By BILL YEE

Los Angeles is the home to an infamous freeway car chase, thanks to O.J. Simpson. Now local news broadcasts routinely cover freeway chases because such coverage is good for the ratings.

Car chases have been a staple of action movies. Two of my favorite movie car chases feature Mel Gibson in “The Road Warrior” and Steve McQueen in “Bullitt.”

“The Road Warrior”is set in a land where civilization has ended and chaos rules. Mel Gibson is driving a gasoline truck that represents the hope that people can restart civilization. He is being chased by guys dressed like punk rockers on motorcycles and strange-looking cars. It is probably one of the best chase scenes on the big screen of all time!

The best of the best movie chase scenes is in “Bullitt.” Steve McQueen drives recklessly up and down the hills of San Francisco, avoiding cars and people. It is a classic and was an inspiration for other car chase scenes, such as the one in “The French Connection.”

Well, I have noticed since the pandemic that our local freeways and city streets are becoming like recreations of the streets in “The Road Warrior” and “Bullitt.”

On L.A. freeways I routinely see cars speeding 90 miles an hour. I also see cars weaving in and out, leaving very little space to avoid an accident. Additionally, signaling a lane change seems to be something foreign to many people.

I often ask my wife Lisa where these people are going in such a hurry. I worry that their reckless driving could lead to devastating accidents.

Sometimes, even when I stop at an intersection and have the right of way, a driver in the other car plows through the intersection without attempting even a rolling stop. A stop sign today is more like a posted suggestion! In my own neighborhood I have to be careful to look both ways repeatedly because cars routinely run the stop signs.

It’s not just drivers who have to be defensive … it is also not safe walking because of all the terrible drivers!

Recent statistics show an increase in pedestrian deaths in major cities. For example, between 2018-2023, pedestrians and cyclists in Los Angeles were killed at a per capita rate of 3.2 per 100,000 individuals, a rate that is significantly higher than the national average of 2.4 per 100,000.

In my hometown of San Francisco, 17 people were killed while walking on the streets in 2023, accounting for 65% of all traffic-related fatalities. Nationally, pedestrian deaths are at a 40-year historic high. 

So why are so many people violating the traffic laws? Everyone seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere and the pandemic seems to have caused a certain amount of anxiety among all of us.

It may be that many speeders are late for work or an appointment so they make up the time by breaking the traffic laws. Being at a local elementary or high school in the morning as parents drop off their kids, you will see so many illegal U-turns and cars driving much too fast.

Is it my imagination or is it the case that there are not many people pulled over for speeding? Local law enforcement and the CHP don’t seem to stop the offenders. Is it a lack of law enforcement officers? Is it too many law-breakers on the road? Could it be that a routine traffic stop can escalate into a confrontation and could result in a lawsuit?

Another annoying part of my driving experience is being on the road with the fearless motorcycle drivers who speed between cars. I know it is legal in California, but my fear is that as I change lanes, I might hit one of them.

Finally, this is a pet peeve of mine. Why does someone need to add a device that makes an engine louder and sets off all the car alarms as the driver speeds through a neighborhood?

I realize, as a senior citizen, I must be driving too slowly and must irritate the speeders out there. I am the one that gets tailgated as a hint … “Hey! Move over, old man!”

I hope the driving trend changes or eventually we may all be road warriors whether we like it or not.

Addendum

Just a few observations concerning Editor Gwen moving on to her next chapter. I want to salute her dedication to The Rafu Shimpo, spending perhaps half to two-thirds of her professional life (24 years) in the paper’s service. She guided The Rafuduring a difficult time as print journalism is going through a transition! This is not mentioning COVID! Thoughout, Editor Gwen has maintained her journalistic integrity and kept **The Rafu** relevant to multiple generations of Japanese Americans.

I would like to thank her for publishing my ramblings and letting an old retired Baby Boomer pass himself off as a writer. It will be hard to find someone to fill her shoes!

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Bill Yee is a retired Alhambra High School history teacher. He can be reached at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those ofThe Rafu Shimpo.