Good thing I'm the suspicious sort when driving.

[hobbit709]

I was on my way to vote in the Democratic runoff election today. The light changed to green and I looked to the left before moving. Some ass in a big pickup and an empty flatbed trailer was hauling ass down the street with no intention of stopping. I counted to four on my green as e barreled through. If I hadn't looked I would have broadsided on the driver's side.

[Enrique]

1. i heard some good adivce long ago

a friend told me when he drives he assumes everyone else on the road is deliberately trying to kill him.

[hobbit709]

3. I count on most people doing the stupidest thing possible.

I'm not wrong too often.

[TlalocW]

10. By that logic

I'd better kill everyone else before they get to me.

TlalocW

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

12. Always look both ways on the green since somebody will eventually ignore the red.

[-..__...]

29. Another... never trust turn signals...

assuming they actually use them.

Several times I've been in a position where I was on a side street waiting for a break in traffic so I could pull onto the main road.

There would be a car approaching from my left, with it's right turn signal on.

"Cool... he's taking a right into the parking lot or side street before he gets to me".

Wrong... the jack ass kept on coming straight.

If I had pulled out when I thought I had the break in traffic... I would have been T-boned on the drivers side (me).

[JoePhilly]

26. I assume that almost everyone else is crazy. Taught my son the same thing.

I've avoided numerous accidents using that simple model.

While driving, my son and I try to predict what the crazy people are going to do. If you pay attention, lots of times, you can figure out what insane thing they plan to do next.

My wife will say things like "but I have the right-of-way" ... to which I reply, "small consolation if you're dead".

When the light turns green, look both ways, just like you were a kid getting ready to cross the street on the way to school.

Earlier today, I avoided an accident ... I wanted to turn right onto a 2 lane road. There were 4 cars in the left lane, all doing about 55, the right lane, the lane I would turn into was empty ... but I could tell that the 3rd car was going to change lanes using no signal, and then pass the other 2 from the right lane.

My wife said, "you can go" ... to which I said ... "no I can't" ... just as the 3rd car made the unsignaled lane change. If I had pulled into the open lane, he'd have hit me.

The guy in the left lane who made that lane change should have noticed a car waiting to make a right turn out onto the road, but didn't.

Trust no one.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I've told my kids to never just proceed through an intersection without slowing down a little

or pausing, just in case someone isn't paying attention--for just this reason. Glad you're OK.

[onehandle]

4. When I go through intersections, I speed up, close my eyes and count to four.

I think it's my Constitutional right to do so.

[brewens]

5. Yup. Always look. It's saved me a couple of times. When traveling on a through street and I see

a car on a cross street at a stop sign waiting to go, I like to see the driver at least look at me. If they don't look my way I proceed to go by but maybe let off the gas, ready to hit the brakes or dodge if they pull out in front of me. You never know. That's one reason I hate those tinted windows. You can't see the driver as easily. Too dark of a tint is illegal, at least where I live. That may be mostly for the cops who need to be able to see drivers in many situations, but it's better for everyone.

[RKP5637]

8. I love the ones that are sitting at a stop sign, you have the right of way,

and just as you get to the intersection they decide to slowly pull out oblivious that anyone else is on the road, and often yakking on a phone.

I hate tinted windows too. They block not only that occupant's car, but you can't see through the windows to see ahead, etc., and at intersections.

Somehow, I always associate the really dark tined windows with crime.

[brewens]

23. Or the 4-way stop standoff because someone/s has not ever bothered to

learn the basic right of way laws. One amusing one was a few years ago. I just happened to pull up to a four-way slightly after the woman to my right. Oncoming was a cop who is a friend of mine from out Eagles Lodge. A pretty cool native american lady. She got there last.

The woman with the right away freezes. She does not know the rules and is afraid to go because there is a cop there. We both wait for a few seconds for her to go, then wave forcefully for her to GO DAMMIT! She sheepishly creeps out and drives through as the cop and I look at each other and spontaneously give the universal (arms outstretched) "whatta ya gonna do" sign!

The next time we say each other at the lodge we both just shook out heads and laughed. She says she sees that all day long, everywhere she goes. They should be writing people up for those somehow. Have it be a no points and minimal fee if they go take a short class on whatever minor infraction. Make them learn the rules. It really has an impact on traffic.

[RKP5637]

25. Yep, same thing here! And then sometimes here they gun it, like I

gotta get through this intersection fast.

[JoePhilly]

27. I've seen people stop at a 2-way stop, when they have no stop sign, but they see a cop waiting.

[GoCubsGo]

37. In my neighborhood...

...they stop at a 2-way stop when they have no stop sign, when there are people stopped at the stop sign, waiting for them to go through the damn intersection. It's maddening. Almost as maddening as the assholes who blow off the stop sign at the end my block many multiple times daily.

[robbob]

28. What I love is the SECOND person in line at a 4 way stop

Who thinks that because the person in front of him/her has gone through they can just follow along. I've cut more than a few of these people off, as I go through I hold up four fingers to them; it's a FOUR way stop moron; we each get a turn to go through!

[brewens]

35. I only usually give them one chance at a four-way. If they don't know the rules and

just sit there, I will cautiously pull out and steal their turn. I already gave them their chance. I won't waste my time if I don't have to. Not when there is a cop there though.

[Odin2005]

36. Most of them know they have the RoW, they are just fearful of going.

I know a person like that.

[marked50]

32. Doesn't work in Boston

In Boston, if you look at the other driver and he sees you looking at him he thinks he's got the right of way no matter what and will do something you wouldn't expect.

[RKP5637]

6. I always look both ways twice and assume someone is going to

run the light. You know, I get annoyed with all of the surveillance cameras going up here at stoplights for light-runners, etc., but then when I hear of things like this I think it's a good thing.

