Hawaii Drivers v. Mainland Drivers

[Miulang]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

That kind of lolo driving is such a problem up here that the State Police have created a program with a bunch of unmarked cars (could be cars, SUVs or trucks...but they're all unmarked) cruising up and down I-5 looking for aggressive driving (weaving in and out of traffic, not using turn signals, tailgating, etc). If they see someone, they will pull them over and ticket them for aggressive driving, which carries a pretty hefty fine.

Road rage is such a serious problem everywhere. Last week, 2 drivers got into a fist fight because one of them cut the other off, and the driver who got cut off had 2 kids in his car and landed in the hospital with serious injuries from the beating. In other cases, people have been shot or stabbed. There's no excuse for this kind of behavior anywhere.

Miulang

[cezanne]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

I think we covered the "locals drive with too much aloha" subject a while ago.
This was some kinda poll in da pepah.
My perpective is; the more this island is covered with too many people wanting to move here from all parts, and the majority of these are from mainland cites where the driving habits are nowhere near Hawaiian Style, and add that to too much overdevelopment = too many people = too many cars = too many people wanting to get where dey going fastah, we goin have an island driving style that slowly has morphed into something resembling the 405/101 area. and it will be the popular view that people should NOT drive anymore with 'aloha'.
That is the proverbial sad day I lament. and that day is here.

Naw there still is aloha out there on the highways and byways. I think it just depends on where in the state you're driving.

[Miulang]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

I moved to Seattle in 1981, which was right before the "Californication" wave started. I can remember a time when the intersection down the street from where I live had a 4-way stop (just stop signs at each corner). People would actually take turns going through that intersection, depending on who got there first.

Then around 1990, they had to put in a flashing overhead light and "4-way Stop" signs. Then a few years later, they had to finally put in a real stop light because too many people didn't know what "4-way stop" meant and accidents and near-misses were a regular occurrence.

I know I'm more laid back about my driving now (having a new car probably has something to do with it) because you never know what that driver you cut off by accident is going to do to you.

Miulang

[kimo55]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

ok, what was i saying?
Driving with aloha?

Was toolin down Kal hiway with some ayhole on my ass, tailgating, when I change lanes to turn left to koko marina.
he honks as he passes.
phakkin haole. If I saw where he turned off, woulda followed him.
Hate to see the mainland driving habits imported to our island. It's another scourge from foreigners.

My brother witnessed, near the Hawaii kai post office, one jerk ran TWO red lights within 1 minute!. The car almost hit him.

And a friend of mine was turning right onto kal hiway and this japanese lady speeding down the road runs a red light and crashes into my friends car. She required 37 stitches to close up the gaping wound on her forehead. Her bumper was knocked partially off, but thankfully the person who attempted murder, her car was all bussup. (just learned they were tourists... in a rental car)

Comin BACK from the gym, witnessed at the moanalua bay bridge, an ambulance was attending to a tourist who, while riding one of those goofy moped touron puttputt motorcyclewannabe things got hit by a black corvette looking car.


This all happened yesterday.

and of course, we have these too oft seen, accidents waiting to happen; the jaywalker. and they really must be suicidal. About every day, we see people crossing in the middle of busy Kal hiway and they are these japanese students attending that transpacific thingy school there ainahaina area.

ok people. kama'aina and malihini both. Slow down and drive carefully. And stop driving like an L.A. jerk.

[ExtraScoop]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

When I visit Hawai'i I always notice the politeness and common sense of most of the drivers as compared with California drivers.

There really is no comparison. At home, in Cali, it seems like most people drive as if they are competing with you. I'm first. This is MY lane. Hurry up. HONK HONK. Flip the bird.

I'm amazed when I put on my turn signal and someone actually slows down to let me in. In Hawai'i, not in California.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

Actually I've seen that kind of rude behavior on many of Hawaii's streets. It like a competition to see who get's Pole Position at the red light. One thing I teach my older kids about defensive driving is not to leave too big of a gap between you and the car in front of you because some dickhead will try to squeeze in between you and that car and suddenly your safety zone has deminished to a few feet instead of a few car lengths in a matter of seconds.

As for people wanting to merge into my lane, if they don't signal I don't let em in unless it's so friggin' obvious. People have to learn to use that little invention called the turn signal lever. I mean some engineer put some thought into that little thing and you bought it, so you may as well use it.

