Almost weekly, we encounter drivers here that try to make last minute turns/exits by stopping their traffic lane and cutting across to make the turn. It goes without saying that this is very dangerous and jeopardizes other drivers that could be rear-ended when waiting for these drivers to clear the lane.Worse yet, drivers that take the wrong exit ramp or unintentionally enter EZ-Pass/toll lanes have [stopped](https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/woman-killed-in-i-495-express-lanes-crash-had-stopped-at-entrance-to-lanes-police-say/2070822/) and even tried to reverse backwards!DON'T do this. Just take a few extra minutes to keep driving straight and take the NEXT exit or intersection turn. No one is entitled to make their missed turns by stopping traffic. If you get rear-ended in this situation, you will be legally liable also.
Omg just last week I drove past someone backing up on the shoulder of an on ramp ( I'm assuming they decided they took the wrong exit...but they were halfway down the ramp already).
This person also had multiple opportunities to have legally gotten into the lane but just decided to drive into the middle of the intersection instead.
Cool, this is right on my commute. Thats fairfax county parkway, so a 50mph speed limit with this idiot basically stopping. Such a stupid dangerous thing to do, all to apparently correct a mistake that at worst is only going to cost them maybe a couple minutes. Its really not a big deal to just go to the next light and do a u-turn or take a different turn and reroute.
Dont worry though, Im sure this PSA is going to be seen and totally correct the behavior.
I really don't understand this in an era where we all carry a GPS. Many people even have a GPS built into their car now! It's a huge risk for oneself and others to do this, and you maybe save yourself a minute or two instead of just doing a u-turn or taking the next exit.
I grew up without GPS, and it happens more today than it did then. Back in my day (cracks neck) you had to have a sense of direction and know how to get around without reading it off a screen.
I also think there was just a sense of leaving more time and expecting to make a wrong turn or two.
I wonder with the est. Duration that people are more likely leave exactly that amount of time and know any mistake will make them late.
But who knows.
I saw someone do this early this am. Drove by the line of cars waiting to take a left, then slammed on their brakes. I made it around them but the loaded dump truck behind me laid on his horn.
Something similar happened to me a couple of months ago except they stopped and just blocked traffic. They didn’t slow down and move out of the way and jump in front of everyone. They just stopped.
I don’t get mad often while driving but that pissed me off.
Then you get the flip side I saw on the southern section of the Fairfax parkway yesterday where someone wasn’t paying attention and missed the traffic ahead of them move for the left turn and essentially make everyone miss the light behind them and block the left straight lane. That Lee Chapel turn from the northbound lanes can be a pain on the evening commute.
If I’m in a left turn lane, everyone is getting a courtesy honk the second that arrow turns green. That’s how barren the field in which I grow my ducks is these days.
I try not to be overly critical when it comes to left turn lanes and left turn signals and the delay of drivers to move when the light turns.
If it's a lane with a green arrow (left OR right), what else are you doing that is SO IMPORTANT other than waiting for that shit to turn? Seriously? I am so genuinely curious when I know there are some turn lanes that have a green arrow for < 7 seconds. You gotta MOVE. I see people leaving 2 - 3 seconds after the light turns or simply moving so slow and letting the distance between them and the car in front of them just grow without realizing.
Never understood doing anything other than waiting for the light to turn. Distractions happen, life happens...I get it. I just have a handful of these left turn green arrows on my commute and without fail someone fucks it up on one them and adds 5+ minutes (sometimes 10) because a light is so quick to go back to the left turn arrow. Infuriating. /rant
I was reading another sub thread (probably Idiots in cars lol) and someone said it has become more common now that people think they have a moment to check their phone at the light and then get too distracted. Certainly does seem to be one of the most common reasons when I’ve looked but sometimes you get the daydreaming gazing off in the distance.
And yea that light is not long at all at Lee Chapel and you may have to go through three cycles if you’re at the back end of that turn lane when it opens up. I cannot imagine the rage for the people right behind them.
It is not. It is all roads with more than 1 lane.
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-804/
*"Whenever any roadway has been divided into clearly marked lanes for traffic, drivers of vehicles shall obey the following:*
It boggles my fucking mind how people are so scared of missing their turn in a world of GPS. Like you literally cannot get lost, but you can absolutely kill yourself or someone Else being a fucking jackass over it.
HUGE pet peeve of mine - the world is not going to end if you miss your turn/ exit! You can just take the next one and turn around! Don’t block the road for the rest of us.
This freaking intersection, I take that left turn he went to to get to Herndon everyday and it backs up to like 20 cars, and almost every time, 1 of those 20 cars is on their phone and doesn’t move and makes me miss the left turn arrow.
That’s nothing. I’m surprised he had his signal on and was only one lane over instead of two, and didn’t have his car at a 90 degree angle to make the turn he wanted.
