Miami Traffic (Miami Beach, Tamiami: insurance, houses, college) - Florida (FL) -Miami-Dade County - City-Data Forum

Fawkes · 02-11-2007, 11:12 PM

Miami residents,

I hear bad things about the traffic here all the time. I have lived in Miami my whole life, 29 years, except for the four years I went to college, and about 3 years of travel. Fortunately, I have seldom had to fight the traffic in Miami. What annoys you the most about the traffic in Miami. Going 13 mph during rush hour? The people that drive too fast? The people that drive too slow? The people that have no clue what the hell they are doing behind the wheel of their automobile? The cops (here is mine) that drive to fast?

Please explain.

You want an explanation from me? OK.

People driving slowly in the left lane annoys me, because they impede my progress. However, the hypocrisy of the police really infuriates me. People say, of course they drive fast!! They are the police, they are driving to an emergency. No!! not those police. I don't mind a cop going 120 mph WHEN THE ROOF LIGHTS ARE FLASHIING!!!! I mean the Miami Beach cop that blasted me on the 826 West bound at LeJuene going about 90. He was going away from his jurisdiction. Sure maybe he was going somewhere for some emergency, but more likely he was going home to dinner. If he was going to some emergency, then why didn't he have his roof lights on.

One that really surprised me was up in Broward, a BSO dusted me. I was in the HOV, and I was probably going 85, I don't drive slow. This guy came out of nowhere, going at least triple digits. At night. No roof lights.

I was on Tamiami Trail way out west, when I see this cop in my rear view weaving through traffic. I was going 60 in a 45 zone, so I slowed down and let him pass. I thought I was going to get pulled over. I pulled up behind him at a light. When the light turned green we both floored it. This was several years ago when I was driving a 94 Nissan pickup. I pushed that truck hard and that cop just left me. I backed off at about 50, and her throttle was still opened up wide. About half a mile up the road, she pulled into a parking lot to provide assissance to another officer who had pulled over a motorist. So, ok, this cop was going to a scene, but WHY DIDN'T SHE LIGHT THE ROOF LIGHTS??? Why did she wait at the traffic light with us, instead of lighting the siren and going through.

These stories are all true, I have no reason to lie. The one in Broward really scared me because I didn't see him coming, and some clueless fool is bound to change lanes in front of him. He was really hauling ass. About the first two I generalize, they may have been female. I don't know. The third one had a long brown ponytail. I saw it when she was getting out of her car. Furthermore, I want to express my gratitude to all the police officers out there who risk their lives to keep us safe. But don't write me a ticket for speeding then zoom off at 40 miles and hour over the speed limit.

Miami Vice · 02-11-2007, 11:34 PM

I can't argue with you there. Most police officers speed. As far as going fast without lights, sometimes they are dispatched to a call which does not allow the use of sirens and lights such as a silent alarm or a unoccupied burglary. Other times, they hear an officer which takes a traffic stop or is checking out an individual and they could tell in the officer's voice that something isnt right so they tend to speed to assist. I agree that it's not right. Many innocent people have been killed by reckless cops who abuse their power. With the shortage of police, they are going from call to call and supervisors and everyone above are always complaining about response times. There are many factors which come into play. I've noticed that most people who's jobs require a lot of driving, tend to drive fast.(taxi cabs,bus drivers,ambulance drivers,etc...) The reality is that most people here speed, run red lights/stop signs daily and never get caught. Good luck.

vpcats · 02-12-2007, 09:29 AM

Fawkes. You sound like you belong in NASCAR territory.

CiXeL · 02-12-2007, 01:23 PM

well at least if a cop hits you, you know they have great insurance. id rather be hit by a cop than any number of uninsured miami drivers or the hordes of cars with no license plates in south dade.

Fawkes · 02-13-2007, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CiXeL

well at least if a cop hits you, you know they have great insurance. id rather be hit by a cop than any number of uninsured miami drivers or the hordes of cars with no license plates in south dade.

True enough, that Cixel. Never thought about it that way. I knew a guy that got hit by a Publix (I think it was a Publix truck) delivery truck up in JAX. Destroyed his car, he wasn't hurt bad, but he got a nice little settlement out of it.

vpcats, yeah, maybe I drive fast. On the Interstate. Not around houses, just wanted to point that out. And not crazy fast, either. These people really scare me though. When I can't keep up with a cop, that's fast.

Am I the only one seeing these guys drive this fast? I'm not saying this is frequent. Maybe twice a year. And I drive a lot