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Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

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  • Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

    Having driven in 43 states and completing several cross country road trips (including New York, New Jersey, California and other high-density areas), I have a good idea of how Americans drive. When I moved to Hawaii, a place where people "drive with Aloha," I was stunned at some of the irony when I was actually on the roads.

    As a Hawaii driver, what transportation faux pas, driver etiquette, or other irritations do you find yourself dealing with? When faced with your situation, how do you overcome it?

  • #2
    Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

    See Also:

    It references this 2005 Honolulu Advertiser article:
    We may be isolated from the Mainland by 2,400 miles of ocean and centuries of distinct cultural history, but as a community of drivers, are we really that different from our continental counterparts?"The people of Hawai'i are wonderful, considerate, sharing people," says Merle Trotter, who has split time between O'ahu and her home in San Diego since retiring in 1997. "But they do have certain peculiarities when it comes to driving."

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    • #3
      Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

      How do I overcome it? I've been thinking of writing a book called: You Know You're Going to Hell If:

      1) A driver is signalling to merge into your lane and you speed up to close the gap.

      It seems so typical of driving in Hawaii where I see this lack of Aloha. Having driven in several states as well, I can compare even local driving. Honolulu drivers are more courteous than Big Island drivers. In Honolulu a driver will usually wave at you for letting them in. On the Big Island, they typically don't. On the Big Island if you're driving 55-MPH on a single lane, cars will pass you on the right hand shoulder lane even though that lane is narrower than the driving lane and there is a pedistrian walking on it because there are no sidewalks, hence no curbing.

      Hilo drivers use the California Stop method at a stopsign...meaning they don't come to a complete stop, they simply roll thru the stop sign.

      And I found out that wahine drivers on the Big Island aren't so easily intimidated by male drivers yelling at them. Big Island wahine drivers will stop on the roadway and call you out. Ova hea Sista no mo shame and goin tune your okole real good.

      You can tell the good drivers here on the Big Island...they're not from here.

      So when a bad driver cuts me off, I remind my kids that God made a place for bad drivers like that and in the end their final destination won't be a nice place.
      Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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      • #4
        Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

        I don't mind the adz-holes as much as I mind the idiots.

        I've been here long time, so I know how to avoid uber-tailgaters, weavers, speeders, no signal lefties and cut-offs (people who drive with their attitudes).

        My pet peeve is the drivers who get on the expressways (H-1, 2, 3, 201) or any other 2-lane road, get in the left lane and either drive slower than everyone else or pace the car in the right lane, making it difficult or impossible to pass them.

        Many people (even television personalities!) don't realize it's a violation of Hawaii state statutes if you don't move to the right to let faster traffic pass! Ever see the "Slower Traffic Keep Right" signs? That's what they mean!

        K
        Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!
        ~ ~
        Kaʻonohiʻulaʻokahōkūmiomioʻehiku
        Spreading the virus of ALOHA.
        Oh Chu. If only you could have seen what I've seen, with your eyes.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

          Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
          You can tell the good drivers here on the Big Island...they're not from here.
          By and large, Big Isle drivers are the worst ones in this state.

          But if anyone thinks Big Isle motorists are bad,... Heck, if anyone think California drivers are the pits, then that person has obviously never been to Puerto Rico.
          This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

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          • #6
            Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

            I still find plenty of driving Aloha in Waianae. However, my very general overview of driving in Hawaii has to do with so many different cultures and immigrants cruising our highways and byways using their foreign driving 'skills'!

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            • #7
              Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

              Originally posted by Kaonohi View Post
              Many people (even television personalities!) don't realize it's a violation of Hawaii state statutes if you don't move to the right to let faster traffic pass! Ever see the "Slower Traffic Keep Right" signs? That's what they mean!

              K
              By law if the slow driver is going the posted speed limit, they can stay in that fast lane. Also if the speed limit is 55 and the minimum posted speed limit is 40-mph, you cannot pass that motorist as they are going the slowest but still posted speed limit and if you do intend on passing a motorist, you cannot exceed the posted speed limit. Basically passing is only allowed when a motorist is driving less than the minimum posted speed limit. If a motorist is going 30 in a 55 you can safely pass at 55, no need to accelerate beyond the speed limits here.
              Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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              • #8
                Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

                Ohh, I have a few!

                1. When it's obvious one of the lanes is going to end and a bunch of a-holes get out of line and get in the ending lane just to cut back in front of you. HATE!!!! I deal with this by blocking the ending lane with my car when I know the person coming up is a cutter and not letting them in.

                2. People on the freeways yielding to people entering the freeways. And oncoming people expecting to be yielded to. Guess it's not so dangerous when...

                3. Everyone drives 45 on the freeways.

                4. Not going when the light is green, then when you gently tap your horn at them after 30 seconds or so just to let them know they need to stop texting and go, they follow you from the Foodland in Ewa Beach down the H-1 past the H-2, cussing and throwing the finger, while trying to run you off the road.

                Can't think of anything creative this time

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                • #9
                  Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

                  Originally posted by surlygirly View Post
                  Ohh, I have a few!

