Running the Lane
Nov 13th, 2006 by Jayce
On my commute to work, there are several spots where one of my greatest pet peeves happens, every day. Something about the local drivers makes them feel like they have some right to be in front of everybody. So they often take advantage of turns lanes to pass many people, even when a lane is ending.
What is it about these people that makes them feel it is ok to drive, at high speed, down a turn lane passing people who are lined up at a light. Why is it they feel we should allow them in at the front of a line, just because they didn’t want to wait? What’s even worse are the people who even after rushing a long line, aren’t let in, so they cross the intersection through the turn lane anyways.
Just the other day I had one of these happen. See, if I’m in the normal lane, and I see someone rush, I won’t let them in. So this driver just keeps going, and starts making nice gestures at me, which I ignore. I really enjoyed it when she had to hit her brakes to not go into the parked cars. This lady was going over 40mph in a 30 zone, trying to pass a long line of cars. I felt quite good about myself. Even better when the next several cars in line reacted the same way as me and let her sit.
Few things are as bad as the lane rusher, as “the enabler”, those folks that hold up traffic to let the rusher go.
Rant - when someone else takes one of my biggest pet peeves and writes about it first! ;) Actually, I am so glad you wrote about this!
This bugs me so much, but more when it happens during some kind of lane closure. Construction, accident, whatever. Yeah, yeah, you’re in a hurry, well so are 90% of the people on the road. What makes you think you have the right to fly on up there and force your way in the already congested lane at the front? Basically because you are willing to be a moron/jerk/idiot while the rest of us just fume about it and maintain some level of decency on the road.
This is why traffic gets so backed up during lane closures, not that there are few lanes, but there are so many people that can’t seem to just merge as they should and keep the flow of traffic going. Grrr.
Another thing about turn lanes. I love it when people are turning left on to State Street (or any semi-large street with a turn lane in the middle that is accessible from both directions) and they treat that middle lane like a launch pad. It’s intended as a place to wait until there is an opening! It kills me when people turn left into the middle lane when there is no opening from traffic coming from the right. Instead of waiting for the traffic to clear, they accelerate and try to pass all the traffic. Me no likey.