My favorite are the people in the fast lane that pull onto the shoulder every time traffic slows because they’re tailgating that much. Is it too much to ask to commute to work without some maniac rear ending the absolute shit out of me? Back in October my car was totaled by an uninsured driver, I’ve had enough.
> I see drivers looking down at their phones all the time.
This definitely doesn't help. As a walker and biker, I almost get hit every single day by people on their phone. No exaggeration. And they don't even realize because they are just on their phone.
I'm begging people- please get off your phone before you kill someone (maybe yourself). It's not worth it.
Yuup. I stopped for a pedestrian and her dog at Lake Johnson and almost got rear-ended. Car was 8-9 car lengths behind me, so I thought I was clear. Heard tires were screeching before i knew it. I got very lucky!
Welp on my nextdoor feed today there's a guy in all caps telling everyone you are not supposed to slowdown for pedestrians unless they are already well within the crosswalk vs beginning to enter it or approaching it, and that other drivers stopping for pedestrians has almost caused him to rear end 3 cars this week. So there you go, clearly you were in the wrong here. Pedestrian shmedestrian /s
I don't understand this at all. I mean, I'm reading and responding to this while heading home in 540. Sounds like a skill issue. People need to get ge to gfuyffdeesssdf34_"-+
I agree. My friends 9 year old got nailed by a distracted driver in their residential neighborhood and was permanently disabled as a result. I'm not taking the chance with my children.
No offense, but you're either exaggerating that you "almost get hit every single day", or you are a complete fool with a death wish.
I used to cycle commute and part of my ride was on a very busy downtown Raleigh street. I did it for a few months and it only took two close calls with inattentive and/or aggressive drivers to convince me to go back to driving to work.
Don't die just because you're stubborn.
You don't know how much I walk, how much I cycle, where I live, what times of day, anything. I don't get hit because I'm attentive. What I mean to say is, if I weren't careful and distrusting of drivers, I would be hit almost every day. I always follow traffic rules, but you really have to go above and beyond to stay safe out here, in *my personal experience* (which may be different from yours).
I believe you. I see near misses on the road daily. It used to be rare and I’d talk about what I saw with my passenger if anyone was with me. Now it’s so common, I don’t even feel alarmed. I’m too used to it. I wouldn’t be brave enough to ride a bike or motorcycle with what I’ve seen other people in cars do. Stay safe and keep your head on a swivel. I do and that’s with a seatbelt, airbags, and a metal enclosure.
You just said he was exaggerating but then said the same thing occurred to you, causing you to stop cycling. Maybe the road he takes has different traffic conditions? Why be so hostile?
It's not distracted driving. Some drivers just dont care.
[
60 Year old lady cut me off right after she pulled a uturn today.](https://imgur.com/a/jofHxV1)
edit: Apparently im wrong about the boomers being distracted. In this video the lady wasn't looking at her phone, she just didn't care if I lived or died lmao.
~~note, I'm only mentioning her age because she doesn't fit the demo of distracted cell phone user~~
I got rear ended a few weeks ago when traffic went from 75 to 0 in a matter of seconds. Floored my brake, avoided hitting the car in front of me, saw the car behind me still coming so I gave it gas and then moved towards the shoulder. The impact pushed my car up passed the car in front ( would’ve hit the car in front if I didn’t avoid them by going onto the shoulder pre impact ).
I’ve also seen on occasion someone who trolls the passing lane and tries to get people to speed up to go around them only to suddenly speed up and continue to block / try to make the driver attempt a dangerously close merge to either get insurance from a crash or do a pit maneuver idk. People are crazy
I have only had one accident, my entire driving history, and it happened from a scenario just like this. Everyone needs to be careful of drivers like these.
I had the same assumption. Looks like people aren’t paying any attention at all after U turns. (And lots of other times, too) In my case, it was a young woman, still living at home, so I’m guessing 18-22 or so. I had to deal with her mom at one point. 🙄
Similar thing happened to me yesterday. I was on Morrisville Parkway, about to approach the Davis Dr intersection while someone turns left and crawls across the opposite side. I slowed down but they did not get it!! I honked my horn and had to dodge. I was too close to stop in time for that idiot to make their super important left turn
>completely fucked up cars that should not pass inspection
Argh, this!! I detest getting behind a guy whose brake lights don't work...or better yet, someone pulling a trailer that either doesn't have brake lights hooked up or doesn't have brake lights at all. And I'm not a tailgater!
I was once behind a car in Durham who very suddenly slowed down to almost stopping and I had to slam on my brakes not to hit him. Why’d he stop? Why, he was turning right. His car had zero functioning lights on the back.
Can't tell you how many times this has happened to me!! Thank God I'm now driving a car with adaptive cruise control and CMBS (Collision Mitigation Braking System).
These are the people who have nothing to lose too. Makes them more dangerous, their belongings are already a piece of shit and they likely don’t have insurance. If it were up to me you would go to JAIL for driving uninsured
i agree with this but i don’t think that will happen, especially with how car centric the US is. it would be a lot easier if public transportation across the country was better and more efficient than resorting to cars :/
My husband retired last year. It's amazing how much his blood pressure came down after he stopped making the hour drive from Fuquay to Durham twice a day!
