Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

xwesx

stever said:

I would say Quebec has the worst, most aggressive drivers in NA, but our last trip through Montreal was uneventful so maybe they've calmed down a bit.

We happened to be in Montreal the day before we were in Boston on that trip. Other than the signage, Montreal seemed very "normal" to me.

Maybe I just picked good/bad times to be in each of those places? The funny thing is that we came across many MA plates on the journey between those two cities, and, yeah, they were universally aggressive drivers. So much so, that I made a game of prejudicing "certain" vehicles coming up in my rearview mirror by labeling them as MA plates. Rarely was I wrong.

elias

Boston-trained drivers will agree that Montreal drivers are the *fastest* on the highway, as if their licenses are immune to speeding citations somehow. The only drivers in north america I've seen to be as aggressive as "Boston drivers" are the cab drivers in Manhattan.

In recent years , the Boston Driver Thing has faded a bit, since most people text rather than watching the road, they do actually slow down and chill out, since apparently its relaxing for most people to drive without watching the road.

Texting seems to be the only thing that resulted in the Boston Drivers slowing down (and weaving to the right every 2 seconds).

I saw a 70 year old texting recently on side road, violating the usual age trend - he didn't look up for at least a half a mile.

!!!! Texting, its for kid drivers of all ages !!!!!

elias

here's a recent link. I haven't viewed it yet because my new mac-mini still confuses me.

http://www.boston.com/cars/news-and-reviews/2015/01/06/dash-cam-hilariously-highlights-how-bad-massachusetts-drivers-are/kxNJFX1759I4pHIS06iYaN/story.html

fintail

Took a quick trip to Portland today. Drive down was a breeze, light traffic, dreary drippy weather, but that's how it is here. Traffic in Portland was thick and slow, as usual. The drive back was different - maybe a billion LLCs give or take a few, tailgaters, slowpoke scaredycats, zero signal use, yappers, lots of volume on
405 and 167, everything, And on the whole trip, saw exactly 2 people stopped cops - both in Federal Way, both in the morning. Saw one other cop on the road, and one on a side road, nothing else.

Funny observation, most speeders in WA as one gets close to Oregon, seem to have OR plates. It's like the drivers there, long repressed and fooled by the strange low Oregon speed limits, get a breath of fresh 70mph WA freedom, and open it up. Let that behemoth SUV, Prius, or jacked up Jeep prove itself. Huge amount of OR traffic on the road too, seemed a lot more than vice versa. I was thinking about it - maybe they like paying sales tax? Then I remembered WA sells something OR doesn't yet.

slorenzen

"Then I remembered WA sells something OR doesn't yet."

We may be slower, but we're every bit as enlightened as Washington State.

It'll be legal this summer...I can hardly wait...just what we need, more stoned drivers...

Michaell

slorenzen said:

"Then I remembered WA sells something OR doesn't yet."

We may be slower, but we're every bit as enlightened as Washington State.

It'll be legal this summer...I can hardly wait...just what we need, more stoned drivers...

I've lived with that here in Colorado for the past year. They just drive slower .. and, turn signal usage when they head into a drive thru is down.

fintail

If only the LEO brigade could put something together to crack down on that kind of impaired driving, too. As there will be incidents and crashes because of it. There was a fatal crash in my area due to stoned driving - and this was before it became legal. Relative slap on the wrist, of course, as is true with most vehicular homicide cases.

Oregon needs to be enlightened enough to move past some of the PDX area speed limits that I am pretty sure were set before WWII.

slorenzen said:

"Then I remembered WA sells something OR doesn't yet."

We may be slower, but we're every bit as enlightened as Washington State.

It'll be legal this summer...I can hardly wait...just what we need, more stoned drivers...

fintail

Recent winners - Lexus IS turning left from a straight only lane, Scion xB going straight from a right turn only lane. Bonus was a Toyobaru showing off pulling out of a parking lot, wet street, got really sideways, and I don't think it intended. This was in an area with dense traffic (near NE 4th and Bellevue Way, isell will know it), driver was very lucky to escape unscathed.

fintail

Happened upon two fender benders today, shortly after they happened - no cops on scene yet. First one, as far as I could tell, a G37 coupe rear-ended a Suzuki SX4 sedan (kind of an obscure car). Later saw the aftermath of a Mini turning left in front of a Charger, not sure who had green.

