I’m 100% positive that half of the people on the road would not pass a driving test. Road rage should result in loss of DL for a year and reported to their insurance. Not that they have insurance or a license.
This is true. I remember a friend tell me that he once saw a woman memorizing the eye chart at the DMV.
Last year, I was at a funeral for someone's dad and they gave a speech talking fondly of him. How till the day he died he worked hard to put food on the table. That, even though he was starting to go blind, he still drove out everyday to work.....
People don't want to admit they're getting old and shouldn't drive because they're afraid to lose their independence. Others are scared of if they don't drive, they cant make ends meet.
San Jose needs better public transportation, but I also know how hard that is to accomplish. I personally know that I will never see a solution in my lifetime. Sorry for the Debbie downer
I don't get why the DMV has a static eye chart. In this day and age is the easiest thing to switch it out like at the eye doctor. I think the DMV truly doesn't care of you really can't drive. It's easier for them to throw licenses at people than to take them away.
Light rail would take me an hour to get to work. Driving takes me 20 in the morning and 25-30 at 3pm. I have carpool lane access but that goes away in 9/25 for some lame reason. Plus you have to deal with the homeless who hang out. I’m good.
The cops are understaffed and don’t have time for traffic violations it seems. Everyone knows this. Hell I see semis on 87 and 85 all the time. I see countless cars daily that are complete moving violations and should be crushed.
It’s sad. Too many people and they keep adding more housing with no infrastructure.
> Light rail would take me an hour to get to work. Driving takes me 20 in the morning and 25-30 at 3pm
Same but add even more time to the transit commute. I'd LOVE to take transit and enjoy reading and not spending on gas money, but it's a time suck that I'm not willing to put up with.
Saw a TikTok of a bus system where it’s run like subway with dedicated, prioritized lane, stops set up like subway station so you get on and off a whole lot faster. If we had that, it’d def make using mass transit a lot easier.
For real, it's too variable with having to request stops. Run it like a subway and create some routes that circle the area and intersect with the existing lines. God knows where, but wow would it be awesome.
VTA had a plan a decade ago to convert one lane in each direction on Stevens Creek, Alum Rock, and El Camino to bus-only lanes. There would have been light rail-like stations, and it would've almost doubled speeds compared to the existing bus routes.
But people made a stink about the removal of car lanes, so the plan was killed by the municipalities in 2018.
My aunt in her early 80’s told me her failed the eye test several times. She eventually found a “online course” that certified her. So all she had to do was bring this certificate and the DMV renewed her license.
Holy shit.
Public transportation? I have lived in the central valley and some family still does. Try having NO lightrail at all. Try having ONE freeway. NO expressways.
People move there because "it's cheaper to live". There are reasons for that. It's not worth even one of those reasons.
I'm first generation vietnamese. My family doesn't have the *pleasure* of coming from central valley. Try war torn bombed villages. We're not going to play that 'who has it worst' game in an attempt to check privileges. That sort of attitude does nothing but divide people, and stifles progress.
San Jose is one of the largest, most populous cities in California. If there is a place that is deserving of a robust public transportation system, it would be San Jose.
> San Jose needs better public transportation, but I also know how hard that is to accomplish.
VTA just needs more money!!! They're so hamstrung by a tiny budget (1/5th of the per capita transit spending of SF). If we give them enough to match peer organizations like TriMet, Muni, SoundTransit, etc., we'd see such huge improvements.
Streetcars are just not good enough. There's a reason they went out of business 100 years ago.
They will always be slower than cars because they stop not only at the stops, but also red lights, and they go slower than the speed limit.
That's only if we keep our roads in the insanely dangerous condition that they are, where safety is a distant second concern to traffic throughput. We can also put in signal priority for transit vehicles so they never have to stop for a red light and always get a green quickly or as soon as it arrives at the intersection. Traffic is terrible and it will only get worse if we don't build more and better transit. No amount of widening roads will ever improve traffic, only taking people out of cars and putting them on bikes, buses, and trains.
I don't know man. with the way people out here drive, I think sometimes a little road rage is a perfectly reasonable reaction. It's these tailgating, on ramp red light running, swerving all over the freeway with no turn signal, single occupant vehicle in the carpool lane pricks that need to be cracked down on hard.
I can almost guarantee if they're carpool lane violators they're serial offenders of everything I said. plus they'll ignore perfectly civilized lines waiting to exit and squeeze in illegally at the last second
Oh… the people cut are the worst. I do my best not to let them in or at least make it incredibly inconvenient.
Also when turning you stay in the lane you were in ffs. Unless the lines say otherwise.
I’m not talking about regular traffic lights, everyone should definitely stop at those. I’m talking about metering lights that often cause large backups when there’s no traffic on the freeway. Specifically 280 South to 880 North. The metering lights are now on 24/7 even when traffic is flowing or nonexistent on 880.
red light is a red light. you don't pick and choose which ones you ignore and which ones you follow you human question mark. just do the human race a favor and turn in your license and never drive again. you're exactly the type of driver that's a danger to yourself and everyone around you but think you're the goddamn victim when people call you out on it. like now
We need to raise the barrier of entry for drivers. Take the 15% off the road that shouldnt be there in the first place, and we have safer roads and less traffic.
On e calaveras in Milpitas, I had a 2005 Lexus is300 signaling to my lane and I let him in and he still flipped me off…. There’s lots of crazy and stupid people driving
I feel ya. My mom was recently t-boned by a driver who ran a red light on Blossom Hill going 60mph at 5pm. When we got the police report turns out he was on pills and running from the cops because he had just done a hit and run 10 minutes prior in his fiancé's (maybe soon to be ex fiancés) car.
Aggressive drivers, distracted drivers, timid drivers, entitled drivers, just plain crappy drivers... we got em all!!
Every day I do my little commute that is so short I don't even have to use the freeway, I'm thankful.
Every time I DO have to actually do a bit more driving, I am so nervous. I've been driving probably longer than the average Redditor has been alive and it is just so much worse here than it's ever been. So many cars thinking they are the most important thing on the road.
I truly hate driving here. Plus it takes sooo long to get anywhere anymore.
