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Comments
Now is it my imagination or do those who dress properly (long sturdy pants, boots, helmet and the like) also tend to ride safer?
I see a lot of motorcycle drivers on summer weekends who like to ride out in the country area. There are big packs, multiples, pairs and single bikes - some riding solo and others with a passenger. They usually appear to be driving sanely and within speed limits. Their dress ranges from full leather protection/helmet to t-shirt, levis, boots, no-helmet.
The crazies that I see are either on the interstate, sometimes going well over the limit, individual riders on loud bikes doing wheelies on back roads and very loud trail bikers ripping up some unused farmland or vacant lots. These are inconsiderate.
There are young guy motorcycle drivers who have their young girl friends (or maybe wife) along who both are dressed very skimpily and without helmets. Guys typically have t-shirt, shorts, sneakers and girls typically have halter top, shorts and sneakers. Have not counted, but seems like a lot of blonde riders. Too bad these guys/gals can't see some photos of drivers/riders in a hospital ER, and then in the OR, who have had their skin taken off and/or have gravel/sand imbedded in their skin that needs to be removed and treated. These young guys are inconsiderate/foolish for exposing their female companions to such high risk behaviour.
Have never seen a female motorcycle driver with a male passenger.
I got behind a harley yesterday, and I could feel the exhaust vibration through my steering wheel, when stopped at a light. Just stupid...the street racer crowd gets hassled by revenue collectors/cops...the middle aged hog rider should too. Of course, it's tougher when you aren't picking on kids.
I one time ended up taking a spill on a gravel road doing maybe 40-45. But since I had on a heavy jacket, heavy jeans, boots, gloves and a helmet I only had some abrasions on one arm where there was a gap between the gloves and the jacket.
Have never seen a female motorcycle driver with a male passenger.
I have and maybe someday over a beer I will tell you about that.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Cops 1, inconsiderate drivers 0.
At a commuter train station. Very clearly marked at the crossing with signs and yellow cross hatching is a do not stop for about 20 feet on both sides of the crossing, both sides of a street. Driver in a car, stops in the no stopping zone, to unload a passenger. A lineup of about 5 cars ensues, because no driver can go around due to the crossing. Suddenly, sirens and loudspeakers. One of the drivers is an unmarked police car. Police sez: "if you don't move NOW, you will be ticketed". Passenger closes trunk, get's in car and driver pulls around to a *safe* location, looking rather annoyed the cop made him move for his safety and to stop blocking traffic.
Cops 1, stupid non sign reading and traffic obeying drivers 0.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
It was just a mess. Traffic in the right lanes slowed down suddenly from 65mph to 40 or so. This one beige Crown Victoria couldn't decide which lane it should be in. It slowed down a LOT, causing people behind it to brake hard and in some cases swing onto the shoulder to avoid a collision. Then the Crown Vic jumped to the rightmost lane. Then it jumped to the 2nd lane and forced a car out of that one, who squeezed back into that lane ahead of the CV.
Meanwhile a van of some sort did the opposite, jumping from the rightmost lane to the 2nd lane, then back. A few other cars made very last minute decisions. Several alert drivers swerved to not get hit.
It was just the most amazing display of confusion and cluelessness I've probably ever seen on the road.
Is this a parking lot with wide spaces and the car is between the lines? If yes then no its not inconsiderate.
Is it on a narrow city street that makes passing it very difficult? If yes then no its inconsiderate.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I saw such a display yesterday morning, although fortunately it was limited to only one driver.
Northbound on the Hutchinson River Parkway headed toward CT, traffic moving 15+ above the 50 mph limit, entering the always exciting, heavily trafficked, confusing-for-newcomers, and dangerously designed double interchange with I-287 and I-684.
I notice a couple of cars in the center-right lane quickly swerving left. I move over a lane as well and quickly come upon an -- ahem -- older lady in a 200X Camry who is literally stopped about halfway down the entrance ramp from I-287 NB, wheels *completely* cocked for a left turn, slowly edging into the rightmost lane! After I passed I watched her in the rearview -- she had plenty of opportunities to merge, but she opted not to. My guess is she was actually waiting for a pause in all four lanes of traffic so she could get to the leftmost lane, which is the exit lane for I-684.
What makes this dangerously inconsiderate act particularly galling is that this entrance ramp is one of only a handful of modernized entrance ramps along the entirety of the Hutch and Merritt Pkwys (which were constructed as part of the WPA). Oh, and that the exit ramp for I-684 is a little more than a mile past that merge -- it's not a fun procedure, by any means, but hardly impossible. And certainly nothing worth risking a fiery, multiple-vehicle pileup for -- there are numerous back-roads alternatives for the timid/senile/unskilled driver.
Apart from the usual slowness and LLCs, no problems in my area lately.
Seriously bad car problems are when none of the brake lights work, or when the car's missing its entire front clip and looks like a black hole from the front (no headlights). Or 80mph on the little spare. Those did scare me.
Although its hard to tell by the picture but if that panel would clip someone then the side mirror has a very good opportunity as well.
