Reduced Traffic

[CaptTom]

Labor Day weekend traffic was on par with the worst of them. No reduction in volume here this past weekend, although the summer season did get off to a slow start.

Yes, I have noticed folks driving as if they've forgotten how to do it safely. The "issue" (bad driving - especially speeding) made the news lately. Apparently the local PD plans to address the issue. I guess we'll see.

I'm careful not to conflate bad driving with speeding.

Bad driving is something we can all agree on. I live in a popular tourist area, and it seems folks all leave their common sense at home when they're on vacation. Or they drive like they're still in the city - the law of the jungle.

Of course, since the most profitable and easiest infraction to enforce is speeding, that gets all the attention. And yes, speeding beyond the flow of traffic is dangerous. But no more dangerous than going much slower than the flow, or a thousand other violations which I see every day, but are never ticketed.

I hear some states are starting to ticket drivers for "camping" in the left lane, not passing anyone. I'd like to see more of that. I'd like to see lots of other dangerous behaviors ticketed.

 

[LRDave]

I've had to sample metro ATL traffic about 5 times in the last month and I think it is noticeably less than 1.5 years ago (when we moved away permanently).

 

[Midpack]

My local paper had an AP article today about traffic--article said that traffic is still generally down all over the U.S. but that speeding is way up. People started speeding back in March/April when traffic was significantly down and many have continued to speed even as traffic is increasing. Traffic tickets for speeding 20 miles over the speed limit is up in most states. The speeding is causing more accident and road fatalities. An unforeseen consequence of the virus.

Sadly the rate of accidents may be up (per mile driven) but not more overall unless you have data. Obviously accidents & deaths were way down early in the pandemic, that’s why most of us got premium reductions - ours was 15%. Since reopening accidents rates are up, but not total accidents that I could find (data is scarce).

Stats from 22 states and DC showed a 17 percent drop in vehicle miles traveled in the first six months of the year — but a mere 6 percent drop in traffic deaths.

 

[CaptTom]

Sadly the rate of accidents may be up (per mile driven) but not more overall unless you have data.

Stats from 22 states and DC showed a 17 percent drop in vehicle miles traveled in the first six months of the year — but a mere 6 percent drop in traffic deaths.

Also remember not to confuse correlation with causation.

For example, I've often heard that most accidents occur close to home. With all the travel restrictions and quarantine requirements, it seems likely that a lot of people are avoiding long drives. Hence, spending more time (and a higher percentage of miles driven) closer to home - where the accidents occur more.

Granted, that's speculation without solid data. But it's just as viable as the claim that accidents per mile are up (if they are) due to any other cause.

 

[Koolau]

Labor Day weekend traffic was on par with the worst of them. No reduction in volume here this past weekend, although the summer season did get off to a slow start.



I'm careful not to conflate bad driving with speeding.

Bad driving is something we can all agree on. I live in a popular tourist area, and it seems folks all leave their common sense at home when they're on vacation. Or they drive like they're still in the city - the law of the jungle.

Of course, since the most profitable and easiest infraction to enforce is speeding, that gets all the attention. And yes, speeding beyond the flow of traffic is dangerous. But no more dangerous than going much slower than the flow, or a thousand other violations which I see every day, but are never ticketed.

I hear some states are starting to ticket drivers for "camping" in the left lane, not passing anyone. I'd like to see more of that. I'd like to see lots of other dangerous behaviors ticketed.

I agree that simply exceeding the posted limit is NOT per se "dangerous." The Islands have ridiculously low speed limits and EVERYONE exceeds posted limits. There's sort of an "unspecified" agreement to allow folks several MPH over. BUT occasionally the speed traps appear. The "news" articles sited (oops, sorry about that) "speed" as an issue. To me speed is only an issue when speed is excessive for the conditions OR not matched with traffic (too fast OR too slow.)

What I have seen in my very limited time on the road is a general lack of paying attention. I struggle with this myself - especially having been "locked down" for so long. Every time I do actually get out on the road, I feel like a tourist again. Everything is so beautiful, I just want to look at it. I have to remind myself to concentrate on driving. YMMV

 

[Koolau]

Oh, forgot to mention that I'm going all the way to Kaneohe today. That's the other side of the Island. We lived there briefly when we first moved. Most of our friends live leeward (where we live now.) They would exclaim "You live in Kaneohe! It's so FAR, no?" It was maybe 15 miles across the mountains from the "action." We would chuckle since when we lived on the mainland, we'd willingly drive 60 or 80 miles to visit my sister or go shopping at a new mall or go to a concert. Once a week or so, I used to drive 70 or 100 miles to go to one of our other plants.