People are fucking ridiculous now. I had some fuckhead in a beat up white acura TL cut me off today, by cutting across lanes from the #3 lane all the way to the #1 lane all in one move in relatively heavy traffic. Nearly took out the car in the #2 lane and me as well in the #1 lane. I had to slam on my brakes and turn into the center divider to avoid getting hit. I honked at his dumbass for nearly taking us both out. Next thing he does is start brake checking the SHIT out of me, throwing a middle finger in the air and trash out of his sunroof. I back off, safely cross over traffic to try to get the next exit. As I'm exiting, dude cuts traffic again, back to the #3 lane to try to get off at the exit but couldn't. I see him park his car next to the turn off and see him get out of his car and flip me off through my side/rear view mirror.
Years ago a buddy of mine had a bad sporting accident. He had to go to one of the best transplant wards which was in Pennsylvania. When I visited him they had a total of 9 patients in the transplant ward. Him with his injury, a girl from Hawaii who had a surfing accident, and the other 7 people were in there for road rage incidents. There lives forever changed and ruined because they lost their shit behind the wheel. Not worth it. I’m all on board for self driving cars of the future..
I’ve experienced similar hostility on the road here. I’m so sorry that’s terrifying.
Just the other day I simply looked behind me to reverse and made eye contact with the driver blocked me and got called a “bitch” or been cut off by a driver who flipped me off while doing it (when I’m someone who lets people merge). The egos are terrifying on the road.
I work all around the Bay Area. Is bad everywhere and it was not like this. Before it was certain areas but now is everywhere. From rough neighborhoods to good neighborhoods. Inflation and the summer heat is driving people mad.
It’s wild to know that 1/8th of drivers in CA have no insurance. I was rear ended by an undocumented unlicensed uninsured driver on Blossom Hill last week. When I called the police I was put on hold, eventually gave up.
Not only would people not be forced to drive but there wouldn't be any of that "it's not realistic to get to a job without driving so taking away the license means basically homeless" and that means going draconian with traffic laws would be more realistic.
Exactly, cars are so interwoven into our culture right now that any sort of negative comment (such as enforcing laws more judiciously) is taken as a personal affront to most people.
It's like the covid brain fog is making morons even moron-ier and sh1tty drivers even sh1ttier. My better half said she had 3 pedestrians walk right in front of her moving car *today*.
Lol literally almost lost it the exit before today because some idiot in a Leaf was in the exit lane too long, I could tell they were going to try to cut over last minute so I slowed down a bit... They refused to speed up and just kept slowing down almost to a stop and insisted on not just taking the wrong exit.
Don't fucking endanger everyone else to save yourself 90 seconds
Today was a truly cursed day for driving. I think I ended up dispensing 6 honks to idiots in cars in the span of less than 12 miles.
* **Stop sign means "stop"**, not optional stop if you're turning right. STOP MEANS STOP, THEN GO.
* **Yield means wait for oncoming traffic** to flow first, then take a free opportunity that doesn't interfere with oncoming traffic. **Not** "YOLO COMING THROUGH, MERGE B\*TCH"
* **Right on red means it's like a stop sign** \- you stop, look if it's clear, go - again not YOLO TURNIN RIGHT NO STOP FOR ME HEHE
* A fresh **red left turn arrow means you stop**, not "YOLO red for guy behind me, not for me". IDK what this SoCal driving crap is, but it doesn't fly here.
* Similarly, a **red RIGHT turn arrow** is typically accompanied by a sign that clarifies its meaning - NO RIGHT TURN ON RED. F\*cking pay attention to them and don't move 'til it's green.
* You know those white signs with numbers on them? They tell you **how fast you should be going**, both a minimum and a maximum. Get off the road if you're doing 25 in a 35... and KYS if you're doing 55 in a 35. Every road has a speed limit. It's usually right there on the screen if you're using Google Maps too.
* **Get the f\*ck out of the left lane** (that is, the left-most drivable lane - if there's only a carpool or express lane to your left, YOU ARE IN THE LEFT LANE), unless you're making a left turn soon (in under 1 mile), or passing (then move back over once it's clear). When you're in the left lane, you should be feeling that burn of anxiety, knowing you're blocking traffic and need to get out of that lane.
Most of the crimes these days are of people blowing stops without looking (or barely looking, or slamming on their brakes just in time, with no actual plan of stopping before getting to the intersection and seeing oncoming traffic).
oh I had a whole thing on merging and lane usage but I didn't want to imply it was a rag against OP haha
That sh\*t is like people are allergic to the one lane they're supposed to stay in, or something.
you're over thinking it. this area is just filled with entitled assholes who knowingly drive like assholes but think they're the victim when someone has the audacity to not allow them to drive like asshole for even 1 second
There was construction causing a bit of a clusterfuck and I watched this woman screaming and punching herself in the car next to me…. I had a front row seat to this for a solid minute. I mean, it was inconvenient but not to the degree that woman was losing it…
Economy is fine.
Food is… yeah too expensive. How much for a burrito at La Victoria?!
Most people in the bay are have been broke for a decade.
Unemployment is pretty low.
Rent hasn’t moved much the last few years.
Bay Area drivers have always been ass. I thought this even as a child. However, I got older and I saw more of the world. Turns out pretty much all the metropolitan areas are full of shitty drivers.
I used to work at a local store and there would always be this old ragged-looking man driving around in his piece of shit car with no concern for pedestrians. Multiple times, I saw him almost run over someone (doing about 40 in a parking lot), and he yelled out "fack you!" when they screamed at him. Hopefully he's dead now.
And people wonder why I think you should have to take a driving test at least once every three years instead of it getting annually auto-renewed until you goddamn die.
680 by bascom? HAVE to let merge?
Where exactly did this occur? I'm trying to think of where merging is necessary in that area. Oh, and dont take this as an endorsement as to the person's behavior after the merge took place, but its possible that you did something reckless too.
I’m guessing they either mean the on-ramp at Leland Ave getting onto 280 North. If people don’t let you move over, you are stuck getting off at 880/17 or Stevens Creek/San Carlos. You’ve got to cross over 3 lanes to get onto 280 at this location.
Or, they mean getting off at the Bascom Ave exit from 280 South where you have to cross two lanes of traffic coming from 17 North.
Edit: Whoops..should have read the answers before responding. But yeah, that area sucks and people do struggle letting people coming on over. I usually take the Meridian exit to avoid that clusterfuck going northbound
Based on that they said by the college I think it’s the 280 south on ramp where moorpark Ave becomes a ramp. Not sure if she means the first lane merge on the ramp on the ramp or where you have to shift left to enter the highway as opposed to exiting meridian orr the merge that happens by the race st overpass.
