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Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Except for one guy that didn't give me time to get out of his way yesterday (I was going 80 in a 55 in the left lane at 6 PM - he was going at least 90), my drive through Detroit yesterday in heavy traffic wasn't too awful. I'm glad I don't have to do it daily but there was one exit spot where two lanes go to one, and then merge with an on-ramp, and people were waving each other in and generally being courteous.

    Didn't hear a single gunshot. :P
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,675
    >(I was going 80 in a 55 in the left lane at 6 PM - he was going at least 90),

    Maybe he thought the speed limit was 99--if a 55 sign is upside down because the top bolt came out "55" does sort of look like "99" when upside down?

    The Michigan drivers (outside the urban portion) show the same courtesy as they do when driving through Ohio on the way south or back north from Florida. Most are tolerant if I'm blocking their speed lane, but it's only for about 1/2 mile: they expect me to hit the gas and finish pass and pull over. But most don't tailgate at first. :shades:

    Steve, you may have witnessed this but in Ohio most drivers don't hurry to complete a pass. They leave the cruise control 1/2 mph faster than the car in the right hand lane of two lanes and complete the pass eventually... :blush:

    image

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Now that you mention it, I have noticed this behavior in your fair state. I've been watching drivers ease up behind me in the left lane while I am slowly overtaking someone going half a mile slower than me in the right lane. When the left lane campers get a few car lengths back, I'll blast up 10 mph and pass the car in the right land, ease back down to my cruising speed and watch the LLCs creep up again over the next few miles.

    Rinse and repeat. :shades:
  • jensadjensad Member Posts: 388
    We have been on vacation in Rockford Ill visiting our son and his family. As we have been driving the freeways here and I find the drivers are courteous and drive about 70 mph and actually allow others to speed like I do. Quite different in Bay Area but it was fun to with family in a very nice city that I got to see and enjoy.

    We will be flying home tomorrow and I just wanted to say that my experience here for two weeks has been excellent. And I appreciate the courtesy of the Ill. drivers. And I realize this might sound strange to some but I like Ill. and being with our family.

    Good luck to all and stay safe. Hey Steve be careful and stay alert for cops, ha ha ho.

    jensad,
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    We've been enjoying our time in the Midwest; lots of fun spots.

    Most of the cops we've seen were over in Virginia - my sister got tagged there a few weeks back for going 10 miles over. She got off the interstate for a bit to get away from the trucks for a while and missed a 45 mph speed limit sign.
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    It's interesting that in the last 2 days, the only LLC's I've been victim of (here in E Washington) have both had Montana plates - one passing at 70.5 in a 70, the other 60 in a 70 and just plain clueless - perhaps they're used to having so few cars on the roads over there, hanging out in the left lane doesn't matter? :P
  • chuck2011chuck2011 Member Posts: 19
    yes breathe deeply and calm yourself. with the number of morons on the highways today its a wonder there is not more road rage!
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    And I appreciate the courtesy of the Ill. drivers. And I realize this might sound strange to some but I like Ill.

    Thanks for compliment to we Ill drivers including snake and a few others who post here. Have to say though that Rockford area and northern rural Illinois area drivers are more considerate than when in Chicago and immediate surroundings.
  • jensadjensad Member Posts: 388
    I agree xrunner2 for as we got closer to Chicago and the airport off ramp the traffic was faster and cars were cutting into and out off traffic. That reminded me of our Bay Area especially Eastshore and Nimitz freeways. Our son and family in Roscoe and we liked the energy in Illinois especially the Gelina and the surrounding country side.

    It reminded me of Bay Area when I was "younger" as we had open space and land not freeways and houses. Good memories.

    Good luck to all and stay safe.

    jensad :)
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    edited October 2010
    Could driving a ridiculous looking (and therefore distracting) car be considered "inconsiderate"?

    Or is it just an "exssesive" "hustler"? ;)

    I am on the final leg of a week long road trip. Not much drama on the roads...a few LLCs, even fewer speed demons, some errant truckers...unremarkable. Most annoying are those who speed up while being passed - this has happened to me several times, some of them getting up to ~85-85 in a 65 or 70 while being passed. That makes me force my car into a downshift, which quickly puts them in their place :shades:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,685
    I'm betting it was a very good thing that the driver of the 356 at least began the process of avoiding the collision.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    It was at a stop light that was at an intersection for the on/off ramps of an expressway. The road is two lanes in each direction with a single lane left turn lane to the on ramp of the expressway. At this time of day traffic making the left turn tends to back up and may take several lights to get through.

