Road rage and self-absorbed douchery on the roadway on the rise?

[ancjr]

Just got home from Walmart. The only way I could have gone faster through the parking lot was if I had a cowcatcher and started bumping pedestrians. It was very busy. I still had a minivan behind me trying to get around me any way they could and almost t-boned me when I went to turn to the right out of the demarcated lane they were repeatedly attempting to circumvent.

And then I was the pedestrian a couple of weeks ago when there were about 6 kids creeping really slowly, shoulder to shoulder and giggling while blocking the driving lane. A white chevy that was having no more of it came out from behind them and obviously wasn't going to slow down to avoid hitting me. I hurt my back trying to get myself and my cart out of the way in time.

I think I dislike parking lots more than roads.

 

[femurphy77]

Coincidentally driving home this afternoon (45 minute drive) I witnessed not one but 4 different drivers use the left turn lane at stoplights as their own personal lane to go straight thru the intersection and force their way into the straight lane because, you know, "I don't have time to obey the traffic laws that obviously aren't meant for moi anyway!"

 

[femurphy77]

Yea we are booked out until end of February and parts delays are not helping either

Yup, same thing when my wife wanted warranty work on her hood and fender, they told her 6 months out and then ended up taking the car a couple of days later.

 

[ancjr]

Last week I was in the left turn lane behind a pickup that was yielding to oncoming traffic... But then I noticed he was just staring at me in the side view mirror rather than looking for a gap to complete his turn. Sure enough, he doesn't go when there is an opportunity and he continues to stare at me in the mirror. The light turns red and we're both still in the intersection with cars coming from the left and going every which way trying to get around us. He guns it through a gap but I didn't get a chance to go until the light changes again.

 

[Bugzilla]

Our family misses the regular trips back to the homeland (Chicago - POLAKS AND SOX RULE!). I, too, see the uptick, but noticed the majority of a-holes are from out of state trying to use the Dan Ryan as a test track.

25 years ago people in WI referred to the FIB’s. We used to have a cabin near the Dells area.
Growing up in the region, we referred to the Dan Ryan as the African 500. At least back then they weren’t using vehicles for target practice!
Go Polaks!

 

[Twangbanger]

Last week I was in the left turn lane behind a pickup that was yielding to oncoming traffic... But then I noticed he was just staring at me in the side view mirror rather than looking for a gap to complete his turn. Sure enough, he doesn't go when there is an opportunity and he continues to stare at me in the mirror. The light turns red and we're both still in the intersection with cars coming from the left and going every which way trying to get around us. He guns it through a gap but I didn't get a chance to go until the light changes again.

He's a "traffic enforcer." He didn't think you should have pulled out, and he was going to "show you."

Mostly old white men in pickup trucks.

 

[Michigan Slim]

You can't buy a ticket in Fort Wayne. Run all the lights you want, even behind a cop that just ran it. He's on his phone too.
I love to be first in line at a light. When mine turns green I GO! Seen some big eyes looking at me in horror!

 

[ancjr]

He's a "traffic enforcer." He didn't think you should have pulled out, and he was going to "show you."

Mostly old white men in pickup trucks.

Yes. The same type that waits to enter a roundabout until there is someone they can slow down.

 

[ancjr]

You can't buy a ticket in Fort Wayne. Run all the lights you want, even behind a cop that just ran it. He's on his phone too.
I love to be first in line at a light. When mine turns green I GO! Seen some big eyes looking at me in horror!

The polite thing to do is to wait until the car in front of you has completely cleared the intersection before moving.

Edit: That's one great thing I remember about driving in North Carolina. That's the only place I remember the entire column of traffic moving at every light change. It was witnessing a true miracle.

 

[kiddchaos]

What's with all the expired plates on the road? I see at least 3-4 every day.

 

[ancjr]

What's with all the expired plates on the road? I see at least 3-4 every day.

How about the ones that don't even have plates?

A local forum on FB had a lady complaining that people with out-of-state plates be charged Indiana road taxes. Because they are wearing out our roads and not paying their fair share.

 

[kiddchaos]

How about the ones that don't even have plates?

A local forum on FB had a lady complaining that people with out-of-state plates be charged Indiana road taxes. Because they are wearing out our roads and not paying their fair share.

Very true. I've seen those too!

 

[bwframe]

Predates COVID. You know the ol' "don't you have anything better to do than write me a ticket?" trope? Well, you're seeing it. Reduced manpower and increased crime means less time for traffic enforcement, foot patrols, etc. You'll not make buddies with your partners if you're routinely gone from the increasingly busy shift for a few hours for traffic court, either.

Everybody should be happy, though. Traffic enforcement was only about revenue, remember?

The cops out here in the sticks seem to be stretched very thin. Hardly no such thing as traffic control anymore. Makes you wonder if the very common lack of using turn signals now days is lack of enforcement?

The lionshare of the runs on the police radio here is drug/mental problems and domestic issues. Lots and lots of ODs.

Its also amazing how many police runs here are for incorrigible children. Indication of a cycle?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Its also amazing how many police runs here are for incorrigible children. Indication of a cycle?

9-1-1 as "dial-a-dad" has been an issue long before I was in law enforcment, and absolutely it is.

 

[drillsgt]

What's with all the expired plates on the road? I see at least 3-4 every day.

They probably can't afford it, I couldn't believe the costs of license tags when I moved here.

 

[Michigan Slim]

The "victims of White privilege" that lived across the street always seemed to have a new paper plate. It renewed like magic! Over a year and never an expired one.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

They probably can't afford it, I couldn't believe the costs of license tags when I moved here.

Want to take a bet that any given example of 'can't afford it' has a cell phone, cable tv, and spends more on cigarattes/weed/booze in a month than plates cost for a year?

 

[drillsgt]

Want to take a bet that any given example of 'can't afford it' has a cell phone, cable tv, and spends more on cigarattes/weed/booze in a month than plates cost for a year?

Ha true, probably the same ones that couldn't pay their rent despite getting unemployment and the extra 600.00 payments.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Ha true, probably the same ones that couldn't pay their rent despite getting unemployment and the extra 600.00 payments.

One thing that really surprised me as a new cop was how often 'expired' tags actually weren't. People just didn't bother to put the sticker on the plate. At first I thought maybe it was a scam, they were putting the sticker on a more expensive vehicle. That happens sometimes, but often it was just laziness or ignorance of the need and the sticker would still be on the registration.

Then there's the folks who put the sticker on the wrong side or "walk them down" and keep putting the new year under the sticker from the year before. It's amazing how such a simple task can generate so many wrong ways to do it...

 

[1gunaholic]

They probably can't afford it, I couldn't believe the costs of license tags when I moved here.

The majority of prosecutors and courts will dismiss if it hasn't been too long, or if you come in with proof of current plates.