Florida: User Friendly?
I’ve lived in Florida close to 13 years. I absolutely love it here and consider it “My State”. But I have to tell you that there are some major issues that really DRIVE ME CRAZY about “My State”.
The main issue: Traffic Patterns- engineering malfunctions - lane patterns etc. I understand engineers make MEGA bucks. You go to college, you have to conquer extremely hard math, you should make MEGA Bucks, but not if you can’t design a highway correctly.
I don’t pretend to know what making a highway entails. But I can tell you one thing. I know what works and what doesn’t.
I am happy to see road construction in my area. Well except for the delays, that’s always a pain of course. But knowing when it’s completed, traffic will move smoothly and quickly instead of a snail pace, bumper to bumper, so the few months of inconvenience is well worth the wait.
Usually……
In my 13 plus miles to work each day I drive a section of road that has 3 areas, count them… 3 areas that have major “FBAR” written across them.
These areas consist of 3 lanes of traffic merging into 2. I’m sure this happens other places as well but NOT like they do it here, in Florida. Lol
This morning, we had a major accident involving 7 cars at one of these areas. A small compact car was squashed under a mini-van because the person driving the mini-van found themselves in the far left hand lane… the lane that ends.
Obviously the driver of that mini-van didn’t bother to LQQK and see if there was a car beside them before they swerved over and caused a huge pile up.
This is a huge issue! It’s also a cause for road rage.
I get the rage everyday, especially, on my home. Same scenario… Three lanes of traffic merge into 2. The same group of people drive this stretch of road EVERYDAY.
But EVERYDAY you see them jump from the middle lane of traffic into the far left hand lane, the lane that ends, so they can RACE everyone else and cut over in front of them before their lane ends.
Oh yes, it’s a HUGE thrill to beat someone off the light and get in front of them. But at who’s expense? Everyone else has to slam on their brakes to allow these … (I am not even sure what to call them- well I know what I call them but I want to be politically correct and watch my mouth! Lol) …"People" over and really what does it get you? So you passed a couple of cars.
There’s still a speed limit to abide, there’s still red lights to stop for, there’s always going to be SOMETHING that is going to get in your way while driving.
I’ve written about my “drafting” partner and the way we drive. Yes, at times, we drive fast, but in all honesty we stick with the flow of traffic. (So I embellish from time to time… try suing me... k? lol)
The one thing we never do… is danger someone else’s life by cutting people off or running red lights… AND, are you sitting down?
We use our TURN SIGNALS... you know those things, that I’m truly convinced, are only put on certain makes and models, that blink on and off to let everyone know you are turning… not for you to drive MILES down the road with the darn things blinking and making everyone WONDER if you are EVER going to turn it OFF!!!!!!
My other problem with living in Florida and trying to commute to places unknown…. ROAD SIGNS!!!
They are SO confusing here. – Or is it everywhere?
Ever drive down the Interstate … you see signs for miles for the place you are going to. BUT when you get to the “correct” exit there are no longer any more signs telling you which way to turn. Little help getting to my destination would be nice once I GET OFF THE INTERSTATE don’t ya think?
Why are the signs for which way to get to the interstate always behind trees? What’s wrong with putting ALL signs up high on overpasses or on wires like other places do? Why can’t the signs all be in the same general area? Why are some street names placed by the traffic lights nice and big for all to see but others have this WEE LITTLE sign off to the side that if you don’t have EXCELLENT vision you can’t read the darn thing until you are right on top of it? Huh?
And yes I print out maps before I go places, even carry an atlas in my car but there’s ALWAYS something wrong with the directions from the Internet … or is it just me?
It’s amazing with all of this aggravation, I STILL love living in Florida.
Yes, I too, am convinced the heat has gotten to my brain and has fried what there was left of it. I guess I now fit in with all the other freaks! Lol
Maybe I am expecting too much when it comes to the road signs being where I can read them and merge lanes being functional instead of spiking the inner desire to speed past everyone and cut them off on a daily basis.
