Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

Mr_Shiftright

KARMA does work! I was driving through town, the last car in a long line. In the opposing lane, a Nissan 350Z waiting to turn left once our line of cars passed him. With just the tiniest gap between me and the second to last car in front of me, he decides to "go for it".

So I have to stand my car on its toes...wha? He couldn't wait for me to pass, with nothing behind me?

The karma payback? He rushed his turn, into a steep driveway and all I heard was the SCRRRRRRRAAAAPE of his front spoiler.

chuckle, chuckle

euphonium

"@#$% - Why didn't you drive up to the next car? The light was green! Hic"
BECAUSE I WOULD BE BLOCKING THE INTERSECTION & OTHER DRIVERS.
"To Hell with other drivers," while sticking his head in my window.
The light changed & I hit the gas, enabling the door post to graze his intruding noggin.
My mirrors showed him in front of his clunker, raised hood, trying to start it. As you said,
KARMA does work!

ruking1

Mr_Shiftright said:

KARMA does work! I was driving through town, the last car in a long line. In the opposing lane, a Nissan 350Z waiting to turn left once our line of cars passed him. With just the tiniest gap between me and the second to last car in front of me, he decides to "go for it".

So I have to stand my car on its toes...wha? He couldn't wait for me to pass, with nothing behind me?

The karma payback? He rushed his turn, into a steep driveway and all I heard was the SCRRRRRRRAAAAPE of his front spoiler.

chuckle, chuckle

I think it would've been fun to watch that one !

Mr_Shiftright

This was in Marin county---the level of aggression there is something you have to experience for yourself. Where I live, further north 30 miles or so, it's all "thank you please". (well mostly). You know how it is---you crowd people together and make them compete, and they turn into lab rats.

backy

Have experienced several cases lately of an inconsiderate driving practice: blocking the view of another vehicle while waiting at a stop sign. Yesterday for example I pulled up to a stop sign in the right lane, going to turn right. An Expedition pulls up past the crosswalk line, totally blocking my view to the left. He's turning left. So I have to wait for him to turn before I can--which took awhile because it's a busy four-lane cross road with lots of traffic coming from the right. His view left and right was unobstructed (he could easily see over my small car), so he didn't have to pull up that far to see traffic. A little thing, but symptomatic of the mindset of inconsiderate drivers who don't have awareness of other vehicles around them and have no consideration for other drivers.

qbrozen

I have that happen to me all the time. Very aggravating. I've had it happen from both ways (ie, also where I'm waiting to turn left and a house on wheels pulls to my right to turn and puts his/her nose WAY out there so I can't see).

imidazol97

backy said:

An Expedition pulls up past the crosswalk line, totally blocking my view to the left. .

IF I'm clearly already stopped and attempting to gauge the traffic and the hulks block my view, I blow my horn,
and keep trying to look over and through them so they get the idea that they blocked my view. This is in our fair little town. In urban areas, I just mumble.

ruking1

imidazol97 said:

backy said:

An Expedition pulls up past the crosswalk line, totally blocking my view to the left. .

IF I'm clearly already stopped and attempting to gauge the traffic and the hulks block my view, I blow my horn,
and keep trying to look over and through them so they get the idea that they blocked my view. This is in our fair little town. In urban areas, I just mumble.

Yes, the smaller town has a lot less variables and probably easier to gauge . Using only my urban example, I think a horn blow would send probably confusing signals.

ruking1

There was a funny go pro take on the local evening news. It was a 45 bullet bike ride. One bullet bike stalled out and the bike with the go Pro camera turned around, trying to capture video pictures. Surprise surprise, the turn around distraction caused multiple collisions ?? Yes, I am sure it will help to document fault.

andres3

http://sanantonio.suntimes.com/sa-news/7/128/106545/police-car-crashes-vehicle-leaves-scene

I suppose Hit & Run isn't too important to the anarchy preventers either. I'm surprised the excuse wasn't "I was distracted and too busy."

xwesx

andres3 said:

http://sanantonio.suntimes.com/sa-news/7/128/106545/police-car-crashes-vehicle-leaves-scene

I suppose Hit & Run isn't too important to the anarchy preventers either. I'm surprised the excuse wasn't "I was distracted and too busy."