    So I am in the left turn lane approaching the green left turn light when a 7 series BMW passes us in the left through lane (on our right) then cuts left to make the left turn onto the on ramp. Of course since it was one left turn lane turning onto a one lane on ramp there wasn't enough room so the car two cars in front of me hit the BMW doing damage to the front drivers door and the front left fender.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    I'll bet the 7-series driver was livid. "What's the matter with you?!? Didn't you see my car??? I was signaling to merge!!!" :P
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    It would not surprise me if that was his response.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,685
    Sounds like you were in just the right spot for once! Wasn't it just a couple years ago that it seemed people were either hitting or trying to hit your car every couple of weeks?! :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Well there was a time when I thought my car was one big magnet.

    Then there is that one intersection where I was rear ended three times. One time traveling west, one time traveling east and one time traveling south. Each time it was when I was stopped and the guy behind me had stopped before hitting me.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,685
    edited October 2010
    Hahahah; not to make light of it, but I can just imagine, traveling north, the "guy behind me" explains to the officer, "I don't know what happened! I stopped and then, while I was still on the brake, the car just started moving forward! I was standing on the brake and it still moved forward until it hit the guy in front of me! It was like a magnet!" :P

    Three times; that would be enough to give me a lasting case of paranoia. Are you still driving the Elantra as your DD?
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    One guy was a teenager in his fathers car as we were making a right turn on red. He was watching cross traffic and not me and thought I had gone and started off and hit me pretty hard.

    The next time me and the guy behind me were stopped and he turn around to address his kids who were acting up and wasn't aware that he left off the brake enough to let the car move forward.

    The last guy admitted he didn't have his foot firmly enough on the brake and it slipped off and he hit the gas peddle. He was just close enough to tap me.

    The first one caused some damage, the last two I hardly felt.

    All three were in the Elantra but I traded that in for the Sebring ragtop 18 months ago.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I got tagged three times in my Tercel doing right turns. It was a manual and I was bad to stop at the sign and then ease up to check for traffic. When I took my foot off the brake, and then stopped again, I'd get hit. Every time it was the $50 tail light lens that got taken out.

    I finally learned to leave my foot on the brake until I was actually pulling out in traffic. (yeah, I'm a slow learner...).
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    "How much have you been drinking?"

    ""I beg your pardon, I'm on my way to church. It's Christmas Eve."

    "OK then, why did you rearend me?"

    "Because you were in front of me!"

    Retired school Marms are never wrong.
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,200
    edited October 2010
    "...The first one caused damage, the last two I hardly felt..."

    The only accident I've had in decades was in the parking lot at work. Another employee backed up without looking and dented my fender. No problem, had the police do a report as is policy, (they gave him a ticket) and I also told my supervisor about it (also policy). Several months later I'm called in to the boss's office and asked why I didn't report the accident I was involved in. I told them I did and was then shown a memo from 2005 (like I would remember) that said I was supose to report any accident using ONLY a particular form and submit it ONLY to one person in the entire district or it didn't count. Got a week off without pay.

    Even though the other guy's insurance paid for my car I would have come out ahead if I had just kept driving. :sick: So much for trying to do the right thing.

    The next time someone taps me I'm going to throw myself on the ground and start screaming for my lawyer just to be safe.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    OK, so that was the straw, but what consisted the rest of the load on that Camel's back? :confuse:
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,348
    on the local philly news. Some old lady in an early 90's century wagon (complete with woodgrain!) managed to get on I95 (extremely busy road) this afternoon. heading south in the left most northbound lane. Was on for a while, and somehow managed to get off, and disappear. But should not be too hard to find her again.

    some guy heading south in the SB lanes shot some cell phone video of her doing it. Of course, that was a crime too, but hey, made for good TV!

    sideswiped the jersey barrier a few times, but by some miracle, only caused a few minor accidents (and no fatalities).

    and last night, some lady flew off of the skuykill expy, at an elevated part, landed on another road, and literally bounced back into a tree. No one saw it happen, and it took about 14 hours before they found the car in the tree. Weird, a passanger survived, but was so disoriented when they found her wandering on the road all bloody, she did not even know what happened.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 16,954
    That story and video made Good Morning America this morning. The guy who filmed it is from SJ too.

