As a former California Police Officer I worked traffic enforcement almost on a daily basis. I can honestly say I’ve seen it all, both while on duty and especially off duty. I’ve watched people trying to text on their blackberries all the while serving back and forth similar to a drunk driver, even slowing down to 25 mph on the freeway cause they are so into their text they apparently forgot that they were driving on the freeway. I’ve seen people make turns from the fast lane (the speed lane here in New England) across 4 lanes of traffic, cutting of vehicles which are moving at between 65-80 mph, to make the exit there were about to miss. I guess the thought of just driving to the next exit and turn around in a safe manner never occurred to them. I even watched one morning in horror on the way to work a vehicle who missed their turnoff, turn around on the ramp, drive against the flow of traffic so they could take the exit. The funniest would be when I was stuck in stop and go traffic, northbound Highway 101 in the San Francisco Bay Area one morning, as I look over to my left, I observed a teenage boy…around 16 or 17 years old, practicing his trumpet while he was driving…somehow I don’t believe playing musical instruments while driving was offered in drivers ed. Now I’m out here in New England, just a regular citizen driver, but my training never prepared me for the level of lousy, rude and downright scary drivers Massachusetts has.
I was shocked when I first drove in Boston and its surrounding suburbs on how drivers totally ignore the basic driving laws. Laws, such as no left turn on Red. Stopping on red or for a stop sign. Turn signals don’t exist and if you are a pedestrian, good luck..its open season on you…because crosswalks don’t mean anything! I went so far as to ask a State Trooper what the deal was with the drivers. He point blank said “red lights don’t mean nothing, stop signs don’t mean nothing, speed limits don’t mean nothing!” And what about the pedestrians running across the street like a flock of wild game? “oh, the drivers expect to get sued if they hit someone!” WHAT?!?!?!?
I’m in New Hampshire now, which is definitely more laid back than other places I’ve been to in New England. What stuck me as odd when I first drove here was a sign that greeted me on the state line…it said “Drive with courtesy, its the New Hampshire way!“ I remember thinking “odd, but OK.” Then I got my lesson on why they have that sign there. New Hampshire got tired of the lousy, rude and obnoxious drivers from Massachusetts. To be honest, I can’t blame them. I am used to the rude driver who won’t let you into the lane, as if being 10 feet back behind you would me a major incident and ruin that person’s day. We have the same issues in California, however, they also shoot people on the freeways and highway because of people cutting you off or not letting you in. Those who live in New Hampshire talk about what’s it like to have drivers from Massachusetts drive into the state because of the no sales tax and cause accidents or road rage incidents. This is when I learned a new word MASSHOLES.
Massholes are what everyone who calls drivers from Massachusetts. It does pretty much sum it up. I never really used that word until this past weekend. I was driving from Pheasant Lane Mall on the NH/MA border heading towards the highway. It was a merge lane, 2 lanes into 1, no big deal right, except if you are from Massachusetts.
As my vehicle moves to the left and is in the middle of the now 1 lane I suddenly hear a loud vaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrooooooooooom coming from what I know is a v-8 engine. All of a sudden I look to my left and see an older model 4 door vehicle illegally passing me on the left. Within inches of striking my pickup truck. Shocked and dismayed, once the vehicle was directly in front of me, i raised my hand and flipped him the bird, just to let him know I thought he was #1 in my book. The driver, seeing this, merely raised 2 of his fingers together and saluted me with a boy scout salute and just continued on his way. Where was this driver from? You guess it, Massachusetts.
Perhaps if law enforcement would make a better effort in policing these massholes, not only would we all be safer out there on the roads, but with enough moving violations, high fines and the loss of their driving privileges, it would make them think twice about doing something so stupid as to risk the life of someone else because they want to get home 30 seconds earlier. I’m just glad I had emergency vehicle course training as a cop, at least I have better odds out there driving with these guys on the road!
Boy Kimmie glad to that you’re ok. Hate to come out there to whup ass on a Mass-ass!