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St. Cloud State University
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St. Cloud drivers' habits frustrate
By Eric O'Link
Published:
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Eric O´Link -- Staff Essay
If I may, I'd like to sound off on something that's been bugging me for a very, very long time:
St. Cloud drivers.
These three little words probably bring horror into the minds of just about anybody that has driven through this city, whether or not you live here.
I could be quite wrong, but from what I recall, several years ago, CBS took some sort of poll which supposedly -- statistically -- pointed at St. Cloud as having the worst drivers in the entire nation.
If that's not enough, I also heard that there was a truck driver on The Late Show -- or was it The Tonight Show? -- who, when asked, "What's the worst street you've ever driven on?" replied, "Division Street, St. Cloud, Minnesota."
Now, I don't know if all of that is really true or not, although I've heard it from a number of different people, but it certainly seems possible.
All of us know that if you have to get from the East Side to the West Side of town at 5 p.m. most days of the week, Division is out.
Because you'd be stuck in traffic forever.
Once on a Saturday afternoon, it took me almost 45 minutes to go from Crossroads Mall to downtown St. Cloud. Forty-five minutes! How could going three or four miles take that long?
Overall volume of traffic is probably St. Cloud's biggest transit problem. Most of our roads simply aren't designed for the volume of traffic they handle. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot we can do about that, except drive less often. I try to run errands on my bike when the weather is warm, but even I won't bike to the mall.
So I get into my car, gamble on taking Second Street South out to the West Side, and what happens? Problem number two: I get boxed in, stuck behind cars that want to go 32 miles per hour.
Here's a note to anyone that doesn't already know: the speed limit on Second Street South (yes, that's the one that goes by Wal Mart, Cub Foods and Granite City) is 40 miles per hour.
I call it the "Stearns County Speeding Phenomenon." This is where the people who want to go 32 take Second Street, where the speed limit is 40, while people go 37 down Ninth Avenue near campus here (speed limit: 30) and 50 along Division Street (speed limit: 35).
Could somebody please explain that to me?
High volume traffic that never travels the speed limit (whether higher or lower) is dangerous enough -- but I still haven't factored in the human element.
The only people who drive worse than college students -- at least according to insurance companies -- are high school kids.
The other day, I was on Highway 15 and pulling into the left turn lane for Second Street South. The the turn arrow was red and it wasn't about to change, so I was coasting into the turn lane (why accelerate to a red light?).
Suddenly, out of nowhere, this sporty white car full of teenie boppers whips past me and cuts me off as it dives into the turn lane.
That was upsetting! I could have cared less about these girls getting in front of me in the turn lane -- but what if they had hit my car?! That could have been a major accident.
So I'm asking all of you to be more curteous when you're out on the road. Do at least the speed limit, but speed at your own risk. It's dangerous and a ticket is expensive. Don't think you can't get a ticket, because I used to think the same thing -- emphasis on USED.
Don't drive while talking on your cell phone. I have seen way too many near-accidents because of people talking on cell phones. If the call really is that important, then pull over and give the person you're talking to your full attention.
Perhaps above all, as the St. Cloud city limits signs say, "Drive Friendly." I know, I know, it sounds lame, but if everyone would try to live by this standard, perhaps St. Cloud would be a happier place to drive.
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