By Kip Aoki, Star-Bulletin

Those #@*!#!
Other Drivers!

Here's some more feedback
in our Chat Room discussion on
other drivers' bad habits:

Maile Kawamoto, Santa Clara, Calif.: "Talking on the phone while driving. When they get really involved in their conversations, they no longer concentrate on what's going on around them."

Daniel Kamana'o, Bellevue, Wash.: "There are too many to list. However we can all narrow them down. I for one find the Department of Transportation the most irritating. Miles and miles of cones blocking off one or two lanes and not one inch of 'work' being done. Since I have seen this done throughout the U.S. I assume it's the handy work of some arrogant ass in Congress.

"Where do they think road rage stems from? The economy sucks. Causing, unfortunately all the other problems in a person's life. If a person isn't happy they tend to take it out whenever and wherever they can. Why make it worse by having all this construction 'work' at the same time, causing people to go from one traffic jam to another?

"They say why fix what isn't broken, the people of Hawaii say fix the government 'cuz she stay broke. Once all the government bs is taken care of I'm sure the roads of Hawaii will go back to the way it used to be. Beep-beep 'You like come in this lane?' 'Ya, can?' 'Sure go chance 'em.' 'Mahalos braddah.' Shakas both ways."

Doug Brown, Kapolei: "The inability to keep a 6-foot-wide car within a 10-foot-wide lane. They cross the center line. They drift onto the shoulder."

Jay Chung, Kaimuki: "One of the most annoying drivers is the one who pulls up close behind you and blocks the rear view mirror when you're trying to merge onto the freeway and instead of seeing the oncoming traffic, all you see is the jerk behind you!"

Clay Young, Honolulu: "It's that funny kine Aloha spirit, you know when you put your blinkers on to change lanes and the guy in the other lane speeds up to close the opening that you were going to cut into."

Mona Neill, Waianae: "Signal, signal, signal.

"Merge, don't stop.

"SLOW POKES to the right lane please.

"Drive with aloha because we all live on this island."

Dennis Menard, San Carlos, Calif.: "Recently moved to the San Francisco area from Honolulu. Drivers here are so rude compared to Hawaii! Be glad there is some aloha spirit left in Hawaii because there isn't any here!"

Mary Browne, Honolulu: "Slow drivers who stay in the fast lane! Road hogs on a two-lane road. Address searchers on the 'move'?"

Connie Severin, Wahiawa: "Slow drivers cutting off faster drivers in their hurry to get to the HOV lane, where they're entitled to drive because there are two of them in the car.

"AND people who don't use their turn signals."

Ji Sun Chang, Honolulu: "Too many people drive recklessly and expect to be forgiven because people are supposed to have 'Aloha.' There's a place for showing aloha and there's safety of lives. And for me, the safety of a person's life is the most important thing."

Hank LePage, Honolulu: "The people that travel at or below the speed limit on H-1 in the 'passing' left lane and then once off the highway do not come to a complete stop at a stop sign or red light."

Charles Tanimura, Honolulu: "Drivers who:

"1. Don't use turn signals IN ADVANCE of turning or don't use signals at all.

"2. Drive slow in left lane on the freeway and don't pull over to the right when someone approaches from behind.

"3. Pull out into traffic in front of me instead of waiting for the approaching car to pass. (Often times there's no one behind me!)

"4. Turn right on red lights even if it's not clear and cars are approaching.

"5. Want to make a left turn across two or three lanes of oncoming traffic (go around the block or wait).

"6. Don't move one lane over to the left on the freeway when approaching on-ramps.

"7. Stop when turning left from a main street to allow the other car to come out first (dangerous for cars following).

"8. Don't use headlights when it's getting dark or rainy. What's the harm?

"I feel most of these problems stem from either drivers who don't know the rules or who are just plain inconsiderate of other drivers.

"We sorely need some driver education/awareness programs for the general public to remind drivers of these BASIC rules and why we use them.

"This would do a lot towards bringing back the Aloha Spirit."

George Lewis, Columbia, Md.: "May you be attacked by ukus for even implying Hawaii's drivers are anything but filled with aloha. I've lived in Hawaii and on the East Coast, e.g., Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. Hawaii's drivers are the most considerate I've ever encountered."

Daniel Imamura, Honolulu:

"1. Waiting until just before off-ramp to cut in and get off.

"2. Running red lights.

"3. Rubbernecking at accidents, especially those in the other direction.

"4. Driving slow in the fast lane."

Matthew Mitchell, Kailua: "People driving the speed limit in the far left lane on any of Oahu's highways, (especially on H-3, Pali and Likelike) is by far, the most annoying and dangerous practice on our roadways. It's my God-given right to exceed the speed limit if I want to, so if you are driving in the left lane and see a car on your tail, obey the sign that says 'SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT'."

Amy Crawford, Texas: "Ride a bike (pedal type). Lots of exercise. Too tired too cuss.

"One automobile to a family. No pollution in that beautiful Hawaii sky. What happened to the Aloha Spirit?

"I am an ex-islander."

Clyde M. Yoshimura, Mililani: "Gripe No. 1: Many drivers (wrongly) believe the turn signal gives them the 'right' to conduct a maneuver and use it to warn others to, 'Get outta the way, here I come!'

"Gripe No. 2: The sign 'Slower Traffic Keep Right' means exactly that, so why do slow drivers continue to block traffic in the middle or left lanes of the freeway?

"Gripe No. 3: Why do people wait until the last minute to get off the freeway and force their way across several lanes of traffic (causing others to slow or stop) to do it?

"Gripe No. 4: People need to take driving seriously (be more attentive) and not use the car as an extension of their bathroom (put on makeup) or kitchen (eat breakfast and read the paper).

"There's more, but I think I should leave some input for others."

Add your vitriol to the fire here:
Chat: #%*!@# Hawaii drivers!