thebin
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,869
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Post by thebin on Feb 6, 2009 9:41:13 GMT -5
1. When you come to a red light…Put your friggen blinker/turn signal on BEFORE we all queue up behind you at the red light jaggoff. If I knew you were going left here I would be in the right hand lane. On a related note- when cruising along normally and are about to turn into a driveway or down a random side street, don’t slow down first then put your blinker on to tell me you are turning. Blinker first- that way I am prepared for you to slow down...see? That's what it's for.
2. DON’T FRIGGEN READ OR WRITE TEXTS WHILE DRIVING YOU AHOLE. You can spot these blackberry jerks in rush hour from a mile away….swerving all over, going 15 MPH slower than traffic, etc. Seriously- this should absolutely be illegal and I’M not talking about some $75 slap on the wrist ticket. I am 100% sure that I would be a safer driver after 7 or 8 beers than I would be stone cold sober and trying to tend to my work email while I’m driving. And you know the people who do this do it ALL THE TIME.
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Post by williambraskyiii on Feb 6, 2009 9:53:36 GMT -5
Yes...I love that thebin stewed about this during his entire commute, immediately logged onto HoyaTalk when he got to the office, and unleashed his frustration on the B&G Board...well done.
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,988
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Post by SFHoya99 on Feb 6, 2009 9:58:52 GMT -5
Testing while driving is now illegal in California.
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thebin
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,869
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Post by thebin on Feb 6, 2009 10:15:34 GMT -5
You should never be forced to take a test while driving, unless it's a driving test that is.
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Post by JohnJacquesLayup on Feb 6, 2009 10:18:51 GMT -5
I got a couple gripes from today's commute too. This is nice.
1) Yes, we all know a right turn on red is "optional" unless there is a "No Turn On Red" sign (at least in the state of MD). Hey tard! If nobody is coming for a solid 45 seconds, I'm pretty sure it's safe to pull out. If you can't handle the pressure of looking over your left shoulder to check if it's safe for you to make a right on red, take the damn bus.
2) When there are three lanes of traffic, and you are in the center planning on going through the light, do not swerve over to the right at the last minute just to be first in line at the red!!!! I was planning on making the aforementioned right on red, you d-bag, until you decided to block me for no reason. Instead, I got to stare at the "Choose Civility" bumper sticker on your POS Hyundai while I waited for no reason.
That is all.
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Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
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Post by Boz on Feb 6, 2009 10:34:08 GMT -5
Unless you live in LA, you will never have worse traffic -- on a regular basis -- than being in Washington, DC.
I get frustrated with traffic a lot too, but it is still better than Metro (at the moment at least; if Metro makes improvements, I could see myself going back, but not with their service the way it is now).
My biggest problem are the mergers. People simply do not know how to merge. And not merging properly causes huge problems for everyone behind you. The 14th St. Bridge should be the subject of a study on horrible driving.
I didn't know they had already done it for texting in CA, but they are probably going to pass laws everywhere soon making texting AND using cell phones -- even with a hands-free device -- illegal.
I can't locate them this morning, I'll see if I can find one, but there have been studies that have demonstrated that drivers who are using cell phones in any capacity, talking, texting, hands-free or not, perform worse and have worse response time than legally drunk drivers.
Ralph Nader is almost certainly on the case.
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Post by strummer8526 on Feb 6, 2009 10:46:43 GMT -5
It's one thing to text with an old 10 digit phone. I can open my phone, hit a speed dial, and send a text w/out looking at the phone...because it only has TEN BUTTONS. One of the reasons I will always have a regular phone as opposed to iPhone/Blackberry is that a full Qwerty keyboard is totally unmanageable in situations like that.
My "commute" is a 7 minute walk up Mass Ave, so this is the best contribution I can make to this thread. Although I will say that one of my memories from when I first started to drive was my mom RAILING on people who slow down and THEN put on the blinker. It was apparently a big problem for her too.
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,988
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Post by SFHoya99 on Feb 6, 2009 11:26:29 GMT -5
I've seen those studies as well, Boz. Basically, it isn't just physically holding the phone, it's not paying attention at all to the road.
I'm not sure how that jives with talking to the person next to you.
But no doubt, looking DOWN at your blackberry and typing with one hand has to be much worse than most.
BTW, LA traffic sucks, but for my money, Atlanta is the worst I've seen.
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tgo
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
Posts: 816
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Post by tgo on Feb 6, 2009 12:09:56 GMT -5
9 out of 10 people apparently dont realize that your car can turn right into one lane, so often i am tempted to ram the car in front of me with my bumper when they sit at a red light waiting to turn right onto a 4 lane wide street. no traffic in the right lane into which they want to turn but they wait there for the second or third lane to clear up to, why do people do that?  ? LA traffic is usually a nightmare but one positive is people here merge better than others and when traffic is moving, everyone drives 75-85, i have driven lots of places and most places the majority of people drive within 5 mph of the speed limit, here that can cause accidents since no one drives that slow. |
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thebin
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,869
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Post by thebin on Feb 6, 2009 12:21:30 GMT -5
Totally agree on the right on red rage. I go one further, I don't care if the damn sign says "No right on red" I'm going. It's an insult to my intelligence. Near my house there is such a sign but it says "No right on red from 7AM to 6PM." Every morning I hit this light at right around 7AM. It infuriates me when people won't go right at it - whether or not it's just before or just after 7. Grow a pair or get off the road.
