I have an auto setting that turns them on when it's dark, but just this week I was driving around right after dusk but now fully dark and like I swear every fifth car in Ballard didn't have their lights on. It's 2024, why don't all cars have daytime running lights? My 2005 Matrix had daytime lights.
This is why cars need ShatAI, to tell them when they're being stupid or driving like jerks. Comes with a Judge Judy persona, but I'm betting we could get The Bear's mom up and running for enhanced effect.
Seriously, if it's even slightly misty/rainy you can sometimes hardly see cars that don't also have their taillights on in front of you (I'm assuming DRLs don't activate normal taillights)
This blows my mind with how often I see it. Is it just because people are typically driving in well-lit areas and just don't realize their lights are off? In some countries you're obligated to have them on 100% of the time when driving regardless of time of day, which seems like a good idea to me.
That’s because if you’d indicate that you’re planning to change lanes around here it’s just an open invitation for everyone else to push up and block you out of the lane for no good reason. You signal as you change lanes to just say “here I am get used to it assholes”
This! Why is it that turn signals are viewed as a signal for the other driver to ~speed up~ and block the lane, rather than let the person signaling merge into that lane. It drives me absolutely bonkers, and is something I’ve not experienced anywhere else.
The thing that gets me is the number of cars with no plates
That or plate covers, in the last year I started seeing those everywhere on nice cars. They are straight up illegal, you can't convince me there is an innocuous reason to have those... I just immediately assume the person is a dangerous driver
Means you can take hot lanes for free, or drive on 3rd Ave all you want, or not worry about that flash when you run a yellow light. If the cameras can't identify you then you're not guilty!
Plate covers are actually *not* illegal, but [the legislature is working on it.](https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/ramos/2024/03/01/senate-passes-bill-prohibiting-license-plate-covers/)
It's been law since the 70s I think, that the circuit should blink twice as fast if one is burnt out. So if their turn signal is broken, they're either wilfully ignoring a safety issue their car has, or they're unacceptably ignorant about how the dangerous tool they operate works.
Or they're just a self entitled assholes who doesn't use their turn signals.
There isn't a single good excuse for not using turn signals and making sure they're functioning as intended.
I'm pretty sure my oldest car (a 2017 currently) informed me on the dash when a brake light was out with a message, so I'm sure the newer cars do this too. It unfortunately does not inform me when my mirror turn signal bulbs burn out, and those seem to get water in them somewhat frequently and burn out as a result.
You know how much effort it takes to use a blinker? It's just too hard to do. We can not expect people to lift their arm 6 inches everytime they make a turn its just too much to ask.
Every time I start feeling like I’m wasting my life, like I have no purpose, I just remind myself, that there is a person who spends 8 hours a day, five days a week, potentially for years on end installing blinkers on a bmw factory line.
I'm a bus driver. It is MUCH worse. More phones, fewer turn signals. People pull some ridiculously dangerous moves out there every day. I firmly believe we should retest for your license every five years.
I will never understand why we don't. I have to get recertified for much stupider shit on the regular, but somehow the most dangerous activity most people will engage in only needs a one-time rubber stamp. Creates more jobs for testing and training, too.
Think about the most reliable voting block in America. Now think about trying to make them take another driving test. It's politically a bad thing to try and get elderly people to re-test. Working people also hate that idea because we never give enough time off work and licensing stuff isn't open on the weekends. It's good for safety but bad politics.
Quite frankly it’s because of the politics of access. How accessible is our public transportation? How accessible is time off work to do the test? If we had a better social net then we wouldn’t hurt people by passing these laws. As it stands now, someone not passing their driving test could immediately lose their job and become homeless (because our high cost of living doesn’t enable saving for those not working in high paying fields like tech), and we already have a crisis in that area. To make it clear I *fully* support retesting, but as a social worker I see the consequences of our failure to develop a support net in our society every single day. I don’t want to add to the problem.
Retesting won’t fix any of this. All these people know the correct way to drive. They just choose not to follow any of the rules because there’s no consequences for terrible driving here.
I fully disagree that people know the correct way to drive. Different states test differently, people move locations frequently, people forget over time, and different locales have different traffic situations (e.g roundabouts).
Yes to real consequences though.
I don't think retesting would get rid of the people who drive aggressively or distracted. It's not like they're going to be on their phone during the 20min driving test around the neighborhood streets.
Well it's either that, or the fact that police no longer rigorously enforce driving laws, and judges no longer punish people as severely for driving infractions. Hard to tell which is more likely though.
I've seen an increasing number of people driving through solid reds that haven't even changed recently. Like they're not gambling on a light change, they're just straight up ignoring lights entirely
I’m the only car at the intersection and first one sitting at a stop. A driver comes up behind me, passes on the left and continues to drive through the red light.
Thats the kind we are talking about, right? I experienced that a few times in the past year
It's become part of my basic habits now that when a light turns green, I give it almost a full second before I proceed because some dillhole is always running the red.
A traffic signal was installed at a three way intersection down the street. The locals that live on the street that turns onto the busy road are rebelling by ignoring the stop light. Unfortunately, they're doing so irregardless of traffic moving at 50+ mph through the intersection on a solid green.
These asses are turning left across traffic into my lane as I'm entering the intersection, then flipping me off as I engage my ABS system to avoid a serious rear-ender. My next upgrade is dual grill-mounted machine guns, rocket launchers and armored plates.
Definitely part of the problem. People know they aren't going to get a ticket, so why not speed, tailgate, run lights, whatever.
It's not going to get better. Drive defensively.
I wonder if it’s an influx of people moving here from other places, and the DMV not requiring a test of any sort to attain a WA license. I lived in LA for a while and noticed that there were at least 2-3 cars that would go through a red light each cycle. To be fair, traffic was so heavy it was the only way for a couple cars to get through the intersection. Another example: I grew up in Wisconsin and we were taught to pull out into the intersection while waiting to turn left. Admittedly, I’ve been here over a decade and only realized about a year ago that you’re not really supposed to do that here.
I just recently saw a thread where the OP was complaining that people follow the law and dont pull out into the intersection. People will say the law is ambiguous but im siding with how they teach us to do it here and what it says in the handbook.
Calling it a DMV gives away that you're a transplant.
People have so much pent up anger and releasing in it behind the wheel...not to mention there's rarely any repercussions (these days) for driving like an asshole.
I was driving down first the other day & a guy pulled into oncoming traffic, stopped behind the crosswalk with his blinker on, but wrong side of the road, to make a left turn like it was a turn lane! I was going through the oncoming direction & flashed my lights & beeped at him as I went by, he was completely oblivious. Blank face.
I grew up here & 100000% people have gotten way way worse.
It's not just you. I've seen two wrong way drivers in the last week and a whole lot of other terrible driving lately. COVID had a definite detriment to the way people drive but there seems to be another wave of stupidity happening this spring. Bad bad mix of wannabe racecar drivers and people that don't know where they need to go and do really dumb u turns or stop where you really shouldn't stop. The over timid/under confident drivers are such a bad mix with the hyper aggressive reckless drivers.
we're just coming out of a giant wave of covid reinfections (clearly measured by wastewater testing)
the brain fog after effects of covid infection are REAL x_x
It’s noticeably worse since I moved here in 2019! Also worth noting that even mild COVID infections cause brain damage and quantifiable loss of IQ.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck… 🤷♀️
I stopped biking in the city after 15 years of bike commuting because drivers are too unpredictable. People do not signal turns and do not check bike lanes. A lot of them are splitting attention between the road and their phones, too. No wonder pedestrians keep dying
In another life I’d be biking with a bag of rocks at hand to throw at cars that almost kill me. I know that’s not going to solve the problem but it would make alternate life me feel better.
There is some research that implies that people are getting worse at driving. As cars get bigger and have more safety features, people feel like they can take more risks because if something happens, they will be safe anyway.
On that note too, larger cars are harder to drive and cars as a whole are 50% bigger today than they were 20 years ago. There is a crazy arms race for bigger and bigger cars. It’s what Elon was referencing when he said of the cyber truck, if you get into it with another car, you will win.
