It has been an extended week of rain here in the central valley, which has taught me something I really already knew.
No one in California knows how to drive.
Sure, everyone’s taken the permit test, their behind-the-wheel training, and even suffered through the horrible driving test with the creepy DMV test people. Apparently, though, none of that matters when it comes to the rain.
Today I had to drive in the drizzling rain to deliver a transcript to a law office that was - oh, lets say three miles away. And these three miles (six, if you count the drive back), were the worst I’ve encountered in a while. To begin with, I had to drive down Howe Avenue, which - if you live in or around Sacramento - everyone knows is the most congested artery this side of the University. To make matters worse, I had to drive to Howe and University, the worst intersection known to man.
No only is it painted on the street “Do Not Block Intersection,” it’s also posted on multiple signs so that any reasonable driver would have no excuse to miss them. And still, the intersection is blocked every time the light turns green for each new lane direction. This happens on the sunniest of days, and really it’s no surprise that it happens in the rain too.
But what I don’t understand is the people who drive as if it’s sunny when it is pouring down. These people are weaving in and out of traffic, riding other cars’ asses, and generally just forgetting that it’s raining. I especially like how they are always going at least 20 miles over the posted speed limit, and honk at me when I’m hovering just under it. Hello, ever heard of the “as fast as is safe for conditions” rule? I’m so paranoid to be driving on the same road as these people. I’m always afraid of the car sliding out when I brake, and these people are racing up to the line, breaking at the last second.
Also, it irritates me to no end that these people drive without their headlights on. California passed a law last year that stated if your windshield wipers were on, your head lights had to be on, so that other cars would be more likely to see you in the rain. I still see people on the darkest of days, with rain pouring from the sky, driving with their lights off.
What is so hard about turning your lights on?
So, for the record, I am done with rainy days. I wish them over, so that when I get into the car, I won’t be paranoid that some one is going to rear end me in my mother’s Mustang, which would ensure that I never drive another one of her cars again.
I can’t wait for summer to get here.
- “No Rain,” Blind Melon: Blind Melon
Being from New York and all and just moving to San Diego, I have to agree with you. When I came here to visit in Dec. 2004, it was raining cats and dogs as Gaby and I headed to La Jolla to check out UCSD. People were going nuts, and Gaby is paranoid of the rain so it didn’t help any when she kept yelling “don’t go so fast” “watch that turn” etc. The past couple of days have been horrible. Last night at around 1am, I had to run to the store to get a couple of things and there weren’t that many people on the road, but the few that were had no idea how to drive in the rain. I was horrified, I thought I might die a horrible death in a crash, killed by a Californian that doesn’t know how to drive in the rain. As for headlights, I don’t see why you wouldn’t want them on if it’s raining out. New York, as far as I can remember, has always had that law so for me it’s just something I do, but it makes so much sense to have them on anyway, even if it isn’t the law.