Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options

Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

1304305307309310478

Comments

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Yeah, I think the flashing arrows are confusing, at least to non-locals. They aren't consistent either as near as I can tell. And sometimes the stop light is vertical and sometimes horizontal. On the horizontal lights, the position of the flashing light can be at the far left or far right.

    Or the flashing light or turn signal may even a separate light next to either style of light. I bet if someone had a wreck they might be able to beat a ticket because of a non-standard signaling device.
  • jensadjensad Member Posts: 388
    To me, that was just insane. However, the driver seemed to know what to do, but what was interesting to me was the female thought it was much fun.

    Just for me, some of the most scary events was having to avoid two different wrong way drivers on the freeway in Oakland Ca.

    I hope the parties in the video made it safely to their destiny.

    good luck and stay safe.

    jensad
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    It took a very long time, but I finally finished reading every post in this thread and decided to now add some inconsiderate driver stories myself.
    One night last year I was traveling east on I-80 to NYC through PA. It was starting to get dark with a light drizzle, and a light fog. There was an 18-wheeler in the right lane at about 55, and another that moved into the left lane at about 60. I also moved into the left lane to pass the truck on the right.
    As the first truck was past the one on the right, he put on his left turn signal to take the left exit ahead. I was beginning to speed up a bit as he moved over, but once he cleared my field of vision, I saw a vehicle up the road a bit that had some odd looking tail lights. At that point I realized I was royally screwed as the odd lights were reverse lights, completely in the left lane!
    At this point my only option was to pray that ABS would do its job. I was not willing to roll myself in the ditch to the left (just past the exit) and was not willing to be smashed by the truck on my right. Fortunately no one was behind me at the time, so I took moved my hands to the bottom of the steering wheel to try and prevent arm injuries from the airbag and jumped on the brakes as hard as possible. I was very lucky to be stopped within two feet of his/her rear bumper and that he/she did not back into me. I put it in reverse and quickly backed up so I had enough room to drive around on the right as traffic passed by and took off back up to speed.
    It would have been nice to have this driver reported and taken off the road, but at the time I feared for my life and needed and was focusing on getting out of that situation alive. I could only guess what would have happened if the trucked that turned went straight instead… Not good for the trucker, but would definitely have taken a bad driver off the road for good.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Continues to be the "park waiters" who will tie up a string of cars while they wait for someone to unload their carts and kids so they can take that spot.

    Nevermind the fact there are available spaces 50 feet away. Nope, they will just sit there, usually with their dumb turn signal going while others fume.

    Our local Costco store is the WORST!

    It works the other way too. I'll be unloading my cart and sure enough, I'll see someone eyeballing me so they can have my spot. I'm tempted to really take my time but I feel for the people behind the "park waiter".

    And, often, they will pull in so close I can barely have the room to back out!
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    I hate those too, usually its faster to go to the next avaliable space and walk in.

    Last weekend I took "she who must be obeyed" to the mall to do some shopping and we just happened to luck out and get a space very close to the door. She wanted to get several things from several stores so instead of lugging bags all over the place I would take the new purchases to the car, put them in the trunk and catch up with her. So I ened up running to the car 3 times, each time I closed the trunk and walked back to the mall there was a waiter there giving me a dirty look.

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

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Ok, I am on a 4 lane road along a segment that has no lights, cross traffic or areas where traffic enters the road for about a mile. Its undeveloped prairie type land either side at about a half hour after sunset. Traffic was light, no oncoming traffic and only one car behind me and no one a head.

    Well all of a sudden I stomped pretty hard on my brakes. The car behind me was in my lane and wasn't happy about it and blew his horn as he swerved into the other lane to go around me. Then he saw the deer running across the street that I saw seconds earlier. The guy then slammed on his brakes missing the deer by about a foot.

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

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    The Kirkland location perchance? Always cracks me up. I call them "parking stalkers"...I park way out in the secondary lot and walk. Less risk of damage to my car by one of the dumbed down peons, and I still get there quicker.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    "park waiters"

    A close second are those who drive around and around looking for a close spot. I always enjoy following someone into a lot, parking my car at a distance, and then walking past them as I enter the store while they are still driving around.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Actually I was talking about Issaquah but Park Waiters are everywhere.

    It's like they are too lazy to walk.

    I'm like you. I park as far away as I can to minimize damage to our cars plus, I like the exercise.
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    Or park close to the cart return racks - short trip to take the empty after the car is loaded up!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I am sure the propensity of waiters/stalkers to be in SUVs and vans probably relates to their physical condition which relates to their unwillingness to walk.

    After some time in a retail store crammed in with idiots, its nice to get some air walking back to my door ding-free car.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    I park as far away as I can to minimize damage to our cars plus

    Thats why I take the Saturn to the store. It's 13 years old with 155K miles, who cares if it gets a ding.

