A late entry

I have been remiss in awarding the various bad drivers in my local their just awards. However, I will commend the driver of a tan van, with Florida plates, whom I encountered in traffic yesterday. Normally, I give more room for error for those who are obviously not - at least not originally - from this area; however, this person could have done far better.

Each day, I must travel through a fairly typical intersection of two highways. The access roads have, in each direction, a left turn lane which splits off into a U-turn lane, a lane which permits either a left turn or straight travel, a straight-only lane, and a straight-only lane which branches off into a right-only lane. Proceeding to the other side of the highway being crossed, there remain two straight-only lanes, a straight-or-left lane, and a left-only lane. This pattern is repeated in each direction.

Yesterday's intrepid traveller was in the straight-only lane, which became the third lane from the left after crossing over the other highway. Just before the second intersection, he turned on his left turn signal and began to attempt to force his van into the lane to his left, which was quite full of commuters. Entering the actual intersection, he veered left and was cut off by the vehicle already occupying that lane next to him. Having failed to force his way into the other lane, he then slammed on his brake, caussing a ripple effect of brake lights from the vehicles in the lane behind him.

At this point, the driver behind the car this driver had originally tried to cut off - apparently fearing for his own vehicular safety - allowed the Florida driver to enter the left-turn lane, which the van entered almost so late as to run into the curb next to it.

I certainly understand that people hate to miss their turns, particularly in strange places or in heavy traffic. However, this area has another light, approximately one-quarter mile from this apparently non-Floridian intersection, and at least two more U-turn lanes not far beyond that. Additionally, there are shopping centers on three of the four corners of this interchange, any one of which had ample means to allow someone to turn around and back track.

Congratulations, Florida, for having your very first recipient of the Bad Driver of the Day Award. At least the plates are from there, whether the van and driver are or not.