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It's kind of like the Pittsburgh left, people assume they will allow you to turn left as soon as the light turns green. Never saw that one in the manual.
As a recent transplant to this gorgeous city I must actually compliment Greater Pittsburghers because you all, generally speaking, drive well. I deliver gifts for a living in and around the city and its inner suburbs, and people here are generally polite, respectful, and courteous behind the wheel. Back in NoVA people were always in a rush to get nowhere. I was on my way to my office one morning in Fairfax County and witnessed an accident in front of me (non-injury). Nevertheless I stopped, put my hazard lights on, and ran over to make sure everyone was indeed okay and offer myself as a witness to the crash. Jagoff after jagoff behind me veered around the scene, many honking as if we were "bothering" them. Guess what? You'll be one minute later to your appointment, but those poor souls in front of me will need new vehicles and I was able to rest easier later that night knowing if someone DID need assistance I DID stop to help. It's like there's just something in the water back in NoVA where everyone says to themselves "I'm so important" before leaving the front door.
I don't know if I agree with Brian that people here are "too" passive. As a general rule of thumb nearly everyone will leave gaps in traffic to permit people to pull left out of side streets, driveways, parking lots, etc. whereas back in NoVA a lot of people would just gridlock those ingress/egress points.
Some gripes?
1.) The "Pittsburgh left": Okay, if I'm not in a hurry while stopped at a red light, see you in the opposing lane with your left blinker on, see that there's a line of cars behind you, and see that there is a line of cars behind me (which would hold not only you but your entire lane up if I didn't let you turn), then, yes, I WILL flash my high-beams and/or wave you left in front of me to keep traffic flowing. What I don't appreciate is when people think they are "entitled" to a Pittsburgh left. When I first started working at my employer a snob in Squirrel Hill in an SUV tried "bullying" her way in front of me with a Pittsburgh left, but I didn't allow it. She almost hit me. In retaliation she called my boss and said I "ran a red light" (I had a green light, lady!) and tried getting me fired. From now on whenever I'm in our company vehicle I'm UBER-passive because heaven forbid another Squirrel Hill snob concocts a story to try to get me fired because their entitled selves didn't get their own way.
2.) Turn signals: Why do elderly people leave these on for miles and miles if they're not going to turn? If your senses are THAT bad that you can neither hear the clicking noise of your blinker nor see the little arrow flashing on your dashboard near your speedometer, then perhaps it's time to hang up the keys? I've seen so many near-misses with people trying to pull out from side streets almost getting nailed by clueless elderly drivers with their blinkers on NOT turning!
3.) Biased enforcement of illegal left-hand turns (police issue): People heading westbound on Penn Avenue frequently make illegal left-hand turns into the side entrance of the parking lot for the Giant Eagle at the intersection of Penn & Shady. I've even seen people make this left IN FRONT OF police cruisers without incident. Meanwhile when I want to turn left from East Liberty Boulevard into the rear service entrance of our shopping center I'm often met with a cop sitting back there watching to make sure we don't turn left. Why is that? The people on westbound Penn often hold up traffic while waiting for gaps in oncoming traffic to form so they can make the illegal left (for the record I have not and WILL NOT leave a gap so people can make that turn if I'm eastbound on Penn).
Nevertheless I stopped, put my hazard lights on, and ran over to make sure everyone was indeed okay and offer myself as a witness to the crash. Jagoff after jagoff behind me veered around the scene, many honking as if we were "bothering" them.
As a recent transplant to this gorgeous city I must actually compliment Greater Pittsburghers because you all, generally speaking, drive well. I deliver gifts for a living in and around the city and its inner suburbs, and people here are generally polite, respectful, and courteous behind the wheel. Back in NoVA people were always in a rush to get nowhere. I was on my way to my office one morning in Fairfax County and witnessed an accident in front of me (non-injury). Nevertheless I stopped, put my hazard lights on, and ran over to make sure everyone was indeed okay and offer myself as a witness to the crash. Jagoff after jagoff behind me veered around the scene, many honking as if we were "bothering" them. Guess what? You'll be one minute later to your appointment, but those poor souls in front of me will need new vehicles and I was able to rest easier later that night knowing if someone DID need assistance I DID stop to help. It's like there's just something in the water back in NoVA where everyone says to themselves "I'm so important" before leaving the front door.
I don't know if I agree with Brian that people here are "too" passive. As a general rule of thumb nearly everyone will leave gaps in traffic to permit people to pull left out of side streets, driveways, parking lots, etc. whereas back in NoVA a lot of people would just gridlock those ingress/egress points.
Some gripes?
1.) The "Pittsburgh left": Okay, if I'm not in a hurry while stopped at a red light, see you in the opposing lane with your left blinker on, see that there's a line of cars behind you, and see that there is a line of cars behind me (which would hold not only you but your entire lane up if I didn't let you turn), then, yes, I WILL flash my high-beams and/or wave you left in front of me to keep traffic flowing. What I don't appreciate is when people think they are "entitled" to a Pittsburgh left. When I first started working at my employer a snob in Squirrel Hill in an SUV tried "bullying" her way in front of me with a Pittsburgh left, but I didn't allow it. She almost hit me. In retaliation she called my boss and said I "ran a red light" (I had a green light, lady!) and tried getting me fired. From now on whenever I'm in our company vehicle I'm UBER-passive because heaven forbid another Squirrel Hill snob concocts a story to try to get me fired because their entitled selves didn't get their own way.