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

  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    As a side issue, you do not have to use turn signals if you are turning onto a one-way street (where else can you turn?) or, if you are in a lane that restricts your movement (if you are in a left-turn or right-turn only lane, turn signals are not required because, by law, you can only follow where the lane takes you)...
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    You bring up another gripe of mine. Again, Costco is the worst!

    Lazy people who don't bother taking their carts back to the return area.

    Oh, heck no. They just leave them wherever they please so they can get bumped and knocked into another car!
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,347
    I have both of my kids conditioned to look out for carts. When they were little, I taught them that shopping carts were evil (and the devil).

    I make sure to park as far away as possible, and never downhill. And the whole family knows that when we get out of the car, they have to scour the area and take back any loose carts near by.

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

  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    Lazy people who don't bother taking their carts back to the return area.

    I've already ranted about this here so I won't repeat it. :mad: I feel your pain. I also can't help but shake my head at people who get the cart to the return area and then just throw it in there haphazardly (with empty boxes or other garbage inside) instead of trying to stack it with another cart or at least put it in straight.

    The wasted space in those areas is just sad, especially when it starts overflowing out into the parking lot.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    parking-waiters/stalkers. funny.
    i dodge them by intentionally walking down the wrong parking row, then walking inbetween cars to go to the row where my car is actually parked.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I'll do the same thing if I see one eyeballing me as I head to my car.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    My mother used to do that all the time.

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

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    ...that I really hate are the idiots who walk down the middle of the row completly unaware that cars are driving down them. :sick:

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

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    That's what cow catchers and fender mounted machine guns are for ;)

    A fun thing to do with the stalkers is to go out to your car, put the junk in the trunk, get in, then get back out and go back to the store. Foiled again...
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Yeah, but be careful especially this time of the year. Thieves can watch you do this and then break into your car.

    Bellevue Square has had problems with this over the years.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    A fun thing to do with the stalkers is to go out to your car, put the junk in the trunk, get in, then get back out and go back to the store.

    Of course, at this time of year, there really may be a shortage of parking spaces. Someone waiting for a place may have been driving around (even in the nether regions) looking for any spot. I don't mind cutting folks some slack then.

    That's one reason why I avoid shopping malls at this time of year!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Good point...of course, as a jerk, I believe people who leave stuff out in the open kind of deserve what they get :shades:

    I'm lucky in that if I ever need to torture myself with that shrine to consumerism and debt, I can walk there.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    One of the greatest advancements of the past decade is online shopping. Combined with gift cars....Christmas is a breeze.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Maybe it's my age or all of my years in retail but I'm still pretty much a brick and mortar kind of guy.

    I believe you. All of the years we could, literally almost see each others as we worked in buildings right next door to each other, you NEVER ONCE walked over to meet me.

    I mean, I'm not THAT big of a jerk in these forums...am I? :)
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I don't know if I can get into buying food online...but for everything else, I am more than happy to stay away from parking lots full of nitwits. I went for a jog not long ago, and it was a zoo around Bell Square...no thanks.

    I actually visited your old place once, but on a Sunday...I guess you weren't working. I'm kind of lazy...but at the same time, I am still only one town over from you :shades:
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Not even that far. I can walk and be in Bellevue in five minutes.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Maybe we'll have to run into each other sometime (not literally I hope)... :shades: (don't know if the "emotorcon" will work)
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Maybe at the XXX in Issaquah when the season begins.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I'll have to introduce you to an unrestored nearly half century old MB with a list of quirks (or character) a mile long.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    That would be fine. I've always liked those.
  • jensadjensad Member Posts: 388
    I also park my vehicle farrrrr away from other vehicles when I shop for groceries etc. But to find a safe place, it takes time and its the devil in the details looking for a safe spot. But I don't mind the walk if my vehicle is dent free.

    Happy holidays to all and take care of your self.

    jensad :D
  • m6vxm6vx Member Posts: 142
    This morning on the way to work on icy roads - a 4x4 pickup traveling waaay faster than conditions dictated. 4WD means you can start without slipping and plow through drifts, but the stopping distance is the same.

    This was the first big snow of the year.
    Did he forget how to drive on icy roads or is it 4x4 over-confidence?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2010
    That seems to happen everywhere when the first storm hits. I'm back in snow country and the first thing I did when the snow fell was find a big empty parking lot and break the rear end loose a few times. And I slowed down a bit too. I haven't slid through any stop signs yet, but that'll come as I get overconfident. :shades:

    I guess I need to tweak my handbrake. I can't do a sliding parallel park with the one in the Outback like I could in my old Tercel. (I only tried that trick once with the footbrake in the FWD Quest and that was enough!).

