Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

euphonium · December 2009

The speed limit is the fastest you will drive. What's the problem driving safer at a slower speed? Others who almost flunked Psych 101 will think you are passive agressive.

fintail · December 2009

I will drive a speed I determine is decent...I've never had a speeding ticket nor caused any kind of crash, so I must be doing something right :shades:

If you want to go slow, just move over and let the rest of us go by. You've got nowhere to go and all day to get there, so it shouldn't be a problem

the_big_al · December 2009

I have no problem when someone wants to go the SL. I would like to go a bit faster sure. I too have never caused an accident or been ticketed for the way I drive, and I have passed by many an officer (including photo radar) that could have ticketed me if they had chosen too, but none have and so how I drive must be okay. It's when you poke along at a speed that is below an already SL that is too slow to begin with. And then that person poking along has 4, 5, 6 or more cars piling up behind them and they take no notice or sometimes will go even slower. That is where I take issue.

If you go the SL and only the SL and refuse to go faster, I can't begrudge you that. I will however find an opportunity to get around you.

jensad · January 2010

I understand what you are saying snakeweasel. IS 80 from the Bay Bridge to about Pinole, i.e. e/b toward Sacramento is like what you described.

There are open spaces and then there are scattered over this stretch of freeway, large, long sound walls that are supposed to suppress the freeway traffic sound. When I drive this area, and certain other areas, it seems that traffic slows down in the barrier areas and then speed up on the open space.

I think it has something to do with the psychology of freeway driving. When people see open space, they tend to speed up, while in barrier space, the psychology sets in to slow down and its all in the driver's head. So at least I can anticipate a probable slow down as I head into a barrier patch of roadway.

At least it is not as bad as that dirver on IS 5 n/b at Bakersfield last year when he had the death grip on the wheel and stayed a "steady" 35 mph in the right lane. He slowed the traffic down from Bakersfield for about 100 miles. I got around him, but his ineptitude driving made it more dangerous but it all worked out.

Good luck to all and stay safe.

jensad

euphonium · January 2010

while in barrier space, the psychology sets in to slow down and its all in the driver's head.

Up here in the NW, tunnels and bridges do the same thing. Snowsheds are the worst though.

imidazol97 · January 2010

>Snowsheds are the worst though.

What is a snowshed?

elias · January 2010

Quote from CHP officer who kindly conversed with me after noticing my excessively exuberant method of entering a highway:
"The speed limit here is 55. But don't drive 55, or you'll get ran over."
(He was telling me to drive about 65 or 70 instead. Same unofficial speed limits are in effect here in the northeast more than two decades later.)

tallman1 · January 2010

What is a snowshed?

A snowshed is a structure kind of like a tunnel. One side can even be open. It abuts a hillside to protect the roadway from avalanches.

imidazol97 · January 2010

>protect the roadway from avalanches.

Interesting. Thanks for the response for an Indiana born Ohio resident who's not been west of the Mississippi by more than 20 miles.

I was always astounded by the runaway truck stoppers in the Tennessee and North Carolina areas when I started traveling by car after college.

euphonium · January 2010

Good answer.

tallman1 · January 2010

Funny you should put a picture of a snow-covered truck runaway ramp. Very dangerous when the sand in those ramps freezes solid. There are stories of trucks that lose their brakes, head for the ramp and shoot right off the end.

Don't know if Steve ever gets up to Lewiston (Idaho) but the old Lewiston grade roadway was infamous.

stever · January 2010

Ya, even the replacement is a hoot of a road. Worse than the Old Priest Grade (bit of an inside Craigslist joke there).

Never thought about the runaway truck ramps freezing. That could be nasty. There's a couple on the other side of a 4258' foot pass not far from here going to Horseshoe Bend.

It's been a while since I've seen a snow tunnel though.

The other infamous grade is going down from Nashville to Chattanooga on I-24 - Monteagle Mountain. There was reportedly a phone tree when I lived down there; whenever a truck lost it, all the locals would rush to the scene and grab all the stuff that the trailer strewed down the hill. Rumor was that truckers who were way behind on schedule would manage to lose it on purpose going down that hill.

imidazol97 · January 2010

>Very dangerous when the sand in those ramps freezes solid

What happens if one side of the ramp is soft and the other frozen solid with ice? I can see a truck being veered off to the side of the ramp--most I saw in TN and NC had mountain on one side and trees or downslope back onto the highway on the other.

imidazol97 · January 2010

Here's a runaway ramp on Monteagle, TN, I-24.

