Atlanta without a significant number of transplants shows this to be a native trait.

Well, there are certainly plenty of people around here who drive too fast, too aggressively and spend way too much time and attention yakking on their cell phones.

However, I've traveled extensively and have noted the same level of idiocy in every other part of the country. Which of course makes sense. The populatoins in our large cities have gone through decades of homogenizing and there's no reason why drivers in one city would be better or worse than those in another. I've seen reports claiming the worst drivers are in, say, New Jersey, but that doesn't jibe with my personal experience.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Well, there are certainly plenty of people around here who drive too fast, too aggressively and spend way too much time and attention yakking on their cell phones.

However, I've traveled extensively and have noted the same level of idiocy in every other part of the country. Which of course makes sense. The populatoins in our large cities have gone through decades of homogenizing and there's no reason why drivers in one city would be better or worse than those in another. I've seen reports claiming the worst drivers are in, say, New Jersey, but that doesn't jibe with my personal experience.

I guess some folks think there exists a "driving gene" that we just don't possess in the South.

I've always wondered how people from the Northeast profess to be the best drivers when supposedly nobody drives...doesn't everyone there use mass transit?

[neil0311]

I was being slightly over the top to make a point. I'm tired of people who don't know blaming transplants for the crappy driving in Atlanta.

Sure, there are bad drivers everywhere but more bad driving seems to be the norm here in the south. Of course there is no gene responsible, but culture, NASCAR, lack of good instruction, poor licensing standards, etc are probably all culprits.

I just got back to GA after 350 miles each way to relatives in another southern state. The usual tailgating, passing on the right, lack of turn signals, doing 10+ over the limit when the limit is 70mph...all are epidemic. Bear in mind that these are areas without a high proportion of transplants. If you travel or have lived elsewhere, and are being honest, you know what I'm saying is true.

The people who refute what I'm saying always seem to be the locals who are defensive.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by neil0311

The people who refute what I'm saying always seem to be the locals who are defensive.

I don't feel defensive and agree that there are plenty of idiots on the roads here. However, in my experience they're no worse (or better) here than elsewhere. I'm sure there's an element of subjectivity in how each of us perceives the situation but I've never seen any data I'd trust that decisively tilts the scale for or against any city.

[residinghere2007]

This bothers me too. I don't know if the perpetuators are native southerners or not, but it gets on my nerves. That and also when the light is green and the person in the front is turning left and they don't go out past the line to give others who are going straight an opportunity to go by them and keep straight, we instead have to wait and sit and sometimes wait and sit for another green light just to go straight. I am from the midwest and everyone in my hometown who is turning left goes up to let those behind continue straight. I do figure this must be a southern thing, it gets on my nerves more than the flashing yellow ignorance. Cell phone talkers and texters though trump all of that and they are from everywhere.

[testa50]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

That and also when the light is green and the person in the front is turning left and they don't go out past the line to give others who are going straight an opportunity to go by them and keep straight, we instead have to wait and sit and sometimes wait and sit for another green light just to go straight. I am from the midwest and everyone in my hometown who is turning left goes up to let those behind continue straight. I do figure this must be a southern thing, it gets on my nerves more than the flashing yellow ignorance.

It's very difficult to understand what you're saying here, but I'm pretty sure what you're talking about doing is illegal. It's very dangerous to pull out of a drive lane to pass someone on the right who is trying to make a left turn (which is what you're describing, correct?).

I hope this one doesn't catch on down south.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by testa50

It's very difficult to understand what you're saying here, but I'm pretty sure what you're talking about doing is illegal. It's very dangerous to pull out of a drive lane to pass someone on the right who is trying to make a left turn (which is what you're describing, correct?).

I hope this one doesn't catch on down south.

No, I believe, he is saying, the person pulls further out into the intersection and to the left so if you pull up behind them, you can still squeeze by them without waiting for them to turn. Atleast, thats how I take it.

I agree with him about the people who expect to make a left turn but stay behind the white line .

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by testa50

It's very difficult to understand what you're saying here, but I'm pretty sure what you're talking about doing is illegal. It's very dangerous to pull out of a drive lane to pass someone on the right who is trying to make a left turn (which is what you're describing, correct?).

I hope this one doesn't catch on down south.

When someone is making a left turn on a two lane road (or any road) and there is room to pass them on the right, it is not only legal, but courteous to do so. Many here in the south do not, whether because of timidity or lack of common sense. Instead they will sit and wait, despite enough room to drive a Mack truck on by.

From the GA Driver manual page 42:

"Passing On The Right
You may pass on the right of another vehicle which is making or about to make a left turn if there is sufficient pavement width for both your vehicle and the vehicle making the left turn. You may also pass on the right when traveling on a multi-lane highway carrying two or more lanes of traffic in the same direction."

The other related case is the person who sits at the stop line in a left turn lane instead of moving out into the intersection. Then when the light turns yellow, they continue to sit, and another light cycle goes by. Timidity and a lack of being decisive isn't courteous or friendly. Oh...and of course using a turn signal is strictly optional.

[sirrob]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

This bothers me too. I don't know if the perpetuators are native southerners or not, but it gets on my nerves. That and also when the light is green and the person in the front is turning left and they don't go out past the line to give others who are going straight an opportunity to go by them and keep straight, we instead have to wait and sit and sometimes wait and sit for another green light just to go straight. I am from the midwest and everyone in my hometown who is turning left goes up to let those behind continue straight. I do figure this must be a southern thing, it gets on my nerves more than the flashing yellow ignorance. Cell phone talkers and texters though trump all of that and they are from everywhere.

Oh yea, that irks me to no end! They act like they're scared to pull into the intersection on green. They wait until yellow, then they decide they want to move ahead and turn!

And WHY... when you're behind someone in the left lane, when the light turn green, they THEN decide to turn on their blinker to turn left??? You're now hopelessly STUCK behind them until the next green light! WHOOOOOO!!!