2.) Turn signals: Why do elderly people leave these on for miles and miles if they're not going to turn? If your senses are THAT bad that you can neither hear the clicking noise of your blinker nor see the little arrow flashing on your dashboard near your speedometer, then perhaps it's time to hang up the keys? I've seen so many near-misses with people trying to pull out from side streets almost getting nailed by clueless elderly drivers with their blinkers on NOT turning!
3.) Biased enforcement of illegal left-hand turns (police issue): People heading westbound on Penn Avenue frequently make illegal left-hand turns into the side entrance of the parking lot for the Giant Eagle at the intersection of Penn & Shady. I've even seen people make this left IN FRONT OF police cruisers without incident. Meanwhile when I want to turn left from East Liberty Boulevard into the rear service entrance of our shopping center I'm often met with a cop sitting back there watching to make sure we don't turn left. Why is that? The people on westbound Penn often hold up traffic while waiting for gaps in oncoming traffic to form so they can make the illegal left (for the record I have not and WILL NOT leave a gap so people can make that turn if I'm eastbound on Penn).
I feel a little differently about the Pittsburgh left. I'm not going to sit there all day like a sap and wave people through, but if they happen to sneak one in before I make it into the intersection, then more power to 'em. I'm talking wheels cut before they even start moving. As long as they show some sense of urgency while cutting me off, it's ok with me. Of course there are special stipulations. If you have more than 2 axles forget it, the Pittsburgh left is out. Also, trying to make the left as the second car in line, while using the first car as a shield is a no-no.
And actually, as sick as it sounds, I get a small chuckle from seeing someone skillfully execute this maneuver. Especially when you're able to see inside the car and catch a glimpse of the perpetrator with a huge, ****-eatin' grin of his face!
2.) Turn signals: Why do elderly people leave these on for miles and miles if they're not going to turn? If your senses are THAT bad that you can neither hear the clicking noise of your blinker nor see the little arrow flashing on your dashboard near your speedometer, then perhaps it's time to hang up the keys? I've seen so many near-misses with people trying to pull out from side streets almost getting nailed by clueless elderly drivers with their blinkers on NOT turning!
That always gets me too. I want to get around those people quick, because who knows how inattentive they might be to everything. To be fair, though, I was in a rental a couple weeks ago that had a very soft clicker; at highway speed and moderate radio volume I couldn't really hear it. So I think this is a problem in some cars. But this is no excuse for never looking at the dash. I suppose they could also have the steering wheel adjusted to they can't see the thing either.
Merging seems to be a lost art or something never taught. Again last night, I am the slow lane, car parallel to me, jack-wagon on the ramp ASSUMES I'll move over. No turn signal, never looked, I had to floor it to get ahead of him. Drives me nuts, and it's just not in Pgh, I see it all the time. I guess Driver's Ed is no longer taught in High School, no doubt those teachers were making too much money.
That's why I move to the left lane when possible at those ramp merge points because some drivers plow through without even looking.
Another problem with some ramps is when they are on a hill and the driver coming down the hill doesn't have full view of traffic they are merging with until they are level with the highway and almost at the actual merge point.
I'll pour you a drink of some orange "pop" if you come over here, but first my dishes need washed! I also better run the "sweeper" on my rugs!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ML North
I feel a little differently about the Pittsburgh left. I'm not going to sit there all day like a sap and wave people through, but if they happen to sneak one in before I make it into the intersection, then more power to 'em. I'm talking wheels cut before they even start moving. As long as they show some sense of urgency while cutting me off, it's ok with me. Of course there are special stipulations. If you have more than 2 axles forget it, the Pittsburgh left is out. Also, trying to make the left as the second car in line, while using the first car as a shield is a no-no.
And actually, as sick as it sounds, I get a small chuckle from seeing someone skillfully execute this maneuver. Especially when you're able to see inside the car and catch a glimpse of the perpetrator with a huge, ****-eatin' grin of his face!
I've just honestly never lived anywhere before where people think they are "entitled" to turn left in front of opposing traffic. I've also seen many people who are second in line and use the car in front of them as a "shield" (that was an excellent way to put it! LOL!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by greg42
That always gets me too. I want to get around those people quick, because who knows how inattentive they might be to everything.
With that being said we all need to admit our own faults, too. I'm overall an excellent driver, but I AM a leadfoot! I've driven over 100,000 miles since turning 16, and my only accident was when I was rear-ended at a red light (not my fault, obviously). I have had FOUR speeding tickets in the past 6 years, though. I'm also guilty of texting while driving (a FILTHY habit I NEED to break myself of!)
Curtis, are you trying to insult me by calling me a man with a low IQ who drives a pickup truck?
I think it's funny that you get so riled up that you pass on the median and roll down your window to straighten people out. That's priceless!
Well, yes I was. Kidding of course, but it is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, although I deal with that 31st Street bridge all the time and am trying to be one of the dummies in the right lane and clog everything, because I just don't care anymore about it. The sun will still rise tomorrow.
I did yell at someone before, but I don't think I will do it again. Life is too short to worry about it.
Read it. All of it. And stop, for everyone's sake. No text is so important it can't wait until you can read and reply safely.
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I've driven over 100,000 miles since turning 16, and my only accident was when I was rear-ended at a red light (not my fault, obviously). I have had FOUR speeding tickets in the past 6 years, though. 
I'm also guilty of texting while driving (a FILTHY habit I NEED to break myself of!)
