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Oh yes, the U-turn over a double yellow -- I see that all the time in two places in DC, M Street in Georgetown (which is a suicide mission) and Constitution Avenue just after 15th Street. I also routinely see this practice in NYC, though not as clear-cut as DC with two specific areas of the U-turn, and not as prevalent as in DC. One of my relatives was hit by such a U-Turn driver in NYC, and the other driver could not fathom that what they had done was illegal, and that it caused the accident.
You're so right. I see that a lot in DC and Baltimore. I'm sorry to hear about your relative. NYC is a rough town to drive in, for sure.
I've lived in a lot of different cities throughout the country. It's funny how each has its own type of bad drivers (and its own type of traffic, too - no two cities are alike).
You're so right. I see that a lot in DC and Baltimore. I'm sorry to hear about your relative. NYC is a rough town to drive in, for sure.
I've lived in a lot of different cities throughout the country. It's funny how each has its own type of bad drivers (and its own type of traffic, too - no two cities are alike).
It is funny when you look at different regions and the bad driving within them, you're right about the differences in bad drivers. The one city that scares me is not LA, NYC, or even Boston, but Pittsburgh. And, PA is one of the few states where I accept the LDW on a rental car, even though the coverage can be more than the cost of the car rental.
I, too, am baffled by people who attempt to join the traffic flow on a highway by stopping in the acceleration lane. I don't know if they are waiting for a clear road, or a clear lane, but that's not going to happen during peak travel times. In that case, it creates a hazard what with people who cut around the stopped traffic and then accelerate passed the cars that are attempting to merge. That, too, would cross the line from caution to anxiety, and if they are in that situation, they should remove themselves from it until they take additional driving lessons or find an alternate way to where they need to go.
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It is funny when you look at different regions and the bad driving within them, you're right about the differences in bad drivers. The one city that scares me is not LA, NYC, or even Boston, but Pittsburgh. And, PA is one of the few states where I accept the LDW on a rental car, even though the coverage can be more than the cost of the car rental.
I, too, am baffled by people who attempt to join the traffic flow on a highway by stopping in the acceleration lane. I don't know if they are waiting for a clear road, or a clear lane, but that's not going to happen during peak travel times. In that case, it creates a hazard what with people who cut around the stopped traffic and then accelerate passed the cars that are attempting to merge. That, too, would cross the line from caution to anxiety, and if they are in that situation, they should remove themselves from it until they take additional driving lessons or find an alternate way to where they need to go.
I don't know if I said it on this thread or another, but you're right about PA drivers. I lived in PA briefly, and I've also experienced the PA out-of-state drivers in MD enough to know that they're best to just be avoided, when possible. I give them lots of room.
The people that stop in order to merge with highway traffic baffled me, too, until I lived in CA. Within minutes of my first time ever being there fresh off the plane, I nearly flew into the back of a car sitting on a clover leaf waiting to get on the highway (not something I'd ever experienced on the east coast). Why was he sitting? He had a red light!! Who on earth puts a red light at the end of an on-ramp where you're suppose to be accelerating to get up to the speed of the traffic you're joining? Apparently, Southern California. lol I never took a clover leaf at the same speed again, and now just assume that some of those people sitting in order to merge into highway traffic once lived in SoCal. lol
of course there is. it can be dangerous too. one can cause accidents by not doing what would normally be expected of a driver. or one can cause their husband's untimely death due to brain hemorage by being too scared to merge into traffic - "GO! GO!! GO!!!"
Oh yes, the U-turn over a double yellow -- I see that all the time in two places in DC, M Street in Georgetown (which is a suicide mission) and Constitution Avenue just after 15th Street. I also routinely see this practice in NYC, though not as clear-cut as DC with two specific areas of the U-turn, and not as prevalent as in DC. One of my relatives was hit by such a U-Turn driver in NYC, and the other driver could not fathom that what they had done was illegal, and that it caused the accident.
I was on M street a couple weekends ago. Completely baffled me at how many people are unable to drive within a city.
I don't know if I said it on this thread or another, but you're right about PA drivers. I lived in PA briefly, and I've also experienced the PA out-of-state drivers in MD enough to know that they're best to just be avoided, when possible. I give them lots of room.
The people that stop in order to merge with highway traffic baffled me, too, until I lived in CA. Within minutes of my first time ever being there fresh off the plane, I nearly flew into the back of a car sitting on a clover leaf waiting to get on the highway (not something I'd ever experienced on the east coast). Why was he sitting? He had a red light!! Who on earth puts a red light at the end of an on-ramp where you're suppose to be accelerating to get up to the speed of the traffic you're joining? Apparently, Southern California. lol I never took a clover leaf at the same speed again, and now just assume that some of those people sitting in order to merge into highway traffic once lived in SoCal. lol
They have ramp meter lights in some other states too. I've seen them in Arlington, Va, and Minneapolis, MN. I think I've seen them in several other states too.
They have ramp meter lights in some other states too. I've seen them in Arlington, Va, and Minneapolis, MN. I think I've seen them in several other states too.
That sounds about right (like what I experienced).
I was told they were used to regulate the traffic on the highway and reduce highway congestion (how's that working out for you, LA? lol), which is absurd since there's still highway congestion and all they do is cause more congestion on the regular roads (thereby causing people to "block the box" because they expect to make it onto a ramp, then can't, which then clogs up the streets perpendicular to the road that the ramp is on because now there are cars stuck in "the box". What a mess. lol) Wasn't the best invention for many reasons, if you ask me.
And, if they insist on using them, wouldn't putting them at the TOP of the ramp make more sense than putting them at the BOTTOM? But what do I know?
This only clogs the surface streets that provide access to the freeway.
Putting them at the bottom of the ramp already clogs the streets leading to the highway (drive through San Diego and you'll get a nice dose of this). What it also adds is an accident scene from people not expecting sitting ducks at the bottom of a ramp and it also removes the ability for drivers to speed up to highway speed to get into traffic. With a light at the bottom of the ramp (vs the top), you're expected to merge into 55-65 mph traffic from a dead stop. Not the best traffic planning. And then you have people coming from cities with lights at the bottom of ramps to cities without ramp lights at all, and the drivers cause accidents such as a previous poster described wondering why people don't merge, but just sit there. They're probably waiting for a light to appear to tell them when to go. lol
That's why I said, if cities insist on using these absurd ramp lights, at the very least, put them at the top of the ramp (which would still be unsafe, but not as unsafe as putting them at the bottom of the ramp).
Last edited by SunnyTXsmile; 07-29-2012 at 04:56 PM..
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