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Old 08-23-2013, 07:17 AM
 
Location: Madison, AL
331 posts, read 511,326 times
Reputation: 192

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Let me start by saying this is not meant to get flame wars started, the intentions of this post are to be humorous in nature. Seeing as this area is a multitude of transplants mixed with some locals, we have gotten to where certain manners seem to clash and make us think "wtf". So I figured on this Friday we would start a thread and have a good laugh at ourselves. Again, just something fun and please have a mod lock/delete if we cant keep it civil and entertaining.

I will start:

I have noticed more in this area than any other I have commuted through that when many people are stopped at a red light that many will leave a good 5-6 car length distance between them and the car ahead of them. Sometimes getting into that left turn lane from Wall-Triana going to Madison Blvd is frustrating and I cant help but laugh at myself for getting fussy about it. At least if I want to get ahead of the crowd, there is a good chance I can easily slip my car in between one of these gaps

Regards
Huffbuffer
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Old 08-23-2013, 08:22 AM
 
2,349 posts, read 5,436,140 times
Reputation: 3062
Aside from generic things like talking on cell phones or blocking the right turn lane how about the huge standard deviation of vehicle speeds on I-565? Some people travel 55 and others travel 85.
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Old 08-23-2013, 09:22 AM
 
1,644 posts, read 3,035,606 times
Reputation: 926


Related to that is how, when traffic gets slow in a big bunch of cars, the slow people think "As long as we're going slow, it'd be OK for me to be in the fast lane." And since the slow people are in the fast lane, we're all slow. Repeat. This is further compounded by "speed matchers" making "rolling roadblocks." My mother-in-law is a speed matcher. She'll go whatever speed the car next to her is. I've seen her going 70, matching the speed of the car next to her. Also going super slow, matching the speed of the car going next to her. Though it might be due for a need for some base to operate from as her reaction times and perception are getting pretty low. This was incredibly evident when she didn't notice a helicopter land in a parking lot once. A HELICOPTER in a PARKING LOT and she didn't notice.

Also how pathetic we are when any new chain restaurant shows up that we flock to it in droves for the first week or so. The classic example is Cheddars, imo. But recently, more pathetic, when the first Papa John's opened in Hazel Green. I mean, Papa John's isn't that good, and you could always get one 10 miles away.
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Old 08-23-2013, 11:27 AM
 
65 posts, read 90,760 times
Reputation: 56
Quote:
Originally Posted by plmokn View Post
Aside from generic things like talking on cell phones or blocking the right turn lane how about the huge standard deviation of vehicle speeds on I-565? Some people travel 55 and others travel 85.
+1

Makes me wanna
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Old 08-23-2013, 01:53 PM
 
Location: Heart of Dixie
12,441 posts, read 14,874,952 times
Reputation: 28438
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoreLysium View Post
...any new chain restaurant shows up that we flock to it in droves for the first week or so. The classic example is Cheddars...
Cheddars has been packed every day since they first opened - not just the first week or so. I've never eaten there but when I ask those who have they all tell me "you get a lot for your money." I don't fault those who appreciate a bargain these days.
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Old 08-23-2013, 03:08 PM
 
23,601 posts, read 70,412,676 times
Reputation: 49275
Yo Huff, I'm one of those who you might think as doing something odd at traffic lights. Here's the scoop. If someone rear-ends you while you are stopped at a light, it is 100% their fault. If they push you into the car in front, YOU are responsible for that accident. Knowing that, when I approach a light I check the rear view mirror. If I plan to stop I will tap the brakes twice to wake the cellphone users behind me out of their trance. Only when there are about three cars behind me almost stopped will I tighten up to less than a car length. If I do everything I can to avoid an accident, while not impeding LEGAL traffic speed, I'm going to live longer and cheaper.

