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Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
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).
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Comments

  • hjr2hjr2 Member Posts: 105
    people who ride you when they could easily pass you and people that pull out in front of you(from side street) when they really don't have the time to do it.
    (then they go 15 mph under speed limit for a mile or two).
  • mark156mark156 Member Posts: 1,915
    Ghulet, I had someone yesterday do what you mentioned... they pulled out from a side street in front of me and drove really slow. They could have waited until I passed them. I just don't understand why people do that. Very irritating.

    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.
    2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
  • wilcoxwilcox Member Posts: 582
    The truck drivers following on my bumper are inconsiderate. I'm doing the speed limit and they think that's not enough. It makes me want to slow down in hopes of getting that big mother off my tail!
  • hjr2hjr2 Member Posts: 105
    have seen three people run red lights about 5 seconds after they are red and people are in intersection (who have green light). ALso, about some semi drivers, was run off of the run in 1987 by a trucker. It was on 2 lane rd, he ran a stop sign and we hit side of road...

    Never had that happen since, but, still.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,638
    ...people that won't even go the speed limit on a major road, but then on a small, residential side street, they want to do about 20 over! I just can't figure it out! It would be one thing if they were consistent...slow on the main road and slow on the side roads, or fast on both. But this way, it seems like they just go out of their way to needlessly piss off and endanger people with every opportunity. They're a road hazzard out on the highway, but then a menace to kids and residents on those side streets.
  • davv62davv62 Member Posts: 76
    I've known some incompetent drivers who drive about the same speed no matter what the circumstances. They will drive 40 mph down residential streets and go about the same speed, or maybe a little bit faster, on the highway (and see no reason not to drive in the left lane). These must be the type of people Andre was talking about.

    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.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    Andre, they are consistent, they drive 45 MPH whether the speed limit's 70 or 30!

    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!)
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    Since I'm in da big city, a couple of the most common 'inconsiderate' things here are the following: I often have to parallel park, usually on one lane streets. I can't stand when, rather than just wait fifteen seconds for me to park (yes, I've become an expert of sorts), someone goes around me and blocks me from parking, in order to 'rush' to the stop sign or red light ahead. Also, for some reason here in Chitown, we have random stop signs--there are lots of intersections that really need stop signs that don't have them, and others that have no reason for stop signs other than to produce ticket fund$. Anywho, I hate when I'm at an intersection where I have a stop sign, the sideways oncoming traffic does not, yet nobody will let the stopped traffic through, even though they have nowhere they can go (traffic on the other side is stopped for a light, or otherwise stuck in traffic). They're cousin of the hurry-up-and-wait types above.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    I THOUGHT I saw my first example of a bad cell phone using driver the other day, but on second thought, I doubt that the cell phone had anything to do with it...


    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????




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  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    To all the wonderful people with whome I shared I95 last weekend on my drive back to school;

    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.
  • dpwestlakedpwestlake Member Posts: 207
    Ok....take deep breaths and imagine a calm place...
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,638
    ...it'd be a lot more fun to go out and buy a 1958 Peterbilt tanker and re-enact "Duel" ;-) Or at least fantasize about doing it...
  • kenjabikenjabi Member Posts: 76
    Two examples of being inconsiderate that I particularly despise:

    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.
  • wilcoxwilcox Member Posts: 582
    I hate drivers reactions to funeral processions.

    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...
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    When someone else just waves them right on it like it's OK not to wait your turn?
  • dpwestlakedpwestlake Member Posts: 207
    It's not like the guest of honor is in any hurry...
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,359
    You're driving on a 2 or 3 lane (each way) highway like Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway). Its a Sunday afternoon/evening and everyone is returning back to the city from their ski house, ski weekend, country house. There's traffic for no apparent reason at some points. I can't stand the people who come riding up the shoulder. I always make it a point to put my car part of the way into the shoulder so they can't pass.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • justreadingjustreading Member Posts: 5
    It may be a leftover practice but,

    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.
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    I can't believe nobody has mentioned it yet. Do people really think you get to your destination that much faster if you're 6" from the bumper of the guy in front of you? I won't drive with my bro. in law because of this. Might explain why he pays 3x what I do for insurance.

    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
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    My last post was an every day occurence. I'll never forget seeing a geezer with a 30' Winnebago trying to get on the freeway - the wrong direction! Several people tried to stop him to no avail. He finally figured it out when somebody had to slam on their brakes to keep from hitting him on the off-ramp. Then I watched him back his way up the off-ramp at .0005 mph. Traffic was at an utter standstill at this point. The inconsiderate part of the whole thing is that not only did the guy keep driving when he obviously was no longer physically able, but he drove a 5 ton battering ram all over the country.

    -Jason
  • wishnhigh1wishnhigh1 Member Posts: 363
    I dont know what it is, but it seems ALL motor home drivers are completely incompetent. Most of them are old geezers that can barely handle a buick, let alone a 30 foot RV.

    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.
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    As irritating as this practics may seem, I prefer to just sit there and grumble about it to myself than to try to impeded them. For all I know, someone may be experiencing an emergency and need to get off the highway fast.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,638
    ...for some reason I have a fascination with them. Almost bought one about a year ago, a 1974 Travco with a Mopar 440. It was only a mini-monster at 22 feet, which is about the size of a full-size crew cab pickup with an 8-foot bed. It was actually pretty comfortable up front, although I just don't like the idea of sitting on top of the engine! I'm 6'3", and could stand up in it for the most part, except I had to duck under the a/c unit!

    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)
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    We had a great rock band in Chicago called Motorhome. A friend of mine is the drummer (I dig female drummers).

