Four Things Drivers Need to Stop Doing in Sioux Falls

For years I have often mocked the drivers of the great state of Iowa. After seeing countless vehicles with pale blue and white license plates inexplicably stop 50 yards behind a stop light, turn right from the left lane, and drive 20 mph in a 35 mph zone, I have come to a somewhat painful realization: South Dakotans, even those with Minnehaha and Lincoln county plates, suck at driving just as much as those from the land of the 712 area code.

With that in mind, here are four written and unwritten rules I have recently seen broken on the frosty streets of Sioux Falls.

Making Left Turns

This is just stupid. And it never fails to happen when I am trying to turn right, a block from a major Sioux Falls intersection, some yahoo wants to try to turn left across 3 - 6 lanes of traffic. Even at 8:00 PM this can take a long time to get an opening. Just because your destination is left of where you are doesn't mean you should try to make the immediate left turn. Go right, go around the block, and you will likely get there quicker. You will also not frustrate the life of those stuck behind you as you wait for a gap to drive through. And you'll save money on gas! UPS limited the number left turns it's drivers can make because it saves money.

Stopping 20 Feet From the Line at Stop Lights

There is a wide white line at most light-controlled intersections. The line is there for a reason. You are supposed to stop your vehicle at that location. Not past it, and certainly not 20 feet behind it. If stopping your vehicle at such a precise location is difficult for you, stop short and inch forward. Don't worry, vehicles turn left in front of you won't rip your front bumper off.

Entering Traffic in the Left Turn Lane

I already mentioned not turning left in heavy traffic because it is just stupid. Making a left turn onto a street and then using the left turn lane as a entrance lane isn't just stupid, it is illegal. I asked a police officer one time and was told that it is indeed an illegal merge.

Screwing With Your Phone

Texting and driving is illegal in Sioux Falls and other cities in Sioux Falls. But just because it is legal for you to use your phone as a GPS doesn't mean it's a good idea to do while you are driving. Remember, you can still get a careless driving ticket if you are messing with you phone in some way other than texting.