Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)
Now that we have Inconsiderate Buyers, Salespeople and Service Deparement threads on the Smart Shoppers board, here's where you share your stories and voice your aggravations, about idiot drivers.
My favorites: what I call the 'Lemming Drivers'. These are drivers who blindly follow other drivers everywhere, including into danger. Tonight I was behind a driver who was sitting behind a line of traffic that was turning left; he had more than enough room to go around (he was going straight), but instead sat there, blocking a huge line of traffic behind him; nobody wanted to go around *him* because we all knew he'd dart into our lane the instant we did go around (lots of Chicago two-way streets are *almost* wide enough for four lanes, but aren't marked as such, thus allowing swerving, driving around other traffic, double parking, etc.). Very annoying.
My other city favorites: people who cannot negotiate a stop sign (either they go before their turn, or sit cluelessly through three or four of their own turns, irritating everyone and blocking traffic behind them).
My favorites: what I call the 'Lemming Drivers'. These are drivers who blindly follow other drivers everywhere, including into danger. Tonight I was behind a driver who was sitting behind a line of traffic that was turning left; he had more than enough room to go around (he was going straight), but instead sat there, blocking a huge line of traffic behind him; nobody wanted to go around *him* because we all knew he'd dart into our lane the instant we did go around (lots of Chicago two-way streets are *almost* wide enough for four lanes, but aren't marked as such, thus allowing swerving, driving around other traffic, double parking, etc.). Very annoying.
My other city favorites: people who cannot negotiate a stop sign (either they go before their turn, or sit cluelessly through three or four of their own turns, irritating everyone and blocking traffic behind them).
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(then they go 15 mph under speed limit for a mile or two).
Here in the Desert where there are a lot of Older retirees.... it can be an adventure driving. I saw on the news last night an 89 yr. old lady drove through the living room of her neighbors house. They showed the policeman escorting the lady away from the accident and I swear she was barely 4.5 ft tall carrying a cane. She was driving on a suspended license. She was driving an '89 Olds Delta 88.
This thread should get 1,000's of posts!
M.
Never had that happen since, but, still.
There are so many bad driving habits out there that it's hard to know where to begin. In general, I find people who are too timid very annoying. Excessive timidity can be just as dangerous as overly aggressive driving.
The thing that ticks me off more than anything are people that zip in front of you on the interstate when you're in the right lane doing the speed limit, then cut you off to make their exit. Makes me want to nudge them in the rear fender with my front fender. Old dirt track racer's trick (Occasionally used on the NASCAR circuit). Do that to the idiot, and spin his car completely out, never loose control of yours ;-) Then tell the cop who works the accident the guy just cut you off too close and you never had time to stop.
(Guys, put the flamethrowers down. I'm kidding!)
The road was five lanes, two traffic lanes in each direction with a center lane left-turn-only. Looking ahead, a car starts to come out from the left side of the road, trying to turn left in front of the traffic that I'm in. Of course, they use the center lane to get out on the road (which they're not supposed to do), the car continues to turn and weaves into the lane of oncoming traffic, and as I pass the car while it's still in the center lane, I see that the driver is on a cell phone and is holding the phone against her left ear with her right hand while making these moves onto the road.
Where's a cop when you need one????
PF Flyer
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To the lady who blocked the left lane the whole hour and a half she was on I-95: At first, I figured you were just day dreaming and forgot to get back over after finishing a pass. I got a little irritated though when I pulled alongside you after having flashed my blinkers several times to find you were deeply engrossed in a cell phone conversation. But I think the clincher was when you went through the toll booth. I figured for sure you would come to your senses and head for the middle or right lane after you took off again, but no, you went straight back to the
passing lane and sat your fat @ss right there for another several miles while others struggled to squeeze around you on the right. This proved to me that you were not being ignorant or absent minded but intentionally inconsiderate. You should feel honored... that was the first time I ever hit a left lane blocker with a prolonged blast of my horn. I hope someone else showed you their displeasure in a more expressive manner, perhaps involving a grill guard. I really wish I had one of those, as well as some very big fog lights that I could use on wonderful people like yourself. Once I finally got by you I had to accelerate to 90mph because I wanted to get as far away from you as possible so I wouldn't have to look in my rearview mirror and be disgusted by your total lack of consideration for others or sense of common road courtesy.