                  1. When it's obvious one of the lanes is going to end and a bunch of a-holes get out of line and get in the ending lane just to cut back in front of you. HATE!!!! I deal with this by blocking the ending lane with my car when I know the person coming up is a cutter and not letting them in.

                  2. People on the freeways yielding to people entering the freeways. And oncoming people expecting to be yielded to. Guess it's not so dangerous when...

                  3. Everyone drives 45 on the freeways.

                  4. Not going when the light is green, then when you gently tap your horn at them after 30 seconds or so just to let them know they need to stop texting and go, they follow you from the Foodland in Ewa Beach down the H-1 past the H-2, cussing and throwing the finger, while trying to run you off the road.
                  Sounds like a case for Road Rage Now if they're "throwing the finger" at you at least you stopped them from texting. At that point I would get out of my car and proceed to beat the living crap outta them. Last time someone pointed his finger at my face, that finger ended up disjointed. Because he was begging for forgiveness I let his broken finger go instead of ramming it up his butt, like I told him I was about to do...connected to his hand or not.

                  But I've mellowed out in recent years and now I simply give them the thumbs up and yell at them, "Hey you dropped your wallet back there" and make them all confused for a moment.
                  Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

                    Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
                    Sounds like a case for Road Rage Now if they're "throwing the finger" at you at least you stopped them from texting. At that point I would get out of my car and proceed to beat the living crap outta them. Last time someone pointed his finger at my face, that finger ended up disjointed. Because he was begging for forgiveness I let his broken finger go instead of ramming it up his butt, like I told him I was about to do...connected to his hand or not.

                    But I've mellowed out in recent years and now I simply give them the thumbs up and yell at them, "Hey you dropped your wallet back there" and make them all confused for a moment.
                    Ohh, I never thought of that comeback! That's a good one! I just yelled, "Jesus loves you! Have a blessed day!" It kind of takes the wind of someone's sails when you won't fight back. I've actually never been in a fistfight. I've always kind of wondered how I'd do.

                    Can't think of anything creative this time

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                    • #11
                      Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

                      Originally posted by surlygirly View Post
                      [...]It kind of takes the wind of someone's sails when you won't fight back.[...]
                      Bingo! It's called "taking the high road".

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                      • #12
                        Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

                        Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
                        By law if the slow driver is going the posted speed limit, they can stay in that fast lane.
                        Perhaps they changed the law again. I did a quick search and couldn't find it, but it used to be that if you were in the left lane, and someone was behind you wanting to pass (i.e. they approached your rear and slowed) it was incumbent upon you to move to the right lane when and it it was safe, even if you were doing the speed limit. 5mph under the limit you are required to move over.
                        Maybe I can see if I can find the reference again, or perhaps it was changed.
                        I remember a TV newswoman who televised cars trying to pass her, beeping horns, etc.,when she stayed in the left lane AT the speed limit, and I had found the statute which covered that you must move right even if the driver behind you was speeding. I thought it was posted here on HT, but I can't find that, either!
                        It is NOT your responsibility to ensure other drivers obey the speed limit; it is your responsibility to drive safely and not impede traffic flow.
                        Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!
                        ~ ~
                        Kaʻonohiʻulaʻokahōkūmiomioʻehiku
                        Spreading the virus of ALOHA.
                        Oh Chu. If only you could have seen what I've seen, with your eyes.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves

                          I think one of the most frustrating Hawaii Driving Pet Peeves I have been having to deal with since I've been here is this: I'm heading towards the Windward Side on H-3. I have the bad misfortune of not being in the high speed lane at the wrong time and end up getting caught behind a loaded cement truck or some other heavyweight freighter lumbering its way to the tunnels. There are times when it's nearly impossible to pass such a truck, as often there are unbroken chains of traffic, seemingly two miles long, just flying by me and the slow moving truck, at 65+MPH, while due to the heavy grade of the Koolaus, the truck can bearly break 35 MPH. There are times I've had to just grin and bear it, and follow the truck until it reaches the tunnels, where it then begins its decent toward Kaneohe, which at that time, I can finally pass and exceed..oops..I mean resume the maximum speed limit.

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                          • #14
                            The Chip And Dale syndrome

                            Then there's the flip side.
                            Drivers being TOO nice to one another, thus everybody sits and waits and waits for The Courtesy Twins to figure out who's going to go.
                            https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/

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                            • #15
                              Re: The Chip And Dale syndrome

                              Originally posted by Ron Whitfield View Post
                              Then there's the flip side.
                              Drivers being TOO nice to one another, thus everybody sits and waits and waits for The Courtesy Twins to figure out who's going to go.
                              Then they wave in the rear view mirror......

                              It drives me nuts when people cannot turn into the immediate lane but have to go to the farther lane what the heck? Just turn into the lane and then move over. Also IDIOTS running the red light BLATANTLY at the Haiku Rd./Kahekili intersection happens constantly someday someone will be killed who is going on the green.

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