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“Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.” Mac McCleary
The last couple of months, my wife and I have been traveling back and forth to Long Beach, California, almost every weekend. We drove our Winnebago over and parked it there at the start of the high school football season. We lived in it every weekend. We did this because our oldest grandson, Jay, was playing high school football and we love watching him play. Please excuse this grandpa’s boasting, but last year Jay got his varsity letter as a freshman and this year started as a wide receiver.
That weekly experience gave me the opportunity to observe the differences and growing similarities of driving in Southern California and the Prescott area. The first observation is that the driving and drivers in our sphere of Arizona are becoming more and more like those in Southern Cal.
When we first moved to Prescott in 2004, I was really impressed that the people here all seemed so friendly and waved with all five fingers, instead of just the middle digit. The last couple of years it appears that I see more and more Prescott drivers giving each other the one finger salute. The honking horn, which is ubiquitous in SoCal, is being heard more often along our Tri-City streets.
When we first moved to Prescott, I noticed that most drivers here would actually slow down when approaching a yellow traffic signal. This was a rare occurrence in the streets of the megalopolis south of Ventura to the Mexican border. In fact, a light changing yellow from green was usually taken as a challenge for drivers to “put the pedal to the metal”, in order to get to the intersection before the traffic light turned red. Today, in the Prescott area, one can see vehicles blowing through red lights seconds after the light changes to red. It’s a good day when you only see one red light violation when taking a drive in our area.
The red light running is only one indication that drivers in our section of the state are in too much of a hurry. Another clue that people are in a rush, is watching cars speeding down the road, and weaving around other vehicles. This is often the cause of the honking horn and the one finger salutation.
These driving techniques imported from California are dangerous and are sometimes fatal. Many of the Prescott area drivers have their own peccadilloes. While these negative driving habits are not as dangerous as those imported from our state to the west, they are no less irritating.
The first of these Prescott peccadilloes is what could be termed “the limit line hugger”. This violation of courteous driving occurs when the driver is in the left turn lane. When the traffic light turns green, this driver stays behind the limit line until traffic flow allows a safe left turn. The much more respectful thing to do is to ease out into the middle of the intersection until it is safe to make the left turn. As the result of the limit line hugger, the left turn lane gets backed up and usually only one vehicle can turn left on the traffic light cycle. If the hugger pulled into the middle of the intersection at least two or three cars could safely make the turn.
Even more annoying is the “green arrow to green light stopper”. These zombie like drivers will be in the left turn lane that is controlled by a signal light that has a red arrow, (meaning no left turn), and a green arrow that allows for a left turn because opposing traffic is stopped. After the green arrow goes off, it turns into a green light. This green light means that a driver can make a left turn when it is safe. These robot like drivers will sit at the limit line through the green light and the following red arrow and will not turn left until the green arrow is on again. This is not only inconsiderate of the drivers behind this stopper, it causes traffic congestion and frustration in others on the road.
Cell phones have caused many tragedies on our roads. Those using other than “hands free” phones while driving, can often be identified because they will slow down or straddle lanes when using these devices. Answering or calling on a cell while driving is dangerous. Very few callers cannot be called back later and a driver can pull over and stop, if a call needs to be immediately answered or sent. It may seem inconvenient, but it’s a lot safer.
If drivers everywhere practiced three common sense rules, the streets, roads and avenues would be safer and driving less stressful. Rule one: be aware of drivers ahead and around you. Rule two: be considerate of those around and behind you. Rule three: leave early for work, appointments and meetings, so you don’t have to hurry and violate rules one and two.
2 thoughts on “Driving in California and Arizona – Buz Blog”
Add in the dangerous and super-annoying tailgaters
that seem to permeate the Prescott area—especially the ones who travel from the north into the Prescott area. They have no regard for the Williamson Valley Road speed limit, apparently late for work. No excuse for these dimwits, and those of us who live in the Granite Oaks area find it difficult or impossible to travel the Road safely…….and no Sheriff’s deputies to give out tickets.
I would like to add that turn signals on trucks and cars are there for a purpose, a very important purpose. I seems that most people think their turn signal helps them to turn their wheels and don’t put them on until they are five feet from their turn. The law clearly states that you must put on your turn signals 100 feet before you turn. Even worse, some people don’t even use their signals. I think before all of the California people come to Prescott they need to take a drivers test because it is the California people who are bringing all of their bad habits to Prescott, including their crime, attitudes, and nasty dispositions. Go back home California people, stop destroying our quiet, safe, friendly, clean small town.
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