To the several people who for some reason found it necessary to change lanes right into my path despite the fact that there was a 20 mph speed differential between us and it would only have taken another few seconds for me to get by: MAybe next time I won't slow down for you. Maybe next time I'll downshift and accelerate when I see you trying to cut into my lane and then slow down. I've always wanted to see what my truck's bumpers can do to the egg shells they put on cars these days.
To the many, many, many people who like to drive while talking on cell phones; please do it in the far right lane, where you are more likely to veer off the road and into a bridge abuttment or steep ravine than you are to get in my way or annoy me.
To all the lemmings who like to accelerate until they're sitting in someone's blind spot and then cruise there for long periods of time: Highways do not have multiple lanes so we can all hold hands through our car windows as we cruise side by side down the road. They are designed to allow speed differentials so that you have other options if you want to go slower than those behind you or faster than those in front. When you hover right next to another car and match their speed you defeat the purpose of the multi-lane highway. You can sit there waiting for someone to change lanes right into you if you like, but please don't block the rest of us who like to keep moving and avoid hovering in the exact spot where it's hardest for a driver to see.
Thank you all... I feel calmer now. Good night.
1) You're behind someone who's about to turn left, and they have a left turn lane at their disposal. But instead of moving into the lane ASAP, they decide they will mosey on over, straddling both lanes right up until they get to the intersection. And of course, they're slowing down the whole way, bringing the entire line of traffic behind them to a near stop.
2) You're in a line of traffic, with 2 lanes going in your direction, but one lane ends just ahead. Wouldn't you know, here comes the inconsiderate driver screaming up the lane that's about to end, expecting space to magically appear when their lane ends. So instead of traffic that may have been flowing, albeit slowly, we have a stop-and-go and waiting game of who will go in front of who at the lane merge. I do everything in my power NOT to let these people in.
Grrrr.
Around here it is (for some reason) customary to pull over to the side and stop when a funeral procession is passing. Totally shutdown the flow of traffic!
That's a stupid "leftover" practice from the 19th century! In today's world it just doesn't fit! We have multi lane roads thesedays for christsake.
If anything, we should honk our horns and cheer that they have gone to someplace better, not stop our cars and hang our heads...
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
as part of a procession some time ago I noticed a man who was laying flagstone, he stopped working, removed his hat and dipped his head while we passed. It was a small gesture of courtesy, kindness and respect that I won't forget.
I totally agree with the post about left-lane hogs. I remember vacating the left lane for a guy coming up on my tail. He honked, waved, and gave me a thumbs up (yes, it was his thumb). Made me realize how few people do that.
-Jason
-Jason
I had the "pleasure" of spending a week in one. I will never step in one again. They are death traps, rattle till your ears fall off, and are too hard to drive on city streets, especially with the rear of the RV sticking out 15 feet past the rear wheel.
I came to a conclusion on these beasts. They are too small to live in, and too big to drive in. I would rather take a road trip in a Civic with a tent in the back hatch.
A car and a tent really would make a lot more sense though. And hey, at least I did come to my senses and not buy the thing! (although I still look for the things for sale online and daydream)
As for the 'real thing', I don't understand why anyone would want one, seriously. For the $50-100k a new one costs, I could buy a seriously nice car and have enough money left over to stay at nice hotels every night of the year for about two years (not to mention the gas savings of car vs. motorhome).
So my friend and I hopped back in the car and hightailed it back home and made it back by around 12:30. Oh well, I guess I could find worse things to do on a Friday nite and Saturday! Looking back, I still can't think of any logical reason that I wanted the damn thing, except that when I was a little kid I thought Travcos were cool. They were sleek and rounded, and almost futuristic compared to the typical "Toaster on wheels" look of most of 'em. Heck, even today, Travcos still look futuristic, considering that most current motorhomes are still just boxes on wheels. And you think it's hard to differentiate the style of an SUV, try it on a motorhome. They really do all look alike nowadays! Maybe someday when I have too much money I might buy one, but that's a long, long way off. And maybe I'll come to my senses by then ;-)
Andre, I've never been to Lake Zurich. It's amazing how many burbs we have in Chicago (and towns that used to be considered 'the sticks' which are now bonified suburbs). I've lived here most of my life and haven't been to half of them.
