Community Chat

[Vickiv]

So sorry Songbird1 that you were in a bad accident. People out there just don't care about the next person any more. Always in a hurry. Take care.

[Blahblahvampemer]

I just drove 600 miles in three days, and I ran into countless left-lane hogs, and don't get me started on the slow pokes who won't pull over--despite the polite signs asking them to do so--in the Smokies. Then there was the moron blocking both lanes on Gatlinburg's parkway for an entire light cycle.

Phones have made it worse, and I was stuck behind one guy who would turn to his passenger every two seconds.

[Bird mama]

Oh yea, with smart phones and texting, I see distracted driving every morning during my commute to work. 

When I'm driving, I check ahead of me, side mirrors and give a glance to the rear view window.  I regularly see women, most of all - looking down in their lap or looking down at their steering wheel, reading their phones.  My favorite is when they hold the phone out of front to the right as if they can keep their left on on the road and right eye on the phone.

There is never a cop around when you need one. 

That's when I start praying.  Because if one of these women rear end me, one of my sisters will need to call a bail bondsman to get me out of jail and my family has no experience with that kind of thing.

[italia8140]

DEFINITELY. I see so many drivers texting, talking on cell phones, eating, and putting on makeup.

[sidsmom]

I'm too busy driving defensively to determine if copious amounts of people are texting or talking. Hummmm....all these drivers noticing but yet we have more accidents...see where I'm going with this?

[Blahblahvampemer]

SIdsmom, you mean you're not really looking at the cars as you drive defensively? I don't have to make an effort to see if someone is on their phone, they pretty much scream it.

[151949]

Yeah, perhaps if people were watching the road more and evaluating what people inside other cars were doing less it would be considerably safer out there. This is just another form of distracted driving.

[151949]

Over all the years I have posted here I have read many a poster saying some really ridiculous things they are doing while they are driving and also some of the ideas of what they think (incorrectly) are the proper ways to drive.

IMO - people should have to retake their driving test every so often - then they would have to review the driver's manual.

[sfnative]

Being in my late 60s, I've had more than a bit of life pass me by and have driven many a mile in many different cars.  Based on my life in my cars, I need to declare that drivers are far worse than they were compared to those when I was a kid and teenager.

What's changed from my perspective is that I've been hit on four separate occasions by drunk drivers.  No lie.  One of the crashes was quite bad and the only reason I'm here today is that we were in a Cadillac, which protected us by its steel body (which accordioned).

The world that existed at a slower pace is now one that must get places faster at the risk of fellow drivers on the freeway.  A heavy foot on the accelerator in an attempt to "get there faster" will only get you there faster by a matter of seconds, says the California Highway Patrol.

I can't tell you how many near misses I've had since the 80s and it's gotten worse now that the "Me Generation" is behind the wheel and texting and calling is all too rampant, even with laws in place to deter such behavior - HA!  As the saying goes, "Where is a cop when you need one."

Wish there was time and space to really address the problem, because I feel this to be a national safety issue with many layers: everything from driving under the influence of whatever substance, to this need to hit the pedal to "get there faster," to road rage, to insufficient funds to keep our roads in good repair and provide safety barriers, etc., etc.

[Shorty2U]

Yes people drive horrible now, and it is not restricted to one age group. I see grown men and women on their phones all the time not paying attention. Its annoying!