Then there's the guy who's signalling a right turn and has passed VERY MANY right turns. I mutter to myself: Pick a turn, any turn buddy.

And there are those who cannot decide which lane to stay in so they straddle the dotted white lines like a slot car, again I mutter Pick a lane!

And only on the infamous Pahoa Highway 130 (the deadliest highway in Hawaii) where people driving towards you have to yield their right turn to you turning left into the same sidestreet. Never mind that there are people passing you in the shoulder lane. It's no wonder there are so many head on collisions on that stretch of road.

No my observations are that there are many ignorant drivers in Hawaii. But if you really want to see bad driving, go to Thailand! Where the common expression is: Ahhh I make my own rules.

[kimo55]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

As for people wanting to merge into my lane, if they don't signal I don't let em in....


Then there's the guy who's signalling a right turn and has passed VERY MANY right turns. I mutter to myself: Pick a turn, any turn buddy.

And there are those who cannot decide which lane to stay in so they straddle the dotted white lines like a slot car, again I mutter Pick a lane!

wow. chill dude. let em be a joik and give em alotta room...

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

No no no Kimo gotta kill em all and let God sort em out!!!!

Nah...I usually back waaayyyy off because you don't know what the heck these knuckleheads are going to do next.

Sometimes though my kids see me grabbing my E-brake lever and squeeze off a few rounds when I press the release button on the tip of the lever thinking it's a machine gun trigger in a fighter plane. Ahhhh eat lead you jerk! Ohh if it were only true



These are actually balloons shaped like missles with tethers tied to the chase vehicle.

[kimo55]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

Sometimes though my kids see me grabbing my E-brake lever and squeeze off a few rounds when I press the release button on the tip of the lever thinking it's a machine gun trigger in a fighter plane. Ahhhh eat lead you jerk!

while ya do the sound effex;
papapapakakaaapow!


meanwhile ya teachin yer keiki early on the important lesson of road rage and how ta use it.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

yep it teaches them not to cut someone off who has a loaded gatlinger gun in his car!

[Pedro]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

I'm sort of new to driving been driving for about three and half years now woopie! I got one speeding ticket so I don't speed as much. When I first got my first car a Jeep Cherokee, oh I use to gun it going to work and going home. I remember driving so fast I got home in nine minutes from The Bishop Museum to Mililani, but that was at midnight, and thank god I didn't kill no one pulling off that stunt. I drive with a bit more caution and I try not to speed and I don't tail gate people. I hate it when people do it to me or cut me off. Yesterday going home on the freeway this bastard cut me off almost nipped the front of my car. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to chase him just to give him the bird but figured I didn't need to do that. Why bother I was almost home.

About driving with too much Aloha, I have a friend and everytime when he drives by a shopping center he lets all the cars that are leaving the parking lot merge into his lane. And he tells me I drive terrible because I aint so nice as he is. I think it's cool to be nice but too nice pisses people off, especially those waiting behind the nice driver. ERR

[kimo55]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

I got one speeding ticket so I don't speed as much.

hmmm.
speeding ticket = not speed as much...

what WILL it take to teach people a lesson?
Too many seem to be hellbent on being "an accident waiting to happen".


(wait, just caught this: "it's cool to be nice".
another hmmmmm.)

[Menehune Man]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

Okay biggest problem with Hawai'i drivers: Just don't use the turn signals- for lane changes, freeway on ramps or even turns. I don't know why this is?

Best thing about Hawai'i drivers: Is usually letting people in. It's safer and actually keeps the traffic flow smoother.

Worse mainland problem: Too much going on while being in a rush driving. Phones, kids and always behind schedule so trying to make up time.

Best thing about mainland drivers: Nice car man.

[kimo55]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

Okay biggest problem with Hawai'i drivers: Just don't use the turn signals- for lane changes, freeway on ramps or even turns. I don't know why this is?

here's the island style i was brought up with for decades;
Give em alotta room to be who they are.
don't judge, to the point of any stress.
Don't wonder and make huhu.
let em go do their nonturnsignal driving. big phaakkkin deal.
who cares. have a beer.


cuz if that's the most of yer worries, i will trade ya.

[cezanne]

Re: Hawai'i drivers v.Mainland

Sometimes you can't use the turnsignal on the freeway... for some drivers that's the signal for them to speed up so you cannot change lanes.