Got common sense?

[Falcon_LS]

I was driving down a dual carriageway this afternoon, which connects two intersections together with an exit to a major highway connecting east and west. Roughly 3 km (1.9 miles) before the traffic lights at the intersection, the concrete divider separating the two sides ends and there is a curb instead. The speed limit here is 100 km/h (63 MPH).

As I crossed the intersection and hit the carriageway, I noticed some genius in a '07+ Hyundai Santa Fe decided it was fit to drive onto the relatively tall curb to take a u-turn instead of waiting at the traffic lights. I have no idea whether or not he made it and hope his stupidity didn't cost someone their life.

Where's a patrol car when you need one?! Are people genuinely getting dumber and ridiculously selfish?!

 

[pidster]

This past summer/fall we had a van take the corner on our street waaaaay too fast in the rain, lose control, swaying/fishtailing trying to (over)correct and went up my nextdoor neighbor's lawn across onto mine and right THROUGH the "no parking" sign on it, breaking it right out of the ground, which I might add was attached to a 4x4 post cemented into the ground. There is a sidewalk there which is where what was left of the van came to rest. If I or my nextdoor neighbor had been out, say, mowing the lawn, either or both of us could be dead. I've learned through a couple close calls in my early days as a driver that being in a hurry or late is just no excuse for taking these kind of risks. Driving like a maniac doesn't get you there much if at all faster and you'll be really late if you get pulled over for a speeding ticket. You won't get there at all if you're dead. And the thoughtful responsible drivers on the road that you slam into might be coming along with you. And that person will then whoop your behind eternally in the afterlife

 

[Brons2]

Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Are people genuinely getting dumber and ridiculously selfish?!

I don't know about dumber, but people are ridiculously selfish and incredibly self centered when they are driving their cars. I think the majority of drivers do in fact think they own the road.

 

[gathermewool]

I don't drive home (all the way down the Jersey Turnpike) to visit family until enough time has passed for me to forget how ridiculous the drivers are. FWIW, I pride myself on leaving as much space as possible during traffic jams, using the engine to brake and only have to use the actual brakes when some one cuts me off (which is pretty often, since most people on the NJT seem to belong to the amateur NASCAR racers club, apparently.) I USED to be in a hurry, but all that did was raise my blood pressure, kill my MPG and also my brake pads.

There are still the same number of people who have common sense in this world; however, a lot more who don't seem to be on the road these days, since credit can buy you anything, including a car you can't afford. So, for your family's and your sake, leave a large enough buffer to fill the gap between common sense and bad sense.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Are people genuinely getting dumber and ridiculously selfish?!

I don't know about dumber, but people are ridiculously selfish and incredibly self centered when they are driving their cars. I think the majority of drivers do in fact think they own the road.


+1. That sentiment seems to account for why people start wailing on their horns if you slow to, for instance, find the place or street you're looking for. Or because you see some kids ahead playing street hockey in the driveway (or something similar) and prefer to use a little prudence.

They are free to wail on their horn all they want, but at the end of the day we both paid the same license and registration fee here in the province, and I'm not giving an inch of prudence (nor reasonable exercise on the discretion to slow when needed) to accommodate someone's impatience or false sense
of entitlement.

And riding my bumper is just asking for a flash of my brakes in response - and no I don't care what you're driving as I'm no less safe in my sedan regardless of what you're driving in a rear-end accident, unless its a tractor trailer - and these guys, to their credit, are overwhelming the safest and most courteous drivers I see on the road - so the intimidation stuff isn't going to play well with me either.

-Spyder

 

[bigmike]

They heard "You're special" too many times growing up. No, you aren't special - you're just like everyone else. Now if only parents would teach their kids this concept, society will begin to improve.