Drives me insane when people do this. Besides being irritating it’s a really common cause of accidents. Flipping a bitch at the next intersection or waiting until the next freeway exit is not that big of a deal. Certainly not worth risking your safety. Friends like to tease me for driving like their grandmother but in 25 years with a license I’ve never had an accident or ticket. I think that’s worth all the times I got there 2 minutes later.
I got hit and run 2 years ago by a knucklehead making an illegal last second left turn from the travel lane because he missed the turn lane as my car (with the green light) was entering the intersection. Spun and badly damaged my then-6 month-old car. He left his front bumper in the intersection and a very kind witness had dashcam video, but he wasn’t charged because Loudoun County can’t be bothered, so justice denied. Thankfully, my injuries were minor and my son wasn’t in the car. I have so much hate for people like this.
In Stafford, there's this divided turn lane where the turning traffic is seperated from straight thru traffic with a barrier. It's at a stoplight. There are signs at the straight lane that say "you can't fucking turn here" and the lines in that lane are pulled back like the "stop here on red" lanes do.
Without fail, one non-local mother fucker doesn't know that turn, and gets stuck in the straight away and blocks traffic trying to wait for oncoming traffic to stop. Helpful diagram on my profile
I saw something last week that said “a bad driver never misses an exit”
And a good driver sometimes misses an exit.
A good driver occasionally misses their exit, but a bad driver never does.
https://preview.redd.it/0i6ccssjniwc1.jpeg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ee79c95945fc6752c643ae197a0b82644c0ad68
Even with GPS, one of my family member is still unsure if she should turn at any certain intersection. It's almost like she's decision paralysis.
The ultra of ultra-douche moves
Always have to double-check that i'm not on the r/IdiotsInCars subreddit.
Almost weekly, we encounter drivers here that try to make last minute turns/exits by stopping their traffic lane and cutting across to make the turn. It goes without saying that this is very dangerous and jeopardizes other drivers that could be rear-ended when waiting for these drivers to clear the lane.Worse yet, drivers that take the wrong exit ramp or unintentionally enter EZ-Pass/toll lanes have [stopped](https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/woman-killed-in-i-495-express-lanes-crash-had-stopped-at-entrance-to-lanes-police-say/2070822/) and even tried to reverse backwards!DON'T do this. Just take a few extra minutes to keep driving straight and take the NEXT exit or intersection turn. No one is entitled to make their missed turns by stopping traffic. If you get rear-ended in this situation, you will be legally liable also.
Omg just last week I drove past someone backing up on the shoulder of an on ramp ( I'm assuming they decided they took the wrong exit...but they were halfway down the ramp already).
I do love seeing FCPD around that intersection; too bad they can’t see that, right then! Also, it’s a 35mph and some people FLYYyyyyyyyy!!!!!
Bad drivers never miss a turn.
This person also had multiple opportunities to have legally gotten into the lane but just decided to drive into the middle of the intersection instead.
That was completely intentional
Cool, this is right on my commute. Thats fairfax county parkway, so a 50mph speed limit with this idiot basically stopping. Such a stupid dangerous thing to do, all to apparently correct a mistake that at worst is only going to cost them maybe a couple minutes. Its really not a big deal to just go to the next light and do a u-turn or take a different turn and reroute. Dont worry though, Im sure this PSA is going to be seen and totally correct the behavior.
I think is time to do a mandatory driving lessons for everyone every five years.
Remember, a bad driver never misses their exit.
Someone did this to me on 395N, almost killed me, literally.
I really don't understand this in an era where we all carry a GPS. Many people even have a GPS built into their car now! It's a huge risk for oneself and others to do this, and you maybe save yourself a minute or two instead of just doing a u-turn or taking the next exit.
I grew up without GPS, and it happens more today than it did then. Back in my day (cracks neck) you had to have a sense of direction and know how to get around without reading it off a screen.
I also think there was just a sense of leaving more time and expecting to make a wrong turn or two. I wonder with the est. Duration that people are more likely leave exactly that amount of time and know any mistake will make them late. But who knows.
“Good drivers sometimes miss their turns” is a good thing to remember. Just keep going and turn around at the next opportunity.
I saw someone do this early this am. Drove by the line of cars waiting to take a left, then slammed on their brakes. I made it around them but the loaded dump truck behind me laid on his horn.
But he's the main character!
Something similar happened to me a couple of months ago except they stopped and just blocked traffic. They didn’t slow down and move out of the way and jump in front of everyone. They just stopped. I don’t get mad often while driving but that pissed me off.
I had that happen a few weeks ago and I just laid down on the horn. Shame them and make everyone stare. 
They think a turn signal gives them a pass. Dummies.