And somewhat on subject here, today I placed an order for one of these

stever

Oh, this will be fun. Got your Tube channel set up yet?

Michaell

Egregious inconsideration today .. on my way home from work, I was driving a two lane road with a speed limit of 45 MPH. Double yellow line. Not well lit, and deer will frequent the sides of said road in the dark. I had my cruise control set at 45, but the guy in the pickup behind me didn't like that and passed me. I was hoping for a hidden cop, but I wasn't that lucky.

fintail

"baddriversofbellevue" has a ring to it, no?

The protection angle of a camera is nice, but I am doing it to record cool or dumb stuff, or maybe scenery on road trips. If it works, I might see about running something in the fintail, as I think simply seeing that car on the road from inside might interest people, but I'd need to get angle with a good view of the hood and maybe even dashboard.

And if it catches my error, I might have forgot to put the SD card in it that day

stever said:

Oh, this will be fun. Got your Tube channel set up yet?

imidazol97

fintail said:

On the "pointlessly overdoing it" tangent, the City of Bellevue has done a bang up job of slatherng the hill I live on with de-icing liquid and powder, ...
Last year, the City of Seattle dumped so much de-icer on a bridge, in fear of a snow event that never materialized, that cars crashed from the slickness. I hope that resulted in some legal action.

Is this the "beet juice" that's used around here by some agencies for a pretreat ahead of a storm?

fintail

I don't know what it is. It seems to be an oily chemical - it makes a mess when mixed with road spray, and leaves a film on cars. Doesn't seem to be the best solution, after the crashes it caused in Seattle last year.

imidazol97 said:

Is this the "beet juice" that's used around here by some agencies for a pretreat ahead of a storm?

stever

Georgia Cop Tickets Motorist For Eating McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder While Driving (thesmokinggun.com)

"The ticket ... alleges that the driver failed to exercise due care while behind the wheel."

Mr_Shiftright

How long does it record before the SD card fills up? Then does it automatically start to over-write?

fintail

Depends on the size of the card. 64GB should be good for a few hours maybe, then switch out the card or overwrite. MicroSD are very cheap these days.

And eating while driving - definitely a judgment call area. I've seen people do it with no issue, then some who were definitely unsafe. If the cop can't prove any unsafe actions, it is a waste of resources, but if the driver can be proven to be driving poorly...the key is the proof.

Mr_Shiftright said:

How long does it record before the SD card fills up? Then does it automatically start to over-write?

fintail

I work in a crowded office campus, parking often overflows and causes issues, where people have to park a couple buildings over and *gasp*, walk for 5 minutes. That leads to fun parking incidents. When it gets bad, emails go out asking about the driver of a particular car, with shaming pics attached. Some really dumb stuff out there, most recent an FJ Cruiser parked so close to a car that the driver couldn't even squeeze in to unlock the door, and a Civic coupe parked in a reserved space that just didn't have a sign on the wall, but huge red arrows pointing at the sign.

On foot today saw a very young woman in a very new Porsche with no signals, and the rear fog light on. An M6 without signals was barely noticeable, as it is expected. Lots of phone holders, as usual.

euphonium

fintail said:

I work in a crowded office campus, parking often overflows and causes issues, where people have to park a couple buildings over and *gasp*, walk for 5 minutes. That leads to fun parking incidents. When it gets bad, emails go out asking about the driver of a particular car, with shaming pics attached. Some really dumb stuff out there, most recent an FJ Cruiser parked so close to a car that the driver couldn't even squeeze in to unlock the door, and a Civic coupe parked in a reserved space that just didn't have a sign on the wall, but huge red arrows pointing at the sign.



