Illegal U Turn

**smarty** · July 31st, 2006, 05:26 PM

he's moreless just saying common courtesy sometimes if the other lane is open why not get over not that you have to.

**imported_elp6n** · July 31st, 2006, 05:27 PM

Right - and I do agree with common courtesy. Folks don't have to do it, but it's nice when they do.

July 31st, 2006, 05:40 PM

Usually if the ramp is long enough, i'll just get up to highway speed or faster so that it's easy to merge.

People who try to merge at 35 are the ones who usually end up stopping.

July 31st, 2006, 06:20 PM

When you see the merge sign you need to speed up and MERGE. The other does have a yeild sign, I think. The worst part for me was always granny and gramps trying to cross 3 lanes to get to Wal-Mart, as if their life depended on it.

**smarty** · July 31st, 2006, 08:34 PM

on our way to Bristol the other day some lady merged into 3 lanes of traffic doing like 40, at the most, in a 65 mph zone right in front of an 18 wheeler... Blue and I were honestly scared for her life b/c it's not like the 18 wheeler could have just stopped nor could he have gotten over b/c of other on coming vehicles. The lady still had plenty of the merge lane left but decided to just get over anyway. The truck probably came w/n a few feet of her bumper, he eventually passed her blowing her horn the bad part was once she was on the highway she still barely sped up any...you could tell she was scared to death to be in that kind of heavy traffic though b/c when we passed her she has her hand covering the side of her face that was near traffic. you really do need to be up to speed to merge like that and the merge lane is there for a reason too.

**TheBeast** · August 1st, 2006, 09:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]
on our way to Bristol the other day some lady merged into 3 lanes of traffic doing like 40, at the most, in a 65 mph zone right in front of an 18 wheeler... Blue and I were honestly scared for her life b/c it's not like the 18 wheeler could have just stopped nor could he have gotten over b/c of other on coming vehicles. The lady still had plenty of the merge lane left but decided to just get over anyway. The truck probably came w/n a few feet of her bumper, he eventually passed her blowing her horn the bad part was once she was on the highway she still barely sped up any...you could tell she was scared to death to be in that kind of heavy traffic though b/c when we passed her she has her hand covering the side of her face that was near traffic. you really do need to be up to speed to merge like that and the merge lane is there for a reason too.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is why driver's license renewals need to be more than just go and get a new picture taken. AT least every 10-15 years you should have to have a new comprehensive road test (not just drive downtown turn and come back). And after the age of 50 drop road tests to every 5 years. Alot of older people are good drivers and drive safely but do it so slowly that they are a hinderence and a danger the way roads are now-a-days.

Go to the D.C. northern Va. area and try and stop at a yeild sign instead of just merging into traffic. If your not up to speed and doing at least 70 in most places then you are in the way and endangering yourself and others, driving in that place is something everyone around here needs to experience.

**Unchained** · August 1st, 2006, 09:38 AM

I am a firm believer that after age 50, you should be required to submit to a comprehensive road test every year. Folks say when I say that "Bet you will feel different when you hit 50". Bet I won't. If I can't be safe on the road, I need to get off of it, and not run the risk of killing an innocent person(s). Almost every near accident that I have been involved in was due to some elderly driver who forgot to do something, or could not see. Alot of folks have rapid medical changes after they hit 50. It scares me knowing that folks who have Alzheimer's (early stages, or don't even know they have it) have their license and are on the road. Folks complain about young drivers, but there's at least as much danger if not more going too slow than going too fast.

**R0cketer** · August 1st, 2006, 10:02 AM

I'm not sure that extreme is necessary...but not sure its not. Seems like that should be the case unless a person is checked regularly at a doctor or something. You have some who take care of themselves and honestly when I'm 50, the last thing I'll want to do is spend time at the DMV every year (its bad enough when I have to go to there now).

**Unchained** · August 1st, 2006, 10:07 AM

I wouldn't want to spend a day at the DMV at age 50 either, but I certainly wouldn't want to spend EVERY day for the rest of my life hurting over the fact that I killed or hurt someone because the ol' eyesight or reflexes weren't as sharp as they once were.

**R0cketer** · August 1st, 2006, 10:10 AM

True enough, for some people, but some are to proud to think thats ever a factor. Its such a source of independence, that I honestly believe some elders would die, either a)because they started feeling really old or b) because some of their sorry deadbeat kids wouldn't spend 10 minutes on them and they would end up dead there without medicine or food or something.