Mobile Drivers, Chill the F Out

Originally Posted: November 24, 2008

Current mood:full

When I first drove to Atlanta, I was sure that this had to be the worst group of drivers in all of the country. Later I moved to Auburn and found that to be untrue. Five years later Birmingham scored the number one spot with their Christmas traffic.
Now, the torch is close to being passed on to Mobile, where not more than 3 months after I moved here was rear-ended at a red light... moving on.

I know I've already touched on bad driving before but I think this needs mentioning.

1. Personally, and this may be an annoyance for other drivers, I like to avoid stopping in front of side streets and entrance/exits to businesses as a courtesy to other drivers. Well, I was approaching a red light the other day and a couple of cars were trying to come out of a gas station and get into the opposite direction of traffic. I slowed to a stop with just enough distance between myself and the car ahead of me to allow these two cars to exit, and as the second car pulls out I begin to hear a car horn from directly behind me. The cars have exited, I pull up SIX FEET to let the car behind me us the same side street as an entrance and the horn stops. The car does not exit the main road as I thought it would. They just wanted their precious 72 inches of head start. What in the world could be so important that you require all cars to be bumper to bumper at all times. Are you going to miss the first two seconds of Judge Judy if I don't move up? Did your water just break and you needed the space to assure your timely arrival at the hospital? CHILL OUT! This is Mobile... wherever you are going... your not going to miss anything.
PS. THE LIGHT IS STILL RED!!!

2. Why is 8-12 miles over the speed limit not enough? I try to please you people and yet you still ride my ass. I'm going to start going 10 mph below the speed limit and take up multiple lanes again if yall don't watch it.

3. Did you all just buy your car yesterday? Are you unaware of the length of the front of your vehicle? Have you realized that while looking for an opening in traffic, you have already placed yourself halfway in the road? I can loan you all a tape measure... but your new prescription glasses will have to come out of your own pocket.

4. (I guess I will end with this) I understand the timing of lights in mobile is terrible, so this is the lesser of all evils, but the number of red lights run in this town is staggering. We could be leading the country in red light's run per capita. Lights along Airport Blvd alone have become a mere suggestion.