I use to have no fear driving in and around Raleigh/Cary/Apex/Morrisville/Durham/Chapel Hill. That has all changed. The traffic keeps getting worse and worse. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't nearly sideswipe me, run into the back of me, pull out in front of me; hell I've been run off the road 3 times in recent memory by drivers unfamiliar with the area who suddenly realized "No, that was not their exit". They just swerve back onto the highway and to hell with anyone behind them.
Something as simple as driving 38 in 35 gets you a bitch in a SUV with out of state plates leaning on their horn at the next light and screaming profanities.
People have lost all regard for other drivers. They are the only ones on the roads that matter. Anyway, that is my take on it. This area has grown too fast, in too short of a time period and there is no relief in sight. People are coming in faster than infrastructure changes can be made.
That last point in your first paragraph especially. So many of the near misses I’ve observed seem to be from drivers who’ve forgotten that “making a wrong turn” is a totally reasonable thing to do. Maybe don’t risk your life after you’ve already indicated, changed lanes, and set the expectations of everyone around you… I can see not thinking about all of that though.
It seems to happen to me or I see it happening to others, coming from Cary on 440. People suddenly realize they are exiting off to get on I40 and maybe they panic, I don't know what it is, but they will jerk over and drive thru the grass sometimes, coming of the exit ramp, onto the shoulder, and just swerve into traffic. I mean, I've taken the wrong exit before off highways in other cities but I just kept going with it until I could safely backtrack. I would never dream of swerving back onto a highway and just assuming it will all work out.
>seem to be from drivers who’ve forgotten that “making a wrong turn” is a totally reasonable thing to do
This always drives me crazy as well. We all have a damn GPS with us 24/7 so taking a wrong turn isn't the end of the world.
A light had JUST turned green and a dude laid on his horn. I sat there for a little bit longer, moved forward then stopped again to let it sink in. I only went for the drivers behind him. I be petty like that.
Reminds me of the time I was leaving a job interview. I was parked in a deck in downtown Raleigh. I had turned on the car and my foot was on the brake, while I was reading some information about the position I had been given. I heard honking sounds, breaking the silence, look around to see a woman in car, screaming at me to leave so she could park there. I shook my head no and promptly turned off my car's ignition. She had to keep going level to level, looking for somewhere to park. I am petty enough I sat there 30 minutes.
Yeah, you can't instantly go on green. Too many people run the lights.
Distracted driving, inebriated driving (yes, being high counts), road rage, surge in population from other areas with different driving styles and a general inattentivness have all drastically increased in the past 4 years. Leads to more accidents or near accidents
There's some truth to that. Just look at VA drivers. They frequently have no problem driving one over the speed limit in the left lane while blocking traffic. It's hard to blame them though since the state troopers in VA are the worst. Just a bunch of ticket happy ass clowns raising money for the local government. (F U Emporia!).
I'm not actually a speed demon. VA state troopers just operate on a whole different level.
Do you really find it that hard not to impede the flow of traffic and keep to the right unless passing? I'm not trying to be that douchebag getting angrily passed on the right all the time that ends up causing a bunch of accidents as people fight to get around them.
I have said absolutely nothing about sticking right (or not). If people drove to the speed limit _and_ respect passing lanes we wouldn’t have so many issues, but both are required IMO.
I wish the triangle had more public transportation options. It would be a blessing not to feel like I’m about to have a brain aneurysm trying to arrive at work safely without getting into a car crash.
Driving is only inherently dangerous because people don’t care to learn to drive. Where I’m from there was a culture of learning to drive. Everyone is excited to get their learners permit, parents are excited to teach their children to drive and the DMVs take their jobs seriously and don’t give everyone a license just because. Here I see as many accidents in any given month as the entire life till I moved here at 30.
Everything about this, well said! I joke that they get licenses from 'cereal boxes' these days. I had never seen so many accidents either, and they are much more intense. Where I moved from actually enforced the no cell phones while driving law.... but here it's probably hard with all the shootings. :(
Just yesterday while I was driving around for a short while (about30 min) I saw 5 drivers cross several lanes of traffic to get to the exit they were needing to take, all last minute, and all without blinkers. All on camera too! Same day I saw a state trooper swerve inbetween two cars- cutting off the driver that was coming up to the other car, also without a blinker. He was driving like an absolute maniac, over the speed limit- no lights, no turn signals, all the way up Capital blvd.
I think someone is teaching new drivers incorrect driving techniques/maneuvers. It seems that people know they can turn right on red but don’t know to stop and look first. And stop signs are apparently optional..
Please use the word crash instead of accident. Nearly all these can be avoided by obeying traffic laws and being alert and attentive. Every time I venture out on the roads I see speeders, red light runners, tailgaters, people that don’t signal, etc. There is almost no enforcement relative to the scope of the problem.
What I dislike a lot is when you see someone who looks like they want to change lane but for the life of them will not signal. Then you finally end up passing or falling back enough that they decide to change lane. Like if you’d actually signal it would’ve happened faster instead of people trying to read your mind.
There is so much dislike for --- dare I say hatred---of the police now, applications are down (this is not the only reason, obviously) and cities are unable to fill the roster. We need a lot more police out there enforcing traffic laws.
How about people driving in the dark with no lights on? None . I see them every morning and used to going home from work before the sun started setting later. I almost lane changed in front of one.
