I live on Knights Cross. I've been wanting to write down my feelings about describing the "freeway" traffic on my block for some time now, so here it goes...
There are two lanes approaching the lights at Stone Oak as you are heading east and down the hill of Knights Cross. The left lane is to turn left at Stone Oak or to continue straight through on Knights Cross. The right lane is for turning right onto Stone Oak Blvd.
Perhaps as many as you do, I study the driving behaviors of everyone driving to work in the mornings and I've given titles or names to the drivers that exhibit the same behaviors everyday:
1. "friendlies": These are the drivers who allow others to go ahead of them or to enter their lane just in front of them. These drivers mean well and are patient about getting out of the neighborhood.
2. "grumps" : These are the drivers who do everything in their power to ignore you or prohibit you from getting in front of them. These people will even throw a hand gesture your way or blast their horn at you if you get in their way. Can you imagine what they're like to work with?
3. "sleep drivers": Don't confuse this driver for a "grump". They also will not let you in front of them, but look closely... they are actually not fully awake. I can tell they haven't had their coffee or sugar rush and it shows on their faces as they are oblivious to their surroundings. These people need to be reminded that most accidents happen within 3 miles of your home and since they are not fully awake, try your best to steer clear of these folks.
4. "speeders": These drivers could also be named "tail-gaters". They ride your bumper as if getting by you and saving that precious 2 seconds to work will actually make them more productive! This driver is fun to play with: you ever box in a "speeder" so he or she can't get by you? Also, wait your full two seconds at the 3 way stop as this really annoys them. There is one good or impressive move these drivers make in the morning that you just have to applaud. These guys like to zip in a gap left in the line by someone not following closely to the car in front of them. If done properly, speeders are almost obliged to "cut" into the line turning right at Stone Oak if such a large gap presents itself. It's almost as if you can blame the guy who created the gap by driving so slowly in the first place (see "sleep driver" above).
5. "Cutter": This is probably my most hated group of drivers. This is the guy/gal/soccer mom, who cuts through the church parking lot. This is also the driver who goes in the much less traveled left lane, only to cut into the right lane while crossing through the 3 way stop (soccer mom's love this move for some reason). This is also the driver who continues down the left lane all the way down just before the street lights at Stone Oak and then decides to put their turn signal on as if to say: "Oops, I'm sorry, I didn't notice I was in the wrong lane, would you please let me in? Pretty please?". Get a life! Don't let cutters get away with this stuff. Honk your horn at them and give them a piece of your mind!
Here's who suffers the most from Knights Cross cutters: the folks dropping off their kids at Primrose Daycare at the corner of Stone Oak and Knights Cross. These parents have to "cut" to get into the far right lane to make a right turn onto Stone Oak. They can't wait at the parking lot exit because no one will notice them (sleep drivers) or there's too much traffic going west or up Knights Cross. These parents have to cross into the left lane heading down the hill and then turn their blinkers on and beg for mercy from the drivers coming down on them at rapid speeds in the left lane that wish to continue on through the light and also wait for the angel in the right lane who will let them in. Their agonizing wait depends on the number of "grumps" and "sleep drivers" they have to endure before coming upon a "friendly" who will wave them in. The tough part for all the rest of us is recognizing a Primrose parent from a true cutter. I say the HOA should provide window decals clearly identifying a Primrose parent for the privilege of cutting over two lanes of traffic to make a right turn on Stone Oak. Heck, charge them a yearly fee for such a decal, like the parking permits at Fiesta Texas!
6. Finally, the group I hate the most: I call them "D.I.R.T. Drivers". This stands for Da Illegal Right Turn Driver. This driver will come down Knights Cross in the left lane and without any hesitation, will make a right turn onto Knights Cross from the left lane! Can you believe that! I can't tell you how many close calls there has been from this type of driver cutting into traffic on Stone Oak using this illegal right hand turn. Something must be done to prevent these lunatics from doing this. Actually, it wouldn't hurt to perhaps re-stripe Knights Cross to where the right lane is a turn only lane onto Stone Oak and the left lane could be used to go left, straight or right turn with the road properly marked. But until this is done, we must find a way to make this driver pay for their stupidity.
Okay, that's my two cents worth of observation. Please respond with any new category or name of drivers that you'd like to add. I imagine this is going to get many replies... Take Care,
Robert