    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).
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,638
    ...this particular one was only $2900 ;-) Actually Ghulet, it was in Chicago! Well, in a little town west of it called Lake Zurich. Probably one of the dumbest things I ever did, but for some strange reason I wanted that thing...until I saw it up close, that is. I drove out from Maryland after work, probably around 6:30 in the evening, and we got out there about 8:30 Chicago time the next morning. Looked it over for about an hour. I was hungry, cold, and tired, and the reality hit me that if I bought it, I'd have to drive it 900 miles back home. On 6 tires that looked like they had some serious dry-rot. And no heat (and man was it cold up there, even in October!) Well, the owner did suggest taking the engine cover off if I got too cold. Like I want to hear an industrial-strength 440 running right next to me for any extended period of time.

    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 ;-)
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    This is the driver who 'clogs up' the road by wandering between lanes, looking for his destination, going way under the speed limit and hitting the brakes randomly every thirty seconds or so. Typically this person will putter up to a green light and pause, oblivious to anyone behind him who *might* want to actually get somewhere quickly. Oh, and these people, in the same vain, who are going way under proper speed on their way to a traffic light that's about to turn yellow. Generally, the clog will get through the light, leaving a trail of angry motorists sitting at the red light.

    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.
  • avro1avro1 Member Posts: 6
    It seems to me a lot of people seem to think the following two acts are part of the traffic code. Silly me to think that they are wrong since so many people think its part of the code they must be right.

    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.
  • hammersleyhammersley Member Posts: 684
    A unique complaint, only because not too many folks in my spot:

    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
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    Death is too lenient a punishment for these idiots.
  • wilcoxwilcox Member Posts: 582
    Aaahahaha!
  • wishnhigh1wishnhigh1 Member Posts: 363
    String them up by their toes and force feed them prune juice!
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    Let them play matador.

    You have to see a picture posted by whambam in Roadside Cafe.
  • wilcoxwilcox Member Posts: 582
    That thar just might be "worse than death"! Left lane campers beware...
  • carnut_robcarnut_rob Member Posts: 6
    Wilcox, pulling over to the side of the road when a funeral passes by is showing respect. Anytime there's a funeral I will pull over. Showing a little respect doesn't hurt anything.

    -Rob
  • wilcoxwilcox Member Posts: 582
    example - giving the procession right of way at an intersection while turning, etc.

    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.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    What about those people that had their bodies cryogenically frozen ? They are going to be thawed out when there is a cure for their disease. They may not die for a centuries.
    Ha Ha Ha There is one born every minute.
  • wilcoxwilcox Member Posts: 582
    Ahahaha, I see what you are saying...

    At least they are not the cause of any traffic foolishness!
  • keith24keith24 Member Posts: 93
    It IS an act of respect to pull over for a funeral procession. I guess it all depends on how you were raised. Anyhooooo, here's another one for you.

    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
  • dinu01dinu01 Member Posts: 2,586
    1. Left lane drivers: MOVE RIGHT! I drive faster than the limit on highways when it is safe to do so (no snow, heavy rain). Some ^%$*@ always thinks he has a right to block me and others from driving faster than him in the left lane. Get your car in the middle/right lane and saty there if you're not passing the guy in the middle lane. Evenn if the highway is empty I always move right after making a pass. If someone wants to go 180 km/h let them do it. You're not there to police them.

    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
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    I think DRLs are fine, as long as the dashboard lights aren't always on. It certainly doesn't help remind drivers to turn on their lights if their dash lights are always on, and if their 'regular' lights don't come on automatically (taillights especially). I can't count how many times lately I've seen people driving around with only DRLs at night (worst offenders: GMs in general, but especially Caddies, Buicks and Saturns, Lexus RX300, and BMW X5).

    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.
  • dinu01dinu01 Member Posts: 2,586
    That's not so much of a problemm in Toronto, but in Montreal, it's like they were told not to touch those turn signals! I;m not making this up. ARGH! Dinu
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    I do live in Chicago (land of the 'chicago stop'). I can't stop being amazed at how damn stupid people are here; they either sit at them forever (with their lights on, waiting for people, with no hazards on, nor any idication that they *MEAN* to be sitting there), OR they completely 'roll' through them. Cousin of those people will ROLL halfway through, not realizing anyone else might be at the intersection, then sit in the middle of same intersection, realizing they were being inconsiderate. Then they sit there, waiting for the person who had the turn in the first place. The only problem is, original idiot is blocking the intersection, preventing the original driver's turn from being taken.

    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.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    What does b-f town mean ? What's a Galleria ?
    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.
  • hnachtigallhnachtigall Member Posts: 6
    I fail to see how this simple concept can be so confusing. I hate those people who stop under the sign and wait for traffic. Maybe they can't read, or the concept it just too complicated.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    How did they get to the sign "thru lane ahead" ? Cross country ?
    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."
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    That reminds me of the people who stop at the overhead flashing yellow, who are likely also the people who 'proceed with caution' through the flashing red!! Sadly, there are more and more people out here with licenses that never went through a driver's ed course.
  • oldharryoldharry Member Posts: 413
    andre,

    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
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    Inch forward, stop, inch forward, stop... by the time the light turns green they're almost all the way into the intersection. I think to myself, at that point you might as well just run the sumb@tch.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    who break the law and endanger others by excessive speeding while expecting the left lane campers driving at the speed limit to get out of their way. The LLC may be violating the rules, but the Speed Freak is no doubt breaking the law. The SF claims the LLC is enforcing and limiting the SF's speeding. SF are ticketed much more than LLC. And the SF has the chutzpah to claim the LLC is discourteous.
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