Where did he hit the car? I'm really not seeing it in the vid at all. The closest he comes to anything is the white RAV4. If that was it, hell, she deserved it for that panicky excuse for driving. LOL

Edit: Ah, sounds helps. Looks like that was it? If so, I would cite that driver for impeding an emergency in progress. How can they reasonably expect that something as trivial as a bump like that would overrule whatever was important enough to activate the lights, turn a Uwie in the middle of the highway, and thread all that traffic in the first place. Priorities, people. Priorities.

stevedebi

backy said:

Have experienced several cases lately of an inconsiderate driving practice: blocking the view of another vehicle while waiting at a stop sign. Yesterday for example I pulled up to a stop sign in the right lane, going to turn right. An Expedition pulls up past the crosswalk line, totally blocking my view to the left. He's turning left. So I have to wait for him to turn before I can--which took awhile because it's a busy four-lane cross road with lots of traffic coming from the right. His view left and right was unobstructed (he could easily see over my small car), so he didn't have to pull up that far to see traffic. A little thing, but symptomatic of the mindset of inconsiderate drivers who don't have awareness of other vehicles around them and have no consideration for other drivers.

I have a turn I regularly make where if I move to the left of the lane, there is room on the right - and generally a pickup truck or something like that pulls up, and I can't see the oncoming traffic to my right. So now I always turn left from the center of the lane, not leaving any room for a larger vehicle to my right.

fintail

I was a mild jerk today, kind of. Got stuck behind a C-class this afternoon, varying speed from slow to 10 over, constantly distracted by something on the passenger seat, dawdling at lights, typical oblivion that could be demographically linked. At my last light before home, the "driver" refused to take the free blinking yellow left turn. That was it. When we had a new green, the "driver" lurched forward and made the typical Seattle area slow long turn from a left turn lane direct to right lane of a 4 lane, no signal of course. I stayed in the left lane and passed and got back into the right lane, even though I was turning in less than two blocks. Kind of a pass and then slow down move, but it felt liberating after watching the attentiveness of the airhead.

backy

I tried that the other day. Same situation as before, I'm turning right from the right lane (this is a two lane road, so I didn't take the suggestion above to sit in the middle of the road) and a big SUV pulls up on my left, blocking my view left. I blip my horn and point to the left and make a "move back" motion. The driver gives me a "WTF?" expression and gesture, then I repeat my hand motions and he finally moves a little bit back with a scowl on his face. I don't know if I'll do that again (you never know who's packin') but this one time it was satisfying.

imidazol97 said:

backy said:

An Expedition pulls up past the crosswalk line, totally blocking my view to the left. .

IF I'm clearly already stopped and attempting to gauge the traffic and the hulks block my view, I blow my horn,
and keep trying to look over and through them so they get the idea that they blocked my view. This is in our fair little town. In urban areas, I just mumble.

euphonium

"you never know who's packin'" " Victims who shoot back live longer."

ruking1

euphonium said:

"you never know who's packin'" " Victims who shoot back live longer."

Wise words, I find that entertaining !

backy

You could also say people who stay out of the trajectory of bullets live longer.

ruking1

ruking1 said:

euphonium said:

"you never know who's packin'" " Victims who shoot back live longer."

Wise words, I find that entertaining !

It is indeed interesting to see that the NHTSA (national Highway traffic safety agency) really does not talk too much about the criminality aspect of all of this, let alone indicate the rare and remote statistics. In fact, the only things that historically have approached honorable mention are dui ( most of the data is not considered criminal for some reason/s) and so called speeding. They do not even try to put the evening news (traffic criminality) in context.

ruking1

Local rag's take on CA lane splitting.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mr-roadshow/ci_28347656/roadshow-is-california-nuts-legalize-lane-splitting?source=infinite

fintail

Drove a couple hundred miles on various highways yesterday. LLCs - not many (but a few bad ones - the box truck brigade that the anarchy preventers consistently ignore). Turn signals - not many. Slowpokes - quite a few. Only saw a couple LEOs.

andres3

ruking1 said:

Local rag's take on CA lane splitting.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mr-roadshow/ci_28347656/roadshow-is-california-nuts-legalize-lane-splitting?source=infinite

If lane-splitting is as dangerous as the naysayers say, then natural selection ought to decrease the amount of lane splitters left over time.

ruking1

andres3 said:

ruking1 said:

Local rag's take on CA lane splitting.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mr-roadshow/ci_28347656/roadshow-is-california-nuts-legalize-lane-splitting?source=infinite

If lane-splitting is as dangerous as the naysayers say, then natural selection ought to decrease the amount of lane splitters left over time.