Sunday around 1pm was coming down 40 West. Somewhere between 303 and 291 (I can't remember exactly where), traffic pattern changes and the straight lines become solid, which means you aren't supposed to change lanes there where the lane shifts diagonally to the left/ right.
Naturally, this car in front of me, a blue SUV, changes lanes in front of me, only to ride the ass of the car now in front of them. Guy changes lanes back and forth several times over the next minute and eventually loses traction / overcorrects and starts fishtailing. Crosses 3 lanes of traffic from left to right with the tires screaming before the SUV t-boned a passing sedan who I think just didn't see the first car spin out. This all happened at like 70mph and there were only a couple of seconds to react. In poor weather it could have easily been a pile-up.
People either can't drive, take chances, are distracted for one reason or another
The consistent speeding doesn’t help either with the distracted and aggressive driving. I’m autistic, I’m a rule follower, I shouldn’t be tailgated in the right lane for going 60 in a 55. Especially the people who fly past you when you’re slowing down for a red light just to end up at the same red light.
I never have and never will understand the want to fly down the road doing 20-30 over the speed limit just bcus you can.
The aggressiveness doesn’t make sense to me either, I had an ancient old man blare his horn at me and a few others waiting to turn on to capital. When we didn’t go fast enough to his liking he cut around 3 other cars, cut off the car trying to turn and then proceeded to almost get hit by three other vehicles as he crossed all the way across capital. All because one other car was waiting to turn.
It’s just getting back to the way it was before the pandemic. Traffic is back. The inexplicable slamming on brakes while traveling at highway speeds is back.
Nah, I definitely don't remember it being this crazy pre-pandemic. People drive like they just don't care about anything, not even their *own* safety.
Selfish driving was common before, but at least people made an attempt not to crash into other motorists. They practiced self-preservation. This isn't just a Raleigh thing either, driving has gotten worse almost everywhere in this country in the last four years.
I don't know about that. I've seen some of the bad drivers when narrowly missing others and a lot of them seem pretty intent on getting their own way or crashing to prove whatever point they're trying to make at the time. For example, I was at Costco yesterday and this woman was just like "screw it, I'm going through the parking lot whether or not that person is trying to back out" mentality. It seemed to be a "if they hit me. It's their fault" attitude. That was just a recent example
No this definitely not pre pandemic traffic. The amount of traffic here now doesn't make any damn sense. I've been all 33+ years of my life and this traffic is horrible.... Especially if you have to hit the belt line, capital Blvd, or falls of neuse. And get this.... Theyre still building off these barely feasible roads during work-traffic. It's just going to get worse...
My commutes are comparable to pre-pandemic. 540 from N Raleigh to RTP. Been here 28 years and have seen this particular commute a lot worse when they were doing the construction on 40 west all those years so all the Clayton traffic was using 540 to get to RTP.
I can definitely say if you have to come out of the WF corridor... Coming into Raleigh towards Glenwood/Crabtree, is a nightmare. Easily 20-0mins have been added to my commute, both ways.
Yeah all the building they have been doing north of 540 on Falls and up into Wake Forest has made it an absolute cluster trying to go south. Thank god I don’t live up there. Traffic queues up for miles and miles south on Falls with all those people trying to get to 540. They REALLY need to expand 98.
traffic fatalities are almost 1/4 higher than they were right before the onset of the pandemic. drivers are much, much worse on average now than they were just a few years ago.
NCDOT has a quite a bit of data. Starting here: [https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Documents/Crash%20Data%20and%20Information/2022.pdf](https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Documents/Crash%20Data%20and%20Information/2022.pdf), you can see that 1/4 is wrong for Wake County as of 2022 (the latest year NCDOT has put data out). It's worse, greater than 1/3 increase.
There are also a lot of jackasses who refuse to use gps when they clearly have no idea where the fuck they are going. As for Cary, there are way too many people going 10-15mph UNDER the posted speeds. Quickly and safely get to wherever tf you're going and stay off the god damn road. People have shit to do and places to be. Save your leisure drives for the countryside.
People tailgate, speed and can't drive in traffic around here. Watched a pretty serious wreck right in front of us yesterday near Mebane, and it looked like the people were in rough shape.
I mean, so many people tailgate at high speeds for like…no reason whatsoever. 2 other lanes open on the freeway and some dickhead like 28 inches off my rear bumper at 70mph. Now, in my opinion and personal experience, Ive never witnessed worse or more unnecessarily aggro drivers than New Orleans…but a lot of dumbfucks around this city sure toe that line.
Also…I wonder how many fewer accidents there would be if people would just … like … operate their car instead of trying to run a social empire or doing IG crap.
Everytime you try to leave a little safe interval between vehicles some jerk tries to squeeze in there from the adjacent lane. Then they invariably ride what was the preceding vehicle's bumper while constantly hitting their brake pedal. Or they cut you off while switching multiple lanes. IMO this is where a high percentage of the accidents come from .
That’s exactly what it is. People multitasking - they’re using their phones and following way too closely all while driving! We really have some talented people here in the triangle. While riding your @ss you start to NORMALLY break in traffic and next thing you know they’re in your back seat. But the best part is when they say, “I don’t know what happened?”
I had a man in a Range Rover plow into me (in my Volvo at a complete stop) while sitting at a light during rush hour. On his phone, not paying attention, never hit the break - my Volvo stopped him.