There's a website documenting TN highways and I-24 both directions. If you travel that road, it's an interesting site.
Interstate 24 TN

link title

snakeweasel · January 2010

Here is something a bit interesting. The main road that runs by my house has a 45 MPH SL but also it is posted for 35 MPH for trucks and buses (not that that one is really enforced). Even though the sign clearly states trucks and buses many time I fly past someone going real slow that I think saw the sign and just saw 35 MPH and think that is the SL (the signs for trucks and buses are separate from the signs for cars).

blu99blzr · January 2010

I have a question for you about the US26 tunnels going East into Portland... Just how far back are we supposed to get into the correct lanes for the tunnel without being inconsiderate? Where does it go from "Slower traffic keep right" to "No Lane Changes"? I on occasion drive an ancient diesel pickup that was rated 59 hp back in 1982... I am sure you can imagine the neck snapping acceleration that somehow skipped this truck entirely. If I stay to the right as a good little put-put should, I wind up in the way of the people who don't know how to merge from 217 NB onto 26 EB. If I move left to the middle lane (#2 on a 3+1 exit only) am I then inconsiderate of the speeders in that lane because I don't want to wind up under an SUV gunning for the #1 lane from the #4?

My little dinosaur tops out around 50 on that hill of 26 where 217 NB meets 26. I try to avoid driving old Smoky (full name Poky the Smoky Bandit) WB up the hill from the 26 tunnels. If you know where I am talking about, you know why.

Any ideas from people familiar with this idea what would be the most considerate action to take short of leaving Smoky at home and taking the almost as old Subaru instead?

I have read most of the last 100 pages or so and appreciate the acceptance of various life experiences and sense of community here. I also am familiar with both the PT cruiser absence of mind and the New Resident influx.

Having 3 cars gives me three completely different driving personalities: The nice one goes fast and doesn't always appreciate a lot of company (it fears contact), the daily one doesn't care at all where it is or how fast (slow) it goes and then there's the doormat that can't even pass one of those motorized wheelchair things. I choose cars based on which is present as I don't live alone, how long I have to get somewhere and what I have to take with me or bring back with me.

I hope you all have a great New Year!

- blu

oregonboy · January 2010

I am not familiar with the spot you speak of, but "No lane changes" is usually indicated by the center-line dashes changing to a solid line.

If you could afford it, I would think that the socially responsible thing to do would be to retire (and replace) "Old Smoky" for both highway safety and air quality reasons.

blu99blzr · January 2010

Once I managed to get in there and turn down the fuel on the injection pump a bit (previous owner went nuts on it) the smoke has drastically reduced. Last tank was 29 mpg, including several trips down into Portland and back up through the tunnel to Beaverton and a trip to Salem and back to Beaverton on I5 and 217. On the flatter spots of I5 it kinda surprised me and saw 70 (65 zone) before I let up on the pedal. Maybe the diesel cleaner stuff is doing something after all. Not too shabby for 59 hp and 28 years. Wonder what taking off the rack and tool boxes would do for it...

Think I'll head on over to the diesel section after asking politely for folks to please be patient for the little old pickup as I try to keep it out of your way. It is a work in progress. Its cousins have seen 38 to even 40+ mpg at today's highway speeds.

Sorry for the off topic-ness here folks. Off to the diesel pages for a while.

euphonium · January 2010

Having often experienced your route, I recommend you avoid the outside lane on 26 & travel in the middle lane, not concerned about those behind you as they have a passing lane to satisfy their habit. Upon approaching the tunnel Eastbound, pick the lane you need to be in after you exit the hole before entering. Memory advises me to pick the extreme Left lane for traveling Northbound on 405 to 5. I think the extreme Right lane leads to 405 Southbound while the center lane leads to W. Burnside and downtown. That is one bottleneck and the other is lack of at least a four lane highway on 26 over Government Camp and down into Madras.

fintail · January 2010

The way I see it, if people can't merge properly, that's their problem. Your vehicle was designed to rightfully cruise in the right lane, and they can yield to you and go around as they please. It's not your problem.

What's 0-60 in that thing, 25-30 seconds?

jensad · January 2010

Yes indeed, entering a freeway in Ca. you had better kick it up or get run over. I remember numerous times coming onto a freeway and seeing the vehicle in front of my patrol car, STOP and then start again to get into the slow lane. Also had a a driver stop for my red light after a 1/2 mile slowing down to a stop in the Caldicot Tunnel. Met one head on at the Calidicot one morning too.

And sometimes when I was coming home from grad school, driving on IS680 in the middle lane at 65, other vehicles would pass me in the right AND left lanes at at least 75. What was scary was horses, deers, other animals making contact with a car. Totalled the vehicle and unfortunately killng the animal. Usually the drivers were not injured.