    I was on the SureKill one day (during rush hour) and there was a 4 Runner going the wrong way right around Belmont. I remember it was like the parting of the Red Sea, everyone was swerving left or right and this person was going right down the middle. IIRC that made the news too.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Looks like the Buick driver made it on video

    People in my area have been even more slow and oblivious than normal lately - and that's saying something. It is amazing the amount of people who are content to go 25 in a 35, following at 10 car lengths, as people who actually are alive and functioning in society are forced to dodge the irresponsible vehicular pylons. Saw it several times yesterday, even got to lay on the horn a few times.

    This morning, headed to work early ~0500, a Jeep Liberty aimlessly wanders out onto the road from a driveway and crawls at maybe 25-30 in the left lane of a 40, luckily the road was 4 lanes.
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    It is usual, normal, & customary to drive slower when the engine is cold & in the process of warming up to the correct temperature. They not only come out of private driveways, but side streets, and motel parking lots.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,685
    edited October 2010
    I managed to find the car in the tree report as well. Yikes; quite amazing, really, that the daughter survived. That had to have been one impressive impact to toss the car that high into the tree.

    I wanna be an airborne ranger...
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Is it also normal and customary to pull out in front of oncoming traffic while warming up the car?

    From what I know, on a modern car past 30 seconds or so, it doesn't matter much anyway. Any danger would be about revving too hard, not gradually getting up to speed instead of desperately clutching a cup of coffee when one shouldn't be on the road to begin with.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Wow, that's insanity. Looks like the driver had a less than positive history, too. Must have been going 100mph.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,685
    That's the truth of it, too. It never gets anywhere near cold enough anywhere in Washington to justify the slow-driving "warm-up" of the drivetrain. It's not the engine that needs the warm-up time, it's the transmission, differentials, wheel bearings, etc. Once you start approaching -20F, things start getting grumpy about moving. ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • jensadjensad Member Posts: 388
    Watching that video brought back memories while on the CHP. Encounterd about five wrong way drivers, three at night time nd tw in the day time. Oh and tw in the Caldcott Tunnel.

    One night my partner was driving and I was the passenger, ("riding shotgun") and we almost got hit head on. I got out and pushed the elderly driver over and drove it to the shoulder.

    People ask me what to do. All I can say is to take care of you, by maybe drive to the shoulder, or hid behind a big truck. I do know common sense will give you the best results.

    Good luck to all and stay safe. Oh also, have fun trick or tweet, er treat.

    jensad
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Yeah, this morning it was an arctic 48F maybe, good time to take it easy, watch for ice, etc.

    My car has a fast cold idle for the first 15 or so seconds, then it's normal - that's my sign I can drive away. Takes another 20 seconds to make it to a moving street, then I drive as normal.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I've never encountered a wrong way highway driver, and hope I never do. I have seen several wrong way drivers on city streets - one way streets mixed with two ways always cause confusion.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited October 2010
    Well, there's a lot of big empty out there and going 94 on the highway wouldn't be too far off the norm.

    20 tickets is a bit much though, and skipping out on court and getting two arrest warrants isn't too good.

    Did you see the blurb about the ex-gov up there? Served 100 days in jail for vehicular manslaughter and while governor, pardoned his son-in-law for marijuana possession and driving while intoxicated. Unapolegitic speeder, but a popular pol (all per Wiki).

    Don't campaign and drive.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Well she is 38 so presuming she got her license when she was 16 that means she has gotten less than one ticket a year on average. While not stellar it doesn't make her to be as bad as some might want to make her out to be.

    On the other hand the arrest warrants and the unpaid fines do make things worse.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,200
    "...the rest of the load on that Camel's back?..."

    If by that you mean I must have had it coming because of previous bad behavior, sorry, but you're mistaken.

    In NYS a school bus driver must report ALL accidents he is involved in regardless of fault or if in personal vehicle. My mistake was that I didn't fill out just the right form and submit it to just the right person. My school district is so afraid of lawsuits that they would rather have 100 drivers quit in disgust than give one lawyer an opening to criticize their procedures.

