Arizona Scares Me

I’m starting to be very afraid to drive in Arizona. Take the above mentioned Tweet for example. The woman was so close, I could not see her headlights. And not just once. She was on my ass, less than 12" from the back of my MINI for at least 2 miles. This wasn’t an isolated incident. This happens to me every time I drive. Every. Time.

Maybe it’s just me. Since I’ve owned the MINI, I’ve been rear-ended twice. I’ve been driving for almost 30 years and I’ve never been rear-ended until I got this car. But we’ve already talked about that.

Related, and something that I’ve been noticing. For a people that appears to be in such a hurry to get everywhere (otherwise they would back off a bit), they sure do take their time starting from a green light. Again, everytime I drive I’m stuck behind someone that has decided to let the idle speed of their car move it through the intersection, waiting for at least 100 yards before actually pressing their right foot down.

Crazy making this.

I know a big part of it is that Arizona is one of the few states left that allows you to use your cell phone while driving. Make a call? Yep. Text message? Oh sure, why not. Post to Twitter/Facebook/[insert favorite social network here]? Absolutely. While driving next to a vehicle driven by a law enforcement officers? Sure thing buddy! Bring it!

Just another thing in the list of things that drive me crazy enough to actually want to put words to screen. As always, thanks for listening. And, sound off in the comments if you have your own idiots driver horror story to share.

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7 Comments

  1. Last night I was at a stop light, about 5 cars back, guy in front of me was texting while the light was red. Light changed, everyone moved but him. After a bit I gave a gentle honk of the horn and he held his phone up as if to say ‘just as soon as I finish this text/blog’ and then sat there for another few seconds. Of course everyone behind me was going out around and I was stuck. Then he put his foot down and squealed away at 50 in the 25 zone. Ugh

  2. Sounds like the George Carlin-ism on idiots and maniacs..
    “Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?”

    Despite the maniacs, I still see a lot more idiots out there..

  3. No texting or hand held calls is against the law (primary offense), still each and everyday I would say about half the vehicles I see on the road have people talking or texting despite it.

    I know of one even scarier. My daily commute takes me past a street that comes our of a elementary school. While out running there is nothing more bizare than being nearly ran down by many SUV’s with their lecturing stickers about safety “for the kids”…….

  4. While driving next to a vehicle driven by a law enforcement officers? Sure thing buddy! Bring it!

    How about the law enforcement officers themselves? I’m in California, where hand-held phones are illegal, and regularly see cops driving around with the phone up to their ear!

    Also have a friend in Texas (whose laws are just about as lax as Arizona’s) who got rear-ended by a high-school girl on the phone as he drove his brand-new pickup home from the dealer. The truck spent a month in the shop getting repaired and painted. On the way home from the shop, he got hit again – by another girl who was busy texting!

  5. DB… Funny but when I travel away from California upon my return it seems we in California are the worst most aggressive. When I travelled through Dallas last year in Ian’s GP I had more assholes in that 30 minute drive than anywhere I’ve ever driven and it wasn’t even commuter rush time.

  6. Sounds like you should get out of the left lane.

    In other news, guy tweeting while he drives complains about women talking on the phone. Pot, meet kettle.

  7. I was in the right lane, completely stopped for about 2 minutes.

    But I do appreciate your concern Lauren.

    And.

    Noted.

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