You just didn't do that...

[protege]

One from earlier tonight...

Traffic on the way home was heavy for some reason. Partly, because it was Friday, but also because too many idiots just *had* to make that illegal left turn at a busy intersection near the East Liberty bus garage. Anyway, I was one of the last, in a long line of cars, waiting for people to either turn left (both legally and illegally), or the light further up to change. Progress is annoyingly slow, and some drivers are getting a tad agitated.

As I'm waiting for the Taurus two cars in front of me to turn (legally) at the light, I caught a glimpse of a rather "animated" conversation in the Corolla behind me. Seems the woman driving it...was pissed that she had to wait. So she's making all sorts of hand gestures, probably screaming up a storm, and then promptly loses it.

So the Taurus turns, light goes yellow, and the car ahead of me stops, and I do the same. What does the woman behind me do? She's in a huge hurry, and decides to go around me--in the right lane. But, she can't, because she's right on my ass. Rather than wait...things got hilarious! That is, she threw it in reverse, floored it...and plowed into the SUV behind her


She got out, slammed the door as hard as she could, and then starts screaming at the guy. Naturally, he's pissed. He was *stopped* when she hit him. No damage to his vehicle, so he flips--calls her a stupid bitch, that she can't drive for shit, etc. He had a mark on his bumper; her car had some rear-end damage. Not wanting the cops to come, they got back into their respective vehicles, and left.

That wasn't without problems either. By this time, the light had changed, and Ms. Corolla was still in a hurry. Not learning her lesson, she forced her way into the right lane, nailing the curb in the process. Hard enough...to splatter coffee all over the inside of her windshield. I was laughing so hard, I nearly wrecked myself!

[dalesys]

... nailing the curb in the process...

That calls for rimshot!

[Deserted]

Not learning her lesson, she forced her way into the right lane, nailing the curb in the process. Hard enough...to splatter coffee all over the inside of her windshield. I was laughing so hard, I nearly wrecked myself!

Ah, karma, how I love thee.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Some people just don't wear Karma all that well . . .

But that mental image of her hitting the curb and coffee splashing her windshield is simply EPIC!!!

[Moirae]

I really think that most people should NOT be able to drive. The people where I live are psycho on the road. They don't use signal lights no matter how busy the roads are, cut you off all the time, run over those white line blockers on off ramps to suddenly jerk into traffic that's moving down the off ramp because they didn't realize they needed to take that particular off ramp until the last second and worse.

I've seen cars flipped right over on the main highways because someone decided not to look before they moved into another lane.

What I'd like to know is why there aren't more deaths on the roads in my city. And why the police are so much more concerned with setting a trap for people with expired break tags than they are making people obey the driving rules during rush hour.

[EricKei]

What I'd like to know is why there aren't more deaths on the roads in my city.

Hey now -- our fair area (formerly for me) has had the...honor...of supposedly having no less than three of the nation's most lethal intersections at one point. Among them were Airline & Clearview (before the timing on the lights was adjusted) and Veterans & Clearview (before they just said "F*** THIS" and totally remade the intersection from scratch to accomodate the huge traffic volume and add a bunch of turning lanes. Dunno where they rank now.

I do remember the traffic back home, there, tho -- Most drivers seem to consider the white markers on the on/offramps to be merely helpful suggestions. You'd think that people living in a city where it rains so damn much would know how to drive in the rain, but noooooooooooooo....

[LillFilly]

I really, really wish you'd somehow gotten video of that encounter; it would be priceless! Glad the guy didn't get in trouble for 'rear ending' her - doesn't sound like she took the time to get his plate or anything though.

Don't you hate that when you're legally waiting for traffic to clear ahead of you, that there will be pencildicks behind you laying on the horn because you're not moving?

[Moirae]

Hey now -- our fair area (formerly for me) has had the...honor...of supposedly having no less than three of the nation's most lethal intersections at one point. Among them were Airline & Clearview (before the timing on the lights was adjusted) and Veterans & Clearview (before they just said "F*** THIS" and totally remade the intersection from scratch to accomodate the huge traffic volume and add a bunch of turning lanes. Dunno where they rank now.

I do remember the traffic back home, there, tho -- Most drivers seem to consider the white markers on the on/offramps to be merely helpful suggestions. You'd think that people living in a city where it rains so damn much would know how to drive in the rain, but noooooooooooooo....

Yeah, and its scary as hell. I don't know why most of these people can get drivers licenses. Our car was side swiped last year. Lucky it was cosmetic damage, but the woman didn't even stop. And a few months ago, we got dinged because someone wasn't watching the lights.

Scary thing for me is that I was hit by a car while crossing the street in 2004. I had to relearn how to walk. My memory and sense of smell and taste were effected (though they have mostly recovered). I'm have a metal plate and rod in my left leg holding it together and instructions from the doctor not to carry more than 15 lbs due to the sheer number of breaks in the bones.

Yet, when I was crossing the street about 6 months ago, I was nearly hit again when someone ignored the red. I had a flash back of lights heading for me in that split second but that's the only thing I've ever remembered about getting hit.

Not long after that close call, I refused to j-walk and some idiot looked at me and said "Ever heard of j-walking, idiot?" and he stomped onto the street.

I know I should learn how to drive but my reaction to things like this could get me (or someone I love) killed. I'm like a dear in headlights and can't move with my heart pounding and I end up in tears.

These drivers terrify me.

[bunrotha]

.

What I'd like to know is ... why the police are so much more concerned with setting a trap for people with expired break tags than they are making people obey the driving rules during rush hour.

Having asked at least one cop that question, it's because your average RoadTosser (tm) will drive like an absolute f**kstick until he/she sees a cop. Then they behave perfectly until said cop is out of sight. You'd need an absolute shedload of police officers doing nothing else but standing around for rush hour. The burglars would love to know that..

However, there is a strong correlation between driving like an arrogant tosser who thinks road rules do not apply to them, and being the kind of person who thinks insurance/registration/inspection/whatever rules do not apply to them, with criminals of all stripes being keen not to have full documentation for their cars. In the UK, when they trialled automatic number plate recognition at the roadside, and pulling in uninsured/untaxed/untested/used in crime cars, they ended up arresting 10 times more folk than a regular cop would have done.

It's not perfect, as anyone who's insurer didn't update MID will tell you, but I see why they do it.

[EvilEmpryss]

What I'd like to know is why there aren't more deaths on the roads in my city.

Because rather than focus on improving driving skills and keeping obliviots off the road, they just make cars that allow them to survive the crashes they cause.

I hope the bimbo in the OP had expensive coffee with real cream in it. Her car will smell like stale coffee and sour milk for weeks!