CONTRIBUTIONS OF PERSONAL STORIES ON TRAFFIC
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I ride a bike to commute in Honolulu, where traffic
shouldn't be too bad (I will be dead in Hong Kong). However, as I rode
uphill early in the morning on Wilder Ave., I was breathing in gas fume
from the '@#*!@!!' cars in the traffic. I can't believe that Hawaii's
traffic pollution is this bad.
Also, the world's norm is "bike should not exist" everywhere
(H.K. or here). It is very frustrating to ride on the road when there are
lots of traffic and people on pavements. I have to stop all the time
which makes me feel tired, frustrated, and sleepy! It should be the
opposite if it is a good smooth ride.
Margaret Tsang, Honolulu
Apr 5, 1996 (FRI)
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When I get into some place where I am not familiar with, I would
become very alert, especially when something happens, it would drive me
crazy. One time, I got into a lane where a bus was in front of me making
stops frequently. I became very, very impatient and tried
to cut into the left lane. However, the left lane was so full of fast
moving cars, and none of them would let me cut in. I kept
blinking my direction light hoping someone nice would let me cut in, but
it was useless.
I, therefore, moved my car closer to the left lane in
the attempt to force one of the cars to let me cut in. Still, nobody
stopped, but instead, they hooked their horns at me, and I started
cursing those drivers. By then, I was all sweaty with heated-temper.
Nothing else that I could have done but to kept watching the
rear mirror to wait for a chance.
Yuet-Keung Yau, Honolulu
Mar 21, 1996 (THU)
My Web Site: I can't stop being impatient and
seeing other cars as just inconvenient obstacles in my way
My Topical Index: Links to other interesting
sites
One time when I was trying to make a paralle parking, there were
cars waiting behind me, because I was blocking their ways. So I tried my
biggest effort to achieve the parking, but it was so hard to park
properly since I was a fresh driver then. My action was getting faster
and faster in a very confusing way that I didn't even know which way I
was turning. All I worried about was there were people behind me waiting
and watching. I started sweating and tried even harder, but to the
worse, I got more nervous and more impatient at myself. I felt as those
drivers were thinking that I was stupid or something since I couldn't
park. Out of frustration and embarrassment, I ended up giving up the parking
and left.
Yuet-Keung Yau, Honolulu
Mar 21, 1996 (THU)
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To contribute:
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Impatience in traffic? I am a pretty impatient person and will be
pretty impatient on the street when the traffic is heavy or when I can
move for no more than a few feet in minutes. If it barely moves in an
hour, I think I'd call the department of transportation, but luckily it
never happens to me so far.
Andrew Ao, Honolulu
Mar 19, 1996 (TUE)
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The Honolulu Merge: Happens when one driver is moving onto the
highway from an on-ramp, and another driver, for some unknown reason, has
moved into the far right hand lane on the highway in the University area
presumably to make the exit to Makaha 20 miles away. Both drivers,
usually being stymied by the fact that they may eventually have to share
the same lane, simultaneously believe that the only way to actually avoid
merging into one another instead of in front or back of one another is by
coming to a complete stop; looking helplessly at the road as if the earth
split in two.
By this time, traffic usually backs up in either direction, and
an accident will happen as the speed limit, which is seldom reached
anyway, is not quite the dead stop that has been created on the highway.
The point is that one should never stop on a highway, unless there is a
serious emergencey. On-ramps are created in order to ease this problem.
However, there are on-ramps, such as in the University area, in which you
only have twenty feet to reach 60mph from a dead stop. Thus, the
ultimate outcome is usually a traffic jam. Nothing like burning a clutch
out while trying to get two miles up the road in less than three hours.
David Kyle Latinis, Honolulu
Mar 19, 1996 (TUE)
My Web Site: I can't stop being impatient and
seeing other cars as just inconvenient obstacles in my way
My Topical Index: Links to other interesting
sites
Single Driver: There's basically only one road in Honolulu. Why
then are there so many single drivers. Anyone ever heard of car pools?
Evidently not. Of course, the city does not do much of a job to promote
it; except of course, on the stretch of highway from Hickam to Schofield,
where the ten lanes of traffic is ample for the half a dozen cars that
are on the road in these areas at any given time. Nice to know there are
car pool lanes and express lanes where they are not even needed. The
ultimate outcome, again, is a traffic jam, since everyone going in the same
direction at the same time feels compelled to drive their own car.
David Kyle Latinis, Honolulu
Mar 19, 1996 (TUE)
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Parking: Needs no further explanation. I'm still waiting for Rod
Serling to pop up and say "he's looking for an eternal parking meter, on
a one way street, to... The Twilight Zone" every time I try to park in the
University, or any other area for that matter.