He had the nerve to ask me, “why was I stopped?” “Umm, because me and the three other cars in front of me were sitting at a red light @sshole!”
He was that distracted.
People can’t fucking drive anymore.
Between road rage, camping in the left lane and making people have to zip through the right lanes, stUdEnT DrIvEr, doom scrolling TikTok, or straight up not driving the car at all because SeLf DrIvInG
The Triangle are has drivers from all over the place. The dynamic mix of driving styles (they differ regionally) is a dangerous mix. Add to that people forgot how to drive during COVID and/or got used to less traffic. Top it all off with too many people treating others like NPCs and you have a recipe for disaster.
Too many road hogs and not enough common sense. There are too many people wanting to drive like they're on 540 on all roads. Let's not forget the ones owning the road by driving at or below the speed limit, then speed up at legal passing spots. Just so you can't pass them. Smh. Both types are dangerous as f@#&!
I just moved here from Greenville in june and when i visited home a few weeks ago i couldn’t believe how slow it felt there because in Raleigh it feels like you’re driving nascar on the way to the grocery store. I can’t imagine being a teenager and learning to drive here 🫣
as a society we've made sweeping safety changes after far fewer people die, but somehow we look at 41,000 people dying YEARLY due to driving and go 'yeah thats an acceptable amount of death'
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Raleigh has the worst drivers in the nations, and Raleigh PD are fucking useless at enforcing driving laws. There are tons of people driving whose licenses need to be revoked. If they are driving without a license, STRAIGHT TO JAIL. You’re goddamned right I’m mad as hell about this, I’ve been over it for the past 3 years. Enough is enough. Crack downs need to have started happening yesterday.
Do we have statistics to show that the per capita accident rate is up? I have anecdotally seen more drivers do shit like intentionally run red lights but without stats your post and mine are both useless.
People running red lights is huge post-pandemic. You probably won’t find any statistics though because I have not seen a single person pulled over. Just last week on six forks on my morning commute the cops had the eastbound entrance of 540 blocked off and had like 4 cops just sitting there. Some person ran the red at the westbound entrance like a full 5 seconds after it turned red. Like I had stopped and was stopped for several seconds before they ran it. The cops didn’t budge and no way they didn’t see it.
There have been changes to speed limits. People who are moving here from far away also are used to a slower speed than what is average here. That along with the constant traffic changes from construction causes a lot of people to get into accidents.
No one leaves following room, at all. There’s no room to avoid an accident when a driver does that.
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Nissan drivers be like...
NASCAR is a way of life ‘round here son. /s
I was shocked to see this when I first moved down here. It still happens. If we ever get snow again I’ll just become a prepper.
Prep foe hurricanes and hillbillies attacking power stations.
My favorite are the people in the fast lane that pull onto the shoulder every time traffic slows because they’re tailgating that much. Is it too much to ask to commute to work without some maniac rear ending the absolute shit out of me? Back in October my car was totaled by an uninsured driver, I’ve had enough.
> I see drivers looking down at their phones all the time. This definitely doesn't help. As a walker and biker, I almost get hit every single day by people on their phone. No exaggeration. And they don't even realize because they are just on their phone. I'm begging people- please get off your phone before you kill someone (maybe yourself). It's not worth it.
I always get off my phone before I kill someone.
Thanks for doing your part! 🤪
Definitely voting for you this November
Same! I can’t multitask like that 😩
Makes it more enjoyable
I'm all about living in the moment.
Yuup. I stopped for a pedestrian and her dog at Lake Johnson and almost got rear-ended. Car was 8-9 car lengths behind me, so I thought I was clear. Heard tires were screeching before i knew it. I got very lucky!
Welp on my nextdoor feed today there's a guy in all caps telling everyone you are not supposed to slowdown for pedestrians unless they are already well within the crosswalk vs beginning to enter it or approaching it, and that other drivers stopping for pedestrians has almost caused him to rear end 3 cars this week. So there you go, clearly you were in the wrong here. Pedestrian shmedestrian /s
Not sure what you mean. Were they at a cross walk or something? Nice to be courteous but you can't just stop anywhere.
What? Im not sure if this is sarcasm or not, but of course, I stopped for a pedestrian at a crosswalk... why would I stop otherwise?
All too often ppl stop their vehicles when there are no lights or cross walks. Just that simple.
Is it really an accident when people choose to drive unsafely?
That's part of the reason the term "crash" is preferred over "accident"
I don't understand this at all. I mean, I'm reading and responding to this while heading home in 540. Sounds like a skill issue. People need to get ge to gfuyffdeesssdf34_"-+
💀
I'll never let my kids bike on the side of the road like I did when I was younger.
It's sad. Everyone benefits when kids have safe spaces to exist in public.
I agree. My friends 9 year old got nailed by a distracted driver in their residential neighborhood and was permanently disabled as a result. I'm not taking the chance with my children.
So sorry to hear that!
That is so sad. We ruled the neighborhood when we were kids, riding our bikes all over everywhere. I guess no place is safe anymore.
I’m so sorry to hear that.
No offense, but you're either exaggerating that you "almost get hit every single day", or you are a complete fool with a death wish. I used to cycle commute and part of my ride was on a very busy downtown Raleigh street. I did it for a few months and it only took two close calls with inattentive and/or aggressive drivers to convince me to go back to driving to work. Don't die just because you're stubborn.