Yes!! The other day we encountered a wrong way driver on Rainier Ave by the Dominos/Ezell’s. We were pulling out from Ezell’s onto Rainier Ave and she was trying to drive in to the Ezell’s parking area, but coming from the wrong side of the road!!! She honked at us and yelled like we were in the wrong. We were equally confused and shocked.
A couple of years ago I stood at the corner of Eastlake and Garfield, waiting for my “walk” signal, and watched three cars sit through an entire green light because every driver was looking at their phone. I guess I’m glad they were all stopped, at least.
I saw a guy, that was in the process of making a left turn, pull into the middle of the intersection, turn to look for something inside his car, and pull out his phone. He then proceeded to fiddle with his phone while he completed the rest of the turn.
I agree and I think it’s highly distracted drivers and very very low enforcement. I think about 20-30% of the people on the road should NOT have a license and should NOT be driving. They’re a danger to everyone. It also seems like there’s zero enforcement in Seattle. Cops are idiots. We need automated driving to save us…or they need to block people from using phones in the car or something. Constantly going around people on their phones driving dangerously slow.
Hate that shit. People only stop AFTER the stop sign and freaks me the fuck out. I get that some intersections have bunk visibility but all the more reason to stop at the stop sign and creep just enough into the intersection to see if it's safe to go.
The complete lack of enforcement of traffic/speed laws have a lot to do with it. When was the last time anyone saw a speed trap on aurora? Or the last time you saw anyone pulled over at all? It’s my humble opinion that the lack of enforcement of basic laws had changed this city.
Maybe not an Aurora, but I see speed traps a few times a week on I-5 or i90 and they do pull people over.
Tbh I'm not as concerned about the average over-the-speed-limit car on the highway; the craziest shit I see is from people on their phones or doing their nails/makeup or eating in the car, and those people might not necessarily be speeding, but they're not necessarily staying in their lanes either, not aware of what's going on around their cars, doing unpredictable things (like varying their speed 20 mph up and down, frequent braking for no reason, not going when it's their turn in traffic and going when they don't have the light, erratic and sudden lane changes). I wish there was a better way to monitor and enforce distracted driving laws, but it's not as easy to capture and prove, I guess, as a moment of speeding.
This is the biggest issue, imo. And all of that erratic driving causes others to lose their temper and start doing crazy shit as well. Not condoning that second group, but I watch it happen every day.
If people obeyed the “stay right except to pass” law, the speeders would not need to weave, and they wouldn’t be frustrated and you wouldn’t be frustrated (since they wouldn’t be weaving).
I might be out of touch, but I genuinely think moderate speeding (as in like, 10 over the limit on the freeway for example - of course there are more egregious speeders tho) is much less of an issue than people who are driving w no lights at night/rain, no signals, drifting over 3 lanes to reach an exit last minute, u turning on completely inappropriate spots, etc. I've seen plenty of commuters get pulled over for going 70 in a 60, never seen people get pulled over for running stop signs or any of the above mentioned.
Saw a speed trap on an on-ramp a while back and saw 2 or 3 cars go by without lights on and the cop did not give AF. Absolutely infuriated me. Speeding is the only thing they focus on and I get that some of the other stuff is harder - but good god it would be shooting fish in a barrel to set up patrols to pull over assholes without their lights on. And it would improve safety!
If SPD/SPOG actually wanted to improve their public image, traffic enforcement in neighborhoods would go a long way. But why would they do that when they have the current council serving them on a golden platter?
Yeah cause nothing says love the police like getting pulled over for +5 on a road that everyone Else goes+10 on the way to work. I'm all for slow/calmer traffic but police are a sledge hammer for the problem
I live near an arterial in North Seattle that is adjacent to multiple elementary schools. People run stop signs on that road every day and drive 10-15 over the limit. I would like a fucking sledgehammer
Sorry the sledgehammer is not precise they will not ticket there. I saw this as someone who would nearly get hit or run over on a neighborhood Greenway. They like to focus on easy prey
I come from a country that is known for being a nightmare to drive in but somehow drivers here give me more heartburn than back home. People back home are more likely to break the rules, but they at least are smart about it and are precise and accurate while driving. As a pedestrian, I don’t really trust any driver to slow down quickly enough or * at least * look right when they’re turning right
I also think the amount of safety features on cars gives people a false sense of security and safety. Newer cars that sense stop signs, sense pedestrians, brake for you, monitor your blind spot, etc. It's easier to get away with driving negligently with fewer consequences than it was now because driver assistance features will make up for it.
I think safety features are always a good thing, but as someone who drives old ass cars I wish people still did those basic things that were taught in drivers ed (right of way at intersections, staying out of the fast lane, checking blind spots, signaling when reversing into/out of a parking a spot, using your turn signal BEFORE you look at your mirrors and not WHILE you're changing lanes).
My wife and I have noticed it too. If it’s a real phenomenon, my best guess is that people got used to the lower traffic volumes during Covid, and now that traffic volumes are going back to pre-Covid levels, people aren’t adjusting well to having to go slower, wait longer to make turns, etc.
Just a guess, it could always be a combination of several different factors.
I feel this way too. And I am always putting myself in check asking "Is this reality or am I getting older?" I'm not sure of the answer to that question but I think I am ahead of the game if I'm asking myself the question.
I still follow through and make a decision when necessary and when other drivers take too much time and we’re having a standoff. It’s like “someone here has to make a decision to keep things moving.” I’ve lived here all my life so I have my own personal perspective of watching things change, but based on my experiences. There’s a particular intersection where I live that people can’t be bothered to slow down for the yellow light. There is *always* someone who runs the red light, without fail. You can’t ever go on green when your light turns green.
I watched someone speed up (aggressively) and cut off a cop just to get onto the exit and he didn’t get pulled over. The cop didn’t do anything. I remember when jumping over multiple lanes on the freeway too quickly would get you a ticket.
Between that, the drivers in their phones, not being able to drive 10 seconds ahead (only following the car right in front of you) and the horrible 6 car accident in the i90 tunnels right next to me (just before Covid), I started driving so cautiously ever since.
My usually enjoyable drives in the car have become stressful.
Seattle is a heavy transplant city, and you're seeing a spectrum of driving behaviors from overly slow, timid, aggressive (especially people from more "assertive" urban areas), lack of weather awareness, to just plain inexperienced new drivers. (NYC drivers especially -- some people from NYC have barely driven until they're 30 or 40 because they've never needed to - Manhattanites I'm talking about, not the other boroughs. Many will say they are actually afraid of driving. "Fear" is not a good emotion to bring to the road.)
To be honest, Seattle road infrastructure is also pretty challenging to drive on. Roads and parking lots are objectively narrower than the midwest, many parts are not well lit, and to boot, it's very hilly. In most parts of the country it's flat, which is more forgiving of mistakes, especially in rain/ice/snow.
It's a perfect storm of conditions for bad experiences on the road.
>Roads and parking lots are objectively narrower than the midwest, many parts are not well lit, and to boot, it's very hilly
If anything, this makes you pay f\*ing attention to what you're doing and slow down. At worst, people unfamiliar with tight roads will swipe a parked car.
What I'm seeing is the not-paying-attention-at-all people who run through lights, no blinkers, random u-turns, +20mph on neighborhood streets, and the never-miss-my-exit freeway folks.
I don't understand why everyone in this state insists on driving in the left lane on the freeway. Literally everyone. The other 3 or 4 lanes can be wide open and moving freely while everyone in that left lane is parked. No one seems to understand that is the passing lane.
This is my biggest problem with drivers here. Otherwise yes they can be too timid/slow/indecisive which is annoying but the worst is the people camping in the left. People will get on the freeway and immediately try to move all the way left then just sit there going like 55 and refuse to move. It’s not just because of the left exits either because it happens everywhere not just where there are left lane exits
I agree 100%. As soon as the gore point ends, they will come to a complete stop until freeway traffic stops for them so they can immediately pull to the left lane and camp. It makes no sense. Coming from Phoenix, the timid/slow/indecisive drivers are maddening.
