36 million drivers would flunk drivers tests

bad_ptc's picture

"Illinois, Georgia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts were the least knowledgeable states overall, with average scores under 75 percent." Not surprised Georgia is 44th out of 51. Close to our national SAT scores.

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Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 1:46pm.

Does this surprise anyone?

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River's picture
Submitted by River on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 3:23pm.

Muddle mentioned an aggressive driver in a large pickup truck that accelerated towards him on purpose, and I have had similar incidents recently. I don't know if the general level of stress has anything to do with it, but there seems to be a lot of rage in drivers these days. If you do something to invade their space, they tend to act out their anger with their vehicle. I think it is an indicator of something deeper, but I'm no psychologist.


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 4:00pm.

and competitive. They have to race to the next light. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had a bozo from Florida that passed me on the shoulder of GA 54 east of Fayetteville. I'm in the right line going about the speed limit the car to my left was slowing down to enter a left turn pocket and this idiot just can't wait for the car on my left so it zooms around me, again on the shoulder. I caught up with this bozo at Jeff Davis and 54. I would like to have said something to this idiot but it was one of those "boom boxes" on wheels. As Bugs Bunny would say, "what a "moroon".
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by Winston on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 6:45pm.

i'm not from these parts but i have never seen driving like this before. There seems to be a total disregard for the rules of the road. And it isn't just the drivers, either. Part of the blame lies with the DOT. It seems to me they put up traffic signs just to confuse. Let me explain: Turning into my subdivision off a state hwy there is a right turn decel lane. From the opposite side of traffic is a left turn lane. Got the picture? So now there is also, in the right hand turn lane a yield sign. For who? i think i know for who but i don't get it. It, i believe, is for the person turning right to yield to the person turning left. Here is the rub: It is illegal to make a left turn until all opposing traffic has cleared. The question is at what point is the person making the right turn no longer opposing traffic? The answer is when they have made the right turn. Also, if am am yielding to the person who is making the opposing left (who is NOT obstructing traffic) at what point am i not suppose to yield? Say there is a line of traffic heading east. i am with the flow of traffic and enter the decel lane to turn left. There is at this point a vehicle (or two or three) coming west waiting to make the left. Am i suppose to wait until those cars turn or am i to proceed? Because of the flow of traffic the vehicle wishing to turn left can't. Do i go? Do i yield? Let's say i believe the person making the left has no time to make the left. i, afterall, am judging the speed of traffic coming up from behind me. i decide to proceed right. Now the vehicle shoots the gap and hits me. My fault? Because of the yield sign i wold have to say yes. But i actually believe the DOT is in the wrong. Traffic signs should be installed to eliminate confusion not confound it. In placing that sign the DOT makes it necessary for me to use my judgement as to when it is safe to proceed. i could understand (some what) this yield if the person making the left was obstucing the traffic behind it but not when niether lane is holding up traffic.
Now here is why i believe it is there: To be nice. We live in the South. It is known for its graciousness and i have come to not only understand it but to emulate it. It is a good thing. Just not when driving. Being nice while driving can not only get you a ticket it can get you killed. It is illiegal to yield the right-of-way. It is illegal to leave a gap it traffic for some one to cross traffic where they cannot see on-coming traffic. Ask a cop. The rules may seem rude to some but they are on the books to save lives and property. And i ahve never lived any where where right turn yields to a left.
"How To Make A Left Turn
Move into the farthest left lane going in your direction, give the left turn signal, keeping the wheels straight at the intersection until the turn is made, and yield the right-of-way to all vehicles which are approaching from the opposite direction. After yielding and when safe to do so, proceed with your turn. Make the turn in such a way as to end up in the left lane of the street into which you turned."

http://www.dds.ga.gov/docs/forms/FullDriversManual.pdf
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003r1/part2/part2b1.htm#section2B09"

All the merry little elves can go hang themselves!

Submitted by susieq on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 7:04pm.

I don't know when all the yield signs popped up in the right turn lanes, but it was confusing to me. I remember when left turns yielded to ALL oncoming traffic, those going straight ahead and those turning right. You could turn right on a red light, but you yielded to any traffic crossing in front of you. (There were no yield SIGNS then).

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 6:53pm.

And to make matters worse not every intersection like that has a yield sign. So there is no consistency. BTW, are you referring to Callaway Road and GA 54? What about the yield sign in the left turn pocket at the east end of the pavilion. That's a real winner.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by susieq on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 7:10pm.

When you enter the Pavilion from 314, there is no stop sign at first intersection (on the Kohl's side). There is a stop sign exiting the Pavilion -- same intersection -- on the Goody's side. This is confusing to drivers coming out of Goody's parking lot. They don't know it's a 3-way stop. They think it's a 4-way stop, so they fly out taking a left in front of the incoming traffic that does not stop.

Same thing on other side from GA 85, no stop sign on street in front of Home Depot, but stop sign on the Publix side. Also there's that stupid yield sign for left turn only lane. I thought left turns always yielded unless they had a turning arrow on a light.

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 7:15pm.

That's the yield sign I'm referring to on the east/GA 85 side. You have to yield to someone that has a stop sign. So who has the right away? I'm sure confused. Puzzled
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by susieq on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 7:21pm.

LOL

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 8:02pm.

from a cyclist's perspective, are the rumble strips on GA 314. GA 314 is designated by the GDOT as a joint use road for both bicycle and autos. It seems like they forgot that since they added rumble strips in the road's shoulders. This forces cyclists to move over into the traffic lanes.

GDOT Bicycle Routes


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