Thank heaven for natural selection !

For me, it changes figuratively and literally NOTHING ! I just don't want my chances of becoming indirectly involved increased! The last time I almost got close it was a Harley in the fast lane trying to change to the # 2 lane, splitting lanes with me in the #2 lane. ( he seemed to want to pass his posse of llcing Harley riders. No signal of course) So basically he woke up at the last second, as I split lanes (2& 3) with him! I then returned to lane # 2. Pretty seamless really, but judging by his reaction, the scenario seemed to scare him.

elias

Before embarking on a motorcyle journey of revenge against a bmw driver, dig two graves.

When SUV blocks view of driver in shorter car, it is annoying. Occasionally I've seen SUV drivers aware and considerate of their vehicle's vertical occlusion. That happens about as often as I see an SUV driver not texting.

In other noteworthy news, last week one day during my 30 minute metro commute I saw THREE DRIVERS NOT TEXTING. It was awesome.

8 days until all handheld-device-use becomes illegal for drivers in NH . Woo hoo - can't wait! It will help LEOs bag the texters that much more easily. Good news.

So, how much are used international CXTs going for lately?

ps King, I sincerely enjoy and appreciate your point when you tell us whether every word you use is either literal or figurative. Indicating literal/figurative is crucially epic in today's trendy lingo. It's totally a thing!

ruking1

elias said:

?.."...

ps King, I sincerely enjoy and appreciate your point when you tell us whether every word you use is either literal or figurative. Indicating literal/figurative is crucially epic in today's trendy lingo. It's totally a thing!

I try to do it to advance the discussion!

andres3

They need to make the punishment for texting or using your phone with hands on it while driving a mandatory 2-week phone confiscation. That'll end the illegal use quickly as I know some people can't breathe without their smartphone.

ruking1

On the local TV news, they had a piece on illegal motorbike operations(packs of 20- YouTube yellow Lexus - fully documented go pro ) still no arrests after a couple of months and @ least two story pieces.

fintail

Oh, those anarchy preventers

ruking1

fintail said:

Oh, those anarchy preventers

It reminds me of a sign down here that they either still have or used to have : SLOW children (cops) ahead . I guess it's ok to dodge fast children.? Or does that imply fast children behind?

qbrozen

I still see that slow children sign. Bugs the editor side of me every damned time.

andres3

The cops that charge him with that lame falsely applied allegation should be arrested for treason and false arrest. Yes, technically being given a ticket is an arrest, you are arrested and detained during the time it takes them to issue you the ticket.

euphonium

Just off state highway 16 between Gig Harbor & Purdy there are a couple of yellow/black signs:
The first one says CEMETERY & the next reads, DEAD END!

andres3

I find signs that say you can't turn during certain hours of certain days to be highly inconsiderate. Can a sign really judge when it is safe to make a turn better than a live driver?

I also tend to find the "no right turn on red" signs highly unnecessary. They should just say "Caution on Right Turns"

The signs that rely on arbitrary times of the day to enforce their edicts don't provide adequate notification of the following:
1) Time zone legally used for the driver to observe
2) Holiday exceptions
3) Weekend exceptions?

I can't see it holding up in court.

ruking1

UPSHOT: fine discount.

I hope I am wrong, But it was probably written in such a way TO stand up in local courts.

andres3

ruking1 said:

UPSHOT: fine discount.

I hope I am wrong, But it was probably written in such a way TO stand up in local courts.

Interesting you mentioned it may stand up in "local courts." Pretty much anything will stand up in local courts if they want it too. Judges will just dare you to waste your time and money appealing a bad and unfair decision.
Not all judges are terrible though, I got the court's to dismiss both of my "lack of 2 license plate" fix-it tickets for only one $25 fee.

Mr_Shiftright

Well in theory then, those people who put out those signs with little plastic flagmen telling people to "Slow Down, Children Present) would also be violating the law.

ILLEGAL?



:LEGAL?

xwesx

euphonium said:

Just off state highway 16 between Gig Harbor & Purdy there are a couple of yellow/black signs:
The first one says CEMETERY & the next reads, DEAD END!

The place I grew up in Oregon was the same way. There was a road directly next to our front yard that was one mile long and ended at the city cemetery. The road, not surprisingly, was named "Cemetery Road" and, just after our front yard, was the yellow "Dead End" sign.

