There are roughly 1 million vehicles on Oahu’s roads today, according to the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association.
With all those cars comes a greater sense of frustration, anger, and danger.
So what drives you crazy? We asked and hundreds of you answered. Here are the top three:
#3: Distracted Driving
This pet peeve is something all of us see every day, and many are guilty of.
It can range from drivers fiddling with their phones, or doing something else like putting on makeup or eating.
While there’s no law against that, it is illegal to hold your phone for calling or texting while in the car, even while at a stop.
#2: Lollygagging
Lawmakers looked at, but deferred action on, the second most popular pet peeve: driving too slowly in the fast lane.
#1: Being Rude
“When I’m trying to change the lane and people won’t let me through, it drives me nuts,” said Oahu resident Linda Chan.
“Some drivers, they don’t signal, and sometimes when you think they’re not going to come in front of you, and some of them just dive straight into it where you are, and it’s like dude, what the heck man?” said Eric Li.
Many say rude drivers have sadly become a growing trend here.
We asked longtime Island Movers driver Eddie Sekigawa, has the aloha spirit disappeared on our roads?
“Yeah, you can see traces of it disappear,” he replied. “It’s getting a little bit mean. It’s getting bad out there because of a lot of impatient drivers, I would say.”
Sekigawa has been driving for Island Movers for the past 30 years. He says the change he’s witnessed is dramatic.
“The amount of vehicles on the road now compared to those days, it’s night and day,” said Sekigawa. “Everybody sees it on the news every night.”
As a professional driver, Sekigawa is required to take courses every two years. In addition to refreshing his skills as a driver, he says much of what’s discussed centers around the attitude of drivers.
“For us, we talk about being the professional. We’re paid professionals out there, so the public expects you to act accordingly,” said Sekigawa. “We just all need to be aware that the vehicles on the road all have to share the road. A lot of times it’s like playing chicken out there. People are just cutting in and out.”
Because Sekigawa and other large vehicle drivers sit up high, they have the advantage of being able to see many cars ahead of them. Sekigawa says what he witnesses from his vantage point can be scary.
“It is scary. Almost everyone has a cell phone in their hand, and we see many activities that are dangerous,” said Sekigawa.
He offers this advice to all drivers: “Life is precious. Take care of yourself out there and be professional.”
While distracted driving, lollygagging, and rude drivers were the overwhelming favorites, other pet peeves as submitted by our viewers included tailgating, speeding, merging, and potholes and/or construction.
On Facebook Live, Howard Dashefsky sat down with Steven Wong of Wong Way Driving Academy, a state-certified driving instructor with 11 years of experience. Wong revealed what drove him crazy on the roads, and what he teaches a new generation of drivers. He also answered viewer questions on driving. Watch the video below or click here.
