Chicago Grievance #3

I want to bring up the hell that is driving in Chicago. But before you read my complaints, please read this message board. There's a lot of rage in this city and it isn't all confined to the road. It would be funny if I didn't drive with these people.

There seems to be a bias against left-hand turn signals on traffic lights on the North Side. I don't know if it would cost too much to put them in, if it would disrupt traffic too much to replace the lights, or if the city is simply trying to discourage left-hand turns. Whatever the strategy, it doesn't work. People just wait for the light to turn red (and wait for the three or more cars running the red light) and then make their left turn. This delays traffic on the perpendicular streets.

Really safe drivers pass on the right-hand side, even if there isn't a lane there. They do this so they don't have to wait their turn at a light or stop sign. They zoom past you on the right (often into a bike lane, so be careful out there, cyclists) because they are very important and need to get to their destination one minute earlier than they would have otherwise.

To add to the fun, pedestrians just walk out into the street. Not in a crosswalk, not at a light or stop sign, but anywhere, anytime. I've seen two mothers push their strollers out into traffic, assuming everyone would stop for them. Good gamble with your children.

Several times I've seen men get out of their cars and scream at the woman behind them for such things as honking when the man had cut them off, honking when the man daydreamed at the stop sign, and in one case, just driving. The men are real macho here. That's why they yell only at women when they are alone.

Don't use your turn signal; Chicagoans speed up if they think you want to get into their lane.

Which causes this problem: drivers rarely use their turn signals.

This city is fond of double parking. I understand that sometimes it is a necessity. But it's hard to understand people who double park during rush hour and mess up traffic for hundreds of people. It's also hard to understand why one person will double park and then another person will do the same (in the opposite direction) almost directly across from the first car. It fucks up traffic in both directions. That is brilliant!