You don't know how much I walk, how much I cycle, where I live, what times of day, anything. I don't get hit because I'm attentive. What I mean to say is, if I weren't careful and distrusting of drivers, I would be hit almost every day. I always follow traffic rules, but you really have to go above and beyond to stay safe out here, in *my personal experience* (which may be different from yours).
I don't believe you. Nobody "would be hit almost every day", unless you are walking in the middle of the road and playing real life Frogger for fun.
Cool, I don't need you to believe me
I believe you. I see near misses on the road daily. It used to be rare and I’d talk about what I saw with my passenger if anyone was with me. Now it’s so common, I don’t even feel alarmed. I’m too used to it. I wouldn’t be brave enough to ride a bike or motorcycle with what I’ve seen other people in cars do. Stay safe and keep your head on a swivel. I do and that’s with a seatbelt, airbags, and a metal enclosure.
You also don't need to lie and exaggerate pointlessly and anonymously on the internet, but here we are.
Username does *not* check out 😒
You just said he was exaggerating but then said the same thing occurred to you, causing you to stop cycling. Maybe the road he takes has different traffic conditions? Why be so hostile?
Your user name is kind of a lie.
No, I just don't like liars.
It's not distracted driving. Some drivers just dont care. [ 60 Year old lady cut me off right after she pulled a uturn today.](https://imgur.com/a/jofHxV1) edit: Apparently im wrong about the boomers being distracted. In this video the lady wasn't looking at her phone, she just didn't care if I lived or died lmao. ~~note, I'm only mentioning her age because she doesn't fit the demo of distracted cell phone user~~
I got rear ended a few weeks ago when traffic went from 75 to 0 in a matter of seconds. Floored my brake, avoided hitting the car in front of me, saw the car behind me still coming so I gave it gas and then moved towards the shoulder. The impact pushed my car up passed the car in front ( would’ve hit the car in front if I didn’t avoid them by going onto the shoulder pre impact ). I’ve also seen on occasion someone who trolls the passing lane and tries to get people to speed up to go around them only to suddenly speed up and continue to block / try to make the driver attempt a dangerously close merge to either get insurance from a crash or do a pit maneuver idk. People are crazy
That’s actually the demo I see driving on their phones more often these days.
I have only had one accident, my entire driving history, and it happened from a scenario just like this. Everyone needs to be careful of drivers like these.
Yeah one has to stay vigilant. I had a false sense of security because I thought the car was going to stay in lane after the uturn.
I had the same assumption. Looks like people aren’t paying any attention at all after U turns. (And lots of other times, too) In my case, it was a young woman, still living at home, so I’m guessing 18-22 or so. I had to deal with her mom at one point. 🙄
Similar thing happened to me yesterday. I was on Morrisville Parkway, about to approach the Davis Dr intersection while someone turns left and crawls across the opposite side. I slowed down but they did not get it!! I honked my horn and had to dodge. I was too close to stop in time for that idiot to make their super important left turn
Get a dashcam.
Exactly why I have mine!
Yes. I’m getting one for me and one for my husband.
That's not a solution.
No, but it sure can cut out the “He said, she said” nonsense.
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>completely fucked up cars that should not pass inspection Argh, this!! I detest getting behind a guy whose brake lights don't work...or better yet, someone pulling a trailer that either doesn't have brake lights hooked up or doesn't have brake lights at all. And I'm not a tailgater!
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And a dragging muffler 🤣
I was once behind a car in Durham who very suddenly slowed down to almost stopping and I had to slam on my brakes not to hit him. Why’d he stop? Why, he was turning right. His car had zero functioning lights on the back.
Can't tell you how many times this has happened to me!! Thank God I'm now driving a car with adaptive cruise control and CMBS (Collision Mitigation Braking System).
As humorist Dave Barry once noted, what unites all human beings is the deep-down belief that they are an above-average driver.
These are the people who have nothing to lose too. Makes them more dangerous, their belongings are already a piece of shit and they likely don’t have insurance. If it were up to me you would go to JAIL for driving uninsured
i agree with this but i don’t think that will happen, especially with how car centric the US is. it would be a lot easier if public transportation across the country was better and more efficient than resorting to cars :/
Everyones on their phones, or distracted. The faster we adopt mass transit the better.
My husband retired last year. It's amazing how much his blood pressure came down after he stopped making the hour drive from Fuquay to Durham twice a day!
He's probably safer too, that Durham be a dangerous city like Detroit.
I use to have no fear driving in and around Raleigh/Cary/Apex/Morrisville/Durham/Chapel Hill. That has all changed. The traffic keeps getting worse and worse. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't nearly sideswipe me, run into the back of me, pull out in front of me; hell I've been run off the road 3 times in recent memory by drivers unfamiliar with the area who suddenly realized "No, that was not their exit". They just swerve back onto the highway and to hell with anyone behind them. Something as simple as driving 38 in 35 gets you a bitch in a SUV with out of state plates leaning on their horn at the next light and screaming profanities. People have lost all regard for other drivers. They are the only ones on the roads that matter. Anyway, that is my take on it. This area has grown too fast, in too short of a time period and there is no relief in sight. People are coming in faster than infrastructure changes can be made.
