This is one of those posts that is mostly an excuse to rant. I drive every week day from my house to Janey's school. This takes me across an edge of Boston, and it's city driving It's hard for me to believe sometimes I actually can even do this. I hate to drive, I've always hated to drive and it's only pure necessity that has made me able to drive, and even do things like merging, parallel parking and being slightly aggressive to not get crushed by the other Boston drivers. But still...I hate it. And here's 10 reasons why.
1. The diminishing use of turn signals. When I learned to drive, turn signals were kind of considered a "must do". I never remember being told they were optional. Lately, though, I must have missed a memo, as they seem to have become unfashionable. I'll be behind a car barreling along, and then suddenly taking a left turn. I guess it adds an air of mystery to driving..."Hey, I'm not going to go just telling everyone what I intend to do. That's my business only" I should embrace this freespiritedness, but I guess I'm just old school.
2. The heavy Boston use of horns. Boston drivers like to stay in touch with each other. This is shown by their use of horns. Horns say it all "Hey, buddy, the light have been green for 2 milliseconds! Move it!" "I don't really like this traffic back-up!" "Pedestrian, you are cramping my style with your walking on the crosswalk!" Yep, the Boston way is to just go ahead and beep what you need to say.
3. Perpetual construction. For the last two years, and I mean that literally, work has been going on at a major intersection on my way to the school. This results in torn up streets, detours, police half-heartedly directing traffic, long back-ups, all kinds of fun. So you would think that something MAJOR was being done at this site. Well, unless it's top secret, I have no idea what has been done. Nothing, from what I can see. It's the same as it ever way. Oh, that's a lie. They did put in some decorative bricks on either side of one crosswalk. I guess that's a two year job.
4. People who don't stop at crosswalks. I try to always stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. This is partly because it's just the right thing to do, and partly because although I think I'm pretty good about doing it, twice I've been pulled over for NOT stopping. Those two times will be number 5, but regardless, I do try to stop. This makes many other drivers very annoyed. They honk to let me know this, and then sometimes just can't wait, and pass me and just miss hitting the mother with two cute little tots that was crossing. Lovely.
5. People who don't get what DON'T WALK means. As mentioned, I was stopped twice for not stopping for pedestrians. BOTH those times, it was when the pedestrians had a don't walk sign and I had a green light. Yes, they were in the crosswalk, but I think green lights and don't walk signs are supposed to send some kind of message. I guess not.
6. Cell phone use. This one has been done to death, but it still bugs me. Maybe I'm just not as popular as all those other drivers, but do they really have that many people they need to be in constant touch with? And things to say that can't wait a few minutes until they aren't driving?
7. Huge SUVs. In city driving, you often have to go around people. Streets suddenly get turning only lanes, and you need to be in the right lane. This can be a life-threatening experience when the car ahead of you is so big it literally blocks all sign of what is happening on the street. Unless you have about 10 kids, or do a lot of off-road driving, you don't need an SUV.
8. Delivery trucks. I do feel for these guys. The streets of Boston are often narrow, and if they have to deliver to a restaurant or store on them, they have to park someplace, and often the only place available is on the street. I mean, right on the street, blocking an entire lane, so you have to go over into the wrong lane to get by, hopefully first checking to be sure no cars will hit you head on while you do this. A novelty to try once, maybe, but after having this happen every day for about 12 years, the fun has worn off.
9. Potholes. You would think a great city like Boston would feel a little ashamed of leaving huge, huge holes in the middle of major streets for months at a time. Maybe they would, if those holes were in fancy parts of the city, but in Mattapan or Dorchester or Hyde Park, it doesn't seem to bother them.
10. Extremely loud car stereos. I have no problem with music in the car, and even with putting it up a little loud if, you know, it's one of your very, very favorite songs. What I don't like are those systems that boost the bass to the extent that you feel like you're having a heart attack from the vibrations as you get within a half mile radius of them.
Okay. I feel better getting all that off my chest. Thanks for listening.
Oh I can relate to all of these - and I agree with you wholeheartedly because it happens here in Jersey too! Lack of turn signals, massive vehicles, potholes, construction annoyances - I could write my own blog post about it. I just love it when the car in front of you spontaneously decides to drift over to the curb, sometimes even pulling right back into traffic; and I had it once where I didn't stop fast enough for a guy and his wife who were in crosswalk, and even though I DID stop, the guy walked over to my car and hit my door with his man-bag. I was speechless after that one! @_@
ReplyDelete