charli's Blog

I went to the website to check on the weather, as I usually do as the "unofficial weather person" for the department.  (I have a better record that Paul on predicting weather ;-)  sorry about that!)  Anyways, when the page came up around 1:30, the featured item was about how safe it was to drive in St. Pete.  I then clicked on refresh to see the current radar.  Nearly fell out of my chair... "Breaking News" showed that a semi had been in an accident... in St Pete!  I downloaded the screen print to my albums.

I recently moved from South Tampa to South Carrollwood.  My new route home from work is to take Florida Av north to the bypass to Highlands to Hillsborough.  Everyday I have seen people block the intersection!  I was taught that "If you can not get through the intersection, don't do it."  I have heard horns blow as people who know how to drive stop  so as to not block the intersection.  I have even seen cops pull into the intersection... blocking the intersection! 

When did they change the rule?  (Tampa Trib article the other day)  When I was in high school you HAD to take Driver's Ed.  Judging by today's drivers though I imagine the rules changed a few years ago.  Okay, there is the cell phone driver issue... I wish they would make autos equipped with something that would make cell phones useless the minute the ignition is turned on.  But, back to the Driver's Ed subject... on my way home I had 2 drivers make turns without turning on the signals... they were city of Tampa cops turning into the garage downtown... then there were 2 other incidents of people changing lanes and cutting me off, no signals... and they were on cell phones!  AND... one was a school bus!  Then there was this one guy who was weaving in the lane, almost hit the curb... also on a cell phone.  Then, at one intersection, Hillsborough and Highland... people were blocking the intersection.... and one was a cop!  On Hiillsborough I saw a SUV come out of a parking lot and cut across 3 lanes to make a U-turn.... that was after cutting off other drivers, including one that was changing lanes who didn't even use his turn signal!  Then I saw 4 cars make left hand turns after the light had changed and blocking the intersection as traffic was stopped for a bus.  It gets worse... I was behind a young woman in a van with a weird hairdo... she went into the oncoming lane the get into the left hand turn lane and almost hit someone who had waited until he could get into that lane... then cut me off as she decided to go straight instead of turning... then crossed the double yellow line to pass someone making a turn... 2 times!  And then went used a parking lot to make a right hand turn because the light was red and she was 4 cars back.  To make matters worse... she was constantly turning her head to talk to someone in the front passenger seat... and to make matters ever more worse... there were kids in the back seat!

This was at 4:30PM... the drive to work at 6:30AM was just as bad... one driver with his high beams on, another tailgating me (I was driving the speed limit), and then he cut off another car while changing lanes... right hand lane to left turn lane!

I was never so glad to get home!

Maybe they should make everyone take tests every so many license renewals!

Have any of you noticed all the new pedestrian lights going up around town?  The aware driver can look at the clocks and see how much time is left before the light turns yellow.  Judging by the fact that I have almost been run over while in the crosswalks down town, there must not be that many "aware" drivers.  Not a day passes that I see someone run the red lights.  Not a day goes by that I am not cut off by someone who is not paying attention to the signs that say, "this street, this lane".  Today was one of those days... at lunch we watched a guy park in a space... the street traffic goes the other way!  He maneuverd himself across on coming traffic, backed into the space, had to have seen traffic coming towards him and the rear end of the car behind him.  He got out of his car and put money in the meter!  Then walked over to the County Center.  He was there for 2 hours.  I saw him walk back to his car... look at the ticket on his windsheild, put it back on his windsheild, and walk into the restaurant on the corner.  I did not get to see his pulling out of the spot... going the wrong way!  Later, during break, I hurt horns honking.  A woman was walking in the cross walk... with the light.  A car was waiting for her to cross.... other cars were honking there horns.  Then later, a car pulled out of a parking space... nearly got hit by a car, then made a left turn from the middle lane... cutting off another car!  On my way home I was in the center lane, the one that said "this lane for this street.."  A guy, on a cell phone, was in the far left lane, when the light turned green he made his turn, and pulled into the middle lane and was almost hit by the car in front of me.... who was in the correct land.  Did they change the rules?

As to the "big brother" issue... okay... stopping suddenly for the yellow light will end "t-bone" wrecks.... but will increase the "rear end" wrecks!