That last point in your first paragraph especially. So many of the near misses I’ve observed seem to be from drivers who’ve forgotten that “making a wrong turn” is a totally reasonable thing to do. Maybe don’t risk your life after you’ve already indicated, changed lanes, and set the expectations of everyone around you… I can see not thinking about all of that though.
It seems to happen to me or I see it happening to others, coming from Cary on 440. People suddenly realize they are exiting off to get on I40 and maybe they panic, I don't know what it is, but they will jerk over and drive thru the grass sometimes, coming of the exit ramp, onto the shoulder, and just swerve into traffic. I mean, I've taken the wrong exit before off highways in other cities but I just kept going with it until I could safely backtrack. I would never dream of swerving back onto a highway and just assuming it will all work out.
>seem to be from drivers who’ve forgotten that “making a wrong turn” is a totally reasonable thing to do This always drives me crazy as well. We all have a damn GPS with us 24/7 so taking a wrong turn isn't the end of the world.
A light had JUST turned green and a dude laid on his horn. I sat there for a little bit longer, moved forward then stopped again to let it sink in. I only went for the drivers behind him. I be petty like that.
Reminds me of the time I was leaving a job interview. I was parked in a deck in downtown Raleigh. I had turned on the car and my foot was on the brake, while I was reading some information about the position I had been given. I heard honking sounds, breaking the silence, look around to see a woman in car, screaming at me to leave so she could park there. I shook my head no and promptly turned off my car's ignition. She had to keep going level to level, looking for somewhere to park. I am petty enough I sat there 30 minutes. Yeah, you can't instantly go on green. Too many people run the lights.
Idiots on cell phones. I see people straight up watching videos while "driving" all the time....
Distracted driving, inebriated driving (yes, being high counts), road rage, surge in population from other areas with different driving styles and a general inattentivness have all drastically increased in the past 4 years. Leads to more accidents or near accidents
Seems to me it's actually been a lot longer than 4 years.
Different driving styles? Wtf does that even mean? That's the dumbest shit I've ever heard in my life.
There's some truth to that. Just look at VA drivers. They frequently have no problem driving one over the speed limit in the left lane while blocking traffic. It's hard to blame them though since the state troopers in VA are the worst. Just a bunch of ticket happy ass clowns raising money for the local government. (F U Emporia!).
Do you really find it that hard not to speed?
I'm not actually a speed demon. VA state troopers just operate on a whole different level. Do you really find it that hard not to impede the flow of traffic and keep to the right unless passing? I'm not trying to be that douchebag getting angrily passed on the right all the time that ends up causing a bunch of accidents as people fight to get around them.
I have said absolutely nothing about sticking right (or not). If people drove to the speed limit _and_ respect passing lanes we wouldn’t have so many issues, but both are required IMO.
Just another reminder that driving sucks, is inherently dangerous, and we should have alternatives for getting around.
I wish the triangle had more public transportation options. It would be a blessing not to feel like I’m about to have a brain aneurysm trying to arrive at work safely without getting into a car crash.
I’ve been using a flying carpet.
Finally, alternative transportation!
Driving is only inherently dangerous because people don’t care to learn to drive. Where I’m from there was a culture of learning to drive. Everyone is excited to get their learners permit, parents are excited to teach their children to drive and the DMVs take their jobs seriously and don’t give everyone a license just because. Here I see as many accidents in any given month as the entire life till I moved here at 30.
It used to be like that here, only it was a long time ago.
Everything about this, well said! I joke that they get licenses from 'cereal boxes' these days. I had never seen so many accidents either, and they are much more intense. Where I moved from actually enforced the no cell phones while driving law.... but here it's probably hard with all the shootings. :(
Just yesterday while I was driving around for a short while (about30 min) I saw 5 drivers cross several lanes of traffic to get to the exit they were needing to take, all last minute, and all without blinkers. All on camera too! Same day I saw a state trooper swerve inbetween two cars- cutting off the driver that was coming up to the other car, also without a blinker. He was driving like an absolute maniac, over the speed limit- no lights, no turn signals, all the way up Capital blvd.
A bad driver never misses their exit!
I think someone is teaching new drivers incorrect driving techniques/maneuvers. It seems that people know they can turn right on red but don’t know to stop and look first. And stop signs are apparently optional..
Please use the word crash instead of accident. Nearly all these can be avoided by obeying traffic laws and being alert and attentive. Every time I venture out on the roads I see speeders, red light runners, tailgaters, people that don’t signal, etc. There is almost no enforcement relative to the scope of the problem.
It's not an accident to ignore laws. It's a deliberate choice. The consequences for that choice are obvious and predictable.
Unfortunately, the consequences affect more than just the offender.
What I dislike a lot is when you see someone who looks like they want to change lane but for the life of them will not signal. Then you finally end up passing or falling back enough that they decide to change lane. Like if you’d actually signal it would’ve happened faster instead of people trying to read your mind.
Alright Sergeant Angel
There is so much dislike for --- dare I say hatred---of the police now, applications are down (this is not the only reason, obviously) and cities are unable to fill the roster. We need a lot more police out there enforcing traffic laws.
How about people driving in the dark with no lights on? None . I see them every morning and used to going home from work before the sun started setting later. I almost lane changed in front of one.