    You do seem to see more SUVs and 4WD trucks in the ditch than sedans when the snow flies.
  • ronsteveronsteve Member Posts: 1,234
    And this brings me to one of my pet peeves... the ones who will practically stop, then move into a turn lane without signaling... and THEN put on their turn signal. As if we don't know you're turning, and didn't need to know about that lane change.
    2015 Acura RDX AWD / 2021 VW TIguan SE 4Motion
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Michigan left turns, having lived in Detroit from 1980-1990, it seemed annoying but in order to turn around you had to "exit" the roadway onto a left lane and use that to go the opposite direction...it realy was a great idea, except where the opposing traffic was really dense, then the cars would back up on your side of the road until they stopped the regular left lane traffic, which then stopped the middle lane traffic, and so on, and you would have a major slowdown just because of opposing traffic going 60 mph and no way for you to merge...
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Having smashed into a Cadillac back in the late 70s trying to make a left turn, I've been leery of them ever since. (Both Caddys and left turns). The Michigan left turn does make sense and also has the happy result of letting you get to where you are going faster, even though it seems that you are going out of the way. They really need flybys and on ramps for the situation you describe.

    But it is a learning curve. Like roundabouts.

    Hey, wanna play old home week? I'm thinking of going to the Detroit auto show. You could show me around town. :)
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Sounds like a typical Puget Sound area driver - approach intersection, brake, begin turning, *then* hit the signal.

    Signal in the turn lane isn't required and sometimes annoys me, but with some of the crap I see pulled around here, sometimes it is good to know the other driver actually realizes it is a turn lane, as some don't follow the arrows.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Gee, show you around Detroit. How could he resist?.....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Well, let's see...I would bet most of the area that was OK back then are now deserted slums...and what was in downtown, like Cobo hall and Joe Louis Arena are probably in war zones now...the most recent Detroit mayors, IIRC, have been so corrupt that they probably make corrupt Coleman Young look like a saint...

    I guess I have to pass on your offer...
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    slight nitpick for ya m6vx:

    stopping distance is not the same with 4WD compared to non-4WD - in general it has to be marginally worse due to the added weight, and the additional energy that the brakes & tires must dissipate with 4WD compared to 2WD or 1WD.
  • igozoomzoomigozoomzoom Member Posts: 801
    Just curious- When you're approaching the bottom of an on-ramp to the freeway and will be merging in 400-500ft or so...do you use your signal to let approaching traffic in the right lane know that you'll be merging???

    The vast majority of drivers here in Georgia never do this and it drives me insane! Then again, when I'm driving in the right lane on the highway, I look ahead as I approach on-ramp merges to see if a car will need over. Then I signal and jump into the left lane or I adjust my speed up/down so I'm not blocking them at the last moment.

    My car (Mazda3) has the turn signal repeaters on the front fenders (like most European cars). My previous cars just had them front and rear, so cars beside me or approaching me in the next lane couldn't see or wouldn't notice when I signaled a lane change. I could hit the signal and floor it to jump over a lane or two without a problem....but now that they can see the signal repeater also flashing on my front fender, cars that are 3-4 car lengths back will RACE to block my lane change!?!?

    It stunned me how often that happened (almost daily) when I first got the Mazda! Not that it stopped me from changing lanes most of the time, but it really pissed me off! Now I just downshift and make sure I'm ready to accelerate to the speed of traffic in the lane where I'm going, but I don't signal until a second or two before I make my move either...

    I've decided that the RUDE drivers must not be native Southerners...we're much more polite than that...until you piss us off! =) Or maybe the problem is that even Southerners aren't raised to have good manners or to exercise common courtesy and decency any more??? My mom actually taught me to use both when driving. I try to overlook the first rude/idiotic/dangerous another driver does and wait for their second stupid move before I flip them off! =)
    2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2010
    Yes, I almost always signal. Cars already on the road (cars not merging) have the right of way. I even try to wave thanks, if I can see/know they have made an effort.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,675
    >Cobo hall and Joe Louis Arena are probably in war zones now...

    I tried some websites looking for pictures of the area around Cobo Arena. I can't link to them, but I recommend using maps.google.com and their live view or whatever it's called. It's all pretty clean and nice around that area on the river.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Maybe I just have an internal bias, but I find it hard to believe that anything in downtown Detroit is nice...
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    Left lane campers don't have to contend with outsiders merging into the freeway. ;)
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2010
    There are a minority of left lane mergings on CA freeways.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    Left lane campers don't have to contend with outsiders merging into the freeway.

    No, they just cause those who go faster to move right which DOES mess with those merging.... at a greater speed differential.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Well no. The only practical difference is the opposite side. The issue/problem is the same.
Sign In or Register to comment.