My GPS still routes me down Old Mill Road that got turned into a cul-de-sac back in 2019, and last week I ended up stuck behind a school bus on a dead end. I ignored the reroute once and took my old shortcut from 10 years ago, and it saved me 7 minutes. Anyone else have a memory of a road that works better than the map app?
Sat behind a Prius doing 62 for 8 miles before I realized the middle lane was moving faster the whole time, has anyone else noticed left lane campers are way worse on toll roads?
TIL merging earlier actually saves time on the 94 expressway. I used to race to the front of the merge lane every morning thinking I was beating traffic, but a trucker honked and yelled 'pick a hole early' last week. Tried slotting in a quarter mile back instead of forcing my way in at the last second, and my commute dropped from 45 minutes to 35. Anyone else find that backing off the gas speeds things up?
This guy on the morning show said to match the speed of the traffic in the right lane before you even hit the merge point, not just accelerate after you're on the ramp. Has anyone else tried timing it like that and noticed a difference in how smoothly you get in?
I drive through this 4 way stop near the grocery store on 5th street every morning. It's not even a busy intersection but people treat it like a free for all. I sat there for 3 minutes yesterday watching three different drivers wave each other through with zero system going on. Then a guy in a pickup just floored it and took his turn like he was the only car on earth. It hit me that I spend maybe 10 extra minutes every week just sitting at this one spot waiting for people to figure out who goes next. Has anyone else noticed certain intersections just have bad traffic flow no matter what?
I went to the one on Sandy Blvd last weekend and saw people blocking fire lanes just to wait for a close spot. Is that just lazy driving or do you think the lot design is the real problem here?
I was waiting for the pressure washer last weekend and this older dude in a F-150 was ranting to his buddy about it. Said he drives I-94 through Detroit every day and 90% of the near misses he sees are from someone going exactly 70 in the left lane forcing people to cut around them. I mean I always figured speeding was the main danger but he had a point about how unpredictable lane camping makes everyone else. Has anyone else noticed this on their commute or am I just buying into his argument?
I was eating breakfast at a Love's off I-40 last Tuesday and this older guy, 50+ years hauling, told me my following distance looks fine to me but looks like tailgating from a big rig because they see over my car. He said if I can't see both their side mirrors in my windshield, they can't see me at all. Never heard that before but tried it on the drive home and nobody flashed their hazards at me once. Anyone else get advice from a stranger that actually fixed a driving habit?
Was dreading the commute on I-35 when I noticed the check engine light that had been on for 6 months just went out at exactly 50,001 miles. Anyone else have a car that fixes itself at random milestones?
I drive from the suburbs into the city every day for work and last week my odometer crossed 500 miles just from that back and forth. It hit me when I filled up gas for the third time in 7 days and the pump showed $47. That's like 6 hours a week sitting in traffic watching brake lights. Do any of you keep track of your weekly mileage or do you just ignore it like I did for years?
This was on that new 5-way roundabout they put in over by the mall on Route 9. Some lady in a minivan just stopped dead in the middle of it with her blinker on. Nobody could go anywhere. I counted 3 full rotations before a cop finally showed up and walked her through it. She was crying by then. Has anyone else noticed these things are getting way too complicated for your average driver?
Back in 2019, I'd see someone driving with brights during a downpour on I-5 and I'd think 'what an idiot, you're just blinding everyone.' But after moving to Portland two years ago where it rains sideways for months straight, I finally tried it myself one night when I seriously could not see the lane markings at all. With regular lights it felt like driving through a cloud of milk, but the high beams cut through just enough to keep me on the road. Now I'm that guy I used to cuss at, though I do flick them off when I see oncoming cars. Has anyone else made the switch or am I just becoming a grumpy local?
I was stuck on I-85 every morning for like 6 months, sitting in traffic for 45 minutes to go 12 miles. Last week I tried Peachtree Industrial Boulevard past the Japanese market and took a left on Old Norcross Road instead. Now I get to work in under 30 minutes and save about $10 a week in gas. Anyone else got a secret alternate route that beats the highway mess?
I drive a 2015 Civic and the dashboard was starting to crack from the heat. Picked up one of those reflective fold-up ones at AutoZone for $40. Took me three tries to find one that actually fit my windshield without flopping down but now my car is easily 20 degrees cooler when I get in after work. Also my phone mount stopped falling off the vent when the glue melted. Has anyone else found a cheap fix that saved their interior?
Stopped at that flashy car wash on 5th street near the mall because my car was covered in tree sap and bird droppings from parking under a magnolia tree. They had a sign saying "premium wash with wax" for $18. Figured I'd treat myself. Get to the end and half the sap is still there plus there's new streaks everywhere. I was so ticked I drove right back through and paid again thinking maybe it was a fluke. Nope. Same result. So I drove home and had to hand wash it anyway basically flushing $36 down the drain for nothing. Has anyone else had better luck at those automatic places or are they all mostly a scam?
Google Maps had me turning onto a road that was literally half dug up with no warning signs on the app. I sat there for 15 minutes trying to reverse out while a guy in a hard hat just stared at me. Has anyone else had their navigation lead them straight into a mess like that?
He just had it propped on his steering wheel, totally calm, while everyone else was honking and weaving. Have you ever found something unexpectedly productive to do when you're stuck in gridlock?
So I'm driving home from work in Tacoma last Tuesday, and I hit this massive backup near the cemetery. I see the funeral procession lights up ahead, and I'm stuck at a standstill. My GPS says I can take a side road and add 20 minutes, or just wait. I figured how long could it be, right? 45 minutes later I'm still sitting there because the whole line was like 50 cars long and they were going 10 mph. Lesson learned, I'm always taking the detour now. Anyone else ever misjudge a funeral procession wait time?
Was looking up traffic stats for my commute on the city of Austin website last night. Found out the 35 to 183 flyover ramp has a 15% accident rate per year. Thats crazy because I take that thing every morning and always see someone almost hit the barrier. Has anyone else looked up accident stats for their local ramps? Kinda makes me want to find a different route.
It happened on I-35 right near the downtown exit around 5:30 PM. I glanced down and saw the odometer roll over to 100,000 just as I was stuck behind a semi that wouldn't move over. Felt kind of special for a second, then I realized I still had 20 minutes of stop and go ahead of me. Has anyone else had a milestone moment happen at the worst possible time on the road?
Turns out they closed one lane on the bridge over the river and put up a temporary light that only lets 10 cars through at a time. Has anyone else dealt with construction suddenly wrecking their usual route without warning?
I was sitting at a light on Main Street in our downtown area, already 10 minutes late to a job. This old pickup truck in front of me had a bumper sticker that said "I'm not in a hurry, you are." It honestly made me laugh out loud. The guy driving just sat there with his arm out the window, completely relaxed. When the light turned green, he took a full 5 seconds to start rolling. I started honking like a fool, then realized he was just living his life on his own time. Has anyone else had a random stranger's slow driving actually calm them down instead of making them madder?
I used to think roundabouts were the best thing for traffic flow until last Tuesday when I hydroplaned through one in Portland and nearly hit a van. Now I'm convinced that old 4-way stops are safer because you actually have to stop and look before you go. Am I the only one who thinks roundabouts are a mess in bad weather?