Bicycling: Need biking lanes. Excellent mode of transportation.
I promote it. The city and state do not promote it. Biking around here
is more dangerous than skydiving without a parachute.
David Kyle Latinis, Honolulu
Mar 19, 1996 (TUE)
Mopeds: Get a license. Get insurance. Get a life. Mopeds
don't bother me. I ride a motorcycle myself. However, half of the moped
riders need a lesson in road-ettiquette. They should have to at least
take a safety test of some sorts. I agree it's a very convenient mode of
transportation. We should work on making it safe for the riders, other
drivers on the road, and pedestrians as well.
Safety Inspection: It's a racket.
David Kyle Latinis, Honolulu
Mar 19, 1996 (TUE)
Cops: Have usually been pretty nice to me. However, some of them
really know how to rain on your parade. But, the real issue is 'tickets' and
there's only one person to blame for that. Cops are just doing their
job. Blame the city and the State (down to the voters) for the laws.
H-3: Maybe by the year 2007 I can come up with a complaint.
David Kyle Latinis, Honolulu
Mar 19, 1996 (TUE)
Report Three: My driving personality
makeover plan
To contribute:
Your personal stories are welcome!
Traffic experience: The most memoriable one was when my dad
drove in Big Island last Christmas (1995)during a family trip. Since my
dad was not familiar with the road, so I needed to read the map. We,
therefore, drove slowly. There was always someone behind us "beeping the
horn" (means we drove too slow). I thought that was very annoying!
Simon Iau, Honolulu
Mar 18, 1996 (MON)
Traffic: I usually don't drive in the mornings, but it is hard and
tiring sitting through morning traffic, especially on the Pali. There is
always one empty lane going to Kailua. Perhaps one lane can be coned off
to allow fast traveling vehicles the luxury of getting into town quicker.
I also hate rubber neckers. People who are just looking at a traffic
accident or a stalled care really irritate me because I know traffic can
be moving faster.
Brandon Suetsugu, Honolulu
Feb 20, 1996 (Tue)
My Web Site: I can't stop being impatient and seeing other cars as just inconvenient obstacles in my way
My Topical Index: Links to other interesting sites
I am definitely an impatient driver and other cars do get in my
way! Take this morning for example, I was running late for school and some
other driver had the audacity to slow down in front of me to try to get in
behind a car to our right. There was a clear path in front of the car to
the right, so the car in front of me should have sped up to pass not
slow down. How dare they hinder my progress?!
Donna Handoe, Honolulu
Feb 12, 1996 (Mon)
Emotions can affect my function as a driver. One time when I was in
an upset state of mind, there was this car driving just a bit slow in front
of me. I became very impatient and began to talk and to yell at that driver
in my car. I realized when I am upset, I tend to drive more viciously. If I
am in a happy mood, I will less likely to get upset, but to take my time and
to relax while I drive.
Quoted from Teri-Lee Tao, Honolulu
PSY 459, April 14, 1995
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When I drove around this semester, I really noticed that there were a
lot of aging drivers on the road. I sometimes get so upset, because they
tend to go into the left lane of the freeway and would be going only 45mph
max, which in turns holds up the traffic. They also brake a lot. If
there is a traffic light ahead that just turned yellow, they would tend to
slow down and stop. This is okay with me. But when they start looking
around and start fussing around with their handbags when the light turns
green, they take about 30 seconds before it sinks in for them to realize the
light turned green. This really irritates me!
Quoted from Teri-Lee Tao, Honolulu
PSY 459, April 14, 1995
For aging drivers changing lanes is a hazard for themselves and for
everyone around them. One time I was driving along with enough space between
the car in front of me, then "whoosh" came a car that just shoved his or her
way in front of me. I had to quickly pressed on my brake in order to avoid
from hitting that car.
Quoted from Teri-Lee Tao, Honolulu
PSY 459, April 14, 1995
My Web Site: I can't stop being impatient and
seeing other cars as just inconvenient obstacles in my way
My Topical Index: Links to other interesting
sites
One time I was stopped at the bottom of Red Hill's intersection,
which goes toward the freeway, when an elderly driver just went straight
through a stop sign. It was a good thing that I never turned left onto Ala
Napunani, otherwise, I would had been hit. Talking about impatience, either
that elderly driver didn't see the stop sign or she was just being impatient and decided to ignore the stop sign.
Quoted from Teri-Lee Tao, Honolulu
PSY 459, April 14, 1995
Report One: My travel through G1 & G2
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