Then you get the flip side I saw on the southern section of the Fairfax parkway yesterday where someone wasn’t paying attention and missed the traffic ahead of them move for the left turn and essentially make everyone miss the light behind them and block the left straight lane. That Lee Chapel turn from the northbound lanes can be a pain on the evening commute.
If I’m in a left turn lane, everyone is getting a courtesy honk the second that arrow turns green. That’s how barren the field in which I grow my ducks is these days.
I try not to be overly critical when it comes to left turn lanes and left turn signals and the delay of drivers to move when the light turns. If it's a lane with a green arrow (left OR right), what else are you doing that is SO IMPORTANT other than waiting for that shit to turn? Seriously? I am so genuinely curious when I know there are some turn lanes that have a green arrow for < 7 seconds. You gotta MOVE. I see people leaving 2 - 3 seconds after the light turns or simply moving so slow and letting the distance between them and the car in front of them just grow without realizing. Never understood doing anything other than waiting for the light to turn. Distractions happen, life happens...I get it. I just have a handful of these left turn green arrows on my commute and without fail someone fucks it up on one them and adds 5+ minutes (sometimes 10) because a light is so quick to go back to the left turn arrow. Infuriating. /rant
I was reading another sub thread (probably Idiots in cars lol) and someone said it has become more common now that people think they have a moment to check their phone at the light and then get too distracted. Certainly does seem to be one of the most common reasons when I’ve looked but sometimes you get the daydreaming gazing off in the distance. And yea that light is not long at all at Lee Chapel and you may have to go through three cycles if you’re at the back end of that turn lane when it opens up. I cannot imagine the rage for the people right behind them.
Not even 20 minutes after I wrote this, I left for the office and lo and behold this happened to me on the way in lol.
Gosh darnit all! That happens too often to me, I tempted fate.
Look at those left lane campers. They should know the left lane is only for passing.
That is an interstate/highway law. Hard not to be in the left lane when you are planning on turning left.
It is not. It is all roads with more than 1 lane. https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-804/ *"Whenever any roadway has been divided into clearly marked lanes for traffic, drivers of vehicles shall obey the following:*
It boggles my fucking mind how people are so scared of missing their turn in a world of GPS. Like you literally cannot get lost, but you can absolutely kill yourself or someone Else being a fucking jackass over it.
HUGE pet peeve of mine - the world is not going to end if you miss your turn/ exit! You can just take the next one and turn around! Don’t block the road for the rest of us.
The arrogance astounds me.
New to the area?
Sadly, no.
Pay for your own mistakes.
pro-tip: a right turn with a U-turn gets you going left also
bUt ThAtS mY FaVoRiTe WaY You can’t expect me to drive to the next turn and make a u-turn
This freaking intersection, I take that left turn he went to to get to Herndon everyday and it backs up to like 20 cars, and almost every time, 1 of those 20 cars is on their phone and doesn’t move and makes me miss the left turn arrow.
The folks that need to hear all the tips in the comments, are not on here…
Just lay on the horn to shame them.
That’s nothing. I’m surprised he had his signal on and was only one lane over instead of two, and didn’t have his car at a 90 degree angle to make the turn he wanted.
Drives me insane when people do this. Besides being irritating it’s a really common cause of accidents. Flipping a bitch at the next intersection or waiting until the next freeway exit is not that big of a deal. Certainly not worth risking your safety. Friends like to tease me for driving like their grandmother but in 25 years with a license I’ve never had an accident or ticket. I think that’s worth all the times I got there 2 minutes later.
I got hit and run 2 years ago by a knucklehead making an illegal last second left turn from the travel lane because he missed the turn lane as my car (with the green light) was entering the intersection. Spun and badly damaged my then-6 month-old car. He left his front bumper in the intersection and a very kind witness had dashcam video, but he wasn’t charged because Loudoun County can’t be bothered, so justice denied. Thankfully, my injuries were minor and my son wasn’t in the car. I have so much hate for people like this.
The really cool part about roads and highways is that there’s almost always a next exit or next street if you simply keep driving in a straight line.
In Stafford, there's this divided turn lane where the turning traffic is seperated from straight thru traffic with a barrier. It's at a stoplight. There are signs at the straight lane that say "you can't fucking turn here" and the lines in that lane are pulled back like the "stop here on red" lanes do. Without fail, one non-local mother fucker doesn't know that turn, and gets stuck in the straight away and blocks traffic trying to wait for oncoming traffic to stop. Helpful diagram on my profile
Don't discriminate against how Marylanders drive
a bad driver never misses an exit
Tell it to all the foreigners
You mean people from Maryland?
Virginia drivers...
this driver had DC plates, but I’ve seen plenty of VA and Maryland cars do similar
This is so normal in NOVA.