Traffic in Hawaii is RIDICULOUS!

SKTIDH · Feb 21, 2007

So... I have been here in Oahu now for 2 years and have been back every summer for my whole life. However, the traffic here is getting worse BY THE HOUR! Rush hour here is like L.A. If there is a stalled vehicle or accident on the highway the whole island is put on hold and it doesn't help that people here are talking on their cell phones, putting on make-up and reading stuff while they drive!

i.e. the other day I was driving to work which is about 15-20 min drive and 2-3 people cut into my lane in front of me like they didn't even see me. When I switched lanes to pass I noticed they were ALL on their CELL PHONES! Come on people I know your in a rush, but for 1) it's an island 2) your not gonna make it there any faster if you get in an accident and 3) I have a baby on the way so I'm not trying to go into premature labor because you wanna have something stuck to your ear.

I know people answer their phones while driving or need to make an important phone call but if you must absolutely have to do IT FAST and try not to do it at all, because in a split second of not looking infront of you some other cell phone abuser might be cutting you off and then BOOM! Just give it a thought!

Mahalo hui ho!

CBulla · Feb 21, 2007

My friend, at least the traffic on your island can reach a finite point as there will be a critical mass attained and something will have to be done. Where I live we get folks from all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico (its a long drive for the HI and PR folks but somehow their carboats make it past the USCG, unlike the ones from Cuba which are impounded in Davey Jones Locker and occupants sent home). Driving around here right now is like what your describing as your rush hour - the normally 15-20, 40m, etc. drives.. add 20-60 minutes depending on how many rubber neckers there are or lost drivers looking for the nearest tourist entertainment station (such as the beach which is REALLY BIG and TO THE WEST and sort of HARD TO MISS but some how the directionally challenged still end up missing it..

OK.. here's a funny. During "Tourist Season" (like duck or deer season only we can't shoot them and mount the heads as trophies) you can literally smell the 'sunblock' or 'suntan oil, spf 151' almost a mile inland on a breezy day. Just the act of crossing the bridge to beach side can take over an hour and the entire time you smell fresh, clean, moving salt water and..... BANANA scent wafting through the air. Occaisionally the scent of fresh shrimp cooking is caught by the olfactory senses, but its of times over shadowed by the other smell.

Lopaka · Feb 21, 2007

Been here since August, still coming to grips with the traffic. Best thing about it is, it nevers gets going too fast. In L.A., the usual pattern is the herd gets up to 60-70, then slams into a mass of stopped traffic. Then back up to 60-70. Many, many fender-benders. I am sure they happen here, but no where near as often or as bad.

Besides the cell phone talkers (you never notice anyone answering a call, they are already on it, and the call goes on forever) what bugs me is the indecipherable nature of the slow moving sections of traffic. In the morning, I breeze down Kalanianaole until it becomes H1, and then it just stops. Why is the freeway slower than the highway with stoplights?

Coming the other way downtown, H1 is jammed until Punahou, then it is freeflowing. No great amount of cars have gotten off the freeway, why does it speed up?

I wonder if Honolulu even has traffic engineers on staff. :shakehead

Wildcard · Feb 21, 2007

"I wonder if Honolulu even has traffic engineers on staff. "
Dey go beach. too much traffic.

jvdk01 · Feb 21, 2007

How could you possibly be angry when they cut you off if they go through the effort of throwing a shaka your way after the fact.

Wildcard · Feb 21, 2007

25 miles to a class last week, two hours and a quarter tank of gas.

justleesa · Feb 21, 2007

I really try to avoid getting on the road at peak hours......everything takes 4x's as long

Lopaka · Feb 21, 2007

justleesa:
I really try to avoid getting on the road at peak hours......everything takes 4x's as long

That'd work, but some of us got that M-F, 8-5 job thingee going on, while ya'll are out diving. :tired:

We be creating that rush hour, you see!

SKTIDH · Feb 21, 2007

CBulla:
My friend, at least the traffic on your island can reach a finite point as there will be a critical mass attained and something will have to be done. Where I live we get folks from all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico (its a long drive for the HI and PR folks but somehow their carboats make it past the USCG, unlike the ones from Cuba which are impounded in Davey Jones Locker and occupants sent home). Driving around here right now is like what your describing as your rush hour - the normally 15-20, 40m, etc. drives.. add 20-60 minutes depending on how many rubber neckers there are or lost drivers looking for the nearest tourist entertainment station (such as the beach which is REALLY BIG and TO THE WEST and sort of HARD TO MISS but some how the directionally challenged still end up missing it..

OK.. here's a funny. During "Tourist Season" (like duck or deer season only we can't shoot them and mount the heads as trophies) you can literally smell the 'sunblock' or 'suntan oil, spf 151' almost a mile inland on a breezy day. Just the act of crossing the bridge to beach side can take over an hour and the entire time you smell fresh, clean, moving salt water and..... BANANA scent wafting through the air. Occaisionally the scent of fresh shrimp cooking is caught by the olfactory senses, but its of times over shadowed by the other smell.

OH... I know what your talking about. I remember my Florida days living in Port Charlotte for 17 years and trying to get to Ft. Myers beach for spring break... Just trying to get over the bridge to the beach is like trying to get through Waikiki here except worse! I tell you what it's happening everywhere!

SKTIDH · Feb 21, 2007

Lopaka:
Been here since August, still coming to grips with the traffic. Best thing about it is, it nevers gets going too fast. In L.A., the usual pattern is the herd gets up to 60-70, then slams into a mass of stopped traffic. Then back up to 60-70. Many, many fender-benders. I am sure they happen here, but no where near as often or as bad.

Besides the cell phone talkers (you never notice anyone answering a call, they are already on it, and the call goes on forever) what bugs me is the indecipherable nature of the slow moving sections of traffic. In the morning, I breeze down Kalanianaole until it becomes H1, and then it just stops. Why is the freeway slower than the highway with stoplights?

Coming the other way downtown, H1 is jammed until Punahou, then it is freeflowing. No great amount of cars have gotten off the freeway, why does it speed up?

I wonder if Honolulu even has traffic engineers on staff. :shakehead

Well you see... I've noticed that people don't like to merge here.. at all! When they see your blinker on thats their cue to speed up! And most of the time the ones that cut me off when they are on their cell phones aren't locals and don't say thank you! That's what irratates me most!

Traffic in Hawaii is RIDICULOUS!

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