I've noticed over the last few years that people's driving habits get
worse and worse as the holidays approach. I think it gets worse
every year.

Just today, on a single trip to the store, I witnessed people running
red lights at 5 different intersections. At one intersection,
multiple people failed to stop for a fire engine coming through and
they nearly got hit by the fire truck, and would have, had the fire
truck not slowed down. Come on people, if it were your burning house
the fire truck was trying to get to, you wouldn't block that fire truck.
I'm not even going to mention what I saw near the mall (the one
place to always avoid this time of year in your MINI). And then, of
course, the infamous parking lot hell when cars try to race past you
from behind as you're trying to pull out of a parking spot.

I'm not sure how much time these people think they're saving, or if
they realize what risks they're taking as they try to beat people to the
mall to buy something for grandma- but I just don't think it's worth it.

I hate driving this time of year because I feel like everyone is out to
crash into my MINI. I love the holidays, just not on the road.
But my MINI is safe for now, so I'm done complaining.

Boo for psycho holiday drivers!

 

i also notice in some areas that it's an all year long thing... lol

 

I don't know if it gives any glimmer of hope to those suffering the slings and arrows of outrageously bad driving out there, but folks where I live are very polite in their driving habits, and especially courteous to MINIs. Strange but true!!

 

Here in my little corner of the world, red lights seem to be interpreted as "Ok, if the person just in front of you got through, you can too! AND the person behind you!" It's like an elephant chain!

Rarely do people go when a light turns green without looking both ways. Cameras are helping. Nobody runs the intersections where they'll get caught in the act on film and automatically get a ticket.

 

It's only going to get worse. Selfishness has become ingrained so much that courtesy has been kicked out. I guess the Golden Rule is too religious for some people.

 

what's the Golden Rule

 

Whoever has the gold makes the rules. Thought everyone knew that.

 

Last Saturday, I had to run out to my parents house in Fairfax and it was a nightmare. People were honking for stupid reasons, I saw two different people giving the bird to others and lots of other miscellaneous agressive driving. I don't usually encounter this type of behavior here in the DC area so I figure it must be the holliday season. Merry Christmas! And I'm staying the hell off the roads until January.

 

I believe there is real truth to the idea of "Sunday Drivers". It just seems people who rarely drive and have no clue are out all year on Sundays, but show up everyday during the holidays. You can see it in the increase in Ford Festivas, and pristine Reliant K's. In fact I came across an elderly lady in a Volare near our version of Leisure World driving 10 mph in a 45 zone while hooked up to an oxygen tank. The driver behind her honked and she nearly lost control and hit the curb. The back of her car was full of nicely wrapped presents. Definitely an accident waiting to happen.

Happy Holidays and be safe out there!

 

Before I even had my DL I learned that in the township of Barrington esp. Rt50 and Miller Rd. That you don't watch the light you stop check for traffic then go because there tends tobea 3 car minimum after the light changes, as there usually isn't a squad there becuase that section is patrolled by the county and that part of the county has only one squad.

But yeah I generally drive off peak if I can help it regardless of the time of the year.

 

wat? are you like 50yrs old?

 

Not sure if you are from the same Arlington Texas as I am! Cooper St = hell

 

People in the Los Angeles area seem to just be crashing everywhere... There were 3 accidents on the same road last night in a 5 mile stretch. It can only get worse as the holiday parties start to get into full swing.

 

No I'm the kid that wakes up everyone @ 2am 3 gear lower than I normally would be.

There is a golf course right near the aformentioned stoplight, hit that middle of a sat or sun afternoon just as they're about to tea off, force that concentraion aspect, but just can't have fun sittin' in traffic.

 

I live in a small town in central Ga. and we have our share of red light runners also. What really bugs me, is that it so many people drive in the left lane. What ever happened to "drive on the right, pass on the left. Maybe it's a Ga. thing.

 

Okay, now that the Holiday season is in full swing I am noticing some weird driving out there....and I don't even visit the really bad spots (around the mall).

 

Looking out my office window I'm watching a women stop her SUV in the middle of the intersection, yell into her cell phone and appear to be waving the cars behind her to pass her. At first I thought she had stalled, but she has inched forward. Apparently she is not waving the traffic around - she is hand-gesturing as she talks. The local trolley bus just honked at her and she has now pulled into the oncoming traffic lane to allow the bus to pass. Now the light has turned and she is still there. She just moved when side coming left turn lane light traffic started honking at her. She is now going lane to lane at a really slow pass still talking on the phone as she passes out of my view!!!!