Raleigh Traffic Rant

NCST8GUY

Frozen H20 Guy
So I've lived in Raleigh for over 25 years now. I feel I'm inclined to have an opinion.

Traffic is making me ANGRY! Not so much how much of it (though I can't properly explain the difference between now and 25 years ago) but more along the PEOPLE are the ones making me angry!!

My weekday commute to our office is only 15 miles. Usually takes 35 minutes (used to take 25), I can live with that growth. But what I see happen, at literally EVERY intersection I have watched over the past year or so has BLOWN my mind. EVERY redlight I see on my way to and fro, people purposely, intentionally, run the red light. It's not orange, it's RED, BEFORE they hit the white line, but they go anyways. I ponder what is going on in their lives that those 3-3.5 minutes can't happen without them there. I ponder why the RPD doesn't set up shop and write 200 tickets a day for the next 2 months all over the area and curb this growing issue. I know it's a well known fact because years ago, when one light turned red, the opposite immediately turned green. Now, I've noticed a delay between that.

Also, rant still on, it seems like most intersections I get to, have a pile of concrete cement lying in the middle of the lane. How does that happen?

Thirdly, beggars at major intersections.

None of these issues seemed common when I moved to Raleigh in the early 90's.

There are underlying issues here which I won't focus on, but it's kind of an "I'm better than you or I deserve more than you" type of attitude.

Rant OFF!!!

Have a good weekend!
 

23mako

Ten Pointer
Amen. The beggars are the biggest change I've noticed. They are at every damn exit off the beltline.

RPD doesn't seem interested in clocking on the beltline either. It has basically become a speedway.

The city doesn't make the developers pay enough to to maintain the roads. Especially when they are tying in new lines to big development.

I am thankful I no longer drive on 40 every morning. My windshield would get cracked about twice a year from the a$$holes who move earth or didn't bother to sweep their trailers off.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I've been here since '92 and you've nailed it with the changes. I miss how it used to be. The intersection of 401 and Tryon Rd blows my mind. Every morning at minimum 3 cars run the red light crossing 401. I mean RED, the first car is behind the white line at red and 2-3 more follow. 440 is a race track. You can run 10 over in the middle lane, they will tailgate you and blow by you on both sides. Drive at the speed limit if you want a real thrill haha.
 
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Mechanic Bob

Eight Pointer
It ain't Raleigh, it is EVERYWHERE! Come on down to Wilmington. We are #1 per household for accidents. They keep wanting to put more laws on the books, but NO enforcement.
It sucks everywhere!
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I know it's bad there, but Raleigh doesn't hold the patent for idiot drivers. They are all over the state (and nation for that matter). Those same type drivers, and issues, occur even in the smaller cities and towns. Much of it is due to the mindset of our motoring public and their feelings of self importance. I deal with the foolish daily, and am constantly amazed with what I see.
 

NCST8GUY

Frozen H20 Guy
Had my windshield on my 2011 finally get dinged last night.

I noticed also that (you have to live here to understand) I take the Wade ave to 54 exit. Meaning that for 1.2 miles, I'm in the 3rd right hand lane, which is exit only at the exit. I take that exit. SO MANY people jump into my "exit lane" hoping they can beat 20-30 cars in their straight lane. Sometimes, they do so RIGHT in front of me and I have to SLAM on my brakes, wearing everyting in the back of my van that screams to the back of my head, or rear end them. :mad:

Don't get me started on on trying to merge or the beltline being a giant race track! I feel like I have to put a camera on my front and rear only because of what is coming!

What REALLY drives me nuts is when I get behind somebody at a red light, the light turns green, they don't move, I HONK, they FLOOR it, and run the red light......and I'm the first one in line for the next cycle. I've thought about......because of that.
 

tgr95

Spike
I-85 through Gaston County-Belmont. One of the worst stretches of highway in the state. It’s bad bad here around Charlotte too. Product of a strong economy and jobs aplenty and NCDOT mismanaging our road funds.


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BarSinister

Old Mossy Horns
Like Bob said it is everywhere.

The thing that is see that bugs me most is people drive super, aggressively, rude without care for life or limb of anyone including themselves because they can't plan their trip to work without having to drive like a flipping maniac to try and get there on time. On an average commute your arrival time will be dictated by flow of traffic, red light, school buses and such. All things you can't control. But the one thing that makes the most difference in arrival time is departure time.

I see the red light thing every day too around Charlotte too. I use my motorcycle riding method when approaching every intersection. Look both ways regardless of the green-ness of the light.
 

BarSinister

Old Mossy Horns
I know it's bad there, but Raleigh doesn't hold the patent for idiot drivers. They are all over the state (and nation for that matter). Those same type drivers, and issues, occur even in the smaller cities and towns. Much of it is due to the mindset of our motoring public and their feelings of self importance. I deal with the foolish daily, and am constantly amazed with what I see.

Nailed it.
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
TRAFFIC is Worse in Chapel Thrill....
says my son. He lives in Raleigh . He use to drive from Raleigh to Chapel Hill.
 

wcjones

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I drove from Shelby to new bern today and was amazed at the aggressiveness of the drivers on almost the whole ride but especially between Greensboro and Raleigh. It’s like they know they aren’t gonna get pulled.

