Editorial

Note:  If you are a typical Minnesota Driver and thin skinned and easily offended you might want to skip over these comments and go on to the next subject.

Minnesota Drivers
By Wm Lord

Over the years I have observed Minnesota Drivers and am now compelled to put some of my observations on paper.

First off I would like to state that I whole hardily believe Minnesotans are leaders in the nation when it comes to caring about their fellow man and they jump at the opportunity to help out where help is needed.  They always seem to want to do what is expected of them as good citizens...that is until they get behind the wheel of their automobiles.  I have heard this stated many times and am a firm believer in the validity of the statement that "hospitality ends at the curb" for Minnesotans.

I have driven in many of the 48 states in the continental US and Hawaii and several major cities many of which are larger the Twin Cities and have never experienced the Stupidity and Rudeness that I see here in the Twin Cities.

We have in the state of Minnesota some of the best highways in the country and rightly so as we a taxed to death by the state and much of this money goes into maintaining our highways which is a must to keep them drivable with our harsh winters.  Granted we probably have more construction to our highways then 95% of the rest of the country which I am sure adds to our frustration when we have to go somewhere.  But what's the big rush?  It seems that Minnesotans have so much on their plate and are always in such a hurry to get somewhere.  I just have a hard time believing three minutes can make so much difference in a schedule that you can't resist making that turn when the light has already been amber for several seconds.  Well it is a good thing they went ahead and made the turn as the next three cars behind him who followed would have also had to stop and wait.

Then there are the immigrant drivers on the road.  I fear that many of these drivers wouldn't have a clue what the roadside traffic signs was telling them if we changed the shape of the sign as most of them cannot speak, read or understand a word of English.  These factors also add to our frustrations.

Then there is my number one pet peeve.  What is it that compels Minnesotans to put their turn signal on after they have already lit the rear end of their vehicle with their brake lights in spite of having to answer 100 feet to the question of what is the minimum distance for signaling a turn when they took their drivers test?  The only thing I can figure is that knowing that 100 feet is the required distance only applied to passing the test.  After you get your license that is one law or rule that can be forgotten or ignored.

Then there is the one I already mentioned of entering the intersection on an amber light when you know good and well you will not clear the intersection before the light turns red which is just as illegal as the act of the three cars that followed the before mentioned car in turning.

Here's another one that ruffles my feathers.  It is the person who can't possibly wait for another light and goes ahead and pulls into the intersection knowing he/she will have to set there and inconvenience several others drivers who now have the light and the right of way but can't take advantage of it because this knucklehead is blocking the intersection.  This is also against the law, probably unknown by many Minnesota drivers.

Now here's one that has got to get under everyone's skin.  This is the asshole that takes advantage of every inch of the lane he/she is in that is ending before merging with the traffic.  I once heard a policeman interviewed that stated you do not have to let them into you lane as you have the right of way.

And another similar one is the jerk that is in the exit lane that is clearly marked exit only but still at the last minute will merge back into the traffic going straight ahead.  Technically I guess he/she didn't break the law as he/she did in fact exit the exit lane.

I've had jerks pass me on the right shoulder many times and not always to get the jump on an upcoming turn lane and once on the left shoulder on I-494 near I-35E.

Today I saw a guy in a Smart car doing some pretty stupid maneuvers that I would not have attempted to do in an automobile twice and big and safe as this tiny car.  Sort of makes you wonder about his choice of automobiles.

Here's one.  Have you ever noticed that people will turn right on a red when there is a sign stating No Turn On Red but DOT didn't bother to put the picture of the red light with a turn arrow through it and a circle with a slash through it over the picture?  Must be those immigrants.

The cure I am sure is a lot more complicated then what I suggest but this would be a start in the right direction:

• Eliminate some of the waste in our state spending focusing on the welfare areas.  Now don't get me wrong.  There are folks out there that need help and to those, don't change a thing but we all know there are those out there getting help at our expense that are totally unworthy of it.
• Hire more State Patrol officers.
• Provide assistance to communities that don't have the resources to hire more law enforcement officers.
• Insure the law enforcement is doing their job.
• Provide law enforcement with the tools necessary to do their job.
• Set the speed limit to realistic speeds and enforce that speed and eliminate the fudge factor.

I am sure it would take awhile but eventually we would learn the hard way the proper way to drive a vehicle and the roads would become safer and the traffic would move faster.  And best of all Minnesotans could regain their reputation of being "Minnesota Nice" again at home and behind the wheel.

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