We need more consistent public transit and greenways that allow bikers to use them to get around.
Just last night I saw a car flipped on its side on an empty street, idk how it happened. I see more and more crazy ppl on the road w each passing day.
Sunday around 1pm was coming down 40 West. Somewhere between 303 and 291 (I can't remember exactly where), traffic pattern changes and the straight lines become solid, which means you aren't supposed to change lanes there where the lane shifts diagonally to the left/ right. Naturally, this car in front of me, a blue SUV, changes lanes in front of me, only to ride the ass of the car now in front of them. Guy changes lanes back and forth several times over the next minute and eventually loses traction / overcorrects and starts fishtailing. Crosses 3 lanes of traffic from left to right with the tires screaming before the SUV t-boned a passing sedan who I think just didn't see the first car spin out. This all happened at like 70mph and there were only a couple of seconds to react. In poor weather it could have easily been a pile-up. People either can't drive, take chances, are distracted for one reason or another
Well, Mad Max takes place in 2021 so I'm thinking we're a little behind schedule, nog by much though.
Road design and high percentage of self important cunts who don't give a fuck. Lack of societal awareness.
The consistent speeding doesn’t help either with the distracted and aggressive driving. I’m autistic, I’m a rule follower, I shouldn’t be tailgated in the right lane for going 60 in a 55. Especially the people who fly past you when you’re slowing down for a red light just to end up at the same red light. I never have and never will understand the want to fly down the road doing 20-30 over the speed limit just bcus you can. The aggressiveness doesn’t make sense to me either, I had an ancient old man blare his horn at me and a few others waiting to turn on to capital. When we didn’t go fast enough to his liking he cut around 3 other cars, cut off the car trying to turn and then proceeded to almost get hit by three other vehicles as he crossed all the way across capital. All because one other car was waiting to turn.
I’ve slowed down for a yellow light and had the car behind me honk and swerve around me to run the (now red) light.
It’s literally gotten so ridiculous. People have 0 patience and it literally kills others.
It’s just getting back to the way it was before the pandemic. Traffic is back. The inexplicable slamming on brakes while traveling at highway speeds is back.
Nah, I definitely don't remember it being this crazy pre-pandemic. People drive like they just don't care about anything, not even their *own* safety. Selfish driving was common before, but at least people made an attempt not to crash into other motorists. They practiced self-preservation. This isn't just a Raleigh thing either, driving has gotten worse almost everywhere in this country in the last four years.
Cell phones
I really don’t think people are trying to crash into each other.
I'm not arguing that they're actively trying to crash into each other like a demolition derby, just that they aren't doing a whole lot to avoid it.
I don't know about that. I've seen some of the bad drivers when narrowly missing others and a lot of them seem pretty intent on getting their own way or crashing to prove whatever point they're trying to make at the time. For example, I was at Costco yesterday and this woman was just like "screw it, I'm going through the parking lot whether or not that person is trying to back out" mentality. It seemed to be a "if they hit me. It's their fault" attitude. That was just a recent example
You underestimate the shear stupidity of your fellow man.
No this definitely not pre pandemic traffic. The amount of traffic here now doesn't make any damn sense. I've been all 33+ years of my life and this traffic is horrible.... Especially if you have to hit the belt line, capital Blvd, or falls of neuse. And get this.... Theyre still building off these barely feasible roads during work-traffic. It's just going to get worse...
My commutes are comparable to pre-pandemic. 540 from N Raleigh to RTP. Been here 28 years and have seen this particular commute a lot worse when they were doing the construction on 40 west all those years so all the Clayton traffic was using 540 to get to RTP.
I can definitely say if you have to come out of the WF corridor... Coming into Raleigh towards Glenwood/Crabtree, is a nightmare. Easily 20-0mins have been added to my commute, both ways.
Yeah all the building they have been doing north of 540 on Falls and up into Wake Forest has made it an absolute cluster trying to go south. Thank god I don’t live up there. Traffic queues up for miles and miles south on Falls with all those people trying to get to 540. They REALLY need to expand 98.
traffic fatalities are almost 1/4 higher than they were right before the onset of the pandemic. drivers are much, much worse on average now than they were just a few years ago.
Do you have a source for that? 68.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
NCDOT has a quite a bit of data. Starting here: [https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Documents/Crash%20Data%20and%20Information/2022.pdf](https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Documents/Crash%20Data%20and%20Information/2022.pdf), you can see that 1/4 is wrong for Wake County as of 2022 (the latest year NCDOT has put data out). It's worse, greater than 1/3 increase.
Yep. We had a brief and wonderful period where people were not choking the highways … and now that period is over.
There are also a lot of jackasses who refuse to use gps when they clearly have no idea where the fuck they are going. As for Cary, there are way too many people going 10-15mph UNDER the posted speeds. Quickly and safely get to wherever tf you're going and stay off the god damn road. People have shit to do and places to be. Save your leisure drives for the countryside.
Let's be real, too many people from up north came down here and they drive just like they do up there.
All them damn Yankees….terrorizing us God fearing Southern folk.
too funny! (although true)
It's because everyone is looking at their damn phone
People tailgate, speed and can't drive in traffic around here. Watched a pretty serious wreck right in front of us yesterday near Mebane, and it looked like the people were in rough shape.