I’m used to driving interstates. In just this last year I drove to Kansas and back and to Orlando and back so it’s not a country bumpkin not used to the big roads thing....it’s a real issue.
 

Mechanic Bob

Eight Pointer
I volunteer for AirLink / VitaLink and drive these around town for mechanical service. Others do not know if I have a patient on board or not. You would not believe the of idiots that cut me off, turn in front of me with very little clearance, ride my bumper, ... , not thinking it could be them on board.

I am 100X more careful and patient driving these rigs and you can't imagine the number of time I have wanted to hit the BIG horn on some of these "so called" drivers.
 

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aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The worsening traffic in the Raleigh area was one of the reasons I retired last year. I saw everything mentioned in the previous posts on a daily basis and I'll add that for me, the dump trucks were the worse in terms of aggressive driving and blowing through red lights.......
 

richard corn

Ten Pointer
Drive to Miami occasionally and if you aren't going 80 on I95 you will get run over. Tractor trailers will pass you. Enforcing traffic laws falls way down the ladder for law enforcement.
 

Roanoke

Eight Pointer
I can go a week and not drive through a stop light unless I have to go to town. I tell people that I live 98 miles East but 100 years away from Raleigh.

I knew that city was really changing when I went to a party 15 years ago and a person told me that it was unique to meet someone that was actually from North Carolina.
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
TRAFFIC is Worse in Chapel Thrill....
says my son. He lives in Raleigh . He use to drive from Raleigh to Chapel Hill.
Yea boy..... since they put me back outside at work...... my office is in Carrboro.... I am all over Chapel Hill and Durham..... bicycles and Prius everywhere....... and the campus scenery ain’t near what it used to be..... 353 days until I reach my 30 years
 

stiab

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
The Raleigh planning board really did no "planning". Development proposals were routinely rubber stamped, even on US1 when there was still a chance to reduce the sprawl.
 

hunthard2

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Leaving on 440 after 3pm and you’ll be stuck in a mess going towards 70. Still doesn’t hold a candle to Atlanta, DC, Baltimore, NYC, etc. After I’ve been out on the road for a few days I crave Raleigh’s light traffic lol


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Part-time hunter

Ten Pointer
We lived in Raleigh from 70 to 2005 when we retired to Wilmington. When I go back for the DDC or the NCSU Wild Game Dinner I am soooo glad not to live there any more. It was a great place to live back then before any beltlines and the only road to Chapel Hill was 54. I hate driving up there now and if I'm visiting my sons I let them chauffeur me around, like I did for them for years. Like several others said it ain't going to get any better, ever. I laugh when I catch the traffic report down here on local tv. They get excited if there's a one cycle delay on 17 coming into town at one intersection. Now in the tourist season it can get a bit hairy, especially if you get behind one that doesn't know what's where. But being retired I can choose when or if I get out there in it, which is usually not to. As for the red light issue, there was a line in the movie Chisulm where Pat Garrett is talking with Billy the Kid about being patient. He says, "I've got the patience of an oyster." That's me when I drive and if some young buck flies up behind me on my tailgate, you know what I'm going to do. I'll slow down to a crawl and tap on the brakes every now and then sometimes while flipping my turn signal off and on in either direction. When they eventually pass I just give them a great big smile and keep puttering along. Makes my day.
 

ibgreen

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I have come across another phenomenon with the Raleigh traffic scene. I can only assume it is customary for women on Indian origin to not pull up when first at an intersection? Is that part of drivers education now? 3 times in the past week I have been stuck in a turn lane because they will not pull up to trigger the light. You would think after 3 cycles they would understand. Usually I have to be the jerk that pulls around them to trigger the light. On a separate note, I need my NCHAF sticker so the offenders know where to complain online.
 

damarshall7

Four Pointer
I've been in Raleigh for 19 years, the traffic has never seemed bad when compared to other cities of the same size. If you know the local routes and stay away from ceritan areas, traffic is not a problem. I think this is just one of those rants that the old timers like to go on about.
 

DC-DXT

Twelve Pointer
No doubt Raleigh and Charlotte have their fair share of traffic. I travel for work and driving through cities like DC, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Philly, Newark, and plenty of others, I can tolerate Raleigh. I hear people complain about traffic in Greenville, which tells me they’ve never been in really bad traffic.
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
" I think this is just one of those rants that the old timers like to go on about."

How about that. NCST8GUY has officially been called an "old timer". I'd hate to think what some folks really call me since I was there when there was no Beltline (440 to you younguns). And just so no one gets me confused with some other stereotype, I hate the traffic but if I decide to, not many are going to get through traffic better than I will if I decide to let her rip. Three in two lanes is not out of the question.
 

Part-time hunter

Ten Pointer
" I think this is just one of those rants that the old timers like to go on about."

How about that. NCST8GUY has officially been called an "old timer". I'd hate to think what some folks really call me since I was there when there was no Beltline (440 to you younguns). And just so no one gets me confused with some other stereotype, I hate the traffic but if I decide to, not many are going to get through traffic better than I will if I decide to let her rip. Three in two lanes is not out of the question.
I can vouch for this guy because I've been in a three in two before with him. I'd let him drive me anywhere.
 
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