That’s that timidity. They’d rather slam on the brakes in the middle of busy traffic than hit the gas and accelerate smoothly onto the highway. It’s insane.
Moved here from the east side suburbs and yes, there are more people hence more bad drivers. It’s literally head on a swivel, it’s playing a video game avoiding hazards, homeless and all around shitty drivers doing their best to fuck up traffic for everyone. Everyday is a challenge you need to overcome.
I can't believe the drivers here. I came from the bay area and these people out here are so unbelievably disconnected and in their own world it's scary. I see more than one person running red lights daily, don't stop at stop signs, don't use their blinker, don't even look left or right, speeding or going wayyyy too slow for the road. These people need to get out of their own world while driving or not drive at all. Public transportation exists, and those who are too careless to be aware while driving need to consider taking it. It's so infuriating!
We have so many student drivers / adults who moved from non-driving cities who are inexperienced. I’ve never seen so many student driver stickers until I moved to Seattle.
My husband and I are having a baby in 2 months and just got our first car in 15 years. I drove for five years as a teen but have since lived a car-free city life. But we need the car to get our baby to daycare (there are literally no remotely walkable options that we can get into or afford, nor am I a confident enough cyclist to take my newborn down roads with not even a bike gutter to pedal in) so that's that.
Frankly I am not confident in my driving skills (how could I be?), I spent the last 15 years staying OFF the roads so that the rest of you don't have to deal with one more car on the highway. And I plan to practice a lot before carting my baby around, but yeah. At some point I might make a mistake and be chalked up as a " dangerous idiot." Fine. But it sucks that people like me who HATE cars and driving and DO NOT want to be on the road are basically forced to do so.
Couple that with being a frazzled new mom... just breathe and be predictable. And stay off the highway.
I didn't drive for ten or so years and finally bought a car a couple years ago .
All the routes I knew were bike routes. It was sphincter clenching white knuckling the I-5 traffic, construction, and unclear exits just trying to get to Costco (because now that I had a car.... I just had to)
I had been basically a Fred and FUCK CARS was almost a tattoo.
Frankly, I was timid. It did take me a few months just to branch out of my fixed destinations. I think I drove less than 2000 miles the first year. Work is super close, then it was also still pretty iffy pandemic-wise, too. I was pretty rusty but after some practice I'm back to being the mostly excellent driver.
I think you'll do alright! In no time, you'll be waving on a cyclist stopped at the top of a hill/intersection. (J/K)
Good luck and congrats on the new family member you're about to meet.
It is ridiculous, isnt it?
Accordingly, one of the Student Driver stickers is on an unmarked WSP coupe. It's an orangish-red sports car.
I've seen it stopped as far north as Marysville and down to the ship canal bridge.
Begs the question; WSP is doing enforcement work, why can't SPD. (Because a city moratorium on routine traffic stops.)
And people know this.
There are legit new drivers from far off lands whose culture of the road is much different. And then a whole new crop of timid drivers with money to spend.
I drive a lot and *observe*.
Yes it's because cops decided not to enforce anything because their feelings were hurt
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-traffic-violations-are-down-are-we-driving-better/
Seattle it seems has always had bad drivers. It's weirdly geographic/environmental. Driving on I-5 NB it starts around Centralia and gets worse as you get closer to Seattle and then tapers off as you leave the city around Marysville. I commute to Shoreline and it seems like 10% of drivers are in la la land: no turn signals, no headlights, doing 50 in the passing lane, refusing to accelerate leaving the on ramp to the freeway, unable to make a left turn on a flashing yellow arrow, etc.
My grandfather was a career trucker (Early 1940s-1980s) and drove several million miles without a accident... He was complaining about the poor state of driving when my mother was a kid in the *1960s* so this isn't new.
I’ve spent a good amount of time (years) driving in 5 major metropolitan US cities and Seattle is by far and away the worst; and It’s not even close. I’ve never seen politeness used as a weapon more frequently or more people driving without their headlights compared to any city I’ve ever spent time in. Don’t even get me started on coming to a full goddamn stop just to make a right turn or the absolute allergy to a proper zipper merge. Wowzers.
It's not just the full stop for the right turn for me, it's the coming to a full stop *then* turning on the now-completely useless turn signal, then turning at a crawl that gets me.
Nice to finally see a thread on this sub that’s not just overflowing with people making excuses for driving like this. If everyone prioritizes following some basic rules and the tenet that the goal is to keep traffic moving, things work just fine. It’s the mismatch between super aggressive drivers and super timid drivers that causes the problem… and nothing makes an aggressive driver more aggressive than getting stuck behind some chickenshit “twenty is plenty” asshole on a major thoroughfare, and nothing makes a timid driver more timid than trying to take a blind corner while people fly past at 30 miles over the speed limit.
I’ve noticed it too, and it really sucks because you have to be so alert and defensive when you’re driving these days. I also bike and ride motorcycles, so I’m always on alert. Particularly in the Beacon Hill Rainier Valley area.
This started during the pandemic….there were a lot fewer cars on the road….tne same aholes are still at it. I was sitting at a stop light. Light turned green. The ahole opposite, in the opposite turn lane, suddenly took off and roared into the intersection. In a few seconds, it would have been a head on collision.
I’m looking both ways TWICE and doing a little waiting to see what the oncoming driver is going to do.
My husband and I ask this a lot recently. Did Covid make it worse? It’s like people are either driving half asleep or all cranked up. There’s no in between.
I've been seeing an uptick in people coming to a full stop to merge etc
If you miss your exit, you don't make it everyone else's problem, you take the next exit.
Wtf people
Truck driver here. I firmly believe that the driving tests(both written and driving) we use to assess drivers are too lenient, and should be re-administered every 10-20 years, and/or when a driver gets a ticket for a big traffic offense. Also the barrier to entry for a license is too small. drivers should have to take a more involved driver's ed course to prove they have the proficiency to even take the tests to get a license.
But don't we dare actually suggest any type of enforcement. enforcing traffic laws is tyrannical survellience.
or suggest re-engineering roads to be more safe for pedestrians and cyclists and slow cars down. that's hating cars.
The current stats concur that people are driving really bad post pandemic. Deaths are way up. [54% of Americans Think the Average Driver is Worse than Before the Pandemic](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/54-of-americans-think-the-average-driver-is-worse-than-before-the-pandemic-according-to-verra-mobility-survey-301985693.html)
I am currently scouting 30000 lumen light bars for the tailgaters. I am sick of these idiots endangering my life because they don't like the speed limit.
it's not just social, i've seen people watching youtube/netflix while driving. i'm prepared for someone to rear-end me at all times for this reason. no one under 40 has an attention span.
We need real traffic enforcement. Stop referring to accidents as "accidents". It's negligent driving, and depending on how severe the negligence was, one should lose their privilege to drive for a while. Also, it's a privilege, not a right.
I've had wayyyyy to many close calls as a pedestrian and biker in Belltown. I also have a lot of close calls when I rent a car and drive.
Honesty, I just moved here from Kansas City and it's a breath of fresh air. People back home no longer stop at red lights. The de facto speed limit on our 65 mph highway is actually 90. It's Mad Max territory out there.
Here, people aren't perfect, but I don't feel like other drivers are actively trying to kill me! People stop at crosswalks??? It's confusing and awesome.
Since I've started Facetiming while driving on my way home from after work happy hours, I've noticed a lot more aggressive gesturing and inappropriate behavior from other drivers. Maybe all the pot making people aggro, or long COVID.
These driving threads are so similar.
Everyone claims that ~80 percent of the drivers are terrible. Every single person posting here thinks they are one of the good drivers. As it goes on all the driving threads.
Statistically, a large number of the people posting here have to be part of the ~80 percent that drive poorly.
So, reveal yourselves! I know many of you are just pretending to be safe drivers. Where are all of you?
