Traffic Rules, that is.
I have lived here now for 11 months.
This is what I have observed.
A Yellow light means: speed up!!
The first three seconds of a red light means: FASTER!!!
In Arizona the common knowledge was
two cars can make the left turn on a yellow light.
Here there seems to be some debate between
whether four cars can make the yellow light, or five.
ALSO
It seems to be the general agreement of Utah motorists
that 30 ft is PLENTY of space to pull out in front of someone.
ESPECIALLY if there is absolutely no other vehicle behind the
one you pull out in front of. The one that has to break,
sometimes really hard,
so they don't hit you.
The 30ft rule can be cut in half if you are making a left turn
and only crossing the path of the on coming vehicle.
Maybe the idea here is, being t-boned is awesome??
ALSO
On the freeway, using the space to the right
that in normally reserved for people who
have broken down or are being pulled over to PASS
a car that is going 15 miles over the speed limit
is perfectly acceptable, as long as your car
is cooler than theirs.
Utah pedestrians also seem to have a unique philosophy.
I think they are thinking,
If I die today then I get to go to Heaven,
where things are much cooler anyway.
Because dressing in ALL BLACK to go
jogging at 11:00 at night is the cool thing to do.
If you do this AND use your ipod/ cell phone
you are even more cool.
SO, if any of you, my outside of Utah friends,
are on your way up here, you just might want
to keep a few of these things in mind,
so you can RIDE YOUR BREAK
and keep and eye out for those
pedestrians.
24 comments:
Oh man...Utah drivers sound crazy...well they actually are now that I remember my experience on my last trip there...I dont think I could handle that....Im not sure AZ is all that better...people here dont know how to merge...
haha, I have to make Blake read this. He'll die. He especially hates the 30 ft rule. Absolutely ticks him off when like you said, there isn't even a single car behind him! lol
Oh man...I totally agree! What is it with these Utah driving rules? I have noticed every single one of these crazy behaviors! Ugh!
I had to comment!! Your post is SPOT ON!
I have always said that Utah Drivers drive like GOD is sitting next them, ready to take them to the Celestial Kingdom!
I have witnessed on the Interstate, a car BACKING UP because they missed their EXIT on the shoulder!! Not just once, but many times! I don't get it?!
Scares the daylights outta me everytime I go....Defensive Driving is a MUST in Utah.
Be careful on the road! Especially those yellow/red lights. :)
Oh my gosh, you live in Orem/Provo, don't you?
I once had a guy riding my tail, swerve into the next lane, just to cut me off so he could turn right at the corner 50 feet in front of us. And I was going 5 over the speed limit.
I don't see that crazy behavior now that I live in smalltown, Utah.
I have lived in Utah my entire life and I will say that Utahans (but not all of them) are the WORST drivers ever!!
We just moved to NM and are completely taken aback that people actually yield when you use your turn signal.
But one thing I have seen plenty of in the few short weeks I've lived here is very red lights being run. Gotta keep my eyes peeled for that one!
A lot of people believe in the afterlife around these parts.... maybe they want to test it out!
Utah is a very scary place to drive, but so is Arizona... you know.. the only place I really liked drivers was in Santa Cruz, CA.They even move over to the next lane if they see you are going faster then them, its a curtisey you never see anywhere else I think.
Not to mention the tailgating!! I slow down when people tailgate me. Then I laugh when they change lanes and the person in front of them suddenly goes slower than me. :) Haha... Not the nicest thing to do, but I like actually following traffic laws, and I get tired of people who don't.
I learned to be really careful in Utah when we drove through last year on the way to Washington!
Russian Ruellette (sp?) anyone?
haha. Atlanta loves the "yellow light means speed up" as well.
The only thing you missed is that no driver in Utah is aware that they have a turn signal. You, the opposing driver, are supposed to be sufficiently in touch with your guardian angels as to predict where the turning driver wishes to go.
You touched on it in one of your items. Most of Utah driving is based on the philosophy, "I'll only die when I'm supposed to die, and I know I'll go to heaven where everything is much, much better. Other people will die when they're supposed to die, and if they're not sufficiently prepared to go to heaven then it sucks for them and if they're not even Mormon than I can do a proxy baptism for them."
I agree. Driving in Utah is SCARY. I understand why a lot of the protected arrow lights come AFTER the yellow and red lights now. It's crazy out here.
I agree. I hate Utah drivers they make me so upset. When we visit Blake's family I always skip the driving part until we are back in Arizona. We have nicknamed all of Utah drivers (yes, even the in-laws) U tards.....need I say more.
lol.. and you missed one, the thing that bugs me the most is when it says "merge left" and they speed up and merge try to merge after the 100 plus cars that got into the left lane when asked to. If they would merge with the rest of us it would be smooth, instead they seek special treatment. --- AND I watch some drivers in Idaho and sometimes WISH they drove a little more like Utah. Like when they STOP at yellow lights. When there was plenty of time to go through and instead they SLAM their breaks. or during thanksgiving weekend and only 15 people make it through a light - at those times I wish they could drive a little more like Utah because they are very effisiant (sp?) drivers.
As I enter Utah (and my husband does the same thing) we sit up straighter and become very alert, you can't relax while driving in utah - that is how you get killed.... and we sigh a big sigh of releif when we are past ogden again.
it took me 2 years to get use to driving in Utah - but I am a good/safe driver, even my parents ask me to drive while there -
awesome post!!
Utah drivers won't pull into the next lane so you can merge onto the Interstate... I was run off the road yesterday by a giant pickup full of naughty boys. (I gave them the bird. It's true, I did.)
Tail-gating is also a state hobby in Utah (and Illinois). Not the go to a game and roast some Brats kind of tail-gating either. The drive so close to you--you can see their nose hairs in your rear view mirror kind of tail-gating.
This IS the place!
Oh my gosh, that is sooooo funny. so true. You'd think in our culture we'd be the most poliet drivers anywhere - right? NOPE. You and I are made from the same cloth when it comes to hating to drive on the roads my dear. Sorry I have been behind on your blog, things have been hectic for me.
Oh don't even get me started on drivers in Utah! They're awful! I almost got hit so many times when I lived in Utah. And the cops! That's a whole story on its own!
I lived there for 2 years...i've lived all over, even so cal and Utah drivers are THE WORST in the world!! by far!! you totally got it right!
Your right on about this topic. The cell phone use while driving and then being mad if something happens, drives me nuts. WE are always yelling "put the freaking Cel phone down and drive"
There are some unquie drivers here, for sure.
The All Black thing....I still don't get it!!! Are they asking to be hit by a car?
Great post.
You're so correct about all of that. Utah drivers are crazy. I don't like driving around up there. It's SCARY!
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