A few weeks back while listening to the police
scanner I asked my wife, “why are there so many fair weather accidents in
Niagara County?” Some days, it seems like total chaos on the roads, with
motorists hitting oncoming cars and stationary trees and buildings on days when
you would least expect them to –no snow, black ice, no rain.
I’ve probably answered my question thousands of
times with my own thoughts and observations. I spend a lot of time on the Empire
State’s roads (almost 25,000 miles each year) and not a day goes by when I
don’t cringe or let out a “whoa” and, in turn, wonder why I don’t see more
accidents.
For the most part, Western New Yorkers are good,
conscientious drivers – you don’t see the tailgaters and aggression that you
might see in a big city, but there are a fair number of really bad drivers or
maybe some really bad habits that many drivers occasionally dabble in.
Here are some of the most common bad habits that I
see on the road…
Thinking that
size doesn’t matter: Spending a lot of time on major trucking routes like
Route 104, I often see cars pull out in front of tractor trailers. It’s almost
as if these motorists, usually the young and inexperienced, think that trucks,
as big as they are, can’t move as fast as cars. They can. The big trucks are
going the speed limit and they have loads that are sometimes 40 times the
weight of a compact. Sooner or later, I will see a truck unable to brake in
time -- and it will be ugly.
Texting
while driving: Despite all the hands-free laws and ad campaigns, people
still text and drive. I see it every day. You can tell by the meandering,
drifting driving and the drivers’ eyes affixed to something on their lap. It’s
ignorant; at a speed of 55 glancing at a handheld device for just 2 seconds is
like driving half the length of a football field blindfolded. As one would
expect, the 18 to 22 crowd make up about half the offenders; surprisingly, the
other half are those who should know better, my generation, folks who look to
be 38 to 42.
Running red
lights: On my commute, I have to cross 6 lighted intersections. On every
afternoon drive, I see at least 2 cars go through red lights. That’s every day
that I see this. These aren’t people going through yellows; these are drivers
punching it when they see yellow or not using yellow as their cue to stop. Last
year, my wife was t-boned and her car wrecked by someone running a red light.
Had there been a passenger in my wife’s car, that person would have died (it
grosses me out to think “what if my kid was in the back seat?”). Tip for the
Niagara County Sheriff: consistently-bad light runners can be found heading
southbound on Route 78 through the retail intersection with 104 in Wrights
Corners.
4 wheel
drive super heroes: I drive a 4 wheel drive truck. Even when in four I
still drive cautiously on our winter roads. You have to be in control on our snowy
windswept roads. But, there are other truck and SUV drivers who think that 4WD
is a super power and they drive at and well above the speed limit on snowy and
icy roads. These are the tough guys who end up in a ditch, blame the weather
and not themselves. Hopefully, they never end up in the oncoming lane.
Getting into
the oncoming lane: One of my biggest pet peeves is those drivers who go
around cars making right-hand turns, and roadside garbage trucks and police
cars. They do so by heading into the oncoming lane while cars are coming at
them, assuming that those drivers will move over and ride the shoulder to give
them enough room. Sooner or later, I will see a head-on because of that. People
just have to learn to pause, be patient and not leave their lane until the
opposite lane is clear. A few seconds of waiting is better than a few days in
the hospital.
Unbuckled
kids: Is this a new trend for 2017? This year I’ve seen quite a few small
children and even toddlers unrestrained and moving around in the back seats of
their parents’ cars. The last time I saw that happening was back in the early
‘80s before laws changed and parents were educated on safety. It’s dangerous,
kids can go flying and there’s nothing worse than someone getting ejected in an
accident. Love your kids – fasten their seatbelts.
Those are just a few of the bad behaviors I’ve seen
on local highways. There are many more. Each one, in its own way, is risky,
even scary. If you know someone who’s guilty of being impatient, distracted or
anything along those lines, have a chat with them before it’s too late for them
or another motorist.
From the 15 May 2017 Greater Niagara Newspapers
2 comments:
I agree with your choices for 'This drives me crazy' Bob. I can attest to the fact that this kind of behavior is not unique to Western NY. I have seen the same kind of bad habits here in Idaho. Added to the list, I would put "When I am doing the speed limit and some fool is tailgating, and takes the first opportunity to pass, and then remains at or below the limit.
Sincerely,
Peter Scarborough
My wife and I talk about this often. I believe that it is an extension of the overall sense of entitlement that has developed in the US as of late. Add a 2nd layer that comes from the litigious nature of country - it's a dangerous mix. "Not only do I have the right to do whatever I want, but if you hit me I'm going to sue you. It doesn't matter if I'm wrong - I believe I'm right".
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