Why the rush?

[vikingchyk]

So, I had an insomnia night last week, and finally gave up, and got up to go to work early. On my commute, there is a light with two left turn lanes onto the road my office building is on. I pull up in the leftmost one and wait. Someone pulls up next to me in the right one. Then a car comes up behind me, but hangs back 2 car lengths. Then I suddenly see him floor it, and veer to pass me on the left, and make the left turn. Yes, in the oncoming traffic lane. Thankfully there was no oncoming traffic. Five seconds later, the left turn arrow comes on.

Dude, it's 5frickingAM - where on earth do you need to be that you can't wait at a traffic light?? And even if you had to do such a stupid move, what's with the burning rubber and last minute veer? I thought you were going to rear end me!

Sadly, on insomnia nights, I've noticed there is less traffic in the 5-6 o'clock hour, but more morons doing stupid stuff like that. My other faves are the slalomers going 80mph+ because of all the rude people only going 60-70 in a 55

[prjkt]

Similar thing happened to my mum the other day, a little before 6am, so still dark here in winter, she had the turn arrow, someone coming from the other direction wanted to be where she was, so mum jumped on the horn.

Driver of the other car panicked and wrapped the car around a light pole.

Mum pulled over went to see if the driver was OK. Passenger door wide open, no one to be seen

[Deserted]

Stolen car, maybe?

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Stolen car, maybe?

Could be. Or it could be an impaired driver, or someone driving with NO license and/or insurance or any combination thereof.

I recall years ago Mom and I were out in the middle of the night doing some Christmas shopping at the Wallyworld way across town (that was the only location at the time - around mid 90's or so) and we were on our way home down Wendover Speedway when we came to the intersection at Hill Street (a notorious place for wrecks, not to mention Hill Street is at the top of a steep hill) when we saw police cars out and about.

A car had wrecked in the middle of Hill Street at the light (to our right) and another vehicle was sitting in the parking lot of a church that sits on the corner (also looking like it had accident damage.) Fire crews were on scene with foam spraying down the car in the intersection, as it had flames coming from underneath. The car in the church lot had no driver in it - driver's door was open and police were swarming the woods and homes behind the church looking for the driver.

Gurantee you if that driver was found, his ass was TOAST. Police here take a DIM view of folks who not only cause accidents, but flee the scene.

[Deserted]

Police here take a DIM view of folks who not only cause accidents, but flee the scene.

Same here. It's a felony.

I found a wrecked motorcycle just laying in the middle of the road some months back. Just... laying there

[Chromatix]

I believe "leaving the scene of an accident" is a specific offence in the UK, too. There are undoubtedly equivalent laws throughout the EU, thanks to harmonisation.

[notalwaysright]

Sadly, on insomnia nights, I've noticed there is less traffic in the 5-6 o'clock hour, but more morons doing stupid stuff like that.

This. In the winter, during holiday hours I sometime have to be at work in that time frame, and the closest I've ever come to an accident was on one such morning. No one on the road, I had a green that I could see from way back, so I'm going through... And some idiot flat out runs his red light! We both slam on our breaks (though it would have been better if he'd just kept going) and came within a foot of me sideswiping him. But hey, now I know how my body deals with adrenalin. By crying like crazy. Freaked my manager out, because I'm not a crier.