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Part of the problem here is that there is a HUGE part of the population that does not licenses. They never got them, lost them, or they are undocumented workers.
This should probably be another topic, but I just had to comment on this. I had license in 4 states and never had to go through such stupidity as in NC.
I don't oppose the written exam, but these questions do not benefit safe driving. What difference does it make how much percentage of accidents occur due to X or for how long your license will be suspended for Y? At the same time it's allowed to talk on the cellphone while driving.
And why DMV is suddenly responsible for enforsing the immigration laws? I've been in the US since 2000 and I've been waiting for a green card for years. When I went to get the NC license, they gave me one valid for... 6 months. (This is because of my EAD document, which gets extended every 2 years, my status never expires actually.) My MD license is valid for 8 more years and I have a mortgage, for cripes sake. So I'm not surprised if many people are driving without a valid license or keep their out-of-state one much longer.
MD got a bad rep because they're issuing license to pretty much everyone, but, as far as safety goes, it was hundred times better than this NC travesty.
On top of that, DMV doesn't work on Saturdays - I had to take time off work to get my 6-month license and then I'll have to do it again soon. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
And thank you for reminding - I'll definitely be writing the elected officials about this.
The problem, it has always seemed to me, is that nobody is overseeing the driving around here. I rarely see any police/troopers around. There is a wealth of money to be collected in tickets with all the abysmal drivers around here... why don't they do it? Surely, whatever costs up front it would cost the county would be paid 1000-fold in all the driving fines they would be collecting. I'm quite serious. I never thought I'd be lobbying for more police, but we REALLY need them here. People will (and are) keep driving the crazy, dangerous way they drive until they realize they might actually get tickets for it, and expensive ones at that.
The problem, it has always seemed to me, is that nobody is overseeing the driving around here. I rarely see any police/troopers around. There is a wealth of money to be collected in tickets with all the abysmal drivers around here... why don't they do it? Surely, whatever costs up front it would cost the county would be paid 1000-fold in all the driving fines they would be collecting. I'm quite serious. I never thought I'd be lobbying for more police, but we REALLY need them here. People will (and are) keep driving the crazy, dangerous way they drive until they realize they might actually get tickets for it, and expensive ones at that.
I actually agree with you. Of all the places I've ever lived, speed/agressive driving goes more unchecked here. I can say that at least in Raleigh I rarely see police doing any kind of traffic enforcement. That might be because they are busy with other things, but at least they could get some county sheriff deputies doing something inside the city limits if that's the case. As far as interstates go, Wake County is severly underserved by troopers on the road.
The only time I've ever seen any serious enforcement are for those 2 weeks out of the year they advertise that they will be out there in full force, which is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.
Raleigh needs more enforcement of traffic laws...period!
I love when I see people saying they want more Police/enforcement of traffic laws....
I'd be willing to bet that the day you get pulled over for rolling through that stop sign or doing 7 over the limit on 540 you won't be thinking so highly about stepping up the enforcement.
The most common problem in my eyes is no so much people doing illegal things, it's people doing stupid things. Just this morning I was almost victim to a irresponsible driver. There were 2 right turn lanes to get onto the entrance ramp to 540 and in the apex of the right turn (im in the left right turn lane and the other car is in the right right turn lane) the other care starts to come on over. No looking or checking blind spots. Just assumed there was no one there and came on over. Luckily I have good reflexes and slammed on the brake and the horn to let the guy know I was there...
I usually drive about 600 miles a week since my coverage area is from Winston-Salem to Wilmington and the biggest issue that I have seen with drivers in this area; TEXT MESSAGING while driving, how stupid can u be, this means you're not paying attention to the traffic and if you do, you're driving slower or swerving left to right in your lane.....very dangerous!!!
As for speeders, yes there are some but it's not as bad as in NJ or NY since I live there for 4 years.
As for cops> hit 85 to and from Greensboro and you'll see them stopping speeders and I usually see them on 540 around Six Forks and US 1 so they are there and am glad that they are not stopping me for going around 6-7 mph over the speed limit :-)
It's like the local drivers never been road tested prior of giving them a license but now also the NJ, NY drivers do not know what being courteous is , when we have our turn signal on, that means we are trying to merge in that lane which in accordance with NC law, you are suppose to let us in and not speed up or pace with us!!!!
I must say for all the driving that I've done in my life and places that I've driving, NC is not that bad except for their texting, this is the worst state that I've seen towards texting while driving!!
I think it's time to throw my hands up and start using the best defensive driving skills I can practice. It's really getting crazy out there.
I like the idea of using the Wake County Sheriff's Department to assist the Raleigh PD on cracking down on some of this careless and reckless driving. I see they already are helping with traffic when traffic lights are out doing repair. Give those guys a radar gun. Get them fitted up to write some tickets
I see so much downright scary driving here that I would feel much better to see more cops ticketing people. This is not driving 5 over speed limit. This is extreme tailgating. This is reckless speeding. This is swerving back and forth between lanes at fast speeds AND tailgating. This is blowing through red signals,.. These are SERIOUS driving issues that I see every day, it seems. It's rampant here and there are far too many injury car accidents here for the size. We need the police presence stepped up and tickets to be written! I tell you, a program like this would pay for itself quickly and generate tons of revenue.
The people who drive faster than me are jerks. The ones who drive slower than me are idiots.
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