Earlier to work should solve this issue.

fintail

I think the work parking issue is people who leave for lunch and come back to full garages. Solution is to not go out to lunch, cheaper too.

Drizzly day here, traffic was awful in many places - I wonder if it because people here drive even slower than usual, sometimes it seems they tap the brakes when a drop hits the windshield, or if people look outside, see wet roads, and think "let's go for a drive".

fintail

Drove up and down 405 this morning. It's still the worst. Spotted driving habits: randomly vary speed between 55 and 70, never signal for lane change, leave signal on for ages while going straight, keep a 2 football field following distance and tap the brakes now and then, randomly hit the hazard lights for a few seconds, weave around in the lane and use the whole thing, drive a rented box truck with absolutely zero rear lights in the dark. And so on.

Also got behind an Evo on a city street, he was going maybe 55 in a 35, smoking upon acceleration worse than my fintail. How those things are insurable is beyond me.

fintail

Drove the fintail all over today, including a jaunt on 405 where even that 50+ year old dear had no problem moving faster than the dawdling and scared. I will just say the driving climate out there was "diverse". I at least tooted the horn a few times, to wake people up. 11:30-and-1 deathgrip on the wheel while sitting 4 inches from it is always a good sign, too. It really seems to becoming a race to the bottom, sometimes. Turn signals seem to be used by maybe half of drivers. Phone yappers and the vacuous rule.

slorenzen

Well, those turn-signal stalks DO wear out, ya know...

andres3

so I tweeted the CHP (CA Highway Patrol) and got a response. I basically said how about enforcing "slower traffic keep right laws" instead of ticketing perfectly safe high speed drivers by hiding in low traffic safe zones. They asked how fast I wanted to go. I replied I support 85th percentile speed limits. Mentioned the keep right except to pass signage is black and white, not yellow.

They answered that my problem was I wanted higher maximum speed laws, and my problem is with the legislature, not them. I finally retorted that the laws are independent of each other, and entirely different issues. I argued that traffic exceeding the maximum speed limit is not an excuse to break the maximum speed law yourself, for the same reason slower traffic keep right is appropriate to enforce at any speed.

ruking1

andres3 said:

so I tweeted the CHP (CA Highway Patrol) and got a response. I basically said how about enforcing "slower traffic keep right laws" instead of ticketing perfectly safe high speed drivers by hiding in low traffic safe zones. They asked how fast I wanted to go. I replied I support 85th percentile speed limits. Mentioned the keep right except to pass signage is black and white, not yellow.

They answered that my problem was I wanted higher maximum speed laws, and my problem is with the legislature, not them. I finally retorted that the laws are independent of each other, and entirely different issues. I argued that traffic exceeding the maximum speed limit is not an excuse to break the maximum speed law yourself, for the same reason slower traffic keep right is appropriate to enforce at any speed.

In effect, they do not enforce "keep right except to pass" laws because "lack of" enforcement serves as defacto speed limits and PRACTICAL speed LIMITER.

xwesx

ruking1 said:

In effect, they do not enforce "keep right except to pass" laws because "lack of" enforcement serves as defacto speed limits and PRACTICAL speed LIMITER.

Quite true. Andres, perhaps you should remind them that enforcing KREtP would serve them doubly well.

1. Boost revenues via infractions of this traffic law.
2. Boost revenues via additional high-speed traffic stops due to reduction of LLCs.

How is that not a great scenario?!

fintail

But it's not about revenue, it's about safety! Think of the children!

xwesx said:

Quite true. Andres, perhaps you should remind them that enforcing KREtP would serve them doubly well.

1. Boost revenues via infractions of this traffic law.
2. Boost revenues via additional high-speed traffic stops due to reduction of LLCs.

How is that not a great scenario?!

fintail

Except for BMWs, which rarely have those from the factory to begin with. Late model Audis also have the signal-delete feature

slorenzen said:

Well, those turn-signal stalks DO wear out, ya know...

xwesx

fintail said:

But it's not about revenue, it's about safety! Think of the children!

