Traffic law and order out of hand.

Been in to many close calls lately this year. Have people speeding well over 75 on a 55 passing me, not that big of a deal. Though, when these idiots pass me on a blind right hand curve or passing me on steep hill going up before the crest is getting dangerous out there.
I travel the same road every day on a somewhat rural road but the traffic is not rural hense the danger these people are putting me and others in danger. I guess this may maybe a public service announcement but hey my life and others face life or death because of the lawless people when it comes to driving.

RANT OVER!

For every good driver, there’s at least x10 Minnesota drivers.

In all seriousness, I don’t feel like I see nearly the traffic stops I used to. Plenty of people speed excessively and endanger others. When I see it, I only hope they get caught.

In my home town I heard there was just a head on crash that killed a 33 yr old man. The guy that caused the crash was passing on a hill…:???:

Looks like a lot of accidents lately. Drive safe!

https://www.google.com/amp/s/bringmethenews.com/.amp/minnesota-news/5-fatal-crashes-since-thursday-as-deadliest-days-of-summer-on-minnesota-roads-wind-down

Too many cidiots in a hurry

LOL…I just shake my head at the lunatics who were all speeding like 75+ on the passing lane…and there’s like 6-10 cars in that far left lane while there is but like 2 cars on the slow lane…and the slow lane cars at the speed limit of 55 are actually passing up all the fast speedy drivers, in about just a few miles in…

Driving the 494 strip near the airport with the fam in the truck the other day. Had this kid driving a street racer BMW smoke by us with his foot on the floor, all the sudden out of nowhere boom, a state trooper blows past me cutting across 3 lanes like I’m standing still, had his ass pulled over in no time.

Yep got a good chuckle that day.

Joe Scegura wrote:

In my home town I heard there was just a head on crash that killed a 33 yr old man. The guy that caused the crash was passing on a hill…:???:

Looks like a lot of accidents lately. Drive safe!

https://www.google.com/amp/s/bringmethenews.com/.amp/minnesota-news/5-fatal-crashes-since-thursday-as-deadliest-days-of-summer-on-minnesota-roads-wind-down

One of my best friends. 21 year old kid was passing 2 cars going up hill. Went to the funeral yesterday. Way to soon. Way to sad.

I just had a guy who must have been going 90 to a 100 weaving in and out of traffic and using the shoulder to pass.
Worse was he was cutting so tight he must have been 6 inches from the front of my truck.
Kill or hurt your self but don’t take out my family or another innocent family, makes me irate.

Just the other day I was headed south on 52 just out of the cities and watched a motorcycle absolutely COOK by a truck, who was in the slow/right lane, on the far right hand shoulder. The lady on the back of the motorcycle had both middle fingers up as they completed the stunt.

Makes you wonder whats going on in some peoples heads. I get being in a hurry, I’m guilty on occasion, but why be so blatantly stupid while you do it?

And dont get me started with people on their phones while driving. The funny thing is, seems like its just as much, if not more, of the older generation on their phones now than even teens/young adults.

Why do they not name the 21 year old that was passing on the hill? Sorry for your loss PoP.

Well at least wi decided if the parent felt that there new 16 year child is ok to drive no drivers test needed this should help the situation!! If someone can explain that brain child I would love to hear the answer.

It was very enlightening to me after I bought a GPS and started looking at the “Time of Arrival” calculation. It’s surprisingly accurate, but even more to the point it shows you that how little you can change things. Hitting or missing a few lights, driving like a maniac, sitting in the right lane doing the speed limit, it doesn’t matter. You might as well calm down and get there in one piece.

SR

reddog wrote:

Why do they not name the 21 year old that was passing on the hill? Sorry for your loss PoP.

Jacob Westbrook of Holdingford.

supercat wrote:

Well at least wi decided if the parent felt that there new 16 year child is ok to drive no drivers test needed this should help the situation!! If someone can explain that brain child I would love to hear the answer.

My daughter just got her license in NC. Her mom signed the permission slip. This concerned me also.

Then in talking with my daughter the details eventually came out.

It is a provisional license with restrictions and an expiration date where the actual test must be taken. She’s scheduled to take the actual drivers exam in November i believe. So it isn’t a free for all given mom’s signature – it is provisional – really an extension of the provisional already provided prior to taking the road test.

I sorta assumed the state would be providing provisional because it would open them up to be sued for not certifying a driver through on the road test.

I’m not sure of the details in Wisconsin, but it may be the same.

Steve Root wrote:

It was very enlightening to me after I bought a GPS and started looking at the “Time of Arrival” calculation. It’s surprisingly accurate, but even more to the point it shows you that how little you can change things. Hitting or missing a few lights, driving like a maniac, sitting in the right lane doing the speed limit, it doesn’t matter. You might as well calm down and get there in one piece.

SR

Yessir, until one is driving a long distance, a few MPH means nothing significant.
I’m the 4mph over guy who’s NEVER late for anything.
Everyone speeding i just assume can’t plan for Sh”t.

tbro16 wrote:

Just the other day I was headed south on 52 just out of the cities and watched a motorcycle absolutely COOK by a truck, who was in the slow/right lane, on the far right hand shoulder. The lady on the back of the motorcycle had both middle fingers up as they completed the stunt.

sTaRt SeEiNg MoToRcYcLeS!!!

I always get a chuckle at the “start seeing motorcycles” campaign… while there are a lot of good motorcycle drivers out there, it is hard to see you when you’re going 100 mph and weaving in and out of lanes.

Gitchi Gummi wrote:

I always get a chuckle at the “start seeing motorcycles” campaign… while there are a lot of good motorcycle drivers out there, it is hard to see you when you’re going 100 mph and weaving in and out of lanes.

