It's impossible to enjoy driving these days.

[Popinski]

In my city and nearby highways, it used to be a nice and relaxing drive. People respected the law and each other. People who enjoyed driving usually enjoyed the fact that you can enjoy the car, the land, the different types of cars; even when going to work. If one wanted to go faster, he/she would patiently wait until the driver was clear to merge onto the right lane without tailgating. Each time someone was being nice and respectful, they would get the driver's thank you wave. Everything fine and dandy. It especially makes me mad when people disrespect the elderly.

After a decade, everything has changed for the worse. People now use the roads as a playground. There's a huge gap between speed limit drivers and faster drivers. Everyone is rude, don't care for the law, don't care about others, cell phone talking, txt typing...etc. Yesterday I was passing a truck while still maintaining the speed limit. As I slowly pass him, some guy in a Chevy Cobalt tailgates me, flashed me with his headlights several time. he even flashed me as I was merging to the right lane. Driving nowadays is more of a stressful chore than an enjoyment.

I wish every city in the USA would have camera speed traps. Recently I heard Illinois installed construction zone speed traps.

The days of relaxed driving and enjoying your car are over.

 

[StevieC]

I drive for a living and enjoy it... I do hate traffic jams though... Wide open country roads are for me!

 

[saberz]

That is NJ in a nutshell. I remember about 10 years ago cruising on the highway, driving for the drive.

Now you drive and rush to get home(speed limit) to avoid driving on the roads when rush hour/dumb drivers hit the road. I practically re-live Top Gun's "Danger Zone" song while avoiding mindless drones trying to come up on my six. In the past 3 years I nearly got run off the highway 4 times. Twice in my 08 tC, once in the Xterra and another in my G6. Funny thing is, they don't slow down or go back into their lane, they just keep coming even with a horn held down.

Now I just hold the horn until they slow down.

 

[brianl703]

I enjoy driving my Crown Vic, because it's interesting to see how people drive when they think a cop is watching them.

 

[Kestas]

Speed traps only catch speeders. Not all dangerous driving is from speeding. Instead of fishing by the side of the road, I'd rather see police embed themselves in traffic and cath the real loonies who take chances with our lives.

All traffic tickets in my driving career have been for speeding... on the open road! Never did I harass anyone in front of me.

I remember a long time ago when I was driving my econobox on a 2-lane freeway, a big F250-type of truck was on my tail flashing his lights for me to pull over to the right, regardless of the fact that I was tailing a number of cars in the left lane.

 

[Popinski]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
Speed traps only catch speeders. Not all dangerous driving is from speeding. Instead of fishing by the side of the road, I'd rather see police embed themselves in traffic and cath the real loonies who take chances with our lives.

All traffic tickets in my driving career have been for speeding... on the open road! Never did I harass anyone in front of me.

I remember a long time ago when I was driving my econobox on a 2-lane freeway, a big F250-type of truck was on my tail flashing his lights for me to pull over to the right, regardless of the fact that I was tailing a number of cars in the left lane.


I was waiting for someone to say this. It's common sense that the faster the speed, the harder it is to control and the more dangerous it is to drive.

Remember: "Cars and technology are getting faster and faster. Humans reaction time will always stay the same".

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Popinski
Recently I heard Illinois installed construction zone speed traps.

By "speed traps" you mean cops hiding in the bushes or behind construction equipment? Yeah, we've got those.

Seriously though, the construction around here is driving me nuts. During winter you can't drive normally because the roads are full of potholes and/or snow, and during the other three seasons you can't drive normally because there is road construction...

 

[javacontour]

Illinois has camera vans they can deploy to construction sites. I pass two or three road construction sites in IL on a daily basis and I think I've seen the photo enforcement van ONCE all summer.

They have them, but apparently not many.

Photo Enforcement Vans

 

[Popinski]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Popinski
Recently I heard Illinois installed construction zone speed traps.

By "speed traps" you mean cops hiding in the bushes or behind construction equipment? Yeah, we've got those.

Seriously though, the construction around here is driving me nuts. During winter you can't drive normally because the roads are full of potholes and/or snow, and during the other three seasons you can't drive normally because there is road construction...
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Illinois has camera vans they can deploy to construction sites. I pass two or three road construction sites in IL on a daily basis and I think I've seen the photo enforcement van ONCE all summer.

They have them, but apparently not many.

Photo Enforcement Vans


All states should follow Illinois. I'm tired of people speeding in construction zones and I cheer when they are caught speeding.

 

[brianl703]

Can someone explain to me why Illinois and other states have these never-ending construction projects? It's not because of the climate. That doesn't wash. We got a lot more freeze-thaw cycles here, and they don't have to rip up the pavement here every year.

 

[javacontour]

I think there needs to be some balance. When 20 miles of road is closed and the crews are working on 100 yards of pavement, that's just abusing the motorist.

Close down 1/2 a mile to a mile before it, and get it open again as soon as possible.

But I've seen miles and miles closed, with no work and nothing that looks like curing pavement, etc. It's just closed.

I'd also like to see the police police the merge. If there have been signs for the past 2 miles indicating the right lane is closing and someone in the right lane has been passing everyone in the left lane hoping to get in, well I think something should be done to make him wait until he/she can merge left without slowing the traffic moving in the left lane.

