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Summer moves
Visitors are frequent topics of conversation among Outer Banks locals, especially their driving. When we first moved here, I told the kids not to complain. They help with the bills.
Over the years I’ve come to realize that our guests are on vacation from driving, too. Many are from cities where aggressive driving is the norm, so it follows that while here, they prefer a more passive, absent-minded approach to motoring.
As we enter what is probably the busiest week of the year — the 4th of July — I thought it might be helpful to provide a glossary of some of the summer driving moves you might see.
They usually involve visitors, but don’t rule out locals.
Brake and break. Sudden braking in the far right lane and darting across traffic to the center left-turn lane after spotting a promising restaurant, gift shop or strip shopping center.
The cutback. Executing a brake and break, then opting against a left turn from the center lane and swerving back into the travel lane, usually without signaling.
Blue Angels. Six cars driving in formation in both travel lanes.
Center-lane straddle. Arrows indicate its purpose, but the center turning lane can be mystifying. This move entails making a partial commitment so that half the vehicle remains in the travel lane while attempting to make a left turn, usually without signaling.
Center-lane blockout. Not using the center lane at all and coming to a complete stop in the left travel lane and waiting to make a left turn.
Center-lane freestyle. Driving in the center lane with no intention of turning.
Left-lane parade marshal. A Saturday afternoon phenomenon, this is when a large, overloaded vehicle occupies the left lane from the Wright Memorial Bridge to Whalebone Junction, usually well below the speed limit.
Touch and go. Common in Kill Devil Hills’ french fry alley, this is marked by frequent tapping of brakes in anticipation of a sudden right turn, usually without signaling, or signaling only after the turn is almost completed.
Jockey’s Ridge gaper lock. Not limited to the tallest sand dune on the East Coast, this is when traffic slows significantly for drive-by photo ops.
Jockey’s Ridge shoulder straddle. Same as above, but requiring a full stop on the shoulder of the bypass with part of the vehicle still in the right travel lane.
Turn here! Dictated by a passenger startling the driver into making a sudden right turn into the parking lot of a gift shop, restaurant or strip shopping center, usually without signaling.
Trolling for food. A lunch- and dinner-time phenomenon marked by further reductions in speeds with frequent touch and goes, center-lane straddles, brake and breaks and turn heres!
There it is, not a complete list, but a helpful sampling, I hope. I have to confess to some of these moves myself while on vacation in unfamiliar places. And even here, I’m not as diligent with signaling as I should be.
So visitors, please be careful this week. Locals, be patient and keep an eye out for our guests. Remember, they’re on vacation — from driving, too.
This column first appeared in The Virginian-Pilot
Photo from the North Carolina Department of Transportation website.
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Mico says:
Don’t forget all the ‘Frogger’ players on 12 from Whalebone south. DANGEROUS way to get 100 feet ahead!
charlie says:
Tooo funny Rob. I enjoy the “tunnel vision GPSers” who watch their GPS units and not the road. They also turn immediately when told to do so by their all knowing toy.
KHer says:
Don’t forget the U turns from the right lane of 158 and those who can’t quite get all of their vehicle into the turn lane, causing sudden braking and back up on the left lane.
And it’s not just drivers. How many times have you seen someone pushing a baby stroller standing in the turn lane trying to cross 158? Too many. And usually there’s a light with a cross walk within a block of them.
ekim says:
Great story; very true. This story should be put on all rental refrigerators. Don’t forget the brake and point.
Tourist from NJ says:
Let’s not forget the local yahoos in pick-up trucks who intentionally go under the speed limit on Rt 12 on Hatteras when they see a car with out-of -state plates, usually from northern states.
Nags Head Local says:
I love our tourists and I’m glad 99% of them are here, but this provided some much needed laughs after a very long weekend.
carol says:
you know, having lived here since 1981 i’ve come to expect this from the tourists, not saying i like it but i expect it. sad part is, 4 days a week i drive from kdh to manteo and back again for work. more and more locals are beginning to drive like the tourists!
charlie says:
And who can forget the fright caused by looking in your rear view mirror and seeing one of our own MAD MAX dump truck drivers barrelling down on you as you try to slow down for a red light.
New York visitor says:
Loved this! As a yearly visitor, probably unfortunately pulled a few of these stunts myself! It gets easier year after year as you learn where things are.
The dread sock puppet Brian says:
The Center Merge Lane
Guilty by the way.
Traffic gets heavy and you can’t right, left, left, right it or there’s a break in the traffic coming from the left, the Center Merge Lane maneuver is just the ticket.
Of course things get interesting when you meet someone using the Center Merge Lane from the opposite direction…
SR says:
YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO TAKE THIS ON THE SAND!
1. Leaving your stuff overnight like the public beach is your yard. Then, what? It’s gone?? Vandalized? How could that happen.
2. Feeding seagulls. No, they don’t leave. Yes, they do crap on you.
3… Sending small kids straight into a pounding shorebreak. Yeah, they’ll love the ocean after that beating.
4. Hey! There’s 10 guys surfing over there! I think I’ll swim right where the wave is curling so I can get a better view!
5. I know you have dog laws, but my dog is different. Because I’m special. I’m in no way like all those other tourists, gimmee special treatment.
6. The sand is my ashtray. I’m a bitter, world hating smoker who thinks he’s tough, (but anyone with any aerobic stamina could punch a hole through my chest no problem.)
7….?