Signal 46

As someone who’s been in SC nearly 10 years, I feel I’m qualified to say…that people from the Charleston area, if not SC…cannot drive. Here is my list, of things I hate about SC drivers, in no particular order:

• Turn signals. They are there. They are free. They cost you nothing. Use them. Thanks.
• Inoperable tail lights. I don’t like having to rely on my depth perception to deduce that you are decelerating to make a turn that you (see above) failed to signal. Sure, getting hit from behind is the other drivers’ fault, but that won’t matter if you’re dead.
• Improper use of the left lane. In civilized areas, the left lane is commonly known as the passing lane. Simply put, if someone wants to pass, that’s the lane they should use. This means that you shouldn’t just hang out over there doing exactly the speed limit, or worse…under the speed limit. If someone comes up behind you in the left lane, move over to allow them to pass. 30 seconds of merging saves you the hassle of having someone ride your ass because you can’t function properly in the left lane. If they’re speeding it’s not your job to ’slow them down’ by not letting them pass. You could get shot, you know. Left lane drivers, unite!
• Yield signs. Stop only if you must. Otherwise, keep your ass moving.
• Stop signs. Yes, they’re there, don’t blow through them like they’re not (this is for all the drivers in the morning on Myers Rd at Hwy 176, and also Devon Blvd at Hwy 176). If you get caught.. $232.50.
• Right turn on red. This one is two fold. 1.) You’re supposed to actually stop before you continue through. It’s not a yield. 2.) If the person behind you has their turn signal on to go right (see the first one again), and you’re going straight, move up so they can get around you and make the turn (if there’s room/it’s safe for you to do so). It alleviates traffic and you don’t end up being that guy/gal.
• Failure to yield to Emergency Vehicles. Read Title 56 of the SC Code. You’re required to move out of the way for them, whether they’re a fire truck, ambulance, police car, or what appears to be a personal vehicle, as long as they are running lights/siren.   The only EV permitted to run lights without siren is a police unit. Another tip, when yielding, the proper way to do so is to move your vehicle to the right and decelerate so the vehicle can pass. Stopping in the lane of travel is a bad idea. Flying into the center ‘turning lane/emergency lane’ is a worse idea. Stopping in that lane occupies one of the escape routes EV drivers use (because no one in the other lanes is yielding properly.
• Pulling out in front of oncoming traffic. When I was taught to drive, it was told to me ‘never pull out in front of traffic so that they have to slow down’ – this means don’t wait until you see the whites of my eyes to pull out in front of me. (Myers Rd, Devon Blvd).
• Turning at multi-lane intersections. This idiocy is rampant down here. When you turn from a multi-lane intersection, you are supposed to remain in the lane in which you started in. If you are turning left from the farthest left lane, you are to remain there as you turn onto the cross street, not shoot across the intersection into the far right lane. That’s how people get hurt. When you are turning right, you are supposed to turn into the farthest right lane, not into the left lane. That’s how people get hurt. If I had a dollar for every time I was turning left in the 2nd from left lane (Lane 2 in proper speak) and the person from Lane 1 (the lane to my left) decides halfway through the intersection they need to be in my lane, or any others to the right and almost hit my car, I’d have paid off my truck by now.
• Stopping in lane of travel because you have to change lanes. ILLEGAL. That’s how people get killed. Go up, turn off, do a fucking u-turn somewhere. Stopping in the lane of travel because you realize you need to merge into another lane causes traffic collisions because no one expects a car to be stopped in the travel lane. No brainer. Don’t be stupid.
• Merging. If you would like to see a prime example of this failure, watch the SCDOT traffic cams on TV or online. In the morning, pay attention to I-26E at Ashley Phosphate, as well as at Aviation Ave. In the afternoons, the colossal inbreeding occurs at I-526 and I-26 merge. To the inbound drivers: merge as soon as you can…don’t zoom up to the end of the lane. Personally, I don’t let your dumb ass in if you waited that long. Also, use a damned turn signal. To those on the thru-road (I-26 in the above examples): let a car or two on (unless they’re one of those assholes zooming up to the end of the lane..hehe).
• Changing lanes in intersections. Illegal. It’s how people get killed. When cars change lanes in the middle of an intersection, they run the risk of striking vehicles that are turning off of side streets who were turning into a lane that was previously clear.
• Unrestrained crap in the back of your pickup truck. It’s not safe, and it’s also littering. I’ve been hit with a bag of McDonalds fries on the interstate because the driver of the small, white Nissan pickup truck had left what appeared to an entire bag of trash in the bed.
• Cruising in the center turn lane/emergency lane. That’s not what it’s there for. The only time it may be acceptable is to get up a little speed.
• Slamming on your brakes in the travel lane to make a turn when there’s a lane provided for deceleration. Seriously, merge into the center turn lane and slow down there. No need to slam on your brakes for everyone else behind you. Thanks a lot.

I can’t think of any more. These are pretty much my biggest pet peeves, at least those related to driving. I also hate fart cans on cars – really, it doesn’t make your 4-cylinder go any faster, it just annoys everyone else. Not to be forgotten is loud stereos…if I wanted to hear your music, I’d have bought my own copy of the CD.