More Denver Road Rage (to eat, activity, car) - Colorado (CO) - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

hello-world · 12-12-2007, 09:52 AM

i notice some of you mentioning how you USED to do this or that, but don't since moving to denver metro; or seeming to imply that it's "too nice" to not honk or to not just get MOVing at intersections or traffic, but then seem to suggest the opposite (e.g., it seems rude to do these things that could be more efficient or synergistic).

do you think the culture of the place has a strong influence on you and others that comes through in the traffic tendencies?

do you think that is a good or bad thing, and in what ways?

kristenfromdenver · 12-12-2007, 10:14 AM

I personally think honking is rude except in emergencies. It's nice to have quiet streets and I guess to me that is more important than having to wait an extra 2 minutes. Hearing honking all the time (like they do in other cities) is stressful and irritating, at least to me!!!! However, I have been known to do the really quiet honk when a light turns green and the person in front of me seems to be talking on the phone or half-asleep

I think going slow in the left lane on the highway can actually be pretty dangerous, I think there has got to be a nice way to tell people that without causing a road rage incident. Like I mentioned before we should all make posters that say "Slower traffic stays to the right" and have it in our cars for when situations like this occur.

Is anyone reading this thread going to be honest enough to fess up to being guilty of driving slower than the rest of traffic in the left lane on the highway. If so, I'd love to hear where you are from......

hello-world · 12-12-2007, 10:23 AM

i like the poster idea. it still baffles me a bit that with a convoy in the rear view mirror and people flashing or passing in the right lane and a law prohibiting hanging out in the left lane with signs to remind, people still hold fast (er, slow) to doing whatever they are doing. this makes me wonder whether many of those that do this are even aware they are doing it (if they're not even aware of all of the above), or are feeling self-righteous about their "God given" right or something to do it (though the law's to the contrary). i suppose that one thing that could be done is actually fining people for doing it. maybe another is enacting something to prohibit cell phone use while driving?

kristenfromdenver · 12-12-2007, 10:31 AM

It makes me wonder about why people in Chicago are so good at this - do people get pulled over by the police for hanging in the left lane? Do they get honked at? Do people mock them in public for doing it??

hello-world · 12-12-2007, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristenfromdenver

It makes me wonder about why people in Chicago are so good at this - do people get pulled over by the police for hanging in the left lane? Do they get honked at? Do people mock them in public for doing it??

i think i agree with what you're getting at. honestly, i suspect it can sometimes be more of the latter, and more of a cultural thing. seems maybe people are more direct and overtly honest there, and more used to that, and more used to synergizing with others as a busy community versus thinking more in terms of such especially individualistic mindsets and personal bubbles... so people in chicago don't seem to NEED a sign (or otherwise) to remind them that the left lane's for..."PASSING"? or that to merge...ACCELERATE to the flow of the established traffic stream while on the ACCELERATION ramp and before pulling into the stream. or to pull off, KEEP with the flow until you're on the DECELERATION ramp. something like that?

it could be interesting to think about how these orientations shine through in terms of politics and other standards of various places...

steveco. · 12-12-2007, 11:36 AM

I personally like the fact that during snow storms or during snow packed conditions all road laws are void lol. People make up their own lane, driving in the shoulder, driving 30 miles under the speed limit in the passing lane etc. Its nuts lol

downtownnola · 12-12-2007, 02:24 PM

You guys crack me up! I've just always instinctively felt the need to get out of the way of faster drivers... even if I'm going 20 over the speed limit, if some guy comes flying up behind me I move over! It's simple science... an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force... I don't particularly want to be that outside force LOL!

You guys will enjoy this video done by Channel 4 a couple years ago... it's a news story about slow drivers in the fast lane:

http://www.cbs4denver.com/video/?id=...nc.dayport.com

ditto · 12-12-2007, 05:29 PM

People cant seem to stay off their cellphone when driving, so unfortunately we need to make a new law like other states have done. Talking on a cellphone while driving is dangerous and stupid. I'm in favor of a complete ban on cellphones, including text messaging and hands-free devices, unless it's an emergency.

hello-world · 12-13-2007, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by downtownnola

You guys crack me up! I've just always instinctively felt the need to get out of the way of faster drivers... even if I'm going 20 over the speed limit, if some guy comes flying up behind me I move over! It's simple science... an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force... I don't particularly want to be that outside force LOL!

You guys will enjoy this video done by Channel 4 a couple years ago... it's a news story about slow drivers in the fast lane:

http://www.cbs4denver.com/video/?id=...nc.dayport.com

this is excellent. passive aggression. yep. do any of you notice some of that in just intermingling with people in the area? sort of "i'll do it my way, maybe more so if you try to do it different" or the sort of sweet smiles, but you know what might be going on underneath? is chicago or NYC style - putting it more like you see it, including making a move in traffic rather than just hanging out and slowing the whole thing because it's "my right" or "i'm being nice" - better?

and yeah, if people can't talk and drive at the same time, why not just try to curb that (cell phones)? will someone propose this in the state legislature or something?

livecontent · 12-13-2007, 05:18 PM

I gained weight when I drove heavily in Denver traffic. It could be the cookies that I was pushing down my fat mouth when I got annoyed at all you miserable thin aggressive drivers.

If you guys would eat something when you drove, you would not have that face of anguish. So you are forced to drive slower--that is a good time to have a milk shake.

Crumbs were everywhere in my car, discarded candy bar wrappers, half-eaten sandwiches, spilled drinks, pizza pieces, potato chips, taco chips, crackers, lost pieces of candy--yes, in a storm I could survive by just grazing on the car mat.

It got to point that I really relished the half-eaten hot dog that were preserved and dried in the hot car; dried parts of fried chicken were especially good.

I could even drive with donuts in both hands, and a cup of coffee between my knees.

Latter, I did not need to prepare dinner when I got home--all I did was pick crumbs off my shirt and the ledge over my extended tummy.

A good thing is that a herd of Colorado mice had taken residence under my car seat, and I gathered the fattens ones for a weekend barbecue.

Now I no longer drive much and I have lost weight but I miss the buffet on the highway and my herd of mice are gone.

Livecontent