Mr_Shiftright

I think "End" would have sufficed.

andres3

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/27/all-about-money-motorists-plagued-by-sky-high-calif-traffic-ticket-fines/#

I'm not a fan of Fox news, but sometimes they really hit the bull's-eye! I've been saying this for years!

Mr_Shiftright

Well no matter how much this smacks of state-sponsored extortion, it's a pretty bad decision not to pay the ticket and/or not show up in court. I mean really, if you are working and own and maintain a car, you can't come up with $300 bucks to avoid all this hassle while planning your defense in a later court date?

ruking1

Evidently there's a lot of fire where there's smoke . I have read that the head of the California Supreme Court established a venue where in certain counties one can actually appeal a decision before having to pay monies up front for a court date or appeal. If I remember correctly, the concert was the poor and disenfranchised, whatever that means tend to suffer more because of these levies.

euphonium

How inconsiderate to signal a right turn, but continue to go straight. The other driver sees the right turn signal, expects the car to make a right turn so proceeds ahead only to be T boned. I never trust a turn signal.

xwesx

Unrelated note.... For some reason this topic is no longer refreshing to the top of my tracked items list when folks post to it. Any idea why?

All other topics continue to refresh to the top as per usual.

imidazol97

xwesx said:

For some reason this topic is no longer refreshing to the top of my tracked items list when folks post to it. Any idea why?

I had noticed that too. We need to ask the

HOSTS

if there has been a change in the settings to
let the topic fall down in the listings where it has less visibility?

euphonium

Maybe the hosts don't want a certain poster to find it.

elias

arrest and detention are literally and figuratively two different things.
but in the moment they can seem literally similar if the arrested person is not literally handcuffed and is literally released on recognizance. literally arresting traffic cops for treason is a figuratively funny idea, considering that the word "treason" has been literally redefined to not include the most treasonous dude in history, Eddie Snowden.

the cali traffic-ticket/revenue-generation system is literally generating much national press. surely there are many other states with similar systems that end up literally affecting the poor so much more than the rich?

andres3

Law enforcement is getting a lot of bad PR lately over allegedly unjustified killings and shootings, and people wonder why law enforcement gets such a bad rap from the general public????

Look no further than the traffic enforcement system!!!! Most honest people's only interaction with our American justice system is through the traffic courts. Those who unfairly punish us with arbitrary and unfair laws generate the contempt and disrespect you see and hear about in the news.

Maybe it takes a murder to rile peoples emotions up to cause a riot. Just taking money via traffic fines only generates the simmering volcano, but it doesn't quite erupt until......

elias

A3 you are 100% right-on in your post above. But don't hate the player, hate the game ! (Have you listened to Carolla rant about the same stuff?)

euphonium

Just because the LEO is grossly obese and can't run fast enough to catch a thief is no reason to shoot him.

Their motto: "COMPLY or DIE" should get the felon's attention though.

backy

Talking about simmering volcanoes... it doesn't seem to take much to get some drivers really upset these days. Example: I was driving home yesterday; the street that my home is on is one lane in each direction, 35 speed limit. There's also a double yellow line down the center of the street. There was a car behind me (older blue Impala) so I flicked on the right turn signal well in advance, to let her know I was going to slow down to turn into my driveway. There's no cross streets nearby so it should have been obvious I was going to turn into a driveway--there's lots of driveways along that street. As I slowed to make the right turn into my driveway, the middle-aged woman driver behind me just about went crazy. She had an exasperated expression, threw her hands in the air (not a good idea when driving to have both hands off the wheel), and rode my bumper until I made the turn. She continued cussing (I assume she wasn't telling me to have a nice day) as she drove off.

Thinking about this later, it was clear that what I should have done is continued driving to the next intersection, made a high-speed turn so the other driver didn't have to slow down at all (in a residential area with sidewalks--maybe I'd hit someone but at least the woman wouldn't have to slow down), then backtracked to my home so as not to inconvenience the other driver.

euphonium

Look at it this way. She is an improved person because you helped develop her patience. Congratulations!

We encounter the same driveway configuration requiring us to slow down, signal right, & enter the driveway slowly due to an asphalt rise (bump) on the side of the road. Even though it is going uphill, others behind are kind and patient as they have the same condition at their driveway.