Feels like Mad Max

Driving and walking the streets of Baltimore is nothing short of terrifying. Every single day, I witness people running red lights/stop signs, turning on red at “no turn on red” intersections, speeding, unsafe lane changes, driving down bus lanes to cut in front of everyone, and just general aggression. This is no exaggeration — my work commute is about 10 minutes, 2.5 miles. Literally every single day, both to and from work, I see some sort of traffic infraction, just in that small distance. It’s mind boggling. If you call someone out for their carelessness, you are at risk of violence. I tense up at nearly every intersection in fear that someone will speed through and injure or kill me. I’ve had several near misses, both driving and on foot, just in the past year.

One of the most frustrating things is knowing about the Virginia license plate scam. One of the risks of getting in an accident is that there’s a good chance there will be no consequences for the offenders with Virginia plates because of the lack of insurance. Not to mention the fact that these scammers are driving up insurance costs for those of us who are doing things right.

There seems to be no enforcement for any of this except for the occasional red light or speed camera. I barely ever see police pull people over for these offenses, even if it happens right in front of them! Officials love to claim that violence has decreased but it doesn’t feel like it in everyday life. I wish something would be done because I love living here, but this is enough to make me want to leave.