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First of all, I am a transplant. I moved here in 2000 and LOVE living in NC. When I first moved here, having grown up in Florida, I brought my driving habits with me. In Florida, if you turn on your signal people will charge ahead to make sure you don't get in front of them. So you just zip in and out of traffic and drive very aggressively for your own protection.
But once I had been here in NC for a while, I noticed that people were nice on the roads. They let you in, not only if you signaled, but even if they noticed you needing to get by. People wave and smile. North Carolinians are generally very kind and courteous, even on the road when you don't know the person next to you.
My point here is...when in Rome. :-) Please try to adopt the NC culture because that southern hospitality makes everyone's life nicer. I've noticed the roads are much more populated with aggressive drivers. Slow down. Pay attention to the people around you. Treat them like you would want to be treated.
As eye-roll-inducing as a lot of "It's not as expensive/crowded/traffic-filled here as where I came from so long-time residents don't know what they're talking about" posts from some recent transplants can be....I don't necessarily think that they are the only ones responsible for driving frustrations here in the Triangle.
NCians are notorious for not using turn signals. Many family members and friends who've lived here their whole lives are guilty. I'm pretty vigilant about using the turn signal because that bothers me so much but even I forget.
The first thing you need to do when moving to North Carolina is read our drivers' handbook to see what OUR driving rules are. I have found traveling in areas where there are a lot of transplants to be very challenging. The biggest reason is that many bring strange driving rules with them. We have almost wrecked when making a left turn from Potter Road to Potter Road in Wesley Chapel area to only find out the other person who was stopped at a stop sign thought we should take turns because they do that back home. Read the traffic laws and see how WE do it. We might be courteous and let you go ahead when it really isn't your turn but you don't do that when it inconveniences other drivers. A stop sign that is not a four way stop means you proceed only when it is your turn after other traffic has cleared. Learn how to get where you are going without going on a road that has a backed-up stop sign.
And horns are for getting wild animals out of the road. It is rude to use the horn to tell a human to get out of your way. Thank you.
I am a transplant and learned to drive in Dutchess Cty New York. While visiting there recently, my daughter remarked "so that is where you get it from" ie. waving and thanking the other driver for letting me in. I rarely see it here, my experience is letting someone get in front of me without any wave of acknowledgement. I once visited Cape Cod and noticed extra friendly drivers there too. Now the NYC/Nassau Cty area was not very friendly at all!
The first thing you need to do when moving to North Carolina is read our drivers' handbook to see what OUR driving rules are. I have found traveling in areas where there are a lot of transplants to be very challenging. The biggest reason is that many bring strange driving rules with them. We have almost wrecked when making a left turn from Potter Road to Potter Road in Wesley Chapel area to only find out the other person who was stopped at a stop sign thought we should take turns because they do that back home. Read the traffic laws and see how WE do it. We might be courteous and let you go ahead when it really isn't your turn but you don't do that when it inconveniences other drivers. A stop sign that is not a four way stop means you proceed only when it is your turn after other traffic has cleared. Learn how to get where you are going without going on a road that has a backed-up stop sign.
And horns are for getting wild animals out of the road. It is rude to use the horn to tell a human to get out of your way. Thank you.
Same people behave like animals so they very appropriately get the horn used on them..
First of all, I am a transplant. I moved here in 2000 and LOVE living in NC. When I first moved here, having grown up in Florida, I brought my driving habits with me. In Florida, if you turn on your signal people will charge ahead to make sure you don't get in front of them. So you just zip in and out of traffic and drive very aggressively for your own protection.
But once I had been here in NC for a while, I noticed that people were nice on the roads. They let you in, not only if you signaled, but even if they noticed you needing to get by. People wave and smile. North Carolinians are generally very kind and courteous, even on the road when you don't know the person next to you.
My point here is...when in Rome. :-) Please try to adopt the NC culture because that southern hospitality makes everyone's life nicer. I've noticed the roads are much more populated with aggressive drivers. Slow down. Pay attention to the people around you. Treat them like you would want to be treated.
Welcome to North Carolina. :-)
I do NOT miss Florida driving! Last time I went back down there, as soon as I crossed the border into FL, it was like Mad Max. 90 MPH and weaving in and out of traffic (not me, them). I had forgotten what it was like!
A stop sign that is not a four way stop means you proceed only when it is your turn after other traffic has cleared. Learn how to get where you are going without going on a road that has a backed-up stop sign.
I'm pretty sure that's the law regardless of location and that person needs to have their head checked. Stop means stop. You don't just "go" when opposing traffic doesn't even have a sign.
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