Most of the problem with traffic in construction zones is caused by those yahoos who think they have some sort of right to blast down to the last millimeter of their lane that is ending and then someone should just let them in out of the goodness of their heart.

Actually, no one should let them in out of respect for those who merged 2 miles back when the sign first indicated the right lane was closing.

Have the police enforce that. If you are caught merging in a fashion that causes others to slow, you get a $500 ticket.

I think the IL budget deficit would be resolved in about 10 minutes of filming any lane closure in the state.

 

[Steve S]

I hate driving too . Stay between the lines, do the speed limit, no texting while driving, stop for the redlights ,use your signals ,No drinking or drugs when driving. Driving is not as fun as it used to be.

 

[brianl703]

One thing you'll always see around here is two cars driving side-by-side on a 4-lane highway. If I'm in the Crown Vic, the one on the left moves out of the way. (I can't imagine why, if they think that they're not doing anything wrong?). If not, they'll drive like that for miles. It's really annoying when they're in the left lane, I'm in the right, and they're matching my speed and hanging out in the blind spot. What I've found out is that speeding up or slowing down gradually doesn't work...they'll just speed up or slow down along with you. No, you have to lay on the gas and speed up quickly. I suppose slamming on the brakes would work as well, but I'm unwilling to try that for obvious reasons.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
Can someone explain to me why Illinois and other states have these never-ending construction projects? It's not because of the climate. That doesn't wash. We got a lot more freeze-thaw cycles here, and they don't have to rip up the pavement here every year.



The never ending ones seem to be in Chicago where they are adding more lanes. The roads are likely damaged due to heavy traffic. Very similar to NoVA.

If you caught Blago on the Celebrity Apprentice, you see the quality of our local officials, LOL. That likely plays a large role in why the roads are in constant flux.

It's not as bad downstate. There are projects, but they get done. They are not on-going.

They are going to build a new bridge across the Mississippi to help with the Poplar Street Bridge congestion. Four interstates meet at the PSB, I55, I64, I70 all cross and I44 essentially starts there.

I believe they are adding a bridge for 70 to cross further north, leaving only I55 and I64/US40 traffic to cross the PSB.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
I think there needs to be some balance. When 20 miles of road is closed and the crews are working on 100 yards of pavement, that's just abusing the motorist.


I've seen that in PA. I've never, ever seen it here. In fact, VDOT policy is not to close lanes during rush hour.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: javacontour

The never ending ones seem to be in Chicago where they are adding more lanes.


The I66 widening projects that I remember were completed within a couple of years. Heck, they've built entirely new roads, such as the 234 bypass, in only a couple of years.

 

[sciphi]

Having a commute now, I get to see all the lovely yahoos, such as the folks who will gladly pass me on the shoulder, the ones up my tailpipe in the right lane, and the ones who pack together so tight not letting me onto the highway that I'm stopped trying to merge at the head of 15-20 cars backed up on the on-ramp.

Then just the plain old road-ragers, who seem to think they're the "kings of the road" since (insert ludicrous reason here).

Driving in the city is stressful. I hate it, and love the small-town traffic I get on the weekends.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: javacontour

The never ending ones seem to be in Chicago where they are adding more lanes.

They're certainly not adding any more lanes on I-290, where the construction will go on for the next two years because there is just no space for more lanes. They are only repaving, and even that I'd call unnecessary. Do we really need super-smooth pavement without a single chip if we're standing in bumper-to-bumper traffic anyway? Besides, in two winters time, the pavement will return to looking like khrap.

I guess the state got some of the stimulus package money, so they're using it. But now all the construction workers went on strike as of last week. They make upwards of $50-60/hour already. They should be happy they have jobs, not go around making other people's lives miserable by postponing the completion date. Alas, they're unionized...

 

[brianl703]

Stuff like this might be part of the problem in Chicago:

http://www.thelaborers.net/DOJ/Federal%2...r%20Palumbo.htm

 

[wallyuwl]

When it is safe, people should go the speed limit. There are a few roads around where I live that are 55 mph that should be 45, so then it is fine IMO to go slower than the posted speed limit. But I don't think it is rude or disrespectful to expect people to generally go the speed limit. Around here people will regularly go 35-40 in 55 mph zones on county highways, sometimes causing scores of cars to become backed up. In cases like this, it is THEY who are being rude and disrespectful. As for elderly drivers... if they don't have the capacity to drive any more they shouldn't be on the road. That may not be politically correct and may not make people "feel good", but if someone is a safety hazard to other drivers they shouldn't be driving. After age 72 or so the elderly should have to renew their license at least every other year, IMO.

I agree with Illinois and road construction. I travel through the Indiana to Milwaukee corridor a few times a year and much more than other states they seem to have never-ending road projects, and often roads are listed as construction zones with no construction taking place. A year and a half ago part of our trip consisted of going on I39 from Rockford (I think that is it...) to Madison. From Rockford to the WI border (about 40 miles if I remember right) it was a construction zone with a 45 mph speed limit but absolutely no construction was taking place.