Fortunately there was no accident

[SamSpade]

Last night, headed south on 235, I stopped at the intersection by Aldi's and Wildewood.
Something there didn't look right, and it suddenly occurred to me the man in the other lane going
south was stopped almost exactly in the middle of the intersection.

Admittedly - it was night, and raining, and all of the turning cars had to navigate around him.
He could have backed up at any time, because at no time was anyone behind him in the intersection.

When the light changed, I passed and looked to see if he was texting, or on the phone or otherwise
distracted. Nope. I can only guess he thought he was fine with where his car was.

That's all - I consider it a warning that for the next month and a half, MORE bad drivers will be on the
road, as I've always observed. Either it's the holidays that make people WORSE, or more people who
don't usually drive take on the task.

 

[vraiblonde]

People drive like ####. He's lucky nobody hit him.

Did you call the cops and let them know?

 

[SamSpade]

People drive like ####. He's lucky nobody hit him.

Did you call the cops and let them know?

No once the light changed, it was all over.
Chalk it up to one incredibly stupid driver who lucked out on not getting hit by an anxious driver aching to turn left.

 

[vraiblonde]

No once the light changed, it was all over.
Chalk it up to one incredibly stupid driver who lucked out on not getting hit by an anxious driver aching to turn left.

Okay, I see now - had to re-read your post.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Damn there are times I have almost been hit when I stopped well behind the line.

 

[BernieP]

No once the light changed, it was all over.
Chalk it up to one incredibly stupid driver who lucked out on not getting hit by an anxious driver aching to turn left.

I don't know what to call it, ignorance, stupidity or just oblivious. You see a lot of drivers who simply think they are the only vehicle on the road and it is their god given right to drive as they please.

Drove up to DC early Thursday morning and traffic was light. But at 8 AM the usual dolts were out. I'll admit I exceed the speed limit (NTE 10 MPH on highways). I don't speed in residential areas or on GM Road.

The best maneuver was the clown pulling out of Old Three Notch Rd at the light were it intersects 235 and Airport Rd. Oh, he had the green light, but there was a fire engine from HVFD going south with lights and sirens. This good ole boy pulls out into the north bound lanes, looks at the fire engine coming south, and proceeds to pull out into the south bound lanes. I'm sitting there with a WTF are you thinking.

But you had the people who can't stop at a red but dont move on the green. drive at 5 MPH or slower in the left and middle lanes. I love people who pull up to a larger truck or bus and don't pass. They just sit on the left rear corner, like they are afraid to continue on.

We wonder why there are so many collisions? Granted the roads may not be perfect, but ignorance is really the contributing factor

 

[vraiblonde]

ignorance is really the contributing factor

This ^^

I'm not sure why people have such a hard time doing such a simple task. Stay between your lines, don't hit the car in front of you, obey traffic lights and signs. Three things to remember.

 

[BernieP]

This ^^

I'm not sure why people have such a hard time doing such a simple task. Stay between your lines, don't hit the car in front of you, obey traffic lights and signs. Three things to remember.

What I hear most often and actions seem to reflect it, "I have a right...". Sanctimonious azzholes. They don't care about courtesy or anything other then what they believe is legal
How often have you watched people run through cross walks in shopping centers while pedestrians were in the cross walk? Unless there is a stop sign, which they won't obey because there is no cross street. It comes down to making up rules as it suits them and then claiming they have the right. Maybe it's because Maryland is out of sync with other states in terms of laws.
Take for instances the right turn lane on 235. Which while marked right turn only, has turned into a "merge lane" and a no yield lane. Because the planning people put everything on 235, getting over to make the right is now most difficult because the turn lane has become a merge / express lane. Don't try to get into the Wa Wa at Rt 4 during rush hour, people don't stop for the right, they don't yield, they just come flying around the corner and use the merge lane until they either get to First Colony or can move left,
Which leaves people on 235 stopping before they can get into the lane to turn. Same at Sheetz and every other intersection like it.

People won't pull within 20 car lengths of the person in front of them, instead they block access to turn lanes. Why?

 

[jazz lady]

Saw this post from SMNEWSNET on a near miss on Thanksgiving night and it reminded me of this thread:

 

[RoseRed]

Saturday night, we watched a car turn right onto Medley's Neck from SB Rt 5, only to proceed on the opposite side of the road until we pulled up close enough to flash our high beams to let them know they were on the wrong side of the road. Good thing we got their attention, as soon as we got to the first curve in the road, two oncoming cars were in that lane. Dark, rainy and out-of-towners (WV plates).

 

[3CATSAILOR]

The roads in Southern Maryland, not just SMC need to be better marked with reflectors and other safety improvements. For example, better lighting at intersections would be a good start. We continue to pay the extra 30 cent gas tax. What did we get out of it? The gas tax doesn't necessarily have to go toward new pavement. It can be used for safety improvements. Well illuminated intersections can improve the visibility of the signs so people from out town would see the signs and hopefully not go the wrong way.

 

[1stGenSMIB]

I live on a one-way street. You don't even want to know all the stuff I see. I will admit to riding my bicycle the wrong way on that street, but it is a little scary when cars come up on the sharp curve going the wrong way.