Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Daily Commute

I don't know what people are thinking on the road sometimes. Apparently nothing!

I mean last time I checked the correct (and SAFE) thing to do when you came to the end of the road you were driving on is to stop (especially when there's a fucking stop sign) and look both ways before barreling onto the next road. Maybe it's just me and that kind of archaic nonsense isn't needed anymore. After all, since it's all about you, anyone else already coming down the street surely expects you to barrel into the roadway without STOPPING OR EVEN LOOKING and will slam on their brakes in anticipation of this to allow you on the roadway safely. I mean maybe the car behind me hits me because I've had to slam on my brakes and go 30-0 in half a second... But don't worry about anyone else on the road cuz it's ALL ABOUT YOU BUDDY!

Today while driving to work I was going 30 mph down a street in Somerville (which was the speed limit on that street). And next thing you know a car comes down a side street at maybe 20 mph or so, and just takes a right onto the road right in front of me. Didn't stop at all. Didn't even slow down. Didn't fucking look at all. When I had to slam on my brakes (while beeping! WTF) and the folks behind me had to as well to not slam into this asshole - this driver just kept on driving oblivious to the fact they are SO lucky I missed hitting them by about an inch. It REALLY was that close! Who the hell does this? I can't even imagine coming to the end of a street and not slowing down, yielding (or stopping depending), or looking and just pull out onto another street and hope for the best. Sure I'm pissed someone cut me off, but I'm more angry about the lack of caution this person showed. What if I had been 1 inch closer - I would have slammed into this guy. What if someone was crossing the street?

Then as if that didn't already get me all fired up this morning... It happened AGAIN! While driving on 3A in Burlington to work - in a 40 mph zone (I was doing the speed limit) another person does the same thing - except this time the person took a left!! WTF This woman came down a street as I was approaching and she didn't stop, or it seems look either and just took the left (and VERY slowly at that). I once again had to slam on the brakes not to hit her! What's wrong with people? I had to come to a stop to let this person take a left! If I'm trying to take a right or a left onto a road I wait until it's safe to go, or someone waves me on and take it. Otherwise I wait. I don't just pull out in front of cars that are so close they may hit me!

4 comments:

DJDiva said...

Wow... So this guy wins...

http://www.universalhub.com/node/14032

his getting cut off is FAR worse than mine: He got in a car accident after getting cut off, then got arrested for not having a valid license. That sucks dude!!!

Trashcan VonOpenMeup said...

One of things I've noticed in my years out here in Boston is that drivers on side streets approaching main roads seem to assume that there isn't any cross traffic. Rather than come to a complete stop, check for traffic, and then proceed, Boston drivers like to roll up into the street first, then check for traffic, and then come to a complete stop. (Of course, at this point, dumbass side street driver is halfway into the street blocking traffic and has caused everyone else to slam on their brakes). Even worse, I see folks start inching out into the street while before they've even checked both directions for oncoming traffic!

I see this almost EVERY day walking up and down the streets of Somerville. I honestly get nervous watching some of these near crashes. I seriously expect to see the front end of someone's car get chopped right off because they pulled too far out into the main street or decided to assume that there wasn't any cross traffic before turning.

I feel your pain!

DJDiva said...

I'm glad someone does!!

But really what's up with that? I stop and LOOK!!

DJDiva said...

I was thinking about this as I was driving the other day - on some of the side streets it's impossible to see if someone is coming or not (because of parked cars, or strange obstructed views). So I've found on some of these streets - you just have to keep inching out slowing and hope no one clips you, otherwise you just can't see. Although this isn't the same as the idiots who just coast into the road before looking...