Or driving straight through an intersection with the left turn signal on. The signal that has been blinking left for the last 1/2 hour…..

-J.

LOL we have the opposite problem in crosslake, we have people driving to damn slow.

IMO, there just isn’t enough law enforcement dedicated to traffic enforcement these days and maniac drivers know it and drive accordingly.

Hwy 120 is a block from my house and it is RAMPANT with speeding, people blowing red lights and passing illegally on the shoulder because they don’t want to wait for a left-turning vehicle. We had the Police Chief stop by the block party last year and I asked him if there was any chance of increased enforcement. He didn’t even politician it with a “we’ll look into it”. He outright said no because there just aren’t any officers available.

Basically, until bad drivers start getting hammered with big fines, expect more bad driving.

Oh, and also 99.835% of MN drivers are now totally blowing off the much-ballyhood no cell phone whild driving law. I see more people texting and talking with theh phone in their hands now than I did before the law.

Grouse

I have a theory that the road rage and outrage is a byproduct of too many signs and driving laws.

A 5 minute drive in Mexico City would have most Americans raging. Constant cutting in and out of traffic. Blinkers all but entirely unused. Road signs and speed limits are but a mere suggestion.

but

Very few accidents. Traffic flows freely. Most drivers are relaxed and laid back in the midst of it all. Everyone gets to where they’re going at their own pace.

Driving 60 in a 55 is not objectively dangerous. The world doesn’t end cause someone went around you. The vast majority of people don’t want to die and won’t drive in a way they feel will get themselves killed.

Most driving laws are like gun laws. The otherwise peaceful people are punished and the outlaws keep on doing what outlaws do.

over the last couple years I’ve logged about 3500 miles in a multitude of states. With the exception of Maryland, which has the craziest rush hour I’ve ever seen,horns constantly blowing. But when I get home I realize how really bad it is in MN.

I hate to say it but I think with all the recent negativity around police officers lately, this is going to get far worse. One with all the threats to police officers lately and the unknown each time they walk up to a window. 2nd with the whole thing of you are pulling me over or giving me a ticket because you are a racist thing. Its just a bad situation for police officers these days. I truly don’t know why anyone would want to become a police officer these days. With the record # of officers putting in for early retirement and the record low #’s of applications for those looking to get into law enforcement these days, there is going to be a real shortage of GOOD QUALIFIED police offers real soon.

My only wish would be that the people advocating for all these trivial laws had to pay the bill themselves. You want someone to arm themselves and sit by the road to threaten and extort people that pass on the shoulder? You want someone to threaten people who don’t wear seatbelt? Then you get to pay his $70K a year plus benefits plus pension. You get to pay for his gun, his costume, shiny badge, car, his gas, and his accidents. You get to pay for the steel cage he throws people in. You get to pay to feed the people he’s kidnapped. You get to pay when he fears for his life and shoots an unarmed person. You don’t get to force other people to pay for your bad ideas. It seems pretty clear to me that socializing the cost for all these laws isn’t working.

“The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” – Margaret Thatcher

Snap wrote:

My only wish would be that the people advocating for all these trivial laws had to pay the bill themselves. You want someone to arm themselves and sit by the road to threaten and extort people that pass on the shoulder? You want someone to threaten people who don’t wear seatbelt? Then you get to pay his $70K a year plus benefits plus pension. You get to pay for his gun, his costume, shiny badge, car, his gas, and his accidents. You get to pay for the steel cage he throws people in. You get to pay to feed the people he’s kidnapped. You get to pay when he fears for his life and shoots an unarmed person. You don’t get to force other people to pay for your bad ideas. It seems pretty clear to me that socializing the cost for all these laws isn’t working ………. Whatsa matter you a bad driver? Take it from a man who worked on state highways for 30 plus years, it would be Crazy without the Law, I have seen just about everything to be seen when it comes to driving. DK. PS socialism built or paid for the roads you drive on. Do you like toll roads?

“The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” – Margaret Thatcher

PS socialism built or paid for the roads you drive on. Do you like toll roads?

Yes, I like toll roads and private roads. They are generally in better shape than the socialist roads.

I like toll roads because I like paying for the things I use. It seems odd that I would have to say that in words. But I guess modern times have changed things such that it becomes necessary to state the obvious.

I don’t like being forced to pay for the things I don’t use. I especially don’t like being forced to pay for things I consider bad or evil.

I have no traffic going to work. None. Zero. But try avoiding does, bucks, fawns, bears, fox, coons, rabbit, coyote and occasional owl and such. Very annoying….

Snap wrote:

PS socialism built or paid for the roads you drive on. Do you like toll roads?

Yes, I like toll roads and private roads. They are generally in better shape than the socialist roads.

I like toll roads because I like paying for the things I use. It seems odd that I would have to say that in words. But I guess modern times have changed things such that it becomes necessary to state the obvious.

I don’t like being forced to pay for the things I don’t use. I especially don’t like being forced to pay for things I consider bad or evil.

Driven through Indiana lately? The toll roads suck. The other highways are in the same condition. Taxes that pay for common goods like road, sewage, etc., are not socialist. They are the cost of living in a civilized nation. Try driving in countries that do not have effective governments. It’s a whole lot worse than around here.

The great liberal [sic] Milton Friedman wrote “The existence of a free market does not of course eliminate the need for government. On the contrary, government is essential both as a forum for determining the ‘rule of the game’ and as an umpire to interpret and enforce the rules decided on.” We may not like government but it is a necessary evil. The magic is in constraining it to a useful role and keeping it from growing past its useful boundaries.

“It’s not socialism if it pays for things I want but can’t pay for.”

Every socialist ever.

Evil is never necessary.

I hope you find somewhere to live where no on infringes on your rights. Also, I suggest you not infringe on the rights of others. Good luck.