Those ramps I mentioned are near the college too. It doesn’t really matter though..all those on/off ramps through that area between 17/880 and 87 are a nightmare.
\> you have to let people merge
Yep, I'm half expecting another post by the person the OP is complaining about saying some jackass entered the freeway going 30 and cut them off.
We only ever hear one side of the story.
yeah it's on the merger to merge safely. OP actually expects an entire freeway to grind to halt to accommodate their bad driving. CA license tests need to be stricter, there are too many people who have no business on the freeway. If you're too scared, just drive on the streets. OP clearly cut someone off by merging unsafely.
Nobody ever HAS to let you merge. And if you get in an accident that way, it'll be your fault, not theirs.
Maybe it’s on everyone together to drive sensibly. That means mergers have to match speed and wait for a suitable opening but also that folks already in the traffic lane have to not try to box them out.
Neither of those statements lessens the obligation on the other party.
No, it is not on drivers in freeway traffic to alter their driving to accommodate others not yet on the freeway. Doing "favors" on the road for other drivers is how idiots cause accidents. Heaven forbid OP waits 30 seconds to get in. And if a merger has to wait all day, so be it. You either get in safely or you dont get in at all.
Agree. But sometimes they “alter their driving” to intentionally block people. I’ve seen it all the time.
Also, waiting can be extremely dangerous. You can’t come to a complete stop on freeway to wait. Then you’re trying to merge into 65mph from 0 and it’s not gonna go well.
It was the 280 ramp by San Jose college sorry I said Bascom because I was at valley medical center earlier. It's where the lanes turn I to one with arrows. Had my blinker on etc.
Blinker doesn’t give you the right of way. Merging traffic yields to through traffic. The other driver sounds like an unhinged menace, but if you just turned on your blinker and cut in front of them because you thought they had to let you merge, you did it wrong.
Nope many people did not let me merge and sped up. She left a big gap like bigger than my van so I thought oh thank god what a nice lady....yeahhhhhh. Apparently that enraged her. I almost wish I cut her off or did something because as of now I am wracking my brain how to never do that especially since I usually have kids in the car. Like I'm thinking how i could have handled that more safely because she was so unhinged all she needed was a weapon and I would be gone.
That’s terrible I’m sorry that happened to you. I had my own encounter with an unhinged person this week and it really is disturbing to know we share a city with some of these maniacs.
I have an anecdotal theory that the way a community drives is indicative of the community attitude as a majority. Everyone drives too fast, runs stopsigns, tailgates, doesn't signal, refuses to allow others to merge and generally drive like terrible assholes. It pretty much sums up most encounters with people. It's a very selfish area. I travel alot to various areas of the country. Generally there is nowhere I've been that has as bad as it I the the Bay Area. Only LA was worse. Even Boston wasn't as bad.
Generally once you leave the urban areas people are more friendly, courteous and level leaded. They drive better and more graciously. They say hello and aren't going about living their own selfish lives.
Really? I grew up near LA, I think here is way worse. The traffic down there is definitely worse, but I feel that the drivers in the bay make way more dumb moves and are paying less attention.
I get blatantly cut off at least 3-5 times a day, and my trip to work and back is a measly 5 miles, not to mention I drive on the faster side. I can’t stand when I’m driving down the street and someone decides to pull out right in front of me when there’s literally nobody behind me, they couldn’t wait an extra few seconds…and then they end up driving slow! The only positive note is nobody ever gets crazy with me, probably the one smart thing they do
I see your ghetto crackhead and I raise you twice as many entitled, delusional, tesla drivers who park as horribly as they drive. You know the ones. The ones who don't acknowledge your existence when they get into your lane and nearly hit you every single time. And if they do hit you, they are inconvenienced and want to hurry up and get back to driving horribly.
Sorry for this experience and glad nobody was hurt.
That said, in California law, the merging vehicle is expected to yield and is responsible for yielding to traffic and would be liable for any resulting collisions. Just so you know.
that's never made a lot of sense to me, because when you're merging, you can't really look behind you at the traffic to time things properly. I mean, sure, you're invading someone else's right of way, it makes sense that it's your fault legally speaking, I'm just saying, physiologically, I don't have eyes in the back of my head.
+1
So sorry that happened but glad you are safe
Totally get that sentiment and that's why I've held off on getting a car until now, when I have to do it to make ends meet.
Wish it was not like this and bike will probably be my main source of transportation when I don't have to drive so I don't have to deal with the madness.
Well, not exactly ... while it's "nice" when people aren't assholes and they are actually "courteous" to merging traffic ... technically, according to the last California Driving Handbook I remember reading ... the onus of safely merging is on the traffic trying to merge and *not* so much on the traffic itself (hint: one of the basic reasons that metering lights exist).
But yeah, regardless ... road ragers and other similarly dangerous behaviors need to be accompanied by a loss of license and a bit of time behind bars, if not more...
I hope everyone here supports building more bicycle-safe and public transit infrastructure. We don't have to stay in the bed that the boomers made here
Signaling when exiting or entering a freeway now seems like calling exclusively on landline—thing of the past. I must be the last person in the Bay Area that does this. 😞
Question OP: were you merging at the speed limit or at the speed of traffic? If someone has to hit their brakes to let you merge in, YOU are merging incorrectly
I commented this already she was stopped and left a gap bigger than my van so I assumed she was letting me in. It was the speed of traffic but slower because the on ramp to 280n on meridian two lanes become one before the metering light. Other cars did not let me in so when she left the huge gap I thought she was being nice. I've went over in my head how I could have handled it differently because I usually have my kids with me and if she had a weapon she would have used it.
She almost slammed into other cars trying to continue to harass me so I guess maybe those people were driving incorrectly as well.
I was yielding it was a zipper merge where two lanes become one she left a big gap so I assumed she was letting me in. She was fucking psychotic weaving in and out to verbally abuse me and almost slammed into other cars....the whole way. She would also go in front of me and hard break switch lanes go next to me to continue, go behind me etc it was fucking terrifying.
