One of Denver’s big issues is jaywalking. Not only against the light but most of the time midblock. They’re not drivers but same attitude of Fuck You! Me crossing the street is more important than your driving. One guy tried that on Federal and had a TIL moment. Full cement trucks cannot stop on a dime … but they can stop 10 feet past you.
Or if there’s only one lane, but there’s a wide area on the right. Don’t sit in the exact middle of the lane, so that no one can get by you on the right to make the turn. How does that hurt you?
Where I used to live (Buffalo), there is an expressway with a speed limit of 50mph, but it was near a park. A driver ended up somehow veering off the road onto the sidewalk, where a mother was walking with 2 young children, and one of the children died. It was determined that the driver wasn’t on his phone, and didn’t have drugs and alcohol in his system, so there was a big public outcry that the speed limit was the problem. So the city reduced it to 30 mph, which everyone ignores and continues to drive 60mph and up. This started about 10 years ago, and when I was last there, a few months ago, it was still happening.
I just think it’s funny that the speed limit was reduced due to public outcry, but apparently the public didn’t want to actually have to obey the new speed limit.
My cousin lives in Denver on the edge of a big college campus. So lots of bikes and peds. And electric scooters of all sorts.
She recently was the second car back from a red light, and a pedestrian (on their phone of course) walked into the side of her car.
The more I think about it, the tourons up in ski country are pretty good. But, they often just start walking without looking. Yeah, I’ll stop. But consider that while you may have life insurance, all I may want to do is go to a car wash.
In Chicago jaywalking seems to be a god given right.
Usually people only do it when it makes sense (no cars to interfere with).
But, as a northsider I will dump on southsiders. When I was doing work on the south side people would just cross whenever. Middle of the street, anywhere really, no concern for traffic or lights (if it was even an intersection) and certainly in no hurry.
Worse, these would be big streets. Two-lanes each way and high speed limits. They didn’t give a fuck. Just stroll out in the the street and casually amble across. And they would seem to be deliberately slow. No concern for traffic. It was so bad it almost seemed a death wish.
It was weirdly common. I saw it happen quite often. Several times a week for the months I was driving there.
To this day I am still shocked at that behavior. Not sure where it comes from and not sure why it happens there and (generally) nowhere else in the city.
Nope nope nope. Turn right on red is allowed in my state where not expressly contraindicated, but there’s an intersection near my home where cars approaching from the left are on a high-speed route, coming over the crest of a hill only about a hundred yards away, and there’s a “No turn on red” sign there, to prevent the inevitable carnage.
Band name!
A few weeks ago I saw a guy driving a BMW, and therefore by definition an asshole, pull up to a stop at a red light. He was being very careful because there was a cop behind him. So he came to a full stop before turning right. Unfortunately for him he was so focused on the cop behind him he didn’t notice the no turn on red sign. I actually felt bad for the guy.
I kid about BMW drivers. I used to drive a BMW, and I was only ocasionally an asshole.
I’m generally forgiving of truck drivers for a lot of shit, it’s a tough job, but that one truck driver who HAS to pass another truck, but he can’t go but about 1/100th of a mph faster than the other truck, creating a rolling roadblock for a full 50-60 minutes trying to get in front of other truck, if ever, that guy’s an asshole.
And the other truck driver is an asshole as well. If he would slow down for 5 fucking seconds, that would allow the passing driver to complete the maneuver and get back in the right-hand lane so the 30 cars behind him could get past both of the trucks.
Exactly
That or an attempt to play the insurance settlement/lawsuit lotto.
Agree, turning right on red is legal, if it’s safe. I drive through a three way intersection with lots of pedestrians and kids, and joggers, and bikes about. Can’t really see it there are cars coming from my left. Unless I’m absolutely certain that the way is clear, I hold for the green.
Had someone behind me honk once. I was tempted to put my car in park, approach them and ask what seems to be the trouble? Is one of my tires low on air? Broken turn signal? Why do you need my attention?
I had a not-fun moment heading for the farmer’s market myself today. Cruising along a major street going approximately south-bound, upcoming signal is green for me and has been for long enough no cross-traffic should be in that intersection. Idiot speeds through from my right, doing a left that takes them onto the street I’m using, proceeding north. If I’d been driving as fast as a lot of people do on that street, idiot would have been T-boned. Fortunately for them, I’m prone to sticking to the speed limit in busy areas.
Idiocy was running rampant while DH and I were erranding today (my farmer’s market trip was solo). Even in parking lots, they drive too fast.
My WAG is that it has to do with so many people not driving to work every day during Covid. Those who were driving often got used to speeding along with no one else to worry about. Those who were not lost some basic skills. Now we have both groups on the roads and the combination is deadly.
I notice it a bunch as a driver but when I am the cyclist? It is scary out there! I always assume a driver does not see me but now there is also the randomness of what they do and the complete disregard of laws let alone norms.
I have definitely changed where I ride since COVID. There were always assholes who hated cyclists, but now they seem to have the support of the police. The attitude is “You’re obstructing traffic, even if it’s legal, you’re the asshole, keeping people from getting to where they are going in a reasonable time”
I agree DSeid. I still drove during COVID. Many longer hauls 200 miles. But didn’t drive into work each day.
But my necessary trips to Denver where great. Nobody on the roads.
And when things got back to ‘normal’ it seemed like people had this f’you attitude, more so than usual. A sort of ‘I’ve been stuck at home, I’m gonna do whatever I want’.
I have no problem being ‘stuck’ at home. Frankly, I like it. COVID also gave me the ability to work from home. A huge time and money and sanity saving bonus.
One I saw several times yesterday and today driving around were people turning right from the middle lane.
Traffic was quite bad and the right turn lanes at many intersections were very backed-up. I saw numerous people use the next lane over (not a turning lane) which was clear to jump the line and then turn right.
I have seen that before but it was really common the last few days.
Driving around Minneapolis and St Paul the last few days I’ve never seen so many drivers signal they’re getting off at an exit, then apparently change their mind at the last second and keep going another like 4-5 exits. These cars all have Minnesota plates. Is everyone here just lost all the time? WTF?!
This right here, only on left turns. There’s a big highway intersection near me with two left turn lanes that get very backed up. I’m constantly seeing people just turn left from the middle lane into the turn lane or just head on around the turn and merge in when they get around. Really pisses me off because I’ve been waiting my turn in line. I don’t even know if it’s illegal, but it sure is a dick move.