Wait... you were SERIOUS about that? Gosh, and here I thought that concept was just a long-running joke.

fintail

Today's memorable event - small UPS truck going 50 in a 35 with apparently defective turn signals. Must have been a next day urgent package. Can't wait to get the dashcam installed. On foot, typical barrage of crosswalk crowders and phone holders - if our officers won't enforce it, why not?

andres3

ruking1 said:

andres3 said:

so I tweeted the CHP (CA Highway Patrol) and got a response. I basically said how about enforcing "slower traffic keep right laws" instead of ticketing perfectly safe high speed drivers by hiding in low traffic safe zones. They asked how fast I wanted to go. I replied I support 85th percentile speed limits. Mentioned the keep right except to pass signage is black and white, not yellow.

They answered that my problem was I wanted higher maximum speed laws, and my problem is with the legislature, not them. I finally retorted that the laws are independent of each other, and entirely different issues. I argued that traffic exceeding the maximum speed limit is not an excuse to break the maximum speed law yourself, for the same reason slower traffic keep right is appropriate to enforce at any speed.

In effect, they do not enforce "keep right except to pass" laws because "lack of" enforcement serves as defacto speed limits and PRACTICAL speed LIMITER.

The problem is that most people will just speed on the right thereby the campers don't impose any speed limit regardless.

elias

Passing on the right is legal in California, IIRC. Same in most/many states.
Live it. Love it. Be the right lane.

Reversing the dominant left-lane-hog paradigm is the best way to go.

Travel in the right lane when the lane is available/reasonable. That is the law in most states. And it's legal to pass on the right too, so please do that especially if the middle-lane-controller drivers refuse to move right.

Please everyone get your tails into the right lane, when it's available/safe there. That includes all yall 85th percentile speeders, and the self-selected few who do their part by filling out the lofty 86th through 99th percentiles .

ruking1

elias said:

Passing on the right is legal in California, IIRC. Same in most/many states.
Live it. Love it. Be the right lane.

Reversing the dominant left-lane-hog paradigm is the best way to go.

Travel in the right lane when the lane is available/reasonable. That is the law in most states. And it's legal to pass on the right too, so please do that especially if the middle-lane-controller drivers refuse to move right.

Please everyone get your tails into the right lane, when it's available/safe there. That includes all yall 85th percentile speeders, and the self-selected few who do their part by filling out the lofty 86th through 99th percentiles .

YEP, I have been over it for 96% of my driving life time. Anymore I only use the far left hand lane when I am content going SLOW or setting up to pass on the right !! I also assume the left lane camper ahead will REMAIN in the LLC position. In the RARE cases they do ( keep right except to pass), it becomes a pleasant surprise. I normally then try to acknowledge.

fintail

This is pretty inconsiderate - might earn some paid vacation, I guess.

fintail

Winners today - 2 right turners from a straight only lane, many phone yappers, inconsistent signal use (including an expected one, F10 M5) a couple of later model higher line cars with phone yappers - nice to see the lazy and inept on the road in cars with standard bluetooth, Odyssey with big dent in the rear door (isell knows the demographic) going 30 on a yellow signed 40 ramp, "driver" visibly engrossed in a wired headset conversation, and a BMW E60 driver, the picture of everything restrained and classy, yelling at someone on his right who wasn't willing to pull out in front of cross traffic, while holding a phone to his left ear. Wish I had the dash cam installed.

slorenzen

" Wish I had the dash cam installed. "

Will this be self-installed, or are you going to a pro?

I'd like to see pics of the results.

fintail

I'm going to a pro, in 2 weeks. They keep roughly bankers hours, and I don't want to take a day off work for this, so I had to plan it out. I'll show pics and maybe videos once I start getting stuff, sure.

I was in isell's town today, saw the sad aftermath of an early 90s Audi rear-ending a BMW E60. The Audi didn't come out very well.

isellhondas

Did that happen on the I90 overpass? I get stuck behind a wreck tonight but I kept my eyes on the cops and the road.

Another thing that has happened to me TWICE this week....