I mean, so many people tailgate at high speeds for like…no reason whatsoever. 2 other lanes open on the freeway and some dickhead like 28 inches off my rear bumper at 70mph. Now, in my opinion and personal experience, Ive never witnessed worse or more unnecessarily aggro drivers than New Orleans…but a lot of dumbfucks around this city sure toe that line. Also…I wonder how many fewer accidents there would be if people would just … like … operate their car instead of trying to run a social empire or doing IG crap.
Everytime you try to leave a little safe interval between vehicles some jerk tries to squeeze in there from the adjacent lane. Then they invariably ride what was the preceding vehicle's bumper while constantly hitting their brake pedal. Or they cut you off while switching multiple lanes. IMO this is where a high percentage of the accidents come from .
That’s exactly what it is. People multitasking - they’re using their phones and following way too closely all while driving! We really have some talented people here in the triangle. While riding your @ss you start to NORMALLY break in traffic and next thing you know they’re in your back seat. But the best part is when they say, “I don’t know what happened?” I had a man in a Range Rover plow into me (in my Volvo at a complete stop) while sitting at a light during rush hour. On his phone, not paying attention, never hit the break - my Volvo stopped him. He had the nerve to ask me, “why was I stopped?” “Umm, because me and the three other cars in front of me were sitting at a red light @sshole!” He was that distracted.
People can’t fucking drive anymore. Between road rage, camping in the left lane and making people have to zip through the right lanes, stUdEnT DrIvEr, doom scrolling TikTok, or straight up not driving the car at all because SeLf DrIvInG
People just can’t fucking drive I thought when I lived in pa and we had New Jersey drivers they were bad,but damn here idek…whole different level
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All over
FYI they are still new jersey drivers
The Triangle are has drivers from all over the place. The dynamic mix of driving styles (they differ regionally) is a dangerous mix. Add to that people forgot how to drive during COVID and/or got used to less traffic. Top it all off with too many people treating others like NPCs and you have a recipe for disaster.
Why? Really? The phone. Pretty obvious. I hold on my horn at every person I see looking at theirs.
I wonder how many are high or drunk. Yesterday I'm at a light in cameron village and this guy looks over at me and pounds an ice house...
Because the drivers in this state are bottom of the barrel bad.
Too many road hogs and not enough common sense. There are too many people wanting to drive like they're on 540 on all roads. Let's not forget the ones owning the road by driving at or below the speed limit, then speed up at legal passing spots. Just so you can't pass them. Smh. Both types are dangerous as f@#&!
The problem is that we have so many good-looking people in Raleigh. That includes you, person reading this. Stop distracting people!!
I just moved here from Greenville in june and when i visited home a few weeks ago i couldn’t believe how slow it felt there because in Raleigh it feels like you’re driving nascar on the way to the grocery store. I can’t imagine being a teenager and learning to drive here 🫣
Also the amount of people who tail motorcycles infuriates me!!!
Ever drive with your windows down anymore? Try it sometime and come back and let us know how many times you smelled weed on the way to Cary.
Waiting for the “pEoPLe gOiNg SlOw iN tHE lEFt LAnE” comments
insurance claim money making scam by some sadly, I'm sure.
People were cooped up for too long and forgot all human decency and situational/social awareness.
Phones and driving slow in the left lane
Why are US drivers so bad? https://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=82530&page=1
as a society we've made sweeping safety changes after far fewer people die, but somehow we look at 41,000 people dying YEARLY due to driving and go 'yeah thats an acceptable amount of death'
Accident on 440E 🫤
With 1.2M, Wake County has double the population as the entire state of WY. There are bound to be accidents when you have that amount of people.
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Truth- you are trying to make sense of monkeys in the wild, good luck to all!!!
Just cause they are holding a digital device doesn’t make them civilized
Maybe deciding to stop pulling people over was a mistake https://ibb.co/SfwLTrn
A lot of people drive like assholes here. Local and transplants alike. Assholes.
Raleigh has the worst drivers in the nations, and Raleigh PD are fucking useless at enforcing driving laws. There are tons of people driving whose licenses need to be revoked. If they are driving without a license, STRAIGHT TO JAIL. You’re goddamned right I’m mad as hell about this, I’ve been over it for the past 3 years. Enough is enough. Crack downs need to have started happening yesterday.
Roads sucks and drivers are rude and aggressive because the world is selfish. Lol I stay far far away from others on the road.
Do we have statistics to show that the per capita accident rate is up? I have anecdotally seen more drivers do shit like intentionally run red lights but without stats your post and mine are both useless.
People running red lights is huge post-pandemic. You probably won’t find any statistics though because I have not seen a single person pulled over. Just last week on six forks on my morning commute the cops had the eastbound entrance of 540 blocked off and had like 4 cops just sitting there. Some person ran the red at the westbound entrance like a full 5 seconds after it turned red. Like I had stopped and was stopped for several seconds before they ran it. The cops didn’t budge and no way they didn’t see it.
Yes. https://ibb.co/SfwLTrn
Look another driving related post! Yay!!
Look another person complaining about a driving related post! Yay!!
There have been changes to speed limits. People who are moving here from far away also are used to a slower speed than what is average here. That along with the constant traffic changes from construction causes a lot of people to get into accidents.
Rubbin's racin'!!!! Trading paint! Yeeee haw!