We now know several Island folks who have never been to many of the other parts of the Island than where they live. "It's just too far!" It's true that some trips are a bit more arduous than on the mainland (2 lane roads on the coast with all those d@*n tourists! ) It can take a couple of hours to get from one end of the Island to the other - mostly due to traffic and lack of (all) freeway driving. Yet the distances are not that great (maybe 45 miles.) Still, we used to get out quite often to explore. Not so much now with Covid 19. It's still beautiful out, but there's no place to go. Few businesses are open and all the beaches/parks are closed and monitored. Talk about citations! The police are handing out citations on beaches like candy - but that's another story for the Covid Forum - Nah!

Well, gotta get on the road, again. YMMV

 

[CaptTom]

What I have seen in my very limited time on the road is a general lack of paying attention.

That's true on the mainland, too.

Obviously the focus nowadays is talking or texting on a cell phone, and yes, I see that a lot. You can tell before you even see the phone in the driver's hand. They'll slow down, have trouble staying in the lane, and generally make it clear that no-one is really driving.

But it's not new. Before cell phones (and still today) there was putting on makeup, eating, swatting at bees or just about anything except driving.

Too many people barely pay enough attention to stay on the road. They don't look at the traffic ahead and analyze the situation. I benefit from this, because I'll see a slow vehicle ahead and change lanes long before I get there. The driver who had been in front of me often doesn't notice until it's too late and they have to hit their brakes.

I often say I know what the other driver is going to do before they do.

 

[athena53]

I hear some states are starting to ticket drivers for "camping" in the left lane, not passing anyone. I'd like to see more of that. I'd like to see lots of other dangerous behaviors ticketed.

I would, too! BF and I drove around Iowa over the weekend and there were a whole lot of drivers who stuck way too close to the back of our car (we were going slightly over the speed limit) and who were fond of passing on the right.

What we noticed was a major proliferation of RVs- the new way to self-isolate. Granted it was Labor Day weekend so a lot were vacationers but it still seemed a higher % than previously.

 

[Koolau]

Trip Report

Had a nice, scenic trip to Windward Oahu. The view from Makapu'u was stunning as usual. I always have a reaction to topping the hill and viewing the bay with its islands, beaches and vistas. Fortunately the traffic was WAY down, giving me a chance to rubber-neck. I've made this trip literally hundreds of times and I would say the traffic was the least I have seen. Of course, time of day (mid day), etc. could be a factor. Still, it was sort of like seeing it the first time back in 1975.

https://www.hawaii-guide.com/oahu/sights/makapuu-point

 

[Dtail]

Had a nice, scenic trip to Windward Oahu. The view from Makapu'u was stunning as usual. I always have a reaction to topping the hill and viewing the bay with its islands, beaches and vistas. Fortunately the traffic was WAY down, giving me a chance to rubber-neck. I've made this trip literally hundreds of times and I would say the traffic was the least I have seen. Of course, time of day (mid day), etc. could be a factor. Still, it was sort of like seeing it the first time back in 1975.

https://www.hawaii-guide.com/oahu/sights/makapuu-point

Beautiful.
Been to Hawaii twice. Once in 1985 and once in 1995. Hope to go there again.

 

[CaptTom]

I would, too! BF and I drove around Iowa over the weekend and there were a whole lot of drivers who stuck way too close to the back of our car (we were going slightly over the speed limit) and who were fond of passing on the right.

Actually, if people were passing on the right, then you should probably have pulled over. You're supposed to always keep right except to pass. This is what some states are starting to write tickets for.

What we noticed was a major proliferation of RVs- the new way to self-isolate. Granted it was Labor Day weekend so a lot were vacationers but it still seemed a higher % than previously.

Around here we see a two-way migration on Labor Day weekend. The family vacationers are heading home, and the retired folks with RVs are heading out, to take advantage of off-season rates and kid-free parks and beaches. All reports so far are that the former group were at full strength. I've yet to hear if the retired crowd is staying home this year, but anecdotal evidence suggests at least some are.

 

[Koolau]

Beautiful.
Been to Hawaii twice. Once in 1985 and once in 1995. Hope to go there again.

Wait until Covid 19 is in the rear view. We've been arresting tourists who break our 14-day quarantine! The whole thing is quite sad - and we really need the tourist dollars. Looking forward to seeing you.