And who knows what could fly off at higher speeds.
Again you cannot tell by the picture but the panel may still be bolted onto the car very well.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I agree, also we don't know when the damage was done. It could have happened that morning and the body shop told the owner "we can take you in next Tuesday".
Seriously bad car problems are when none of the brake lights work,
Since you mentioned that many a year ago I came very close to rear ending someone who didn't have any working brake lights. The scary thing was that this was a brand new car, still had the temporary tags on it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
A front page article in the local rag, SJMN, Aug 7.2006. Its Time to Stop And Think Connie Skipitares.
County numbers "red light violation"
Year / Collisions / Deaths / Injuries
2005 1,122 4 1,029
2004 1,147 2 1,042
Did they use real policemen or the cameras to give out tickets? I have a real problem with camera route as a fundraiser instead of using policemen who move from light to light looking for the omnipresent runners.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Yeah I feel the same way. It needs to be done by real police presence. The editorial comment was made that red light running is as dangerous as DUI. If that is true (which for my two cents, I happen to agree) then CLEARLY taking a picture of it and asking for money is a disengenuous way to generate revenue.
re: the Corolla fender...it was not a fresh hit, the car was covered in grime equally everywhere. I wouldn't want that thing on the road beside me...if anything, pound it in a little.
Just the other week I got behind a car with inop brake lights (and it wasn't an ancient car - doesn't every modern car have dash lights for this?), and now and then I'll see cars with nothing in the way of a front clip or hood. These things seem to get law enforcement/revenue collection attention about as often as cars with a big FOP sticker on the window.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The cameras don't enforce. They don't stop the driver, delay them, and render a ticket then and there. They don't check for drug use, warrants on the driver, lack of vehicle insurance. They collect an $85 fee and add no points to the driver's record.
>I, for one, would not care one bit if they had red light cameras at every intersection
The don't even put the cameras on both streets, just the main street carrying out-of-towners who stumble into their web. The cross streets with junker cars, drunk drivers, druggies, warrant-wanted drivers don't have a camera. I'm more worried about cross traffic hitting me on the main street than someone of the 4-lane used to be highway hitting someone on the cross street.
They don't have cameras at best, most dangerous locations. I watch locals (see above descriptions) running lights at lights with 3-4 llights of the setup locations. One day I watched three run the red (not yellow) light in front of a drug sales location next to a past 7-11 location now a local food mart (and drugs mart). On down, at a T-street with low traffic volume in front of a post office, they have a speed camera. Three hundred feet away is a main cross street for the locals in that poorer side of town where traffic in all 4 directions is much higher.
Roving cops make much better use of time and money. They check for warrants and condition of driver and car. The cameras, well, they make money for a Scottsdale AZ company! :grin.
I, for one, would not care one bit if they had red light cameras at every intersection
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Neither does a policeman there, Since the law gets broken there was no enforcement of the law. Once the law has been broken its not enforcement it is identifying the law breaker and imposing the penalties for breaking the law. Thats what the policeman does and that is what the red light camera does.
The don't even put the cameras on both streets, just the main street carrying out-of-towners
Oh I am sorry I was unaware that there was different roads for out of towners and locals. I have to check into this and see what roads I as a local am allowed to take.
They don't have cameras at best, most dangerous locations.
Around here they do, many at grade level railroad crossings where we have always had issues with people going around gates.
Roving cops make much better use of time and money.
Actually no, cameras stay on duty 24 hours a day, don't get paid overtime or benefits and watch the intersection constantly, they never call in sick or take vacation days.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Neither does a policeman there,
Actually when people know there are officers LOOKING for redlight runners, the enforcement is there. Cameras have no impact other than on locals who know the cameras are there.
>Oh I am sorry I was unaware that there was different roads for out of towners and locals.
The routes I'm noticing are used by people from the next country to get to I75 in many cases. They don't travel the roads daily, as do locals, and therefore haven't noticed that there are cameras present on the main road (but no on the cross street which is primarily local people). I'll overlook the sarcasm. Perhaps your area has better city management for placement since they decided to use the cameras.
>Actually no, cameras stay on duty 24 hours a day, don't get paid overtime or benefits and watch the intersection constantly, they never call in sick or take vacation days
See earlier post about locals running lights where they know there is no camera. Roving policemen might get overtime and benefits, but they would find the redlight runners when they're present and check for sobriety, warrants, insurance.
Guess we just disagree.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
And if people know there is a red light camera there there is enforcement. The key word is "know".
The routes I'm noticing are used by people from the next country to get to I75 in many cases.
Again this is no different than having a police officer hiding around the corner watching.
See earlier post about locals running lights where they know there is no camera.
One cure is occasionally switching where cameras are.
but they would find the redlight runners when they're present and check for sobriety, warrants, insurance.
I am not saying they shouldn't be used, just saying for enforcement purposes there really isn't justification for hating the system of cameras.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Funny you'd mention that. An adjacent city added a few cameras since the urban area was making so much money. One of theirs got "run over."