I would love to have a motorcycle, but often I don't feel safe in my car with airbags and all, so a bike won't do for me.

Glad to hear you're safe.

[slackmaster]

7. Was the driver of the truck texting, or yakking on a cell phone?

That's what I see almost daily.

I'm always very wary while driving, and I use my horn a lot. If I have any doubt that a driver at an intersection is paying attention, I honk.

[JohnnyRingo]

9. Look left, look right...

...then look left again.

Because that's the one that will get you. A lot can happen while you were looking right and you'll never know what hit you because that's the side you're sitting in and it'll nail you right away.

A young man here was killed instantly a couple years ago as he drove through an intersection when the light turned green. It turned out the police just happened to be chasing a car through the intersection at that time.

I didn't manage a lifetime of riding motorcycles and driving little British sports cars without a great reliance on defensive driving skills.

[ryan_cats]

11. Thank God you have common sense!

Thank God you have common sense! My wife had the same thing happen to her the other day and she does what you do, wait and look and she avoided getting t-boned in a tiny car.

When I rode, I always assumed everyone was out to kill me. I wait for the traffic to stop as well.

I'm glad we didn't have to hear you were in an accident.

[reflection]

13. Glad you're ok.

If there are other people waiting next to me at the light, when it is time to go, not only do I look right and left to see if anyone is going to run, but I try to use the cars on either side of me as flanking shields just in case I don't see someone barreling toward the intersection.

[tech3149]

14. The most valuable tool for safety is situational awareness

Behind the wheel or otherwise. I spent my entire working life on the road and have been a road racing fan since forever. These two factors have influenced my driving practices and have saved my life more times than I care to remember. In trying to verbalize my experience and training to instruct others, I can put the implementation of situational awareness into a few short sentences.

Focus your attention as far down the road as you can see. This gives you the maximum time to react. You will learn to see closer activity peripherally.

Always check approaching intersections for activity. Assume anything that can move will be a hazard. Cover the brake pedal at least. If it's already moving shift your attention until you're sure it won't be a hazard.

Check your rear view mirrors consistently every few seconds. Things approaching from behind can be as dangerous as those ahead of you.

Having seen driver skills and judgment decline so drastically over my lifetime, I'm thankful that I can spend so little time behind the wheel, at least on open roads!

[HopeHoops]

15. I've lived near DC both in MD and VA and in the Boston area. I STILL look both ways at lights.

I'm in a relatively sane area now. What they call aggressive driving around here is similar to what they call a backup. My reaction is "huh?" Still, I can't break the habit and I've passed it on to my daughters through their training (not intentionally, but they do it). The other thing to keep in mind is that bicycle riders in dorky stretch clothes often don't bother with traffic lights or ride on the correct side of the road. They leave it up to you to look for them, a situation also known as "natural selection".

[justabob]

20. pedestrians too

They just walk out into the street mid block, from between parked cars with no regard for whatever traffic there may be. Also bicycles that opt to go the wrong way on one way streets. I am in the city with lots of peds and cyclists, and I don't mind sharing the road, but I have had to learn to double and triple check for the folks who insist on being idiots.

[calmeco702]

16. This is exactly why before I proceed, I'll look both ways

to make sure some moron isn't going to cream me.
My habit has saved me more times than I care to remember.

[JBoy]

17. Lots of tombstones etched with "He had the right of way".

[davsand]

19. "It isn't who is right--it is who is left when it is over."

Advice from my mother regarding right of way and driving...

I've told my own daughter that same thing!



Laura

[ecstatic]

18. Good reminder. Nt

[EC]

21. See it all the time around here.

I NEVER pull out when the light turns green until I know both sides of traffic have stopped. Was very happy I waited several times just in the last few months as I watched people from the opposite side pull out and get hit.

[dragonlady]

22. Always watch for the "last fool"

A columnist in the Detroit newspaper long ago wrote about the "last fool" who will try to get in as the light changes. I've remembered that for decades.

[B Calm]

24. Traffic lights need a countdown

clock light to warn drivers that the light is about to change. I see this alot up in Michigan on route 31. A longer yellow light would be helpful too. Sometimes those yellow lights are just way to quick to change. This is very dangerous if the posted speed limit is 55

[gkhouston]

30. Being paranoid about other drivers can save your life.

Years ago, I was stopped at a blind intersection--under an overpass where I couldn't see cross traffic at all without pulling out into said traffic. I realized I couldn't see shit and decided to take my time starting up when the light changed. Just as I was about to move, someone blatantly ran the light and barreled through the intersection. It startled me enough that I took a few seconds to compose myself, and that saved me, because someone else came through a few seconds later.

[DiverDave]

33. Sorta happened to me.

waiting to turn left, light turns yellow, older lady with a little kid
rushes to yellow AFTER I started my turn.
I really didnt think she would run the red light, she did, and I missed getting hit by INCHES.

She was doing 50-60 going thru.
Another time the light was turning red, 4-5 cars stopping,
a car blasts up the right side of us (no lane, just shoulder)
And t-bones a lady making the turn.
The policeman was at the light and the girl that ran the light said
"But the light was yellow"
Streaking up the right shoulder to get through the light...
Just stupid, she was very lucky she didnt kill that lady turning.

Easy rule
If there is a stupid move to do, expect someone to do it.
Saved me countless times.

[gkhouston]

34. My all-time favorite stupid driver trick:

I'm stopped at a light in the leftmost of four lanes. It's the only turn lane, but the lanes next to me also have a red light. Some bozo comes streaking from the rightmost lane and turns left in front of me on a red-red (not "orange&quot light.

[treestar]

31. Oh my goodness

Close call and good for you looking.

[Odin2005]

38. I think it reflects on American society.

Americans are so self-absorbed and narcissistic they they don't give a Damn about other drivers.