The main issue: Traffic Patterns- engineering malfunctions - lane patterns etc. I understand engineers make MEGA bucks. You go to college, you have to conquer extremely hard math, you should make MEGA Bucks, but not if you can’t design a highway correctly.
I don’t pretend to know what making a highway entails. But I can tell you one thing. I know what works and what doesn’t.
I am happy to see road construction in my area. Well except for the delays, that’s always a pain of course. But knowing when it’s completed, traffic will move smoothly and quickly instead of a snail pace, bumper to bumper, so the few months of inconvenience is well worth the wait.
Usually……
In my 13 plus miles to work each day I drive a section of road that has 3 areas, count them… 3 areas that have major “FBAR” written across them.
These areas consist of 3 lanes of traffic merging into 2. I’m sure this happens other places as well but NOT like they do it here, in Florida. Lol
This morning, we had a major accident involving 7 cars at one of these areas. A small compact car was squashed under a mini-van because the person driving the mini-van found themselves in the far left hand lane… the lane that ends.
Obviously the driver of that mini-van didn’t bother to LQQK and see if there was a car beside them before they swerved over and caused a huge pile up.
This is a huge issue! It’s also a cause for road rage.
I get the rage everyday, especially, on my home. Same scenario… Three lanes of traffic merge into 2. The same group of people drive this stretch of road EVERYDAY.
But EVERYDAY you see them jump from the middle lane of traffic into the far left hand lane, the lane that ends, so they can RACE everyone else and cut over in front of them before their lane ends.
Oh yes, it’s a HUGE thrill to beat someone off the light and get in front of them. But at who’s expense? Everyone else has to slam on their brakes to allow these … (I am not even sure what to call them- well I know what I call them but I want to be politically correct and watch my mouth! Lol) …"People" over and really what does it get you? So you passed a couple of cars.
There’s still a speed limit to abide, there’s still red lights to stop for, there’s always going to be SOMETHING that is going to get in your way while driving.
I’ve written about my “drafting” partner and the way we drive. Yes, at times, we drive fast, but in all honesty we stick with the flow of traffic. (So I embellish from time to time… try suing me... k? lol)
The one thing we never do… is danger someone else’s life by cutting people off or running red lights… AND, are you sitting down?
We use our TURN SIGNALS... you know those things, that I’m truly convinced, are only put on certain makes and models, that blink on and off to let everyone know you are turning… not for you to drive MILES down the road with the darn things blinking and making everyone WONDER if you are EVER going to turn it OFF!!!!!!
My other problem with living in Florida and trying to commute to places unknown…. ROAD SIGNS!!!
They are SO confusing here. – Or is it everywhere?
Ever drive down the Interstate … you see signs for miles for the place you are going to. BUT when you get to the “correct” exit there are no longer any more signs telling you which way to turn. Little help getting to my destination would be nice once I GET OFF THE INTERSTATE don’t ya think?
Why are the signs for which way to get to the interstate always behind trees? What’s wrong with putting ALL signs up high on overpasses or on wires like other places do? Why can’t the signs all be in the same general area? Why are some street names placed by the traffic lights nice and big for all to see but others have this WEE LITTLE sign off to the side that if you don’t have EXCELLENT vision you can’t read the darn thing until you are right on top of it? Huh?
And yes I print out maps before I go places, even carry an atlas in my car but there’s ALWAYS something wrong with the directions from the Internet … or is it just me?
It’s amazing with all of this aggravation, I STILL love living in Florida.
Yes, I too, am convinced the heat has gotten to my brain and has fried what there was left of it. I guess I now fit in with all the other freaks! Lol
Maybe I am expecting too much when it comes to the road signs being where I can read them and merge lanes being functional instead of spiking the inner desire to speed past everyone and cut them off on a daily basis.
posted by makinitcount @ 12:20 PM
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