What I find a little frightening is when I'm driving through (Florence, in this instance) and an 18 wheeler is doing the senior citizen leaving his left turn blinker on all the time. NOT a good sign.
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Old 08-23-2013, 03:15 PM
 
3,465 posts, read 4,839,813 times
Reputation: 7026
Quote:
Originally Posted by harry chickpea View Post
If someone rear-ends you while you are stopped at a light, it is 100% their fault. If they push you into the car in front, YOU are responsible for that accident.
I don't know where you got this information but it is inaccurate. I know two different people that have been involved in chain reaction rear enders and the driver that was responsible for the first rear end collision that cause the chain reaction was responsible for all of the damaged cars and injuries. One of them had 15 cars involved with all but the first and last one being damaged on both the front and the rear. There were also injuries in the first couple cars that were hit. There were several lawsuits with each case. Their insurance had to pay through the nose.
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Old 08-23-2013, 03:38 PM
 
23,601 posts, read 70,412,676 times
Reputation: 49275
dijkstra, It can be as simple as you state - or not. What I go by is this:

"One rule of the road that comes into play in most chain reaction accidents is that drivers must leave a safe following distance between their vehicle and the vehicle in front of them, so that they can stop in time to avoid any road hazards or unexpected situations, such as the lead car slamming on its brakes. A driver who fails to maintain a safe following distance and then rear-ends the lead car will almost always be considered negligent."

Source:
Accident Claims: Chain Reaction Accidents

The basic chain reaction accident with cars completely stopped is fairly cut and dried. Often, that is not what happens. With car A being the lead, car B the middle, car C the tail.

Car A is coming to a stop light with right blinker on, at a speed that car B expects car A to do a right turn onto an empty cross street. Car A gets to within 20 feet of the corner and suddenly remembers "I have to come to a complete stop on the corner before turning!" He slams on the brakes, car B hits car A and car C then hits car B. Cars B & C are both at fault.

The situation I have been in a few times is that Car A is stopped, Car C is oblivious, and I'm in car B approaching car A. It is safer for me to tap my brakes twice, give room for car C reaction time and still be rolling with a buffer space between me and car A. If car C misjudges and is about to hit me, I can ease forward a car length or two and avoid the accident altogether.

There are times and places where this isn't possible, but when it doesn't impede traffic flow, I don't leave any doubt that I have left a safe and reasonable stopping distance between me and the car in front. The goal isn't to not be at fault, it is to not get in an accident, while at the same time being courteous to other drivers.
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Old 08-23-2013, 03:42 PM
 
Location: Boonies of N. Alabama
3,881 posts, read 4,127,100 times
Reputation: 8157
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoreLysium View Post

Related to that is how, when traffic gets slow in a big bunch of cars, the slow people think "As long as we're going slow, it'd be OK for me to be in the fast lane." And since the slow people are in the fast lane, we're all slow. Repeat. This is further compounded by "speed matchers" making "rolling roadblocks." My mother-in-law is a speed matcher. She'll go whatever speed the car next to her is. I've seen her going 70, matching the speed of the car next to her. Also going super slow, matching the speed of the car going next to her. Though it might be due for a need for some base to operate from as her reaction times and perception are getting pretty low. This was incredibly evident when she didn't notice a helicopter land in a parking lot once. A HELICOPTER in a PARKING LOT and she didn't notice.
Amen. My pet peeve...driving slow in the passing lane.
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Old 08-23-2013, 06:18 PM
 
Location: Madison, AL
3,297 posts, read 6,266,015 times
Reputation: 2678
Quote:
Originally Posted by dijkstra View Post
I don't know where you got this information but it is inaccurate. I know two different people that have been involved in chain reaction rear enders and the driver that was responsible for the first rear end collision that cause the chain reaction was responsible for all of the damaged cars and injuries. One of them had 15 cars involved with all but the first and last one being damaged on both the front and the rear. There were also injuries in the first couple cars that were hit. There were several lawsuits with each case. Their insurance had to pay through the nose.
My broker was rear ended by a teenager on Hughes a few years ago who was traveling pretty fast and not paying attention, and it pushed him into the car in front of him and she was held liable for both vehicles and the entire accident.

They actually just came to a settlement with her insurance after a long, drawn out process.
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