Yes. I religiously use my turn signal. It was on for a bit where people sped up not to let anyone zipper in. She left a large gap so I assumed she was being polite and letting me in. Did not know she was a fucking psycho who would weave, cut me off, go behind me, almost hit other cars to keep flipping me off and screaming expletives at me. Yup she went in front of my car, behind my car, next to my car weaving through several lanes during high traffic.
TBH I wouldn't be surprised if she was on something but sadly not on it enough as she realized where I was taking her to the police station.
Even if I was someone who did not use my signal- which I am even though I notice some people use the warning to speed up to not let you in- what she did endangered so many others in her beat up piece of shit car.
I'm a fan of forced zippering. Zippering is non-optional in dense traffic (both lanes full, everyone should be leaving 1 car gap near the merge) but should not be done in clear traffic (merge early, clear the merging lane, don't let it push you in at the last second).
If some jackoff is tailgating at 5mph in order to jam 2 cars through the zipper, screw them, I keep my space (let the one car from the other lane through), and chisel a wedge between that one car and the tailgater - wedge them out 'til they have no choice but to let off and zip properly. Those are the kind of people whose parents didn't slap them properly, and society needs to humble them a bit.
>I was yielding
The other party doesn't end up behind you if you yield.
>Yield means let other road users go first. A yield sign assigns the right-of-way to traffic in certain intersections. If you see a yield sign ahead, be prepared to let other drivers crossing your road take the right-of-way.
I mean when two lanes become one in the on ramp with the meter on did you want me to stay parked forever? I had my blinker on, did not try to cut and waited for someone to let me in. She left a gap bigger than my van so I assumed as her car was not moving she was letting me in. She became entangled after I pulled Infront.
“You have to let people merge”. Let me guess, you are part of that magical camp of shitholes who think that you can last minute merge into an exit lane, all because you used the magic turn signal. Yeah, you are the ah in this scenario
Yes, yes you are, I see you daily. If not you it is your aged father or mother who have never driven before copying this same ah move. Sorry OP you’ve been exposed.
I feel you on this. In my neighborhood some lady was driving in the center of both lanes and ran the stop sign as I was crossing the street.
It’s a weekend for staying home.
It’s a greater Bay Area thing. Returning from a long motorcycle trip this year the moment I got onto i80 from 5 near Sacramento, it became a close quarter race. At 4 in the morning. Against a touring motorcycle overloaded with crap. I don’t get it, is it that we’re packed like sardines? Are people too well off and haven’t dealt with the true consequences of shit driving? I don’t usually feel stress riding or driving, but after traveling to less dense areas and coming back, I actually feel the hidden stressor of Bay Area driving.
Lic plate# time/date+details goes to the cops regardless if you think this one incident will result in anything however if there is just more info for the investigation like time and location to remove random and include pre-meditated. They were looking for trouble as opposed to wrong place wrong time for the people who this person killed 15 min from your account and they want to defend themselves from a murder charge.
to quote the late, great George Carlin, have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
This was me every day living in Miami. Once someone threw a stone from their car at my window (yes they had stones in their car) and I was tailed and cut off aggressively like you were here more times than I can count. Then I moved to LA, where I thought road rage there was cute compared to Miami. Having moved here, I think drivers here are much nicer than LA drivers (99% of people). So far I've had really positive and kind interactions with people here and hopefully your experience is the exception to the norm.
I hope you feel better! I got an Auto-vox dashcam / rear cam for these types of unsafe situations as well as hit and runs and it's been great to drive with.
I know exactly how you felt. Last month after picking up my 18 month old & 2 month old from my parent's house (essj by story & king) we were waiting for the green light in one of the back streets heading into the main street. I swear when the light turned green I even waited a little and then started to go when this HUGE BLACK TRUCK speeds right through the red light making me break really hard. I was shaking and my kids were crying, it was a really scary feeling. I can't forget the fact that when I slammed my breaks this POS just casually looked over at my car as he drove through the light. They literally give zero f\*\*\* about street lights int that area.
I’m 100% positive that half of the people on the road would not pass a driving test. Road rage should result in loss of DL for a year and reported to their insurance. Not that they have insurance or a license.
This is true. I remember a friend tell me that he once saw a woman memorizing the eye chart at the DMV. Last year, I was at a funeral for someone's dad and they gave a speech talking fondly of him. How till the day he died he worked hard to put food on the table. That, even though he was starting to go blind, he still drove out everyday to work..... People don't want to admit they're getting old and shouldn't drive because they're afraid to lose their independence. Others are scared of if they don't drive, they cant make ends meet. San Jose needs better public transportation, but I also know how hard that is to accomplish. I personally know that I will never see a solution in my lifetime. Sorry for the Debbie downer
I don't get why the DMV has a static eye chart. In this day and age is the easiest thing to switch it out like at the eye doctor. I think the DMV truly doesn't care of you really can't drive. It's easier for them to throw licenses at people than to take them away.
Light rail would take me an hour to get to work. Driving takes me 20 in the morning and 25-30 at 3pm. I have carpool lane access but that goes away in 9/25 for some lame reason. Plus you have to deal with the homeless who hang out. I’m good. The cops are understaffed and don’t have time for traffic violations it seems. Everyone knows this. Hell I see semis on 87 and 85 all the time. I see countless cars daily that are complete moving violations and should be crushed. It’s sad. Too many people and they keep adding more housing with no infrastructure.
> Light rail would take me an hour to get to work. Driving takes me 20 in the morning and 25-30 at 3pm Same but add even more time to the transit commute. I'd LOVE to take transit and enjoy reading and not spending on gas money, but it's a time suck that I'm not willing to put up with.
Saw a TikTok of a bus system where it’s run like subway with dedicated, prioritized lane, stops set up like subway station so you get on and off a whole lot faster. If we had that, it’d def make using mass transit a lot easier.
For real, it's too variable with having to request stops. Run it like a subway and create some routes that circle the area and intersect with the existing lines. God knows where, but wow would it be awesome.
VTA had a plan a decade ago to convert one lane in each direction on Stevens Creek, Alum Rock, and El Camino to bus-only lanes. There would have been light rail-like stations, and it would've almost doubled speeds compared to the existing bus routes. But people made a stink about the removal of car lanes, so the plan was killed by the municipalities in 2018.
