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Bill Seeks Fines For Drivers Who Cut In Line
Tampa Tribune ^ | March 19, 2007 | RICH SHOPES

Posted on 03/19/2007 1:45:07 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

A Broward County state senator has a message for pushy drivers who can't wait in line like everybody else stuck in traffic: Pay up.

Sen. Steven Geller, D-Hallandale Beach, wants to make it a crime for drivers to cut in at the front of the line at exit ramps, accident scenes and anywhere else traffic backs up.

His bill is probably a year or more away from getting a vote by the Legislature but it's sure to ignite passions before then.

"You want to look at what causes road rage? That is it," he says.

The "rude jerks" can spark fights and shouting matches, said Geller, who admits to almost losing his cool a few years back.

Geller and his son were waiting at an exit ramp, heading to a Marlins baseball game when a driver, "whose time obviously was more important than mine," cut in front of them.

Slapping such drivers with fines as high as $90 might make them think twice before butting in, he said.

The bill was referred to the Senate's transportation committee but won't reach the floor this year for lack of a companion bill in the House.

Geller plans to push for passage again next year.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: angrydrivers; dontdriveangry; drivefriendly; jerks; simmerdownnow
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To: B4Ranch

Bwhahahahahhaha


41 posted on 03/19/2007 4:57:32 AM PDT by saveliberty (The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop. - PJ O'Rourke)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I don't get it. Are these people driving on the shoulder to cut in at the front? Isn't that illegal already?


42 posted on 03/19/2007 5:00:35 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Dahoser
The next set of fines should be for rubberneckers who cause a lot of those long lines by needlessly gawking at accidents or, worse, at a car simply stopped on the side of the road.

Agreed! When I used to live in Dallas, this was the causes of numerous delays.

43 posted on 03/19/2007 5:00:45 AM PDT by Puddleglum
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To: B4Ranch

Love it! My license plate reads "Wrshp JC" and that on the back has helped me a lot when I want to say bad words to someone who has no courtesy on the road. How funny!


44 posted on 03/19/2007 5:02:14 AM PDT by Millicent_Hornswaggle (Retired US Marine wife)
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To: Puddleglum

I agree. Unless you are going to pull over to help, the kindest thing you can do is get out of the way and move along.


45 posted on 03/19/2007 5:02:51 AM PDT by saveliberty (The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop. - PJ O'Rourke)
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To: ShadowDancer

"I've seen multiple semi's do this and it gives me pure joy to watch it."

I was about 1/2 mile from my exit in stopped interstate traffic with a truck in front of me playing the lane blocking game. He'd move back and forth as people tried to get past him. I watched his eyes in his mirror and when he turned from watching for a second I blew around him in the emergency lane. He was flipping me off with both hands as I passed him.


46 posted on 03/19/2007 5:08:35 AM PDT by Rb ver. 2.0 (A day in the country is better than a week in town.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Geller and his son were waiting at an exit ramp, heading to a Marlins baseball game when a driver, "whose time obviously was more important than mine," cut in front of them.

Slapping such drivers with fines as high as $90 might make them think twice before butting in, he said.


He shows why he should not be a legislator.
47 posted on 03/19/2007 5:12:50 AM PDT by aruanan
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To: Mr. Brightside

The Minnesota State Patrol and Department of Transportation say the same thing - use both lanes until the last moment - traffic flows faster. In the land of Minnesota nice they have to encourage it. Here's what it comes down to - lots of passive aggressive people that want to play traffic cop by blocking lanes etc.


48 posted on 03/19/2007 5:27:14 AM PDT by 3dognight
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To: Rb ver. 2.0

What you did doesn't bother me, you just needed to get off at an exit, I can't stand the people that refuse to properly merge and cut in at the front.


49 posted on 03/19/2007 5:28:53 AM PDT by ShadowDancer (Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

If they are driving on the shoulder, ticket them.

Otherwise, the road is there to be used, and you should merge as smoothly as possible as close to the merge point as possible.

If they wanted you to merge a mile earlier, they would have forced you to do so. The merge lane exists so you can get up to speed and merge.

What I hate is people who block a perfectly good lane a half-mile from it's end so they can squeeze into the next lane. It makes it terrible to be in the "merging into" lane, and throws off everything.

If nobody move over until they were within a quarter mile of the final merge point, there would be few people "speeding forward and cutting in" because the lane would be full of stopped cars like the other lanes, and people in the next lane would be happy to let people in because they wouldn't have already been forced to let a dozen people in.

It's bad enough they don't teach good merge manners in driver's school, but are they going to legislate bad manners now?


50 posted on 03/19/2007 5:29:18 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Lurker

Move your car over just enough so that it will block the strip on the side of the road.




Done that... hate the traffic laws here (and the lack of enforcement)...

Since I only have a 50cc scooter (moped), it makes it even more dangerous >.< but I do it anyway (and have been hit 2 times in the last year...)..

The big thing for me isn't necessarily the ones who cut you off (it's practically legal her, I call the the 'instant lane chang(ers)'... they change lanes in about 2 seconds, turning on their turn signal AFTER they have started to change lanes.. and usually before totally checking their mirror.

By law in JaPain (misspell intentional), you must turn on your turn signal within 2 seconds of the turn (a VERY slight bit sarcastic... but more or less the same).. A person at a red light (can't turn any direction on red here) turning left (right to we Americans) will turn on their turn signal when their signal light turns green (same color as ours, but they call it blue).

This causes a problem for moped riders because we might be coming upon the intersection and the light turns green (blue) before we come to a complete stop... maybe up to even 10-30 feet...