I'm sitting in a single left turn lane waiting for the green arrow when I notice the car alongside me has it's left turn signal on. One time, the car went straight as it should have but the other time, sure enough, as I was beginning my left turn the other car joined alongside of me. I had to hit the brakes to let him in.

Of course, I hit the horn at the same time!

fintail

Yep that's the place. It was a mess. Didn't see too many dopey drivers though, most were behaving themselves today.

Turning from a straight only lane is almost like a trend here.

euphonium

Once in a while we tourists learn too late we're in the wrong lane - so turn on the Left turn signal while waiting to your Right front hoping you will let us in. Usually we don't move until you let us.

imidazol97

fintail said:

Turning from a straight only lane is almost like a trend here.

euphonium said:

Once in a while we tourists learn too late we're in the wrong lane - so turn on the Left turn signal while waiting to your Right front hoping you will let us in. Usually we don't move until you let us.

An exit of a busy interstate to a popular restaurant row has two lanes turning left to the business park on the east side and 1 lane turning right. Line of cars down ramp to interstate and someone goes up the ramp in the left lane then flashes turn signal because there's an island preventing a right turn from that lane--one of the idiots waiting to turn right lets him in!!!

isellhondas

In that case, why not just go straight and then turn around somewhere?

fintail

When I miss getting into a proper turn lane and can't get over, I just move ahead and turn around. My mistake, learning experience. It's happened to all of us.

People around here are pretty polite most of the time, hitting your signal will probably get you in. And if there's nobody beside you (and more than likely in Bellevue, you're in a SUV with a phone to your ear), just whip it into the turn with no signal. You're not going to get in trouble.

xwesx

euphonium said:

Once in a while we tourists learn too late we're in the wrong lane - so turn on the Left turn signal while waiting to your Right front hoping you will let us in. Usually we don't move until you let us.

I've done that before! Seems like every time I decide to just go straight and find another path, I end up wishing I would have just stayed back at that intersection and bound traffic until I managed to make the turn. LOL

We have an intersection here the allows only one direction to go at a time, with all directions being two-lane with dedicated lefts. One direction is signed for both the left lane and the middle lane to turn left, but the other does not. There's no particular reason for it, and I often see people turn left from the "straight only" lane. It's only a problem when the yahoos in the left turning lane drift into the right lane (of the intersecting road) on their turn.

fintail

Someone thought I was being inconsiderate last night. Sitting at a light in a turn lane, I notice a car in the oncoming (turn) lane flashed its lights. I didn't think anything of it, then it happened a couple more times. I then remembered - this intersection is weird, and my lane is on a slight incline, just enough to put lights into the face of an oncoming car, as their lane is more flat. I flashed em back to show my brights indeed weren't on.

Today I got behind an OR-plated rental Escape that didn't understand local blinking yellow = yield turn signals. Had to beep the horn.

Saw lots of phone yappers while on foot, as usual.

xwesx

I had several people flash me the other night. Not sure what's up. But, my lights seem fine and brights weren't on.... ?

backy

I've seen drivers do that to warn other drivers of a speed trap. Also, if you were in one of your trucks, sometimes those can appear to have high beams on because of the height.

stever

Moose on the shoulder?

xwesx

Yeah, both of those were initial thoughts (although the area was not a common one for either of those). All of the flashing vehicles were pickups / full size SUVs, so I thought that maybe my little Fiesta was just too close to the ground and was reflecting light up or something.

I just had the front bumper shell and some misc pieces replaced last week due to a construction incident last Sept, so I thought that maybe the lights were off because of the fact that they must be removed to replace the shell, but I checked them out at home and everything was within spec.

So, I just chalked that up as a "huh" moment and will hope it was a fluke. My car does have extremely effective brights, so flashing back and/or just turning on my brights tends to have the desired effect.

Michaell

backy said:

I've seen drivers do that to warn other drivers of a speed trap. Also, if you were in one of your trucks, sometimes those can appear to have high beams on because of the height.

Here in Colorado, we flash our lights to oncoming drivers to warn them about the presence of large animals near the road