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(May have some crude language!)
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
I saw a Leaf the other day with a plate that read "No Gas" or something similar. I wonder how many of those I cancel out every time I start the fintail :shades:
1: Middle aged woman in a Red New Beatle. Flys into a parking spot, hits the parking curb and tears the front valance all to hell. She didn't even look to see the damage.
2: Fiance and I stop at the grocery store, I wait in car. Woman in an Accord starts to pull into parking spot. She notices a shopping cart in the lane, pauses a minute then decides the best course of action is to just move the cart out of the way with her car. Poor car.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Two pieces of subtle humor were by two cops. One was recocking his patrol car for another customer service call. He took a pretty close look at me (you know that RCA dog look?) , as I think he could not figure out why I was going "SO" slow. Another was radar gunning and looked up and smiled at me as I passed.
Think of the money all the big chains would save by having people return there own carts and not having to pay someone to put them all back. Some stores even have a machine to push them all.
IMHO, make the person swipe their credit card and if you don't return it a $5.00 service fee will appear on your statement. Whatever the system cost is the stores would make their money back in no-time.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Positive reinforcement for law-abiding citizens! That's the ticket... actually, it's not the ticket, is it? :shades:
I am also hesitant to say, as I neither recommend or do this, but at those speeds, you can literally be doing a host of other distracting things.
The funny thing that I could actually be going less than surface street speeds (below 45 mph I believe) . CA state dmv law just says I should use flashers.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Also saw someone with demographics I won't stereotype as not to offend the overly sensitive, in a Lexus LX, going about 28 in a 40. There was a very light rain at the time - her wipers were going full blast, and she had a death grip on the wheel. Stream of traffic going around her on the left, until she randomly got in the right lane, then everyone had to reverse it. How much does a license cost? I doubt any cops would be smiling for her lack of speeding.
So what is it? Something in the water, in the air? That sleepless city area seems to have more dimwit drivers than anywhere in the US. Here is the solution. Relocate to the midwest, but not Chicago. Drivers here are quite a bit better. But, we still have our abundance of dope cell phone drivers.
Driving a mere 100 miles east is a different world. Portland isn't really any better though, and Vancouver is a similar but different driving mess (but generally faster than Seattle - I've driven in a few countries and in many parts of the US, and this is easily the slowest locale).
Either that or just sat there revving it yelling "What? I can't hear you."
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
First, a fancypants Denali pickup pulled out in front of me and dawdled. Of course it was going the same direction as me, onto a highway on-ramp. He was going about 44mph when he hit the highway, and got in the middle lane so everyone could dodge him. I was lucky enough to only need the right lane as I was exiting soon, and zoomed past at 55 in a 60.
Then got behind a Peggy Hill-lookalike woman in a white RX going about 33 in a 40, left lane, deathgrip at 10 and 2, sunglasses on a cloudy day.
Exited that road, got behind a base model Tundra with commercial plates and Yakima based frames, going about 30 in a 35. Road gains a lane, I pass, suddenly we are both going 50, then when I am past he drops way back and by the time I coast down to 40, he is light years back. Phone to his ear, of course.
Finished it off being stuck at a light that let 4 cars through on its green cycle (gotta keep gas taxes rolling in somehow? :sick: ), then when it was my turn, oldster in a Jetta wagon was dawdling, slowly eased out like he was accelerating at idle speed, I was next, then another 2 cars (probably on yellow-red), everyone else was stuck.
Oh, was jogging after work, saw a rental Challenger come pretty close to hitting a woman in a green signal crosswalk.
First off, middle aged woman in a Legacy 3.0R (isn't this a fast one?) going 34 in a 40, weaving all over the lane, as she was playing with a phone. She also thought a good following distance was one car length for every mph, and to let that increase over time.
Saw an A8 make a right turn from the left lane, and saw a dope in a Bentley Continental yapping on a corded (charger, no doubt) phone while driving - aren't the affluent supposed to be smarter and more responsible and more logical and more capable than the populace in general? Or is wealth not so much about sense? I think that might be it.
And had a guy in an Lexus LX (do all of these overpriced overcompensators sell here?) crowd a fairly crowded crosswalk - I pointed directly at him and he looked at me surprised, which made the kid who was beside me laugh.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Proactive Safety Measures (smartmoney.com)
And, while that quote is not wrong, all of these "proactive safety measures" are sending drivers in the wrong direction. They won't become better drivers, they'll simply become more dependent on their nannies (which means that they are then worse drivers and a downright danger to others if/when they drive a vehicle without such technology).
40% chance of snow there Sunday eh?
For example, a poor driver isn't going to do any better avoiding that obstacle with ABS than without. For a good driver, the ABS might make the difference between a successful avoidance maneuver and a fender bender (or some other loss of control).
Subaru's technology specifically attempts to compensate for the vehicle's driver not paying attention to the task of driving. So, the driver might feel more comfortable writing that text message because they know if the car gets too close to another in front, it will slow down on its own!
