With more than 45 years driving experience on various continents, it is astonishing to witness such poor driving standards in the Phoenix area. It seems a matter of routine that all drivers exceed the posted speed limit no matter what the prevailing conditions.
To listen to the daily commutor traffic news is not unlike hearing a demolition derby commentary with all the extraordinary drama and consequences. My pet-peeve is seeing drivers make those scarey ‘U’ turns at intersections and anywhere else they please. How could that even be legal!
So many accidents happen at those intersections with drivers rushing to beat the red light. If European traffic laws were to be applied in Phoenix, almost overnight the streets would be cleared of the majority of traffic. Phoenix drivers always say “you think it’s bad here, just try driving in California.” The trouble with that mentality is that it does not improve the drivers here.
There is far too much “Hey get outa way dude!” What ever happened to considerate driving. Certainly that little book was long ago thrown out the car window.
Maxwell Coulthard
Mesa
fae4now posted at 11:01 am on Wed, Jun 6, 2012.
Agreed. I was raised in a major city with big city traffic but after 10 years I'm still frightened to drive here!
I tend to blame the schools where driver training is optional and available only for a fee, which discourages some from participating.
If this state would stop gutting the funding for education they could require students to obtain proper instruction which would be a service to the public and thus an appropriate tax expenditure.
Beyond that I also have to wonder at the quality of road planning here. While the landscaping in the medians is pretty it largely forces right turns only when exiting commercial venues which practically forces the driver to opt for a u-turn at the next available intersection. What are they thinking when it comes to the flow of traffic?
Engaged Voter posted at 1:47 pm on Wed, Jun 6, 2012.
"It seems a matter of routine that all drivers exceed the posted speed limit"
Not all, but I agree, this is a prevalent issue here in the Valley.
However. another issue of the author "There is far too much “Hey get outa way dude!” might have something to do with drivers going far SLOWER than the posted speed limit (which is also illegal and also dangerous).
The core issue - drivers who get on the freeway system (65 MPH) and won't do anything over 45-50MPH. This causes fraffic delays, accidents, and doesn't help much with potential road rage.
chuckles3 posted at 2:33 pm on Wed, Jun 6, 2012.
You have not driven in Boston, NYC or LA I see. Horrible drivers are everywhere. Find something else to whine about.
truth posted at 3:54 pm on Wed, Jun 6, 2012.
Maxwell, you are so wrong. I spent a month in each country, Turkey, Italy, Egypt Israel, Jordan, Southern Mexico, Bahamas, China and Thailand. I have lived in all west coast states. I will drive in Arizona any time, But I would never drive in any of the foreign countries mentioned above. In most of the these countries a two lane street can become a three lane street and when you count the sidewalk its a four lane street. In Egypt the drivers never stay in the same lane fore more than 100 feet. They park on sidewalks or any place they can get their car in with only 3 inches between each car You can't blame the driver most streets were designed for wagon carts. But I loved driving the autobhan in Germany, I could not belive how fast a VW can go. What you have to worry about on Arizona streets is someone shooting you, I never put my hand out the window. If you have more guts than I do try a Thailand scooter cab with four on the scooter. a scooter built for one
Dale Whiting posted at 6:21 pm on Wed, Jun 6, 2012.
Maxwell,
Once again, 'truth' speaks the truth. Why in Turkey when an accident seems apparent, the drivers turn loose of their steering wheels and call upon Allah to save them!
You have a lot to learn about driving elsewhere. And I never speed.
sockratties posted at 9:33 am on Thu, Jun 7, 2012.
You can drive faster on the Autobahn than here. I drove a 2L Opel at 160 KPH (100 MPH) all the time in Germany. The cars are even geared differently to accommodate these speeds. Driving practices are different there. Drivers MUST drive in the lane to the right if they are not passing. When a car is being approached from the rear at 200 MPH (320 KPH) drivers need to know they will be passing on the left. There may be some Darwinism involved. There is NO passing on the right (or left in England) even if the lane is open. In The Netherlands, Driver Training must be accomplished only with a professional, licensed trainer, in a marked car. This takes about six months and is expensive. If practicing for a motorcycle license another biker with a bright jacket marked student driver follow you around.
Violations are expensive in Europe and if you are from out of country you must pay your fine on the spot or your car is impounded. A friend of mine received a ticket crossing Belgium from Holland to France in a car with a Dutch License Plate. He had an Arizona Driver’s license. The Policeman accompanied him to an ATM so he could pay the $320 fine. In Holland it is common for people to take taxis if they are going out in the evening and expect to consume any alcohol. The penalties for drunk driving are just too great.
Two laws if enforced would make the commute in Phoenix and the East Valley much more efficient and safer… No passing to the right of a vehicle if the other lane is moving and cars must pull into free lanes to the right if they are not passing. This solves the problem of slower cars blocking the flow of traffic and of not being able to change lanes toward an exit ramp because cars won’t let others in as they try to get by.
chatmandu002 posted at 10:49 pm on Thu, Jun 7, 2012.
Max,
It's apparent you haven't driven in Italy, especially Rome. Paris drivers aren't that good either. I'll take Phoenix drivers over drivers in those cities any day.
truth posted at 3:22 pm on Fri, Jun 8, 2012.
Dale, The reason Egypt drivers change lanes every 100 feet is because they have no concept of lines. I had the same problem in the Egypt airport, the lines were long and a Egyptian man thought he would cut in front of me, he tried four times but every time I put my foot on his cart sending it across the airport, after that he left.