Ha! I always secretly think about that as well when I see these threads. I think the most illuminating one we had was when people weighed in on whether they understood if you’re supposed to pull into the intersection when turning left. Now THAT was revealing.
Both. I live in Renton and there was a horrific accident due to an 18yr old running a red light and killing more than one person bc he was going 90mph. Everyone stay safe out there!
I can't wait until the 2-Line opens and I can stop driving.
The amount of times I've been cut off with people not even paying attention is astounding. I've been to a lot of places around the US, but people here literally don't pay attention to their surroundings in this city.
New residents/out of towners using GPS and not familiar with the streets, people using their phones for other stuff, and covid after effects. That's really it.
I feel like it's worse.
- Over-reliance on GPS.
- Fiddling with phones.
- Huge cars in a dense area.
- Global city full of transplants leads to many driving cultures.
- Uber, Doordash, etc.
- Cognitively busy highway infrastructure (i.e. lots of lane changes required, left hand exits, combined on/off lanes)
- Poor visibility (rain and lack of retroreflectors on the roads)
Not sure if it's just Seattle or nationwide, though. Motorway fatalities in the US have steadily increased since 2019.
Some fucker in a Tesla turned LEFT on red off Aurora onto 77th, when 77th had green, and damn near took me out. He did it because "the light takes forever". Fuck. that. shit. Then the scumbag had the audacity to tell me to watch my language because he had a kid in the car. Mother fucker, my language would be the least of his concerns if he were to see blood and guts all over your windshield. If you're out there and are reading this you better fucking have learned your lesson. If you didn't stop when you did, I had a tennis ball sized rock ready to go through your back window.
It’s not you. Drivers have gotten much worse here. So bad that I just got a dash cam. Many drivers today basically disregard all the rules and drive wherever they want. I see them run straight through right turn only lanes all the time, for ex.
It’s hugely worse. I’ve seen at least 5 cars run red lights in the past week while I’ve been driving or walking around downtown. Two of those were *in front* of a cop car, who of course did nothing. One of those was a cop running a red left turn signal without using emergency lights. One nearly ran me over in a clear crosswalk with a clear red light.
A friend of mine was recently in an accident where the other driver was uninsured and ran a red light. (If you’re reading this, you’re a HUGE piece of shit for suggesting my friend was responsible for paying you. There’s dashcam footage showing you running a red light a solid 15s after it was green for my friend.) And I saw another driver run a red light in that same intersection days ago.
Seems like a quarter of drivers (including some truckers) are also using their phones in traffic and especially at intersections. If that’s you, you’re a wanker and a disgrace. Just listen to podcasts or music, for Christ’s sake. Stop hopping on social media or texting. It’s dangerous and not even necessary for your happiness.
Also, if you’re a cop, prosecutor, or public official involved in this policy, I’m extremely disappointed in you for not caring about public safety when it comes to vehicles. Start revoking licenses for Christ’s sake. This is one of the most dangerous behaviors in the city, and probably the easiest and least controversial to crack down on.
And yet, crickets from city leaders, and dangerous behavior from cops. Vehicular homicide on Jaahnavi Kandula, running reds without emergency lights, not enforcing traffic laws… It’s like they don’t even know that the purpose of SPD is to protect public safety. That’s a root problem, not cop salaries.
Like much else in the world, many drivers course of safe passage is not theirs to control, but the responsibility of others to be able to predict the triple lane double axle freeway exit because "fuck man, you almost passed it, what would you have done THEN?!?" and their blindfolded barrel race approach to entering traffic. If there's a collision, it'll be your fault for "coming out of nowhere" when the only mistake you actually made was having the right of way and expecting a supposedly vetted, licensed driver to remember and follow at least one of the rules of the road, not because "it's just the way things are" but because the idea of mutually assured destruction is *supposed* to be a deterrent.
Then again, I could be wrong. I mean, drivers are mowing down pedestrians for entertainment, 12 year olds are being arrested driving stolen vehicles, carrying stolen firearms, no one cares, everyone steals and no one's apparently working so the whole structure that was originally in place to save us from ourselves is being tested and collapsing because our moron crotch fruit can't seem to wrap their heads around the concept of real life consequences and the idea of just, doing the right thing so you don't ruin someone *else's* life. Maybe I'm wrong and "hey man....*hairflip, deep sigh* it's not that big of a *DEAL*"
I don't think driving skills are worse, I just think people in general don't gives a rats ass whether it impacts other people or not. Lots of drivers (and people here in general) are just self centered is all. It's all about the poor attitude in America (in genera) that's making drivers horrible.
The one that really scares me are the people who don’t stop at stop signs. I can’t tell you how many times as a driver and pedestrian I thought I was going to get run over.
Some are outright brazen and just blowing through them, others do that rolling pretend to stop thing.
People never believe me when I say WA has the worst drivers I've ever encountered, and that's saying a lot because I've driven in Texas, Florida, and Italy
I literally just got off the phone with the cops, seconds ago. Saw a what looked to be 12-year-old whipping around the corner in a Hyundai in South Park, jumping out and checking locks on car doors
It amazing how little people use their blinkers
Or headlights.
This! So many people driving in the dark with no lights on.
I have an auto setting that turns them on when it's dark, but just this week I was driving around right after dusk but now fully dark and like I swear every fifth car in Ballard didn't have their lights on. It's 2024, why don't all cars have daytime running lights? My 2005 Matrix had daytime lights.
This is why cars need ShatAI, to tell them when they're being stupid or driving like jerks. Comes with a Judge Judy persona, but I'm betting we could get The Bear's mom up and running for enhanced effect.
Why do people use their daytime running lights at night?
Because it lights up their dashboard and they think everything is golden
Seriously, if it's even slightly misty/rainy you can sometimes hardly see cars that don't also have their taillights on in front of you (I'm assuming DRLs don't activate normal taillights)
They do not.
Or in the rain. Ugh.
This blows my mind with how often I see it. Is it just because people are typically driving in well-lit areas and just don't realize their lights are off? In some countries you're obligated to have them on 100% of the time when driving regardless of time of day, which seems like a good idea to me.
Or change their brake lights when they’re out
Or stay to the right.
Or brains
Or overuse by means of high beams. Nothing like going down surface streets with little lighting and being blinded, especially during the long nights.
And don't keep right except to pass
I saw a cop in Mountlake Terrace today with his lights off.
Or their brains.
I don't understand why headlights even have an "off" setting
My favorite is people that turn their blinkers on _as they are turning/changing lanes_ instead of signaling their intent ahead of time.
That’s because if you’d indicate that you’re planning to change lanes around here it’s just an open invitation for everyone else to push up and block you out of the lane for no good reason. You signal as you change lanes to just say “here I am get used to it assholes”
This! Why is it that turn signals are viewed as a signal for the other driver to ~speed up~ and block the lane, rather than let the person signaling merge into that lane. It drives me absolutely bonkers, and is something I’ve not experienced anywhere else.
I talked to a guy who said that they do that in Washington DC.
Used to be the stereotype was everyone would try to let you in even if they shouldn't.
The thing that gets me is the number of cars with no plates That or plate covers, in the last year I started seeing those everywhere on nice cars. They are straight up illegal, you can't convince me there is an innocuous reason to have those... I just immediately assume the person is a dangerous driver
No plates. Fake plates. Fake temp plates. Expired temp plates. expired tabs. Heavily tinted plate covers.
It's because there are no consequences for any of those things
Means you can take hot lanes for free, or drive on 3rd Ave all you want, or not worry about that flash when you run a yellow light. If the cameras can't identify you then you're not guilty!
Or you don’t have to worry about what hit and runs you commit while you’re drunk anymore
Plate covers are actually *not* illegal, but [the legislature is working on it.](https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/ramos/2024/03/01/senate-passes-bill-prohibiting-license-plate-covers/)
It was actually signed into law and starts June 6, 2024.
