[Leica] OT - "Guide to Dallas Driving"

["Oliver Bryk" <oliverbryk@comcast.net>]

I asked a close personal friend who lives in Dallas for his opinion on the
original posting (repeated below) about "Driving in Dallas". His comments
follow.
Oliver Bryk

Pretty accurate - I would only argue with the aggressiveness of drivers - no
different from most of the country, and far better than NYC & Chicago. The
running of yellow lights is frightening. My mother got nailed here a few
years ago crossing a 6 lane intersection. She paused to allow idiot #1 to
run the light westbound, but still got hit by idiot #2 who was east bound,
i.e., at least 4 lanes away! MAPSCO is a commonly used  inch-thick,
spiral-bound (multi-page) map.

I will add:

I have been sideswiped once and rear-ended twice (within 6 weeks, as it
happens) in our 11 years here. (Remember, my daily commute is 8 miles round
trip.) I narrowly avoided an accident with one driver who was unfamiliar
with right-of-way  at intersections. (I was disappointed to see that it was
my wife.)

My office window looks out on an intersection where two lanes are allowed to
turn left. Not a day goes by that I don't see cars in the far left lane go
straight. Not a month goes by that I don't see an accident as a result of
this. (I'm on the phone looking out the window, not day-dreaming, of
course.)

About 3 years ago USA Today had an article that indicated 3 (or was it 4) of
the most accident-prone intersections in the U.S. were in Dallas. All three
are within 2 miles of our house, one is our closest traffic signal.

You get the idea!

- -----Original Message-----
A Guide to Dallas Driving:

First you must learn to pronounce the city name. It is DAL-LUS, or DAA-LIS
depending on if you live inside or outside LBJ Freeway.

Next, if your Mapsco is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and buy
anew one. If in Denton County and your Mapsco is one day old, then it is
already obsolete.

Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Dallas has its own version
of traffic rules..."Hold on and pray".

There is no such thing as a dangerous high-speed chase in Dallas. We all
drive like that.

All directions start with, "Get on Beltline"... which has no beginning and
no end. (It REALLY DOESN"T!!!)

The morning rush hour is from 6 to 10. The evening rush hour is from 3 to
7. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning.

If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended, cussed out
and possibly shot.

When you are the first one on the starting line, count to five when the
light turns green before going to avoid crashing with all the drivers
running the red light in cross-traffic.

Construction on Central Expressway is a way of life and a permanent form of
entertainment. We had sooo much fun with that we have added George Bush
Freeway and the High Five to the mix.

All unfamiliar sights are explained by the phrase, "Oh, we're in Fort
Worth!"

If someone actually has their turn signal on, it is probably a factory
defect.

Car horns are actually "Road Rage" indicators, and remember, its legal to
be armed in Texas.

All old ladies with blue hair in Mercedes have the right of way.
Period...and remember, its legal to be armed in Texas.

Inwood Road, Plano Road, NW Highway, East Grand, Garland Road, Marsh Lane,
Josey Lane, 15th Street, Preston Road...all mysteriously change names as
you cross intersections (these are only a FEW examples). The perfect
example is what is MOSTLY known as Plano Road. On the south end it is known
as Lake Highlands Drive, cross Northwest Highway and it becomes
Plano Road, go about 8 miles and it is briefly Greenville Ave, Ave K, and
Highway 5. It ends in Sherman.

A trip across town (east to west) will take a minimum of four hours,
although many north/south freeways have unposted minimum speeds of 75. The
minimum acceptable speed on the Dallas North Toll Road is 85. Anything less
is considered downright sissy.

It is possible to be driving WEST in the NORTH-bound lane of EAST NORTHWEST
Highway. Don't let this confuse you.

The North Dallas Tollway is our daily version of NASCAR. It also ends in
Sherman.

LBJ is called "The Death Trap" for two reasons: "death" and "trap."

If it's 100 degrees, Thanksgiving must be next weekend. If it's 10 degrees
and sleeting/snowing, the Fort Worth Stock Show is going on. If it's rained
6 inches in the last hour, the Byron Nelson Golf Classic is in the second
round (if it's Spring) or it is the Texas State Fair (if it's Fall).

Any amusement parks, stadiums, arenas, race tracks, airports, etc. are
conveniently located as far away from EVERYTHING as possible so as to allow
for ample parking on grassy areas.

Final Warning: Don't Mess With Texas Drivers, and remember, its legal to be
armed in Texas.


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