1. On the four lane highways, its perfectly acceptable to merge into the traffic cutting to the leftmost lane in less then 100 m before the merge lane actually meets the highway. Then its perfectly acceptable to cut off 4 motorists (the 3 other lanes plus the offramp) jam on the brakes while on the offramp then speed through the red light making a triple turn in a double turn lane in order to get to the Coffee Shop before the person ahead of you.
2. Underpassing in the right lane, then squeezing between two cars with maybe 10 feet between them and using the shoulder as a personal lane since your too important to wait in the queue with everyone else during rushhour.
When we're driving our BIG red fire truck, lights a-flashing, siren a-wailing, air horn a-blasting, I'm not even bothered anymore by folks who can't see us approaching from behind - I'm that numb to it. What does, however, frost my hide, are the folks at the next intersection who can clearly see us coming, and rather than wait for us to pass by, they pull out in front of us, THEN pull over! (At least they pull over!) Do me a huge favor, folks... educate all the drivers in your families... help me help you & yours.
PS: I drive a motorhome, too. Fortunately, my 25+ years of emergency vehicle experience made the adjustment a lot easier. I agree... there are some scary RV drivers out there. I've always thought a class on driving oversize vehicles should be a mandatory part of the RV purchase package.
Cheers!
Paul
You have to see a picture posted by whambam in Roadside Cafe.
-Rob
I have difficulty with the concept of coming to a dead stop on a busy thoroughfare though. I think it wastes time and can be dangerous. Back in the 1800's it might not have been...but in todays world with traffic the way it is, the safety risk is greater than ever.
There are over 280,000,000 people in the US. Everyone of them are going to die. It is a common occurance.
Ha Ha Ha There is one born every minute.
At least they are not the cause of any traffic foolishness!
Rush hour traffic, 4 lane, divided interstate. If the traffic is virutally bumper to bumper in both lanes, and cars in the left lane are passing cars in the right lane, WHY IN THE WORLD do some people think that they can play slot racer in & out of traffic thinking they're really getting to their destination any faster? The idiocy amazes me! And it never fails, they'll try to put a Suburban-sized vehicle in a VW Bug-sized space! WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING?
If someone wants around me, 9 times out of 10, I'll pull over. However, if pulling over requires me getting tied up in this traffic I'm passing, FORGET IT! These holier-than-thou's are just about to get on my last nerve.
in with the good, out with the bad.................in with the good, out with the bad.............
keith
2. No tail lights at nite: Just b/c you have DRLs (mandatory in Canada) it doesn't mean you actually have your light on!
3. Shoulder drivers: Again, where are the cops when you need them?
Dinu
Also, I want to beat people who typically don't use turn signals, especially at intersections with stop signs or other traffic. Many, many times I sit at a stop sign waiting for the other guy to take his turn crossing me, only to have him turn in a direction not in my path. Or conversely, me and oncoming driver are sitting at stop sign (he longer than me), I start to go straight, he begins unsignalled turn in front of me, then he acts like *I'M* being inconsiderate.
I want these people dead. I realize most of the morons who move here from (name the b-f town they were raised in) don't have stop signs any more (they all have lights at the Galleria), but we do. Grrrrrr. Done.
I understand that drivers who expect traffic lights are less likely to be aware of stop signs, but is it really that bad ? It sounds like more of an inconvenience.
Now when some anal pore hanging in the left lane, cuts across 3 lanes of 70 MPH traffic on an Interstate because his exit magically appeared. That is life threatening.
It is so simple, no sign is required.
It is so simple, some people may think,"this is so simple, that a sign must mean something else that is more complicated. . I better check this out."
I lost all interest in motor homes when about twenty years ago I was stuck in traffic on the interstate for two hours waiting to get by a motor home that had burned on the side of the road. We saw the black smoke ahead, for the first half hour of the wait. The frame rails, the engine and trans, and bare wheel rims were all that was left of it. I never learned the fate of the occupants.
Harry