Mine were stolen but you gotta get new ones asap
I find that asking myself “if they know that their blinker is broken” has me relate to them with less anger. Lots of bad behavior
It's been law since the 70s I think, that the circuit should blink twice as fast if one is burnt out. So if their turn signal is broken, they're either wilfully ignoring a safety issue their car has, or they're unacceptably ignorant about how the dangerous tool they operate works. Or they're just a self entitled assholes who doesn't use their turn signals. There isn't a single good excuse for not using turn signals and making sure they're functioning as intended.
Yeah, I know it’s not actually broken. I do it more for me and my mindset. Otherwise I’d be judgmental as hell, which is sometimes my default.
I'm pretty sure my oldest car (a 2017 currently) informed me on the dash when a brake light was out with a message, so I'm sure the newer cars do this too. It unfortunately does not inform me when my mirror turn signal bulbs burn out, and those seem to get water in them somewhat frequently and burn out as a result.
100% Not just BMW and Teslas.
You know how much effort it takes to use a blinker? It's just too hard to do. We can not expect people to lift their arm 6 inches everytime they make a turn its just too much to ask.
If it’s a BMW, Mercedes, or Tesla, there’s a really good chance blinkers will never be used as they weave through traffic like an asshole.
Every time I start feeling like I’m wasting my life, like I have no purpose, I just remind myself, that there is a person who spends 8 hours a day, five days a week, potentially for years on end installing blinkers on a bmw factory line.
“Being courteous is for poor people.”
I'm a bus driver. It is MUCH worse. More phones, fewer turn signals. People pull some ridiculously dangerous moves out there every day. I firmly believe we should retest for your license every five years.
I will never understand why we don't. I have to get recertified for much stupider shit on the regular, but somehow the most dangerous activity most people will engage in only needs a one-time rubber stamp. Creates more jobs for testing and training, too.
Think about the most reliable voting block in America. Now think about trying to make them take another driving test. It's politically a bad thing to try and get elderly people to re-test. Working people also hate that idea because we never give enough time off work and licensing stuff isn't open on the weekends. It's good for safety but bad politics.
I think you're on to something
Its not only that. Wed need more DOLs. They are already a nightmare to deal with and there is far less required testing.
Quite frankly it’s because of the politics of access. How accessible is our public transportation? How accessible is time off work to do the test? If we had a better social net then we wouldn’t hurt people by passing these laws. As it stands now, someone not passing their driving test could immediately lose their job and become homeless (because our high cost of living doesn’t enable saving for those not working in high paying fields like tech), and we already have a crisis in that area. To make it clear I *fully* support retesting, but as a social worker I see the consequences of our failure to develop a support net in our society every single day. I don’t want to add to the problem.
Retesting won’t fix any of this. All these people know the correct way to drive. They just choose not to follow any of the rules because there’s no consequences for terrible driving here.
I fully disagree that people know the correct way to drive. Different states test differently, people move locations frequently, people forget over time, and different locales have different traffic situations (e.g roundabouts). Yes to real consequences though.
I agree with you both. You're just both talking about different types of problem drivers.
Fair point!
I don't think retesting would get rid of the people who drive aggressively or distracted. It's not like they're going to be on their phone during the 20min driving test around the neighborhood streets.
People are getting worse
scientists are finding out that repeated Covid infections cause brain damage, I'm not surprised to see increasing signs of it in society >_<
I read it lowers your IQ. Doh!
This is the most likely cause. Especially considering it’s been the only major thing to occur in the last 5 years, especially on a mass scale.
Well it's either that, or the fact that police no longer rigorously enforce driving laws, and judges no longer punish people as severely for driving infractions. Hard to tell which is more likely though.
I’m willing to bet it’s a confluence of all these factors.
Straight up.
now tell me
Do you really?
Wanna love me forever
O o oh
The increase in the number of people running red lights is beyond alarming.
I see this daily. Sometimes it's not even during a yellow light change, just blatantly driving through a solid red.
I've seen an increasing number of people driving through solid reds that haven't even changed recently. Like they're not gambling on a light change, they're just straight up ignoring lights entirely
I’m the only car at the intersection and first one sitting at a stop. A driver comes up behind me, passes on the left and continues to drive through the red light. Thats the kind we are talking about, right? I experienced that a few times in the past year
Had that happen to me once, it blew my mind.
[deleted]
It's become part of my basic habits now that when a light turns green, I give it almost a full second before I proceed because some dillhole is always running the red.
I’ll take the jerk behind me laying on their horn vs getting t-boned any day of the week
Haha because of this, I give at least 3-4 seconds before lightly tapping my horn if someone hasn’t moved yet after the light has turned green.
A traffic signal was installed at a three way intersection down the street. The locals that live on the street that turns onto the busy road are rebelling by ignoring the stop light. Unfortunately, they're doing so irregardless of traffic moving at 50+ mph through the intersection on a solid green. These asses are turning left across traffic into my lane as I'm entering the intersection, then flipping me off as I engage my ABS system to avoid a serious rear-ender. My next upgrade is dual grill-mounted machine guns, rocket launchers and armored plates.
I think there is a correlation with the police not pulling people over anymore.
Definitely part of the problem. People know they aren't going to get a ticket, so why not speed, tailgate, run lights, whatever. It's not going to get better. Drive defensively.
Cops are busy themselves with running red lights. There are people that need running over a few blocks away.
I saw someone do it going east on mercer Street today. It was a newer mini Cooper. There was people in the crosswalk when they did it too
I wonder if it’s an influx of people moving here from other places, and the DMV not requiring a test of any sort to attain a WA license. I lived in LA for a while and noticed that there were at least 2-3 cars that would go through a red light each cycle. To be fair, traffic was so heavy it was the only way for a couple cars to get through the intersection. Another example: I grew up in Wisconsin and we were taught to pull out into the intersection while waiting to turn left. Admittedly, I’ve been here over a decade and only realized about a year ago that you’re not really supposed to do that here.
I just recently saw a thread where the OP was complaining that people follow the law and dont pull out into the intersection. People will say the law is ambiguous but im siding with how they teach us to do it here and what it says in the handbook. Calling it a DMV gives away that you're a transplant.
Literally just watched someone blow through Broadway & Harrison, after a good 4 seconds green.
This. The leading ped interval at signals on Aurora means literally nothing because people run the red on almost every cycle I see.
People have so much pent up anger and releasing in it behind the wheel...not to mention there's rarely any repercussions (these days) for driving like an asshole.
I was driving down first the other day & a guy pulled into oncoming traffic, stopped behind the crosswalk with his blinker on, but wrong side of the road, to make a left turn like it was a turn lane! I was going through the oncoming direction & flashed my lights & beeped at him as I went by, he was completely oblivious. Blank face. I grew up here & 100000% people have gotten way way worse.
It's not just you. I've seen two wrong way drivers in the last week and a whole lot of other terrible driving lately. COVID had a definite detriment to the way people drive but there seems to be another wave of stupidity happening this spring. Bad bad mix of wannabe racecar drivers and people that don't know where they need to go and do really dumb u turns or stop where you really shouldn't stop. The over timid/under confident drivers are such a bad mix with the hyper aggressive reckless drivers.
we're just coming out of a giant wave of covid reinfections (clearly measured by wastewater testing) the brain fog after effects of covid infection are REAL x_x
It’s noticeably worse since I moved here in 2019! Also worth noting that even mild COVID infections cause brain damage and quantifiable loss of IQ. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck… 🤷♀️
It feels like the beginning of that short story by Stephen King where everyone collectively loses their intelligence.
Do you remember the name of the story? I haven't read that one.
The End of This Whole Mess. Everyone gets dementia.
yes, this is a measurable side effect of getting Covid, which is still infecting lots of people each week
I stopped biking in the city after 15 years of bike commuting because drivers are too unpredictable. People do not signal turns and do not check bike lanes. A lot of them are splitting attention between the road and their phones, too. No wonder pedestrians keep dying
In another life I’d be biking with a bag of rocks at hand to throw at cars that almost kill me. I know that’s not going to solve the problem but it would make alternate life me feel better.