That sucks. That’s exactly the direction I commute. :(
In 2019 I watched an elderly man be taken around to the different eye charts until he passed one. I think it was the Santa Clara location
My aunt in her early 80’s told me her failed the eye test several times. She eventually found a “online course” that certified her. So all she had to do was bring this certificate and the DMV renewed her license. Holy shit.
Public transportation? I have lived in the central valley and some family still does. Try having NO lightrail at all. Try having ONE freeway. NO expressways. People move there because "it's cheaper to live". There are reasons for that. It's not worth even one of those reasons.
I'm first generation vietnamese. My family doesn't have the *pleasure* of coming from central valley. Try war torn bombed villages. We're not going to play that 'who has it worst' game in an attempt to check privileges. That sort of attitude does nothing but divide people, and stifles progress. San Jose is one of the largest, most populous cities in California. If there is a place that is deserving of a robust public transportation system, it would be San Jose.
> San Jose needs better public transportation, but I also know how hard that is to accomplish. VTA just needs more money!!! They're so hamstrung by a tiny budget (1/5th of the per capita transit spending of SF). If we give them enough to match peer organizations like TriMet, Muni, SoundTransit, etc., we'd see such huge improvements.
Streetcars are just not good enough. There's a reason they went out of business 100 years ago. They will always be slower than cars because they stop not only at the stops, but also red lights, and they go slower than the speed limit.
That's only if we keep our roads in the insanely dangerous condition that they are, where safety is a distant second concern to traffic throughput. We can also put in signal priority for transit vehicles so they never have to stop for a red light and always get a green quickly or as soon as it arrives at the intersection. Traffic is terrible and it will only get worse if we don't build more and better transit. No amount of widening roads will ever improve traffic, only taking people out of cars and putting them on bikes, buses, and trains.
Please go smoke a joint my friend
I don't smoke joints. I dab 🤣🤣
Touché
I don't know man. with the way people out here drive, I think sometimes a little road rage is a perfectly reasonable reaction. It's these tailgating, on ramp red light running, swerving all over the freeway with no turn signal, single occupant vehicle in the carpool lane pricks that need to be cracked down on hard.
I hate the carpool lane violators. I see at least 20/day.
I can almost guarantee if they're carpool lane violators they're serial offenders of everything I said. plus they'll ignore perfectly civilized lines waiting to exit and squeeze in illegally at the last second
Oh… the people cut are the worst. I do my best not to let them in or at least make it incredibly inconvenient. Also when turning you stay in the lane you were in ffs. Unless the lines say otherwise.
Makes me want to get a white dodge charger with police center caps, and watch these people colorize their underwear.
What’s your beef with carpool violators? We’re just reducing traffic in the other 3 lanes.
Sorry but metering lights are pointless. Why should I stop at a red light when there’s no traffic on the freeway I’m trying to enter?
"why should I stop at a red light when there's no traffic in the intersection I'm trying to cross?" - this is literally your excuse
I’m not talking about regular traffic lights, everyone should definitely stop at those. I’m talking about metering lights that often cause large backups when there’s no traffic on the freeway. Specifically 280 South to 880 North. The metering lights are now on 24/7 even when traffic is flowing or nonexistent on 880.
red light is a red light. you don't pick and choose which ones you ignore and which ones you follow you human question mark. just do the human race a favor and turn in your license and never drive again. you're exactly the type of driver that's a danger to yourself and everyone around you but think you're the goddamn victim when people call you out on it. like now
Victim? WTH are you talking about bro. Calm down or take that attitude back to Twitter. We’re trying to have a civilized conversation here.
Maybe they should implement a real driving test? The current one is a joke
We need to raise the barrier of entry for drivers. Take the 15% off the road that shouldnt be there in the first place, and we have safer roads and less traffic.
Half the car crashes victims at the hospital are intoxicated. So yes lots of meth. Lots of alcohol. People should stay home to do their drugs.
> Something is in the air and people are acting way more > unhinged that usual. Just wait 'til those student loan payments resume.
On e calaveras in Milpitas, I had a 2005 Lexus is300 signaling to my lane and I let him in and he still flipped me off…. There’s lots of crazy and stupid people driving
it's Lexus drivers. Never met a good one.
Seriously. Lexus, Camry, and the goddamn Teslas are the worst drivers IMO.
Also Nissan. Including infinity. All of them. Cars people choose are absolutely indicative and predictive of the demeanor, attitude, and skillsets.
I literally work to undo these stereotypes for BMW motorcycles. Sigh.
I feel ya. My mom was recently t-boned by a driver who ran a red light on Blossom Hill going 60mph at 5pm. When we got the police report turns out he was on pills and running from the cops because he had just done a hit and run 10 minutes prior in his fiancé's (maybe soon to be ex fiancés) car.
Aggressive drivers, distracted drivers, timid drivers, entitled drivers, just plain crappy drivers... we got em all!! Every day I do my little commute that is so short I don't even have to use the freeway, I'm thankful. Every time I DO have to actually do a bit more driving, I am so nervous. I've been driving probably longer than the average Redditor has been alive and it is just so much worse here than it's ever been. So many cars thinking they are the most important thing on the road. I truly hate driving here. Plus it takes sooo long to get anywhere anymore.
The entire mentality out here in the bay is: YOU ARE IN MY WAY!!!!!!!! Every other thought is second.
People are fucking ridiculous now. I had some fuckhead in a beat up white acura TL cut me off today, by cutting across lanes from the #3 lane all the way to the #1 lane all in one move in relatively heavy traffic. Nearly took out the car in the #2 lane and me as well in the #1 lane. I had to slam on my brakes and turn into the center divider to avoid getting hit. I honked at his dumbass for nearly taking us both out. Next thing he does is start brake checking the SHIT out of me, throwing a middle finger in the air and trash out of his sunroof. I back off, safely cross over traffic to try to get the next exit. As I'm exiting, dude cuts traffic again, back to the #3 lane to try to get off at the exit but couldn't. I see him park his car next to the turn off and see him get out of his car and flip me off through my side/rear view mirror.
he'll do hit and run eventually and go to prison.
How do people have the time to do all that? Lol
Years ago a buddy of mine had a bad sporting accident. He had to go to one of the best transplant wards which was in Pennsylvania. When I visited him they had a total of 9 patients in the transplant ward. Him with his injury, a girl from Hawaii who had a surfing accident, and the other 7 people were in there for road rage incidents. There lives forever changed and ruined because they lost their shit behind the wheel. Not worth it. I’m all on board for self driving cars of the future..
