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The Bavarian Chef (German cuisine, Virginia's Blue Ridge)
Road Rants
Traffic on Interstates in VA, WV, MD, PA, DE, NJ, NY and CT moves at 10 to 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. For the most part, there is minimal traffic enforcement except for big weekends and a rare weeklong campaign and even then the effect is momentary, according to police.
Many drivers are very aggressive and reckless, endangering all others on the road. Some drive as if they were on a NASCAR track, weaving through traffic, darting across lanes, and forcing their way into spaces that are little more than a car length. Tractor trailers frequently are driven blindly, less than a cab length behind other trucks.
Defensive driving on Interstates and other high speed roads such as the Parkways in NY, CT and NJ can be very dangerous. Cars and trucks come up close to the rear bumper or on both sides and weave or force their way in front of your vehicle, putting you in a dangerous following position. Your best bet may be to stay in the right-hand lane where you may have an escape option onto the shoulder.
The enforcement tools to restore control and sensible driving behavior exist but the legislatures and prosecutors don't permit or want effective enforcement. Automobile clubs and insurance organizations ought to be demanding action. Apparently, 40,000 lives lost per year are acceptable.
(Truck tailgating at 70 mph on PA I-78 on May 4,2007)
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Recently the driver of an Ohio SUV in Charlottesville, VA was driving faster than the rest of the traffic for a few miles with his left foot and left arm out the driver's window. Mobile photo-enforcement would have been an effective, efficient tool to identify, cite-by-mail, and re-educate a driver who really should not be on the road. Officer-operated mobile photo enforcement of most moving violations is the only way to re-train the large numbers of dangerous drivers on the highways.
(June 21, 2007 at 4:36 pm on US29 in Charlottesville, VA)
Wonder if this Ohio driver is the same guy who was driving a black Chevy Tahoe (NC plate STK-xxxx) with his foot and left hand out the window for miles on US29 from Airport Rd into Greene County on Friday 8/7/09 at 4pm. What idiots!
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An Incredibe Act by a Thoughtless Driver
A young woman on a cell phone was stopped in traffic and an ambulance was attempting to work its way past the back-up. Most people tried to get out of the way, but not this thoughtless driver. She rolled up her window and didn't make an effort to budge--not even a glance to see what she could do. After the ambulance passed, she rolled her window back down without a break in the phone conversation.