Born and raised here, and I hate driving here so much. I’ve driven in the area for the last 15 years, I’ve had close calls before like anyone who drives does, but I feel like the bad driving is reaching a fever pitch. The last 3 days I’ve had 3 close calls, could be coincidence but whatever it is I’m just stressed out constantly from the driving. I want all new WA plates to come with a knowledge and on-road test, and retesting every 5-10 years for everyone. I did buy an engine and ride it into work when I can, but usually that’s 2 days a week. I also want a better public transit systema and affordable, dense housing; I would take public transit into work each day if it wasn’t an hour commute for me vs 15-20 via car.
This is what happened, I could be better but I generally try hard to be safe and see things coming before and react before they happen.
Monday: merging onto 599 north from I-5north in the left merge lane going 60mph, van going 50 in the right merge lane, no signal, cuts in front of me, across the median, to stay on I-5 north. I had to hard brake and laid on my horn.
Tuesday: on 599 north again, going 70 in the left lane, traffic in the right lane is going 60. White SUV going at least 80 approaches me rapidly, tailgates me less than 5 feet from my bumper, and turns on the brights. I can’t get over since right lane is full and going 10 slower, I can’t speed up since traffic in front of me is going 70, and I can’t slow down to the speed of traffic since he is going to hit me if I brake. We drive like this 60 seconds until there is finally a traffic brake and he immediately guns it around me, proceeding to bob and weave through traffic in front of me.
Wednesday (today): 405 South, going 60 past exit 2, white sprinter van in the merge lane coming onto the freeway from Rainier Ave S is next to me, I am in the blind spot but he has blind spot mirrors and I can see him in them. I am going slightly faster than him, his signal is on, but it looked like he could see me. Begind merging into my lane, front left tire over the divider. I lay on my horn and he quickly corrects, but had to swerve into the left lane slightly to avoid an accident. I could have done a better job anticipating this one, but he clearly did not check his mirrors before merging.
submitted by /u/mrbigglsworth79
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