Fayetteville has got to be the #1 city with the worst drivers. GOT to be!! I can honestly say I feel I am putting my life on the line every time I have to get in my car to go from one p
lace to another. Just this morning, I was driving to work and was approaching an intersection. The light turned yellow, but I felt I had plenty of time to get to the other side of the intersection before it changed to red. However, the dump truck in the opposite lane, wanting to turn left....saw the light turn yellow and ASSUMED I would slam on my brakes to stop for it. Despite the fact that my car did not hesitate in making the decision to stop or go, the dump truck began turning left, then forcing me to slam on my brakes, stop in the middle of the intersection...where inevitably, the light turned red. Nice. So now I'M in the middle of the intersection with a red light. (As seen in my lovely diagram above!)
I'm not typically a horn-blower. My hands are too busy gripping the wheel and gear shift to worry about finding the exact spot in the "center" of the wheel to blow the horn. My focus is on making sure I don't hit them, not relying on warning them not to hit ME! Maybe someday I'll be a better multi-tasker. And if I can get my mind past the idea that laying on a horn is another way of standing outside your car throwing curse words their way....I might do it. It just seems so rude to me. Probably because people will honk at you if your foot isn't on the gas pedal within a millisecond of the light turning green. Ughhh.
But beyond my frustration is the fear that I'm becoming just like them! There comes a point where you have be just as aggressive as they are to save your life. What? Wait in line for a turning lane? Why do that, when you can cut one of the first people off after the light turns green?! It'll save you at least a whole 30 seconds! Slowly change lanes to get across to make your left turn? That takes too much planning! Just throw the wheel in the desired direction and shoot across all four lanes at once, while slamming on your brakes to make the last minute turn. No problem! Welcome to Fayetteville, folks, and hold on for dear life!
lace to another. Just this morning, I was driving to work and was approaching an intersection. The light turned yellow, but I felt I had plenty of time to get to the other side of the intersection before it changed to red. However, the dump truck in the opposite lane, wanting to turn left....saw the light turn yellow and ASSUMED I would slam on my brakes to stop for it. Despite the fact that my car did not hesitate in making the decision to stop or go, the dump truck began turning left, then forcing me to slam on my brakes, stop in the middle of the intersection...where inevitably, the light turned red. Nice. So now I'M in the middle of the intersection with a red light. (As seen in my lovely diagram above!)I'm not typically a horn-blower. My hands are too busy gripping the wheel and gear shift to worry about finding the exact spot in the "center" of the wheel to blow the horn. My focus is on making sure I don't hit them, not relying on warning them not to hit ME! Maybe someday I'll be a better multi-tasker. And if I can get my mind past the idea that laying on a horn is another way of standing outside your car throwing curse words their way....I might do it. It just seems so rude to me. Probably because people will honk at you if your foot isn't on the gas pedal within a millisecond of the light turning green. Ughhh.
But beyond my frustration is the fear that I'm becoming just like them! There comes a point where you have be just as aggressive as they are to save your life. What? Wait in line for a turning lane? Why do that, when you can cut one of the first people off after the light turns green?! It'll save you at least a whole 30 seconds! Slowly change lanes to get across to make your left turn? That takes too much planning! Just throw the wheel in the desired direction and shoot across all four lanes at once, while slamming on your brakes to make the last minute turn. No problem! Welcome to Fayetteville, folks, and hold on for dear life!
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Love that you took the time to draw a diagram.