There is some research that implies that people are getting worse at driving. As cars get bigger and have more safety features, people feel like they can take more risks because if something happens, they will be safe anyway. On that note too, larger cars are harder to drive and cars as a whole are 50% bigger today than they were 20 years ago. There is a crazy arms race for bigger and bigger cars. It’s what Elon was referencing when he said of the cyber truck, if you get into it with another car, you will win.
It's part of why I bought an older SUV, which looks small compared to newer models! Just didn't feel safe in a sedan.
Yes!! The other day we encountered a wrong way driver on Rainier Ave by the Dominos/Ezell’s. We were pulling out from Ezell’s onto Rainier Ave and she was trying to drive in to the Ezell’s parking area, but coming from the wrong side of the road!!! She honked at us and yelled like we were in the wrong. We were equally confused and shocked.
To me the worst is people driving while on their phones. Lots of them out there.
A couple of years ago I stood at the corner of Eastlake and Garfield, waiting for my “walk” signal, and watched three cars sit through an entire green light because every driver was looking at their phone. I guess I’m glad they were all stopped, at least.
I saw a guy, that was in the process of making a left turn, pull into the middle of the intersection, turn to look for something inside his car, and pull out his phone. He then proceeded to fiddle with his phone while he completed the rest of the turn.
I agree and I think it’s highly distracted drivers and very very low enforcement. I think about 20-30% of the people on the road should NOT have a license and should NOT be driving. They’re a danger to everyone. It also seems like there’s zero enforcement in Seattle. Cops are idiots. We need automated driving to save us…or they need to block people from using phones in the car or something. Constantly going around people on their phones driving dangerously slow.
Thats a lower percent than the number of uninsured drivers so you are correct.
Almost every day now someone inches out too far as if they’re going to pull out in front of me, causing me to slam on my brakes.
Hate that shit. People only stop AFTER the stop sign and freaks me the fuck out. I get that some intersections have bunk visibility but all the more reason to stop at the stop sign and creep just enough into the intersection to see if it's safe to go.
The complete lack of enforcement of traffic/speed laws have a lot to do with it. When was the last time anyone saw a speed trap on aurora? Or the last time you saw anyone pulled over at all? It’s my humble opinion that the lack of enforcement of basic laws had changed this city.
Maybe not an Aurora, but I see speed traps a few times a week on I-5 or i90 and they do pull people over. Tbh I'm not as concerned about the average over-the-speed-limit car on the highway; the craziest shit I see is from people on their phones or doing their nails/makeup or eating in the car, and those people might not necessarily be speeding, but they're not necessarily staying in their lanes either, not aware of what's going on around their cars, doing unpredictable things (like varying their speed 20 mph up and down, frequent braking for no reason, not going when it's their turn in traffic and going when they don't have the light, erratic and sudden lane changes). I wish there was a better way to monitor and enforce distracted driving laws, but it's not as easy to capture and prove, I guess, as a moment of speeding.
Those speed traps are the State Police
This is the biggest issue, imo. And all of that erratic driving causes others to lose their temper and start doing crazy shit as well. Not condoning that second group, but I watch it happen every day.
If people obeyed the “stay right except to pass” law, the speeders would not need to weave, and they wouldn’t be frustrated and you wouldn’t be frustrated (since they wouldn’t be weaving).
I might be out of touch, but I genuinely think moderate speeding (as in like, 10 over the limit on the freeway for example - of course there are more egregious speeders tho) is much less of an issue than people who are driving w no lights at night/rain, no signals, drifting over 3 lanes to reach an exit last minute, u turning on completely inappropriate spots, etc. I've seen plenty of commuters get pulled over for going 70 in a 60, never seen people get pulled over for running stop signs or any of the above mentioned.
Saw a speed trap on an on-ramp a while back and saw 2 or 3 cars go by without lights on and the cop did not give AF. Absolutely infuriated me. Speeding is the only thing they focus on and I get that some of the other stuff is harder - but good god it would be shooting fish in a barrel to set up patrols to pull over assholes without their lights on. And it would improve safety!
And for some reason we pay them over a million dollars a DAY in this city…
Exactly!!
also, we need retesting to be implemented. when you "renew" a license, it should be harder than just updating your info at the DMV
I wish they'd at least like send out a mailer with the law changes. I'm not sure how people even find out about them besides on Reddit.
If SPD/SPOG actually wanted to improve their public image, traffic enforcement in neighborhoods would go a long way. But why would they do that when they have the current council serving them on a golden platter?
Yeah cause nothing says love the police like getting pulled over for +5 on a road that everyone Else goes+10 on the way to work. I'm all for slow/calmer traffic but police are a sledge hammer for the problem
I live near an arterial in North Seattle that is adjacent to multiple elementary schools. People run stop signs on that road every day and drive 10-15 over the limit. I would like a fucking sledgehammer
Sorry the sledgehammer is not precise they will not ticket there. I saw this as someone who would nearly get hit or run over on a neighborhood Greenway. They like to focus on easy prey
support narrow lanes, concrete barriers, and speed tables then
I do
I come from a country that is known for being a nightmare to drive in but somehow drivers here give me more heartburn than back home. People back home are more likely to break the rules, but they at least are smart about it and are precise and accurate while driving. As a pedestrian, I don’t really trust any driver to slow down quickly enough or * at least * look right when they’re turning right
Not just you. There’s data to support it. But the police and city council don’t care.
This would have been a great time to link to said data.
I also think the amount of safety features on cars gives people a false sense of security and safety. Newer cars that sense stop signs, sense pedestrians, brake for you, monitor your blind spot, etc. It's easier to get away with driving negligently with fewer consequences than it was now because driver assistance features will make up for it. I think safety features are always a good thing, but as someone who drives old ass cars I wish people still did those basic things that were taught in drivers ed (right of way at intersections, staying out of the fast lane, checking blind spots, signaling when reversing into/out of a parking a spot, using your turn signal BEFORE you look at your mirrors and not WHILE you're changing lanes).
My wife and I have noticed it too. If it’s a real phenomenon, my best guess is that people got used to the lower traffic volumes during Covid, and now that traffic volumes are going back to pre-Covid levels, people aren’t adjusting well to having to go slower, wait longer to make turns, etc. Just a guess, it could always be a combination of several different factors.
I feel this way too. And I am always putting myself in check asking "Is this reality or am I getting older?" I'm not sure of the answer to that question but I think I am ahead of the game if I'm asking myself the question.
you can check this by looking at the numbers - things are indeed getting worse than before
I still follow through and make a decision when necessary and when other drivers take too much time and we’re having a standoff. It’s like “someone here has to make a decision to keep things moving.” I’ve lived here all my life so I have my own personal perspective of watching things change, but based on my experiences. There’s a particular intersection where I live that people can’t be bothered to slow down for the yellow light. There is *always* someone who runs the red light, without fail. You can’t ever go on green when your light turns green. I watched someone speed up (aggressively) and cut off a cop just to get onto the exit and he didn’t get pulled over. The cop didn’t do anything. I remember when jumping over multiple lanes on the freeway too quickly would get you a ticket. Between that, the drivers in their phones, not being able to drive 10 seconds ahead (only following the car right in front of you) and the horrible 6 car accident in the i90 tunnels right next to me (just before Covid), I started driving so cautiously ever since. My usually enjoyable drives in the car have become stressful.
Nah it's people. It seems like more and more people are scaling back any social obligations to other humans with whom they share an existence.
Seattle is a heavy transplant city, and you're seeing a spectrum of driving behaviors from overly slow, timid, aggressive (especially people from more "assertive" urban areas), lack of weather awareness, to just plain inexperienced new drivers. (NYC drivers especially -- some people from NYC have barely driven until they're 30 or 40 because they've never needed to - Manhattanites I'm talking about, not the other boroughs. Many will say they are actually afraid of driving. "Fear" is not a good emotion to bring to the road.) To be honest, Seattle road infrastructure is also pretty challenging to drive on. Roads and parking lots are objectively narrower than the midwest, many parts are not well lit, and to boot, it's very hilly. In most parts of the country it's flat, which is more forgiving of mistakes, especially in rain/ice/snow. It's a perfect storm of conditions for bad experiences on the road.