Of course any safe scooter driver is going to watch for the turn signals (we actually have a scooter lane on the extreme left (about 2-4 feet wide)... (Most of the time, a**holes use it for a parking space and block us)

BUT, all of a sudden, 10-30 feet before we cross the intersection the light turns green (blue) and some twit turns on his signal and turns right in front without checking his left mirror (happens at least 20 times daily here with me... and was the reason for my first accident over a year ago.

That's why I do something that is TOTALLY dangerous in U.S.A., and TOTALLY against the law there, and TOTALLY stupid....... I drive down the CENTER... it's actually safer there (the center lane...2 lane), because of the stupid Japanese turn signal law >.<). I just have for the 'instant lane changers'...


51 posted on 03/19/2007 5:29:32 AM PDT by MrJapan
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To: 3dognight

This certainly can't be about 2 lanes of traffic that merge at a specified point. Nobody would be so down-to-the-bone stupid as to suggest that both lanes shouldn't be used until the merge is required.


52 posted on 03/19/2007 5:31:15 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: B4Ranch
Funny story, but the reality in the Bay Area is that the most rude drivers are the stereotypical short-haired, Boomer women with "Visualize Wold Peace" Anti-Bush and Rainbow bumper stickers, driving Volvos or some other Lib vehicle. They white knuckle their steering wheel and refuse to look at you, while maintaining a scowl on their perpetually angry faces, as they cut you off or refuse to let you in.

Meanwhile, it is the big 'ol pickup truck with some good 'ol boy with an American Flag or military bumper sticker of some sort that waves you in, with a pleasant smile on his face.

53 posted on 03/19/2007 5:31:59 AM PDT by bluefish (Are you really that thick, or are you simply trolling for fun?)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Well, I seem to have a reading comprehension problem. I see now that the problem he is addressing is cars that drive past a line of stopped cars waiting to exit, and then cut in the front.

However, it is possible that some people were driving on the left, and if the backup is too long they simply didn't realise it was a backup to exit until they were too late to get over into the "back of the line".

And while it is annoying to have people do this, it's bothersome that the elected official feels safe in admitting he almost "lost" it. We are turning into a very angry, bitter people, willing to commit violence for such a small slight as being delayed a few seconds by a rude driver.


54 posted on 03/19/2007 5:33:59 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Personally, t hink this is totally stupid. . .do not like either when cars cut in; but 'bahwah'. . .

. . .life is just not always fair or perfect; and certainly dealing with accidents or roadwork can challenge ones patience; which is where this should issue should stay. Probably escalate 'road rage' as they debate this for the next year as it must solidify one's sense of entitlement to 'smooth AND 'fair' sailing'. .

The truth is, in the end; it probably does not change the timing of 'where you are' anyway; or rather; the timing of how long it takes you to negotiate the dreaded pass. . .and it may even make it shorter (?) . . .

(Meantime, where do you draw the line. . .how about a ticket for those drivers who will not let you IN the line; despite your blinker going; those who will make it almost impossible for you to pass them; as they stay under five miles of limit in 'pass lane'. . .etc. and frustrations ad nauseum. . .)

Some Lib is trying to make traveling more perfect experience; by solving a pet peeve by imagining if he can get the the 'nannystate' on his side; his delemma will be made 'better'. . .; but think even going there is an invitation to potentially worse scenarios. . .

Can we leave it to our own imagination; that these folks meet their own Justice; if in fact they really deserve it (sometimes just a mistake no doubt; or other rude drivers not letting them in to begin with. . .) we can then suck it up some patience; and move on. . .so to speak. .

55 posted on 03/19/2007 5:35:35 AM PDT by cricket
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

More stupid revenue enhancement for the state.


56 posted on 03/19/2007 5:36:54 AM PDT by mysterio
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To: SubMareener

Exactly. Good post.


57 posted on 03/19/2007 5:43:17 AM PDT by savedbygrace (SECURE THE BORDERS FIRST (I'M YELLING ON PURPOSE))
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To: MrJapan

I'm thinking if you blocked it with your scooter, you would pretty much be completely on the shoulder and then maybe people wouldn't let you back int.

BTW, for all of you blocking the shoulders -- a lot of police will give you a ticket for doing this. If someone is driving on the shoulder, they are already a lawbreaker, and unlikely to take kindly to your blocking them.

Police don't want citizens to take the law into their own hands, and see too many accidents and worse caused by shoulder-blockers. If the other driver isn't allowed to drive on the shoulder, neither are you, and they will consider you to be doing so if you are over enough to block the shoulder.

Anyway, it just takes one time when you later read that somebody with a medical emergency couldn't get to the hospital because they were stuck in traffic and somebody was blocking the shoulder and wouldn't let them by to understand that sometimes people's time IS more valuable than yours, and if they are willing to risk a traffic ticket there might be a good reason.

I noted someone else said they drove a half mile on the shoulder to reach an exit. I think most of us wouldn't mind people getting on the shoulder in a traffic jam to work their way to an exit, we only get upset if they pull back in off the shoulder. But how do you tell?


58 posted on 03/19/2007 5:46:02 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Wolfie

"Nobody would be so down-to-the-bone stupid as to suggest that both lanes shouldn't be used until the merge is required."

And yet I frequently encounter truck drivers blocking off the closing lane as far as a mile from the bottleneck. Why do they do this? They're not trying to merge, they're trying to force others to merge sooner than need be.


59 posted on 03/19/2007 5:46:13 AM PDT by zook
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To: Recovering_Democrat
"Like cops are going to SIT at a long line of cars handing out tickets to buttinskis?"

Hey, if two patrol cars can sit on 520 before the floating bridge to give out tickets to solo drivers in the HOV lane, why not?
60 posted on 03/19/2007 5:49:16 AM PDT by Ghost of Philip Marlowe (Liberals are blind. They are the dupes of Leftists who know exactly what they're doing.)
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