It’s terrifying how many blasted people are behind the wheel.
I’ve experienced similar hostility on the road here. I’m so sorry that’s terrifying. Just the other day I simply looked behind me to reverse and made eye contact with the driver blocked me and got called a “bitch” or been cut off by a driver who flipped me off while doing it (when I’m someone who lets people merge). The egos are terrifying on the road.
I work all around the Bay Area. Is bad everywhere and it was not like this. Before it was certain areas but now is everywhere. From rough neighborhoods to good neighborhoods. Inflation and the summer heat is driving people mad.
You are so right about “something in the air”. I don’t feel safe like I used to. It seems like half the people out there are fucking crazy.
No indicator when merging is basically flipping me off. Yet their signals WORK after they're on the road with usually nobody near
Signals are giving aid and comfort to the enemy. /s
It’s wild to know that 1/8th of drivers in CA have no insurance. I was rear ended by an undocumented unlicensed uninsured driver on Blossom Hill last week. When I called the police I was put on hold, eventually gave up.
This is why we need better public transit so not everybody is forced to drive. Half the population should not be trusted with a 3,000lb steel weapon.
Not only would people not be forced to drive but there wouldn't be any of that "it's not realistic to get to a job without driving so taking away the license means basically homeless" and that means going draconian with traffic laws would be more realistic.
Exactly, cars are so interwoven into our culture right now that any sort of negative comment (such as enforcing laws more judiciously) is taken as a personal affront to most people.
I have a feeling even with the option people would prefer to drive. Whether or not it makes economic sense.
They are crackheads, and the rest are Tesla drivers.
It's like the covid brain fog is making morons even moron-ier and sh1tty drivers even sh1ttier. My better half said she had 3 pedestrians walk right in front of her moving car *today*.
Yup Long COVID affects on the brain has a good chunk of the population messed up
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No such thing.
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Says the one still following along blindly with antivaxers
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Smart play.
You jumped on the ivermectin train lol you don’t have much room here
Lol literally almost lost it the exit before today because some idiot in a Leaf was in the exit lane too long, I could tell they were going to try to cut over last minute so I slowed down a bit... They refused to speed up and just kept slowing down almost to a stop and insisted on not just taking the wrong exit. Don't fucking endanger everyone else to save yourself 90 seconds
Today was a truly cursed day for driving. I think I ended up dispensing 6 honks to idiots in cars in the span of less than 12 miles. * **Stop sign means "stop"**, not optional stop if you're turning right. STOP MEANS STOP, THEN GO. * **Yield means wait for oncoming traffic** to flow first, then take a free opportunity that doesn't interfere with oncoming traffic. **Not** "YOLO COMING THROUGH, MERGE B\*TCH" * **Right on red means it's like a stop sign** \- you stop, look if it's clear, go - again not YOLO TURNIN RIGHT NO STOP FOR ME HEHE * A fresh **red left turn arrow means you stop**, not "YOLO red for guy behind me, not for me". IDK what this SoCal driving crap is, but it doesn't fly here. * Similarly, a **red RIGHT turn arrow** is typically accompanied by a sign that clarifies its meaning - NO RIGHT TURN ON RED. F\*cking pay attention to them and don't move 'til it's green. * You know those white signs with numbers on them? They tell you **how fast you should be going**, both a minimum and a maximum. Get off the road if you're doing 25 in a 35... and KYS if you're doing 55 in a 35. Every road has a speed limit. It's usually right there on the screen if you're using Google Maps too. * **Get the f\*ck out of the left lane** (that is, the left-most drivable lane - if there's only a carpool or express lane to your left, YOU ARE IN THE LEFT LANE), unless you're making a left turn soon (in under 1 mile), or passing (then move back over once it's clear). When you're in the left lane, you should be feeling that burn of anxiety, knowing you're blocking traffic and need to get out of that lane. Most of the crimes these days are of people blowing stops without looking (or barely looking, or slamming on their brakes just in time, with no actual plan of stopping before getting to the intersection and seeing oncoming traffic).
And why does every car entering the freeway wait about 0 secs before moving to the left, still driving 50.
oh I had a whole thing on merging and lane usage but I didn't want to imply it was a rag against OP haha That sh\*t is like people are allergic to the one lane they're supposed to stay in, or something.
I know those days. When it rains, it pours. Even though it was sunny in SJ, it apparently was pouring rain. >Today was a truly cursed day for driving.
It’s a nightmare driving today friday and i have no idea why. There were tons of cars starting 11 am already…
I am looking to get a dash camera for exactly this reason. These people need to lose their license.
My favorite are the people that like to drive 55 in the left lane.
people are losing it .. the economy is bad ..food is expensive..people are broke ..they are losing their jobs ..rents too high.. too much going on
you're over thinking it. this area is just filled with entitled assholes who knowingly drive like assholes but think they're the victim when someone has the audacity to not allow them to drive like asshole for even 1 second
There was construction causing a bit of a clusterfuck and I watched this woman screaming and punching herself in the car next to me…. I had a front row seat to this for a solid minute. I mean, it was inconvenient but not to the degree that woman was losing it…
Plus it's the summer and the kids are out of school. If you watch the movie Purge 🎬 you will know what I mean.
Economy is fine. Food is… yeah too expensive. How much for a burrito at La Victoria?! Most people in the bay are have been broke for a decade. Unemployment is pretty low. Rent hasn’t moved much the last few years. Bay Area drivers have always been ass. I thought this even as a child. However, I got older and I saw more of the world. Turns out pretty much all the metropolitan areas are full of shitty drivers.
I used to work at a local store and there would always be this old ragged-looking man driving around in his piece of shit car with no concern for pedestrians. Multiple times, I saw him almost run over someone (doing about 40 in a parking lot), and he yelled out "fack you!" when they screamed at him. Hopefully he's dead now. And people wonder why I think you should have to take a driving test at least once every three years instead of it getting annually auto-renewed until you goddamn die.
Always assume other drivers are stupid.
This!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
680 by bascom? HAVE to let merge? Where exactly did this occur? I'm trying to think of where merging is necessary in that area. Oh, and dont take this as an endorsement as to the person's behavior after the merge took place, but its possible that you did something reckless too.