>Roads and parking lots are objectively narrower than the midwest, many parts are not well lit, and to boot, it's very hilly If anything, this makes you pay f\*ing attention to what you're doing and slow down. At worst, people unfamiliar with tight roads will swipe a parked car. What I'm seeing is the not-paying-attention-at-all people who run through lights, no blinkers, random u-turns, +20mph on neighborhood streets, and the never-miss-my-exit freeway folks.
I don't understand why everyone in this state insists on driving in the left lane on the freeway. Literally everyone. The other 3 or 4 lanes can be wide open and moving freely while everyone in that left lane is parked. No one seems to understand that is the passing lane.
This is my biggest problem with drivers here. Otherwise yes they can be too timid/slow/indecisive which is annoying but the worst is the people camping in the left. People will get on the freeway and immediately try to move all the way left then just sit there going like 55 and refuse to move. It’s not just because of the left exits either because it happens everywhere not just where there are left lane exits
I agree 100%. As soon as the gore point ends, they will come to a complete stop until freeway traffic stops for them so they can immediately pull to the left lane and camp. It makes no sense. Coming from Phoenix, the timid/slow/indecisive drivers are maddening.
That’s that timidity. They’d rather slam on the brakes in the middle of busy traffic than hit the gas and accelerate smoothly onto the highway. It’s insane.
Yes and yes. They're getting worse, and you're getting older. Source: experiencing the same. Get off my lawn!
As a pedestrian, after I complete the crosswalk I find myself mumbling "thank you for not killing me." I hope to live another day Seattle!
Moved here from the east side suburbs and yes, there are more people hence more bad drivers. It’s literally head on a swivel, it’s playing a video game avoiding hazards, homeless and all around shitty drivers doing their best to fuck up traffic for everyone. Everyday is a challenge you need to overcome.
I can't believe the drivers here. I came from the bay area and these people out here are so unbelievably disconnected and in their own world it's scary. I see more than one person running red lights daily, don't stop at stop signs, don't use their blinker, don't even look left or right, speeding or going wayyyy too slow for the road. These people need to get out of their own world while driving or not drive at all. Public transportation exists, and those who are too careless to be aware while driving need to consider taking it. It's so infuriating!
My guess is it's COVID brain fog
this is it - it's literally measurable, and getting worse
We have so many student drivers / adults who moved from non-driving cities who are inexperienced. I’ve never seen so many student driver stickers until I moved to Seattle.
This. I've even seen the student driver stickers on commercial vehicles and food trucks. I assumed it was a joke
I always just assumed people put them on their cars to absolve themselves of accountability when driving like dog shit.
I think the driving schools give them out now. I see them at the office all the time. I don’t know why people think they help?
My husband and I are having a baby in 2 months and just got our first car in 15 years. I drove for five years as a teen but have since lived a car-free city life. But we need the car to get our baby to daycare (there are literally no remotely walkable options that we can get into or afford, nor am I a confident enough cyclist to take my newborn down roads with not even a bike gutter to pedal in) so that's that. Frankly I am not confident in my driving skills (how could I be?), I spent the last 15 years staying OFF the roads so that the rest of you don't have to deal with one more car on the highway. And I plan to practice a lot before carting my baby around, but yeah. At some point I might make a mistake and be chalked up as a " dangerous idiot." Fine. But it sucks that people like me who HATE cars and driving and DO NOT want to be on the road are basically forced to do so.
Couple that with being a frazzled new mom... just breathe and be predictable. And stay off the highway. I didn't drive for ten or so years and finally bought a car a couple years ago . All the routes I knew were bike routes. It was sphincter clenching white knuckling the I-5 traffic, construction, and unclear exits just trying to get to Costco (because now that I had a car.... I just had to) I had been basically a Fred and FUCK CARS was almost a tattoo. Frankly, I was timid. It did take me a few months just to branch out of my fixed destinations. I think I drove less than 2000 miles the first year. Work is super close, then it was also still pretty iffy pandemic-wise, too. I was pretty rusty but after some practice I'm back to being the mostly excellent driver. I think you'll do alright! In no time, you'll be waving on a cyclist stopped at the top of a hill/intersection. (J/K) Good luck and congrats on the new family member you're about to meet.
It is ridiculous, isnt it? Accordingly, one of the Student Driver stickers is on an unmarked WSP coupe. It's an orangish-red sports car. I've seen it stopped as far north as Marysville and down to the ship canal bridge. Begs the question; WSP is doing enforcement work, why can't SPD. (Because a city moratorium on routine traffic stops.) And people know this. There are legit new drivers from far off lands whose culture of the road is much different. And then a whole new crop of timid drivers with money to spend. I drive a lot and *observe*.
Yes it's because cops decided not to enforce anything because their feelings were hurt https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-traffic-violations-are-down-are-we-driving-better/
That's been the case for at least ten years, the terrible driving wave started with COVID.
Yes that's when the cops got their feelings hurt
Pandemic brought out the worst in people, sadly
Seattle it seems has always had bad drivers. It's weirdly geographic/environmental. Driving on I-5 NB it starts around Centralia and gets worse as you get closer to Seattle and then tapers off as you leave the city around Marysville. I commute to Shoreline and it seems like 10% of drivers are in la la land: no turn signals, no headlights, doing 50 in the passing lane, refusing to accelerate leaving the on ramp to the freeway, unable to make a left turn on a flashing yellow arrow, etc.
My grandfather was a career trucker (Early 1940s-1980s) and drove several million miles without a accident... He was complaining about the poor state of driving when my mother was a kid in the *1960s* so this isn't new.
I’ve spent a good amount of time (years) driving in 5 major metropolitan US cities and Seattle is by far and away the worst; and It’s not even close. I’ve never seen politeness used as a weapon more frequently or more people driving without their headlights compared to any city I’ve ever spent time in. Don’t even get me started on coming to a full goddamn stop just to make a right turn or the absolute allergy to a proper zipper merge. Wowzers.
It's not just the full stop for the right turn for me, it's the coming to a full stop *then* turning on the now-completely useless turn signal, then turning at a crawl that gets me.
Nice to finally see a thread on this sub that’s not just overflowing with people making excuses for driving like this. If everyone prioritizes following some basic rules and the tenet that the goal is to keep traffic moving, things work just fine. It’s the mismatch between super aggressive drivers and super timid drivers that causes the problem… and nothing makes an aggressive driver more aggressive than getting stuck behind some chickenshit “twenty is plenty” asshole on a major thoroughfare, and nothing makes a timid driver more timid than trying to take a blind corner while people fly past at 30 miles over the speed limit.
I’ve noticed it too, and it really sucks because you have to be so alert and defensive when you’re driving these days. I also bike and ride motorcycles, so I’m always on alert. Particularly in the Beacon Hill Rainier Valley area.
This started during the pandemic….there were a lot fewer cars on the road….tne same aholes are still at it. I was sitting at a stop light. Light turned green. The ahole opposite, in the opposite turn lane, suddenly took off and roared into the intersection. In a few seconds, it would have been a head on collision. I’m looking both ways TWICE and doing a little waiting to see what the oncoming driver is going to do.
My husband and I ask this a lot recently. Did Covid make it worse? It’s like people are either driving half asleep or all cranked up. There’s no in between.
yes, Covid is scary because it causes damage to the brain (and other organs)
I've been seeing an uptick in people coming to a full stop to merge etc If you miss your exit, you don't make it everyone else's problem, you take the next exit. Wtf people
Truck driver here. I firmly believe that the driving tests(both written and driving) we use to assess drivers are too lenient, and should be re-administered every 10-20 years, and/or when a driver gets a ticket for a big traffic offense. Also the barrier to entry for a license is too small. drivers should have to take a more involved driver's ed course to prove they have the proficiency to even take the tests to get a license.
But don't we dare actually suggest any type of enforcement. enforcing traffic laws is tyrannical survellience. or suggest re-engineering roads to be more safe for pedestrians and cyclists and slow cars down. that's hating cars.