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
One of the claims made by the writer was that reliance on photo cameras for enforcement has led to a reduction in police presence in London. This, in turn, has led to increased bad behavior by drivers that can't be recorded by the traffic cameras. (These cameras are EVERYWHERE in Great Britain, and are used to enforce the speed limit even more so than red-light running. There are even traffic camera detectors sold openly, much as radar detectors are sold here)
I know a couple of people who have been ticket for failure to use signals.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
The cameras became a nice revenue source for the counties, but did not affect the number of red light runners. Slightly increasing the time for the yellow light had much more effect.
From what I picked up the last couple of years the company putting in the cameras and poles sets the time for the yellow. They got caught on the one at a little used T-street for a post office parking lot. It must not have been "earning" enough revenue for them so they shortened the light about 1 second compared to the other lights down the 4-lane main feeder road. Someone who got caught there measured it and wrote in to the newspaper letters to the editor. I measured it shortly after and it had been lengthened. Convenient on their part, no?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Just the other day, I was behind a recent model crossover (maybe a Hyundai or Kia) that had only the high-mounted center brake light working. The left and right ones were kaput.
Unfortunately it's not that easy to check if your brake lights are working -- you need 2 people or a good reflective surface behind you. (I find those massive chrome SUV or pickup bumpers are good for this when they pull up close behind you at a red light.)
Yeah, kind of dumb to not have an indicator. Turn signals will usually flash twice as fast if one goes out, and taillights aren't as critical, IMO, especially since a lot of cars have more than one bulb per side.
But if it saves 5 cents per car...axe it.
However, it is so common an offense, police would scarcely have any time for anything else were they to enforce it rigidly! :sick:
Just for clarity someone else did.
Unfortunately it's not that easy to check if your brake lights are working -- you need 2 people or a good reflective surface behind you.
Next time you go to a strip mall or some place that has a glass front park across the lot from it. When you back up you can check out your lights in their windows.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Don't forget to check your rear license plate light. It must be lit when your headlights are on. A few years ago, just beyond sunset on a particular day, a lady driver followed me into a Home Depot parking lot and approached me as I was getting out of my car. She said that my license plate light was out. I checked and it was out. She was a very "considerate" driver.
Next day, checked the bulb and bracket assembly and there were some rusted connectors in an assembly. Checked with Nissan dealer and parts dept wanted about $45 for new assembly. I rebuilt the old assembly for a few bucks in non-Nissan parts and the lights then worked.
I have noticed some inconsiderate drivers who have some kind of smoky plastic covers over their rear license plate. On a few occasions I have mentioned this to them if I happen to pull up even with them at the next traffic light. They kind of have a sheepish grin like they intentionally want to have obfuscating covers. If I were a cop, I would ticket every one of these drivers and would also look for more wrong stuff on their cars.
Not tailgating, but just as inconsiderate IMO:
This morning as my wife was driving me to work (2-lanes each direction), I said to her, "That Impala that just turned on the road up there is an unmarked police car." We were cruising at 60 in a 55, so I had no real concern with the officer himself, but followed up with, "so watch out for that Alyeska truck in front of us, because he is probably going to hit the brakes instead of passing." Sure enough, this joker drops to 40 to avoid passing as the officer got up to speed. Thankfully, the Alyeska driver was turning right onto the expressway, while we and the officer were turning left. So, up on the expressway, the officer is poking along at (what looked to me from my perspective on the speedometer) about 53. My wife verbally considers passing, and I say, sure. But, as she is getting ready to pass (it takes her a while to "prepare" for this sort of thing), a Toyota Tundra is gaining on her at a fairly high rate of speed. She says, "I'm going to wait for this truck." I laughed and said, "If you wait, you are not going to be passing because this guy is going to choke the road and not pass." She did not believe me, but sure enough, the Tundra brakes and sits there, about 4 lengths behind the officer, and forms the classic rolling roadblock. :sick:
My wife was annoyed and somewhat incredulous, but I warned her from the word "go." People are so predictable. :P
I have seen ones around here that aren't too bad, where the plate is still clearly readable. What they are trying to avoid is the red-light camera tickets.
Folks get pulled over for that sort of thing occasionally... "obscured license plate." Other odds and ends for which folks are stopped: no front license plate (very common); clear turn signals or off colors like blue, purple, etc; strange, pointless, and bright glowing neon lights underneath the vehicle that cause incredibly bad glare on ice; lack of safety equipment (no headlights on the car, no tail lights, stuff like that); lack of headlight use (like at 1 am in July when folks think it is okay to not use headlights beacause it is light enough to see the road without them); and, BIG one, one inoperable headlight.
I was behind a small coupe a couple years ago that had clear tail lights. No, not clear lenses with red lights.... clear lights and lenses! It was horribly bright and very obnoxious. Every time she would step on the brakes, I would respond with my driving lights. It took about 4 times of doing that before she pulled off the road and let me pass. Whew, what a relief. She probably thought I was crazy, but then again, drivers like her are hopelessly clueless.