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Bad drivers abound on State |
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Daily Herald
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My 6-year old granddaughter and I were standing inside the NE corner of Chuck-A-Rama at 14th South & State when we heard (and felt) a pickup crashing into the building at that corner. When I looked out, another vehicle, heavily damaged, was in the southbound lane of State. Why mention yet another accident? Because my wife and invariably sit in the same corner when we eat. Part of our "entertainment" is to watch the constant left-turn near-misses at that intersection.
Drivers constantly misjudge the distance, the speed and the amount of traffic flowing on State. Only because of some very perceptive drivers on State do many of the left-turners make it through unscathed. And so much driver carelessness. As we left Chuck-A-Rama, we walked to the corner of State and 14th to view the damage. We watched two drivers, totally unaware of each other, almost create another accident -- the one making a left turn from State, the other making a right turn from State. They almost hit before either realized the other was there.
Driving our area is always a chance undertaking. And as we watch, a lot of this foolishness happens while driving one-handed with a cell phone up to the ear.
•Wayne Kuehne,
Orem, Utah
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Article views: 304
Discuss (18 posts)
| unaffiliated_person
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Jul 21 2008 20:48:40
Everyone complains about Utah drivers, but they seem to be a conglomerate of other states. Utah has been having a population boom for a decade. What constitutes a Utah driver as I am sure it is getting more difficult to come across born and raised utahns? I imagine most drivers people complain about are not from here and didn't learn to drive here.
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#381154 |
| KitKat
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Jul 21 2008 20:54:15
unaffiliated_person wrote:
Everyone complains about Utah drivers, but they seem to be a conglomerate of other states. Utah has been having a population boom for a decade. What constitutes a Utah driver as I am sure it is getting more difficult to come across born and raised utahns? I imagine most drivers people complain about are not from here and didn't learn to drive here.
Yeah.. don't quite a few of those BYU students come from California?
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#381159 |
| Sir John the Apostate
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Jul 21 2008 22:02:37
Blog801 wrote:
I wrote this a few days ago on another topic, but we were surprised when we moved to Utah to find such a RUDE driving culture, and we've driven all over the U.S. -- including Miami and Las Vegas... and New York, etc. There are bad drivers everywhere, but here it is part of the culture.
Eventually we realized that there must be a 12-step program that teaches you: How to be a Utah Driver:
Step 1 - If you are a guy, pick your nose while you drive. The thumb method is the most popular for some reason.
Step 2 - If you are a girl, never pull fully into a turning lane, that way you can block traffic in the lane you supposedly just left.
(Note, there are PLENTY of people of the opposite gender that engage in both of these two popular Utah driving activities as well.)
Step 3 - When the light turns green, just sit there.
Step 4 - When the light turns red, that means 2 more cars can still go through.
Step 5 - When you come upon someone actually doing the speed limit, get irate and glare him down as you pass him.
Step 6 - Never use your turning signal.
Step 7 - Stopping at stop signs is only required if there actually happens to be a car coming.
Step 8 - You must be on your cell phone at all times.
Step 9 - Send text messages at all traffic stops, and while driving if you have your keypad memorized.
Step 10 - The only time you are required to be a polite driver is when you are driving within your stake boundaries and could come across someone you know.
Step 11 - Forget the law, right of way goes to the most aggressive driver.
Step 12 - Blame the rude driving on college kids from out of state.
Step 13 - (Yeah, I know I said it was a 12 step program), Never mind that it's against the law, wear headphones as you drive. It's your car, your ipod, your music, and your life.
Step 14 - Never signal as you exit a roundabout, that way you can hold up traffic, confuse people, and potentially cause an accident.
Drivers aren't the only rude people on the roads though.
If you are on a bike, wear an ipod and be oblivious to automobile traffic.
If you are walking or running, refuse to use the sidewalks the way Utah law says you must.
And if you are using the sidewalk, just step off it without warning whenever you feel like it, the cars are supposed to stop for you... assuming the drivers aren't adjusting their ipods, talking on the phone or picking their noses.
LSHIWMP
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#381191 |
| unaffiliated_person
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Jul 21 2008 22:39:27
KitKat wrote:
unaffiliated_person wrote:
Everyone complains about Utah drivers, but they seem to be a conglomerate of other states. Utah has been having a population boom for a decade. What constitutes a Utah driver as I am sure it is getting more difficult to come across born and raised utahns? I imagine most drivers people complain about are not from here and didn't learn to drive here.
Yeah.. don't quite a few of those BYU students come from California?
Utah's population boom is mostly fueled by California and immigration. I think Arizona and Idaho were next behind California. How many of us know people who did learn to drive here? I am not originally from utah either.
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#381216 |
| woody
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Jul 22 2008 21:09:11
prisonpig wrote:
This thread discusses the Content article: Bad drivers abound on State
Drivers are bad everywhere in Utah Valley! Too many distractions. I believe that I am one of about a dozen people in utah Valley that knows the law about traveling in the left lane on I-15. It goes like this: If you are traveling in the left lane and someone comes up behind you going faster, you must move over, if able to. People need to quit texting while driving too. I see this all the time and it is dangerous. People need to WAKE UP!
Wow piggy, you are just perfect. A perfect driver, a perfect american, a perfect employee, husband, father,,,,,jesus better watch out, GAME ON for you two....
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#381548 |
There are too many comments to list them all here. See the forum for the full discussion.Discuss this article on the forums. (18 posts)
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