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I hadn't checked the forecast; you just had to do that, didn't you?! Early spring... we get all sorts of crazy weather! I had the plow truck out yesterday to clear slush out of the neighbors' drives. :P
Not too many bad drivers out there, most notable being an IS with a short young driver I won't speculate about as not to offend the oversensitive, going about 8 under in the left lane of a 4 lane 40mph road, being passed by every car. The reason? Smartphone being held in the steering wheel hub...
Saw a rental Camry back out of a one way hotel driveway onto a crowded street, didn't look - just backed out. I was pleased to hear the NYC-ish wail of horns.
Profiling isn't evil when it's right...smoke and fire and all of that.
That's the rub, isn't it.
Here's some profiling for you: one of those "new residents" (absolutely, positively, 100% accurate, no doubt) driving an old Civic is coming up fast in the right lane as I am entering the freeway. Based on her speed, I figure it's best to ease up a bit, as there's no one behind me, and slip in behind her. Otherwise, being a "new resident" and all, she'll probably ram me or do some other stupid thing. But wait! She flicks her high beams at me and slows down just enough to let me easily merge in front of her.
Yep, love that profiling.
Yesterday took a half day from work (fiancé having wisdom teeth out
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Sounds like Civic driver was being kind of dumb, as the merging car must give way - and I am sure with the neck-snapping way the Sentra gains speed, you had no problem with that
I guess it doesn't matter, money is money no matter how irresponsible or soaked in blood
Yep, must be dumb. Couldn't possibly just be someone being considerate.
Yes, the merging car must give way--and in this case (as I explained) I was fully prepared to--unless the car with right of way signals otherwise. As happened in this case.
It's a case of a driver acting with extra courtesy in doing something they were under no obligation to do. I find that incredibly refreshing, compared to the "Get out of my way!" mentality that seems to rule these days.
And I guess I am one of those "local yokels" because I have been known to give people entering a busy road from a driveway or side street a chance to enter, rather than waiting a long time. It's a very small thing for me and those behind me, a matter of 2-3 seconds maybe (since the street is already stop-and-go, mostly stop).
I have this crazy idea that if everyone on the roadways acted in a more courteous manner, driving would be more of a pleasure for all. I suppose that makes me "dumb" and a "local yokel" also. So be it.
Yes, nothing really wrong with letting someone out if it is gridlock anyway, but I never said that was the case here. Around here, people will literally stop in moving traffic to let others out, especially on hills for some reason.
Here's a solution - people can take some responsibility, and gain situational awareness. Pay attention. Observe lane discipline and right of way. Watch where they are going. That's the zenith of courtesy, treating driving as a serious task - as it is in other areas where driving can actually be a pleasure.
My sentiments exactly!!!
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I was in a right-turn lane to enter a shopping center. That intersection had a four-way stoplight to direct traffic. I was behind 8 other cars, all trying to enter the shopping center. The traffic light turned green as I pulled up to the back of the light.
After the first car made it's right turn... EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE REST stopped at the intersection's green light, paused for nothing, and then scooted into the shopping center.
Now, I know you're thinking that, maybe, there was an obstruction in the shopping center's entrance road... but I had a clear view of that from the street. There wasn't.
Needless to say, once I got to the intersection and the green light, I didn't stop before turning right... and there was no problem. And the car behind me followed my example.
What I see is that most of our drivers are just lemmings. If the car in front of them drives off a cliff, they'll simply do the exact same thing.
Did I mention that I really hate human lemmings? I do, I really, really do.
:mad:
There was not. Light traffic. Which made it all the more courteous of an act.
Observe lane discipline and right of way. Watch where they are going. That's the zenith of courtesy, treating driving as a serious task...
Those are all important for safe driving. But the zenith of courtesy? I don't think so. A driver can do all those things and still not be courteous. For example, suppose someone needs to change lanes to make an exit. Rush hour, busy freeway. Suppose everyone is focused on maintaining lane discipline, on right of way, and watching where they are going. They don't have to let the fellow trying to change lanes do that. After all, they have the right of way. But it would be a courteous act to allow the guy to change lanes, even if it means lifting off the accelerator for a second to give him the extra space he needs. It will help someone out and maybe prevent an accident. Courteous driving is also safe driving.
Yes, the zenith of courtesy. Just as it is courteous to be aware of where you are and to plan your route, so you don't have to rely on the kindness of strangers for a lane change. Exits don't sneak up on people. Most smartphones have some kind of navi function nowadays, even my daily driver has integrated nav, and there is always stuff like google maps and mapquest etc to get things in order as well - so there's not a lot of reason to be caught off guard and make a sudden move, other than driver error. Paying attention is the most courteous and safest thing one can do.
Courtesy does not come from doing things we are expected to do, even required to do under the law. It comes from doing something above and beyond what is expected, to help someone out... even if they aren't perfect.