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Cambridge
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Canes Pugnaces
Posts: 5,304
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Post by Cambridge on Feb 6, 2009 13:38:32 GMT -5
Right on red is actually illegal in many cities, NY for example. I imagine that is a point of confusion in the DC area, since none of you grew up in my glorious home state of Virginia. In Virginia you can even turn left on red if it is two one way streets intersecting. Many of you Editedtards complaining about right on red probably make that mistake all the time and there are native Virginians behind you fuming.
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Post by Coast2CoastHoya on Feb 6, 2009 14:05:02 GMT -5
As someone who commutes by bike:
If you're driving WATCH OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PROTECTED BY GIANT HUNKS OF METAL AND PLASTIC. And don't swerve in and out of the bike lane without looking!
This goes double for DC cabbies.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Feb 6, 2009 14:17:16 GMT -5
As someone who commutes by bike: If you're driving WATCH OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PROTECTED BY GIANT HUNKS OF METAL AND PLASTIC. And don't swerve in and out of the bike lane without looking! This goes double for DC cabbies. Fine. Just don't ride between lanes to get to the front of the line while the light is red, then take the lane when the light turns green and bike 15 mph under the speed limit. |
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kchoya
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Enter your message here...
Posts: 9,934
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Post by kchoya on Feb 6, 2009 14:20:40 GMT -5
As someone who commutes by bike: If you're driving WATCH OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PROTECTED BY GIANT HUNKS OF METAL AND PLASTIC. And don't swerve in and out of the bike lane without looking! This goes double for DC cabbies. Ok, now I have to jump in. For all of those people saving the planet by riding your bike to work, follow the rules of the road. Don't swerve in and out of cars as you get to the front of the line at a red light. Don't ignore the red light and cross the intersection at a red light so that we're all stuck behind your slow ass for another mile. And either stay in the bike lane or the middle of the regular lane, but don't straddle the white line between the two, tempting me to pass you when your going 15 mph. |
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FormerHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,262
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Post by FormerHoya on Feb 6, 2009 14:35:46 GMT -5
Oooo oooo fun! OK, for all you Vegas "drivers" out there. The pedal on your right is the gas. Press on it to go faster, especially when you are in the left lane.
The only thing worse than Vegas drivers? People driving in Las Vegas with a California plate. Invariably the worst car on the road.
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guru
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,666
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Post by guru on Feb 6, 2009 14:36:32 GMT -5
As someone who commutes by bike: If you're driving WATCH OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PROTECTED BY GIANT HUNKS OF METAL AND PLASTIC. And don't swerve in and out of the bike lane without looking! This goes double for DC cabbies. Ok, now I have to jump in. For all of those people saving the planet by riding your bike to work, follow the rules of the road. Don't swerve in and out of cars as you get to the front of the line at a red light. Don't ignore the red light and cross the intersection at a red light so that we're all stuck behind your slow ass for another mile. And either stay in the bike lane or the middle of the regular lane, but don't straddle the white line between the two, tempting me to pass you when your going 15 mph. No offense, but bikers suck |
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Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
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Post by Boz on Feb 6, 2009 14:41:33 GMT -5
As someone who commutes by bike: If you're driving WATCH OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PROTECTED BY GIANT HUNKS OF METAL AND PLASTIC. And don't swerve in and out of the bike lane without looking! This goes double for DC cabbies. Ok, now I have to jump in. For all of those people saving the planet by riding your bike to work, follow the rules of the road. Don't swerve in and out of cars as you get to the front of the line at a red light. Don't ignore the red light and cross the intersection at a red light so that we're all stuck behind your slow ass for another mile. And either stay in the bike lane or the middle of the regular lane, but don't straddle the white line between the two, tempting me to pass you when your going 15 mph. And for God's sake, sell all of your action figures and framed Asia posters already! ;D |
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Bando
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
I've got some regrets!
Posts: 2,431
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Post by Bando on Feb 6, 2009 14:49:08 GMT -5
As someone who commutes by bike: If you're driving WATCH OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PROTECTED BY GIANT HUNKS OF METAL AND PLASTIC. And don't swerve in and out of the bike lane without looking! This goes double for DC cabbies. Fine. Just don't ride between lanes to get to the front of the line while the light is red, then take the lane when the light turns green and bike 15 mph under the speed limit. Oh no! You might get to your soul-crushing job 5 minutes slower! Damn you, bicyclist! Really, people, it's the city, not the highway. Share the road. I understand the frustration with bicyclists pulling some weird moves, but most of the time (i.e. not bike messingers), they're just trying to get away from cars, who they are deathly afraid of. |
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EasyEd
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 7,272
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Post by EasyEd on Feb 6, 2009 14:57:09 GMT -5
In Northern Virginia, bikers never stop for red lights.
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TBird41
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
Posts: 8,740
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Post by TBird41 on Feb 6, 2009 15:00:03 GMT -5
Fine. Just don't ride between lanes to get to the front of the line while the light is red, then take the lane when the light turns green and bike 15 mph under the speed limit. Oh no! You might get to your soul-crushing job 5 minutes slower! Damn you, bicyclist! Really, people, it's the city, not the highway. Share the road. I understand the frustration with bicyclists pulling some weird moves, but most of the time (i.e. not bike messingers), they're just trying to get away from cars, who they are deathly afraid of. I don't share the road with hippies. |
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