05-21-2020, 02:34 AM
Hi all,
I'm sure that many of us have noticed that, with so many people huddling at home, food deliveries from GrubHub, Uber Eats, etc have increased dramatically.
All of this means several more distracted drivers on the road with eyes glued to phone screens following GPS directions to unfamiliar addresses. They aren't professional drivers, and they are in a hurry to get where they're going before the food gets cold.
This is a road hazard we all need to watch out for. I've become more attenuated to drivers slowing down and speeding up, swerving, hands poking at dash-mounted phones, and making all manner of visual actions to indicate that they are concentrating more on what their phone is showing than what their windshield is showing.
Getting off of the freeway near my office this morning, I was following a car at a safe distance. As the single-lane ramp opened up to a two-lane street, the car went to the right lane, so I went to the left lane. I was in a passing position, but saw the car brake for no obvious reason mid-block, and saw a hand go up to the phone on the dash. I backed off, and sure enough, the car dove to the left in front of me, and went into a left turn lane for an IKEA store that has been shuttered since March.
As I passed the car, now stopped to my left, I looked into the window, and saw several brown bags stapled shut in the back seat. Just as I figured, food delivery in an unfamiliar neighborhood. The guy's phone probably barked "turn left", but he dove over a block too early. As I passed, he gave me a startled look, realizing that he didn't know I was there when he dove over.
Be careful and watch for these guys! There are a lot more of them out there.
I'm sure that many of us have noticed that, with so many people huddling at home, food deliveries from GrubHub, Uber Eats, etc have increased dramatically.
All of this means several more distracted drivers on the road with eyes glued to phone screens following GPS directions to unfamiliar addresses. They aren't professional drivers, and they are in a hurry to get where they're going before the food gets cold.
This is a road hazard we all need to watch out for. I've become more attenuated to drivers slowing down and speeding up, swerving, hands poking at dash-mounted phones, and making all manner of visual actions to indicate that they are concentrating more on what their phone is showing than what their windshield is showing.
Getting off of the freeway near my office this morning, I was following a car at a safe distance. As the single-lane ramp opened up to a two-lane street, the car went to the right lane, so I went to the left lane. I was in a passing position, but saw the car brake for no obvious reason mid-block, and saw a hand go up to the phone on the dash. I backed off, and sure enough, the car dove to the left in front of me, and went into a left turn lane for an IKEA store that has been shuttered since March.
As I passed the car, now stopped to my left, I looked into the window, and saw several brown bags stapled shut in the back seat. Just as I figured, food delivery in an unfamiliar neighborhood. The guy's phone probably barked "turn left", but he dove over a block too early. As I passed, he gave me a startled look, realizing that he didn't know I was there when he dove over.
Be careful and watch for these guys! There are a lot more of them out there.