[Finch]

So, I have to drive to Carrboro/Chapel Hill a LOT. TEACCH is out there, and we also have regular autism playdates out there. I loathe CH traffic. LOATHE it. I swear I have to practically meditate behind the wheel to keep from absolutely screaming. I have actually had a man THROW SOMETHING at me from his car (I still don't know why), screaming at me there.

: If it's not that, it's mr. or mrs. brake-happy mcslowpoke in front of me, who hasn't figured out what the long pedal on the right is for, and who can't be bothered to hang up their stupid cell phone long enough to drive.

So, if you drive around the triangle a lot, like me, which part do you think has the worst drivers?

 

[supervee]

I must drive like all the other bad drivers

because it doesn't bother me much.

When my dad first visited me in college, we drove down Franklin Street in Chapel Hill and someone gave him the bird for driving too cautiously. My dad, who is quite the proprietous one, talked about it for ages. He could not BELIEVE someone would flip him off!

 

[beanma]

well, i voted "raleigh/cary", but by that i really mean the beltline and frankly pretty much anywhere on 40, durham and raleigh included. i hate driving east on 40.now, west toward the mts (once you get past winston) -- that's another kettle o' fish!

 

[mommyoftwo]

I"m from NJ and I swear that we get such a bad rap. Southern drivers are way worse than us yankees. Flame away

:

 

[Finch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommyoftwo I"m from NJ and I swear that we get such a bad rap. Southern drivers are way worse than us yankees. Flame away :

I'm yankee born, but have lived down in the deep south for 28 of my 34 years, and I can say I wholeheartedly agree with you. Southern drivers are sooooooooooooo slooooooooooooow. Like, zero reaction time. Green arrow turns yellow? Oh, that means you're supposed to stop.

Merging onto the interstate? Oh, that little lane isn't an acceleration lane, it's a place for you to either meander onto the screaming interstate at blazing speeds of 35mph, or for you to stop and ponder the passing traffic as you take your time deciding when to finally join it.

Green light? Hit your brakes!!!!!

Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!

 

[supervee]

Hmm, are you sure those are Southerners stopping at those yellow lights? Because I'm pretty sure those are Yankees who just got to town and don't know where they're going.

Sorry, luv, couldn't resist.

 

[PicnicBear]

Because I am looking for a job, I check the news and observer almost every day (previously I did not keep up with local news). It is horrific how many deaths there are to careless/drunk driving. It breaks my heart.

After 15 years in a subaru, including several drives cross-country (not the same one) I now drive an Explorer (hand-me-down from mom). I want to get my DH out of the subaru he commutes in. There are so many SUVs, huge pick-ups and other trucks on the roads driving a little V4 just doesn't make sense to me any more.

I hate to spend so much on gas and contribute to that problem, but I feel my family's safefy comes first.

I feel a lot safer in the SUV, as for the tests that say that say cars are safer I don't buy it. There are laws to physics and Force=MassXAcceleration!

Sorry to sound so serious -- this just hit a nerve for me!

 

[supervee]

PB, I know you are a thoughtful person, and I hope you will not take this as a personal attack (I don't think you will), but I am not sure everyone who makes the argument of driving an SUV for their family's safety thinks about this:

You and your family are safer in an SUV because of the force/mass/acceleration thing, but if you hit my family in our little 4-cylinder, you will kill us.

 

[PicnicBear]

Sure, I am always up for a good debate! Because I drove a little car for 15 years and my DH drives one, AND I will be commuting in one soon (as I will leave the Explorer with the carseat for MIL and DS to use during the day). (We have 2 subarus and the SUV), this is still highly relevant to me, as you can see, my family finds itself on both sides of the equation (excuse the pun).

Anyway, your point is valid. By accepting the vehicle that my mom offered us when she got a new one, I did make a decision to put myself in the larger category. It would be nice if the situation on the road here were more equitible, as it is in Europe (if my memory serves me) but alas, it is not!

ETA -- A point I wish people would focus on more is just driving carefully and respecting others on the road. No matter what the size of the vehicle, if people did not drive drunk, didn't speed, and just paid attention, as well as letting people change lanes and not cutting others off, I think there would be a lot fewer needless deaths, regardless of the mass of the vehicles out there.

And what about all those people with trailers of stuff, or stuff strapped to the top of the car. I don't know how many times stuff has come flying off when I'm on the highway. I read an article how this really increased with the whole DIY thing.

 

[supervee]

Yeah, I wish the laws would make it more equitable. We support a ban!

 

[Finch]

Driving around in my little Saturn scares the crap out of me most of the time.