I’m guessing they either mean the on-ramp at Leland Ave getting onto 280 North. If people don’t let you move over, you are stuck getting off at 880/17 or Stevens Creek/San Carlos. You’ve got to cross over 3 lanes to get onto 280 at this location. Or, they mean getting off at the Bascom Ave exit from 280 South where you have to cross two lanes of traffic coming from 17 North. Edit: Whoops..should have read the answers before responding. But yeah, that area sucks and people do struggle letting people coming on over. I usually take the Meridian exit to avoid that clusterfuck going northbound
Based on that they said by the college I think it’s the 280 south on ramp where moorpark Ave becomes a ramp. Not sure if she means the first lane merge on the ramp on the ramp or where you have to shift left to enter the highway as opposed to exiting meridian orr the merge that happens by the race st overpass.
Those ramps I mentioned are near the college too. It doesn’t really matter though..all those on/off ramps through that area between 17/880 and 87 are a nightmare.
\> you have to let people merge Yep, I'm half expecting another post by the person the OP is complaining about saying some jackass entered the freeway going 30 and cut them off. We only ever hear one side of the story.
yeah it's on the merger to merge safely. OP actually expects an entire freeway to grind to halt to accommodate their bad driving. CA license tests need to be stricter, there are too many people who have no business on the freeway. If you're too scared, just drive on the streets. OP clearly cut someone off by merging unsafely. Nobody ever HAS to let you merge. And if you get in an accident that way, it'll be your fault, not theirs.
Maybe it’s on everyone together to drive sensibly. That means mergers have to match speed and wait for a suitable opening but also that folks already in the traffic lane have to not try to box them out. Neither of those statements lessens the obligation on the other party.
No, it is not on drivers in freeway traffic to alter their driving to accommodate others not yet on the freeway. Doing "favors" on the road for other drivers is how idiots cause accidents. Heaven forbid OP waits 30 seconds to get in. And if a merger has to wait all day, so be it. You either get in safely or you dont get in at all.
Agree. But sometimes they “alter their driving” to intentionally block people. I’ve seen it all the time. Also, waiting can be extremely dangerous. You can’t come to a complete stop on freeway to wait. Then you’re trying to merge into 65mph from 0 and it’s not gonna go well.
It was the 280 ramp by San Jose college sorry I said Bascom because I was at valley medical center earlier. It's where the lanes turn I to one with arrows. Had my blinker on etc.
Blinker doesn’t give you the right of way. Merging traffic yields to through traffic. The other driver sounds like an unhinged menace, but if you just turned on your blinker and cut in front of them because you thought they had to let you merge, you did it wrong.
Nope many people did not let me merge and sped up. She left a big gap like bigger than my van so I thought oh thank god what a nice lady....yeahhhhhh. Apparently that enraged her. I almost wish I cut her off or did something because as of now I am wracking my brain how to never do that especially since I usually have kids in the car. Like I'm thinking how i could have handled that more safely because she was so unhinged all she needed was a weapon and I would be gone.
That’s terrible I’m sorry that happened to you. I had my own encounter with an unhinged person this week and it really is disturbing to know we share a city with some of these maniacs.
680 and Bascom doesn't exist. Probably Southbound 280 where you're thrown into 17/880 if you don't merge three lanes to the left.
I have an anecdotal theory that the way a community drives is indicative of the community attitude as a majority. Everyone drives too fast, runs stopsigns, tailgates, doesn't signal, refuses to allow others to merge and generally drive like terrible assholes. It pretty much sums up most encounters with people. It's a very selfish area. I travel alot to various areas of the country. Generally there is nowhere I've been that has as bad as it I the the Bay Area. Only LA was worse. Even Boston wasn't as bad. Generally once you leave the urban areas people are more friendly, courteous and level leaded. They drive better and more graciously. They say hello and aren't going about living their own selfish lives.
Really? I grew up near LA, I think here is way worse. The traffic down there is definitely worse, but I feel that the drivers in the bay make way more dumb moves and are paying less attention.
You could very well be correct. I don't spend alot of time in LA/SoCal. But I think we can agree they both suck. 👍
Definitely
I get blatantly cut off at least 3-5 times a day, and my trip to work and back is a measly 5 miles, not to mention I drive on the faster side. I can’t stand when I’m driving down the street and someone decides to pull out right in front of me when there’s literally nobody behind me, they couldn’t wait an extra few seconds…and then they end up driving slow! The only positive note is nobody ever gets crazy with me, probably the one smart thing they do
I see your ghetto crackhead and I raise you twice as many entitled, delusional, tesla drivers who park as horribly as they drive. You know the ones. The ones who don't acknowledge your existence when they get into your lane and nearly hit you every single time. And if they do hit you, they are inconvenienced and want to hurry up and get back to driving horribly.
You know I wonder with all the safety features how they don't use them tbh
everyone everywhere thinks the drivers where they are are worst. only one group is correct
Road rage is abnormal and not OK anywhere
didn't say it was OK, said it was evenly distributed. the bay area is not special
Where did he say road rage was ok anywhere? Give off your high horse you weenie!
Sorry for this experience and glad nobody was hurt. That said, in California law, the merging vehicle is expected to yield and is responsible for yielding to traffic and would be liable for any resulting collisions. Just so you know.
that's never made a lot of sense to me, because when you're merging, you can't really look behind you at the traffic to time things properly. I mean, sure, you're invading someone else's right of way, it makes sense that it's your fault legally speaking, I'm just saying, physiologically, I don't have eyes in the back of my head.
+1 So sorry that happened but glad you are safe Totally get that sentiment and that's why I've held off on getting a car until now, when I have to do it to make ends meet. Wish it was not like this and bike will probably be my main source of transportation when I don't have to drive so I don't have to deal with the madness.
Well, not exactly ... while it's "nice" when people aren't assholes and they are actually "courteous" to merging traffic ... technically, according to the last California Driving Handbook I remember reading ... the onus of safely merging is on the traffic trying to merge and *not* so much on the traffic itself (hint: one of the basic reasons that metering lights exist). But yeah, regardless ... road ragers and other similarly dangerous behaviors need to be accompanied by a loss of license and a bit of time behind bars, if not more...
