Instead of re-routing from Loop 101 East, this bird-brain risked a crash, instead.
Phoenix-area driver and Redditor /u/Logical_Idiot_9433 shared truly headshaking dashcam footage from earlier in March (Mar 25, 2026) to the /r/IdiotsInCars subreddit showing one of the worst drivers who, upon realizing they were headed the wrong direction too late, decided to drift across a gore zone, risking a crash, instead of simply re-routing, which would’ve added very little time/distance to their trip.
Check out their hare-brained decision and near miss with a dashcam owner below with the original Reddit thread linked here.
The incident happened at the SR 51/ Loop 101 interchange in Phoenix (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As the dashcam shows, OP is headed towards Loop 101 West after going northbound on SR-51.
As he drives parallel to the interchange headed towards Loop 101 East, a driver in a Chevrolet Trax (License Plate BX 58412) can be seen drifting towards him from said lane, across a gore zone, which, if you didn’t already know, is not meant to be driven through.
Unironically, there’s visible damage from a previous accident on the offending SUV’s rear quarter panel, as if a similar move led to it.
OP emergency brakes to avoid hitting them with the driver “successfully” making it to their Black Mountain Blvd exit.
“Big dent rear left says it’s not their first rodeo,” the top comment from /u/ridiclousslippers2 reads.
“This interchange has a lot of idiots. I used to drive this daily and head west. I used to be furious at all the people wanting to go west, cutting in at the last minute from the HOV lane. SMH,” local /u/Jellyfishian shared.
“They should make those medians out of something you can drive on slowly if you are pulling over in an emergency, but would be very uncomfortable over a certain speed,” /u/RBeck suggested.
In Arizona, driving across a gore area (the painted or striped area between a freeway and an exit or entrance ramp) is illegal. Violating this law can result in a traffic citation with fines typically around $250–$300. Depending on circumstances, it may also add one or more points to your driving record.