    One bus driver was suspended for 8 days because he mentioned the insurance company Aflac in front of a student.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,348
    big thing in NJ now is enforcing the rules on yielding to peds in a crosswalk. Pretty sure the law is what it has always been, but they decided to pay attention to it.

    well, this has led to a proliferation of "crosswalk traps". Cops set up what is almost a sting operation. They have an undercover guy hang out on the sidewalk, and randomly step into the X-walk. Anyone that does not stop in time, gets nailed.

    the other day, I was on a fairly busy 4 lane + center turn area road, with a crosswalk right at a light (which I thought overrode the crosswalk yield rule, but maybe not. I am in LH lane. See a guy on sidewalk, yakking on a cell phone. I am obsessive about stopping for people (at great risk to my rear bumper), so start to brake, even though the people to my right (and behind me) have no inclination to slow down, never mind stop.

    As I appproach, guy turns around and walks back across sidewalk, so I just keep going. And notice as I do, at the cross street there is a patrol car parked at the curb.

    Just up ahead is a little parking lot. A couple of cop cars there, and about 8 cars in 2 lines pulled in. 99% sure that was the kill zone, where they call ahead and tell them who to pull over. I figure the decoy (always wears a red shirt) was told to hold off, as they were full!

    major moneymaker for the town, since I believe the ticket is $100 (but no points). Hey, the locals have to keep themselves in business somehow, and that down does have some drug and gang type issues.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    It's not about money, it's about safety! Really! I swear, I wouldn't lie.

    Via looking at the amount of enforcement, one could think the worst crimes going on in my region are speeding and jaywalking.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    edited October 2010
    That's still insane, I don't know anyone who averages a ticket a year, and add the tickets to her other issues - it's a crime that she's able to get behind the wheel at all.

    And look at it again - that's 20 speeding tickets PLUS three stop sign tickets, two seatbelt tickets, a drivers license ticket, six FTAs, and 2 warrants.

    Yet another leader who doesn't lead at all.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    25 tickets plus the other stuff, and she's allowed to drive? I wonder how many times she's been stopped and not ticketed, you can bet it's a real good old boys system there. If she wasn't who she is,she'd likely have been behind bars more than once.

    I did see the bit about the governor...the decaying US is becoming as corrupt as tinpot third world disasters.

    Being a speeder isn't the issue, not knowing how to do it is. There was a time when "leaders" were supposed to operate at a higher standard. Maybe their dumbing down reflects the slow but steady collapse of society in general.
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 7,218
    edited October 2010
    And the worst part is that she doesn't think it's a problem...crazy! This sense of entitlement from elected officials & politicos is a disturbing pattern...the notion that "the rules don't apply to me" has got to stop already. The lack of personal responsibility is amazing...I could go on...but what's the point!!

    The Sandman :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,675
    I'm surprised the foreign company that is big in redlight and speed cameras doesn't have a crosswalk camera all ready for cities to put up to make money.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    i've seen many wrong-direction drivers on interstates - certainly 100 over a few decades. Usually they are backing up in the rightmost breakdown lane.

    One time as a learners-permit driver i encountered a wrong-direction driver backing up in the middle lane of an empty I-95 at night. It was terrifying - and I did not react properly - I was confused about what I was seeing ahead !!!! It ended safely but only because my dad sitting next to me and grabbing the wheel.

    Once during the 1980s I did a 180 at highway speed and drove in the correct direction backwards for a considerable distance on I-95. That too was frightening but ended safely/no-crashes as 4 lanes of rush-hour 65 mph traffic slowed safely to a stop.
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 16,954
    Stick,

    Since we travel the same general area, what township was this in? I haven't seen this in action yet, but heard someone talking about it.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,348
    this was in Lindenwold. I believe they have done it in other towns too. I just forget which specific ones, but I am thinking over toward Haddon Heigts/Audobon/CHerry Hill

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Rode a bus this morning as my car is in the shop for its final warranty claim...the bus got cut off by a white Lexus LS, previous generation. How can you miss a bus? Even as a Lexus driver, how can you miss a bus?
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    Their stock report says they are working on it. For the shareholders, that is great! :)
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 16,954
    Thanks, I'll keep an eye out.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic

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