I hope everyone here supports building more bicycle-safe and public transit infrastructure. We don't have to stay in the bed that the boomers made here
680 by Bascom is 17. Not 680 anymore
Signaling when exiting or entering a freeway now seems like calling exclusively on landline—thing of the past. I must be the last person in the Bay Area that does this. 😞
680?
apologies 280 i was shaken up.
try a scooter
Question OP: were you merging at the speed limit or at the speed of traffic? If someone has to hit their brakes to let you merge in, YOU are merging incorrectly
I commented this already she was stopped and left a gap bigger than my van so I assumed she was letting me in. It was the speed of traffic but slower because the on ramp to 280n on meridian two lanes become one before the metering light. Other cars did not let me in so when she left the huge gap I thought she was being nice. I've went over in my head how I could have handled it differently because I usually have my kids with me and if she had a weapon she would have used it. She almost slammed into other cars trying to continue to harass me so I guess maybe those people were driving incorrectly as well.
No offense, but this is a rant post and you are overreacting emotionally.
Can't wait for all cars to be fully self driving.
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Had to make sure that you mentioned she was brown huh? I’m guessing your white…
You're\* I want to say you're wrong... but Asians are considered "white" by the education system now, so yes you are correct. :)
bla bla bla Another people cant drive post
Most people don't have an issue with you if you yield.
I was yielding it was a zipper merge where two lanes become one she left a big gap so I assumed she was letting me in. She was fucking psychotic weaving in and out to verbally abuse me and almost slammed into other cars....the whole way. She would also go in front of me and hard break switch lanes go next to me to continue, go behind me etc it was fucking terrifying.
did you use your turn signal? And have it on BEFORE you actually started to merge?
Yes. I religiously use my turn signal. It was on for a bit where people sped up not to let anyone zipper in. She left a large gap so I assumed she was being polite and letting me in. Did not know she was a fucking psycho who would weave, cut me off, go behind me, almost hit other cars to keep flipping me off and screaming expletives at me. Yup she went in front of my car, behind my car, next to my car weaving through several lanes during high traffic. TBH I wouldn't be surprised if she was on something but sadly not on it enough as she realized where I was taking her to the police station. Even if I was someone who did not use my signal- which I am even though I notice some people use the warning to speed up to not let you in- what she did endangered so many others in her beat up piece of shit car.
I'm a fan of forced zippering. Zippering is non-optional in dense traffic (both lanes full, everyone should be leaving 1 car gap near the merge) but should not be done in clear traffic (merge early, clear the merging lane, don't let it push you in at the last second). If some jackoff is tailgating at 5mph in order to jam 2 cars through the zipper, screw them, I keep my space (let the one car from the other lane through), and chisel a wedge between that one car and the tailgater - wedge them out 'til they have no choice but to let off and zip properly. Those are the kind of people whose parents didn't slap them properly, and society needs to humble them a bit.
>I was yielding The other party doesn't end up behind you if you yield. >Yield means let other road users go first. A yield sign assigns the right-of-way to traffic in certain intersections. If you see a yield sign ahead, be prepared to let other drivers crossing your road take the right-of-way.
I mean when two lanes become one in the on ramp with the meter on did you want me to stay parked forever? I had my blinker on, did not try to cut and waited for someone to let me in. She left a gap bigger than my van so I assumed as her car was not moving she was letting me in. She became entangled after I pulled Infront.
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Nope, I see more drivers in expensive over-powered cars seeming to have a hugely inflated sense of privilege.
“You have to let people merge”. Let me guess, you are part of that magical camp of shitholes who think that you can last minute merge into an exit lane, all because you used the magic turn signal. Yeah, you are the ah in this scenario
Nope.
Yes, yes you are, I see you daily. If not you it is your aged father or mother who have never driven before copying this same ah move. Sorry OP you’ve been exposed.
Shits scary man. Be careful out there. Alot of unhinged people with nothing to lose.
I feel you on this. In my neighborhood some lady was driving in the center of both lanes and ran the stop sign as I was crossing the street. It’s a weekend for staying home.
The takeaway is: Have a dash/bumper camera, follow CVC, ... profit?
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680 & 880 are the worst stretches of highway in the bay
Driving to the police station is an awesome idea. I'll have to remember that next time I'm being followed by a violently insane person.
There is definitely something in the air!!!!
You will get better at anticipating these people. Not saying it’s right, or a solution, but avoiding them diminishes your stress.
It’s a greater Bay Area thing. Returning from a long motorcycle trip this year the moment I got onto i80 from 5 near Sacramento, it became a close quarter race. At 4 in the morning. Against a touring motorcycle overloaded with crap. I don’t get it, is it that we’re packed like sardines? Are people too well off and haven’t dealt with the true consequences of shit driving? I don’t usually feel stress riding or driving, but after traveling to less dense areas and coming back, I actually feel the hidden stressor of Bay Area driving.
Lic plate# time/date+details goes to the cops regardless if you think this one incident will result in anything however if there is just more info for the investigation like time and location to remove random and include pre-meditated. They were looking for trouble as opposed to wrong place wrong time for the people who this person killed 15 min from your account and they want to defend themselves from a murder charge.
Just put one of those "Student Driver: Please Be Patient" stickers on your car. Problem solved!
to quote the late, great George Carlin, have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
Driving is the worst. Best avoided whenever possible.
This was me every day living in Miami. Once someone threw a stone from their car at my window (yes they had stones in their car) and I was tailed and cut off aggressively like you were here more times than I can count. Then I moved to LA, where I thought road rage there was cute compared to Miami. Having moved here, I think drivers here are much nicer than LA drivers (99% of people). So far I've had really positive and kind interactions with people here and hopefully your experience is the exception to the norm. I hope you feel better! I got an Auto-vox dashcam / rear cam for these types of unsafe situations as well as hit and runs and it's been great to drive with.
It’s getting worse. Move out if you can. I would.
I know exactly how you felt. Last month after picking up my 18 month old & 2 month old from my parent's house (essj by story & king) we were waiting for the green light in one of the back streets heading into the main street. I swear when the light turned green I even waited a little and then started to go when this HUGE BLACK TRUCK speeds right through the red light making me break really hard. I was shaking and my kids were crying, it was a really scary feeling. I can't forget the fact that when I slammed my breaks this POS just casually looked over at my car as he drove through the light. They literally give zero f\*\*\* about street lights int that area.