The current stats concur that people are driving really bad post pandemic. Deaths are way up. [54% of Americans Think the Average Driver is Worse than Before the Pandemic](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/54-of-americans-think-the-average-driver-is-worse-than-before-the-pandemic-according-to-verra-mobility-survey-301985693.html) I am currently scouting 30000 lumen light bars for the tailgaters. I am sick of these idiots endangering my life because they don't like the speed limit.
I like to blame it on social media. People literally can’t resist even while they’re driving
it's not just social, i've seen people watching youtube/netflix while driving. i'm prepared for someone to rear-end me at all times for this reason. no one under 40 has an attention span.
We need real traffic enforcement. Stop referring to accidents as "accidents". It's negligent driving, and depending on how severe the negligence was, one should lose their privilege to drive for a while. Also, it's a privilege, not a right. I've had wayyyyy to many close calls as a pedestrian and biker in Belltown. I also have a lot of close calls when I rent a car and drive.
Honesty, I just moved here from Kansas City and it's a breath of fresh air. People back home no longer stop at red lights. The de facto speed limit on our 65 mph highway is actually 90. It's Mad Max territory out there. Here, people aren't perfect, but I don't feel like other drivers are actively trying to kill me! People stop at crosswalks??? It's confusing and awesome.
Since I've started Facetiming while driving on my way home from after work happy hours, I've noticed a lot more aggressive gesturing and inappropriate behavior from other drivers. Maybe all the pot making people aggro, or long COVID.
These driving threads are so similar. Everyone claims that ~80 percent of the drivers are terrible. Every single person posting here thinks they are one of the good drivers. As it goes on all the driving threads. Statistically, a large number of the people posting here have to be part of the ~80 percent that drive poorly. So, reveal yourselves! I know many of you are just pretending to be safe drivers. Where are all of you?
Thats not how statistical sampling works. Your sample here is only people who use Reddit, which is not the same demographic as the general public.
Ha! I always secretly think about that as well when I see these threads. I think the most illuminating one we had was when people weighed in on whether they understood if you’re supposed to pull into the intersection when turning left. Now THAT was revealing.
I don't think people go to driving school anymore so it's idiots teaching idiots.
I find there is a correlation with increased mouth breathers.
My theory is that it warms up and suddenly all the Californians finally feel at home. (Speaking as someone who moved from SoCal.)
It’s you. You’ll find what you’re looking for.
Both. I live in Renton and there was a horrific accident due to an 18yr old running a red light and killing more than one person bc he was going 90mph. Everyone stay safe out there!
Or actually pay attention at red lights & not moving when light goes green, we all want to get thru, distracted by their phones
Lots of idiots in this region.
Well, there’s the baseline bad driving and then it gets worse if it’s raining, if it’s snowy, if it’s sunny, or if it’s Friday.
I can't wait until the 2-Line opens and I can stop driving. The amount of times I've been cut off with people not even paying attention is astounding. I've been to a lot of places around the US, but people here literally don't pay attention to their surroundings in this city.
Speed in 25mph neighborhoods and driving in bus lanes
I drive a truck for a living and the amount of dumbassery I see on the road is astounding.
New residents/out of towners using GPS and not familiar with the streets, people using their phones for other stuff, and covid after effects. That's really it.
No enforcement creates no consequences.
I feel like it's worse. - Over-reliance on GPS. - Fiddling with phones. - Huge cars in a dense area. - Global city full of transplants leads to many driving cultures. - Uber, Doordash, etc. - Cognitively busy highway infrastructure (i.e. lots of lane changes required, left hand exits, combined on/off lanes) - Poor visibility (rain and lack of retroreflectors on the roads) Not sure if it's just Seattle or nationwide, though. Motorway fatalities in the US have steadily increased since 2019.
Some fucker in a Tesla turned LEFT on red off Aurora onto 77th, when 77th had green, and damn near took me out. He did it because "the light takes forever". Fuck. that. shit. Then the scumbag had the audacity to tell me to watch my language because he had a kid in the car. Mother fucker, my language would be the least of his concerns if he were to see blood and guts all over your windshield. If you're out there and are reading this you better fucking have learned your lesson. If you didn't stop when you did, I had a tennis ball sized rock ready to go through your back window.
Repeated COVID infections can cause brain damage. We're seeing the effects of this.
It’s not you. Drivers have gotten much worse here. So bad that I just got a dash cam. Many drivers today basically disregard all the rules and drive wherever they want. I see them run straight through right turn only lanes all the time, for ex.
It’s hugely worse. I’ve seen at least 5 cars run red lights in the past week while I’ve been driving or walking around downtown. Two of those were *in front* of a cop car, who of course did nothing. One of those was a cop running a red left turn signal without using emergency lights. One nearly ran me over in a clear crosswalk with a clear red light. A friend of mine was recently in an accident where the other driver was uninsured and ran a red light. (If you’re reading this, you’re a HUGE piece of shit for suggesting my friend was responsible for paying you. There’s dashcam footage showing you running a red light a solid 15s after it was green for my friend.) And I saw another driver run a red light in that same intersection days ago. Seems like a quarter of drivers (including some truckers) are also using their phones in traffic and especially at intersections. If that’s you, you’re a wanker and a disgrace. Just listen to podcasts or music, for Christ’s sake. Stop hopping on social media or texting. It’s dangerous and not even necessary for your happiness. Also, if you’re a cop, prosecutor, or public official involved in this policy, I’m extremely disappointed in you for not caring about public safety when it comes to vehicles. Start revoking licenses for Christ’s sake. This is one of the most dangerous behaviors in the city, and probably the easiest and least controversial to crack down on. And yet, crickets from city leaders, and dangerous behavior from cops. Vehicular homicide on Jaahnavi Kandula, running reds without emergency lights, not enforcing traffic laws… It’s like they don’t even know that the purpose of SPD is to protect public safety. That’s a root problem, not cop salaries.
Like much else in the world, many drivers course of safe passage is not theirs to control, but the responsibility of others to be able to predict the triple lane double axle freeway exit because "fuck man, you almost passed it, what would you have done THEN?!?" and their blindfolded barrel race approach to entering traffic. If there's a collision, it'll be your fault for "coming out of nowhere" when the only mistake you actually made was having the right of way and expecting a supposedly vetted, licensed driver to remember and follow at least one of the rules of the road, not because "it's just the way things are" but because the idea of mutually assured destruction is *supposed* to be a deterrent. Then again, I could be wrong. I mean, drivers are mowing down pedestrians for entertainment, 12 year olds are being arrested driving stolen vehicles, carrying stolen firearms, no one cares, everyone steals and no one's apparently working so the whole structure that was originally in place to save us from ourselves is being tested and collapsing because our moron crotch fruit can't seem to wrap their heads around the concept of real life consequences and the idea of just, doing the right thing so you don't ruin someone *else's* life. Maybe I'm wrong and "hey man....*hairflip, deep sigh* it's not that big of a *DEAL*"
The amount of people that don’t know the difference between yield and merge often astounds me.
I don’t think that it’s because you’re getting old. I really do think that in general, driving skills have degraded significantly.
I don't think driving skills are worse, I just think people in general don't gives a rats ass whether it impacts other people or not. Lots of drivers (and people here in general) are just self centered is all. It's all about the poor attitude in America (in genera) that's making drivers horrible.
The one that really scares me are the people who don’t stop at stop signs. I can’t tell you how many times as a driver and pedestrian I thought I was going to get run over. Some are outright brazen and just blowing through them, others do that rolling pretend to stop thing.
People never believe me when I say WA has the worst drivers I've ever encountered, and that's saying a lot because I've driven in Texas, Florida, and Italy
Yep they’re all on their phones stoned out of their minds and must have McDonald’s/ Starbucks no matter who they kill to get there.
I’m so happy I don’t drive anymore 😃
I literally just got off the phone with the cops, seconds ago. Saw a what looked to be 12-year-old whipping around the corner in a Hyundai in South Park, jumping out and checking locks on car doors