Good luck to all and stay safe.

jensad

xwesx · January 2010

I am in full agreement. Portland seems to have many of those awkward left and right exits & merges, depending on which was most convenient for the traffic engineers given the space constraints of the particular interchange, so I always travel in the rightmost middle lane (second from the right) unless I am passing or have found my exit. Otherwise, I will invariably find myself on the wrong side of the highway inside an endless sea of traffic when the "such and such exit - 1/4 mile" sign shows up. :surprise:

blu99blzr · January 2010

> What's 0-60 in that thing, 25-30 seconds?

If at all...

It was designed and built in an era of 55 Fed speed limit and has a bit of a strain getting past that point on any sort of a grade other than flat or down. I plan to do a valve adjustment and check on a small leak where air is getting sucked into the fuel filter purge screw to see if either of these issues might get it going any faster / cheaper. Also, idle seems to creep higher as it warms up. Will have to ask the diesel guys about that one.

My name is from a Blazer that I traded in for one of the cars I currently own. Is there any way to change my user name on this forum?

the_big_al · January 2010

you can change your name (I had a name issue a while back) but in the process I lost all my posts and carspace people associated with the old name. Edmund's staff were very helpful and did what they could to save it, but in the end it was like getting a whole new account...

euphonium · January 2010

One of the few exit to the Left examples is West bound on I 84 and heading for I 205 North bound. The civil engineers design of the freeway off ramp requires you to slow down in the Fast (Left) lane to exit I 84. All in Portland. :confuse: There is adequate signage well before the exit, I will give them that.

fintail · January 2010

In the past day 3 people have pulled in front of me from side streets like I wasn't even there, with no cars behind me for blocks. This happened in each of my cars. Do I have some kind of stealth invisibility shield I don't know about? I didn't honk either...I revved the engine instead. This startled the moron in the Escalade, but the vacuous MDX and Odyssey drivers didn't seem to notice.

I also got behind a woman in a newer Sequoia going about 15 in a 30, 2 lane road, no way to get around. I won't stereotype too much, but she was obviously new here. I think drivers training needs to hold people who might not be used to western traffic flow to different standards than those who have experienced it before driving, themselves.

blu99blzr · January 2010

Exact same problem here - each of my 3 cars got cut off in this fashion at least once this past weekend. We drive the speed limit on surface streets and try to keep up with the flow on the freeways. We also have the headlights on at any hint of darkness or rain. I don't know if we're invisible or people think that those "handsfree" cell phone things don't still interfere with the brain-car connection just as badly as a phone plastered to the side of a head.

Re: the anti-speeder... Numbers are the same all over the world (i.e 1 = 1 everywhere, so 30 = 30 and 45 = 45 ...) So why is it so hard for people who may not understand English to read these numbers? Are they busy trying to read the tiny km/h numbers on their speedometers and attempting to match those values up with the signs? (Not actual questions - just food for thought.)

ponderpoint · January 2010

Is it me or have FedEx tractor trailers been driving like %^$^# lately?

I can see why truckers get frustrated every once in a while when bone head in the Toyota does something stupid but most truckers seem to calm down after a minute or two..... Not FedEx!!! Somebody needs to tell their drivers there are de-caffeinated brands of coffee in the market that are just as tasty as the real thing.

It's ridiculous to expect all tractor trailer drivers to be like UPS (probably the best truck drivers on the planet) but FedEx.... YIKES!!!

Maybe it was the Christmas rush for deliveries or they are more nervous about time, It IS FedEx after all.......

fintail · January 2010

I think some people, especially of a certain demographic, think that traffic is required to yield to them no matter the situation. If I'm on a main road and they are entering from a side street with a stop sign...so what, I should stop for them anyway. :sick:

Last week around 5PM I did notice several cars without lights, even in the rain. I guess that extra 15 minutes of light we have now is throwing them off. Some Toyota cars with DRLs were in this group...DRLs need to be normal headlights. I turn the lights on every time I drive in any weather - anything to make me more visible to the lowest common denominator phone yapping texting eating drinking talking kid-tending gadget-playing driver here.

I wouldn't be surprised if some make the km/miles mistake. I can understand it...I just think certain groups need special training, as they simply aren't accustomed to how traffic moves here. Just as I would be out of my element if I was thrown into Shanghai or Mumbai traffic.

fintail · January 2010

Today I am driving behind a senior in a late 90s Lexus LS. 2 lane road, SL is 30. For the first bit he crawls around 18-20mph, which greatly annoyed me, but then he sped up to almost the speed limit. It was OK, but he would brake for any kind of turn in the road. Then we approach an intersection, and the road gets a right turn lane about a block before the turn, with a raised grass median at the junction. I get into this lane to turn right, and slow down just a little, as the right turn only has a yield sign and there's never any traffic in this location. Right as I am about even with the median, the oldster veers right and I slam on my brakes and go towards the shoulder. Missed him by 3 or 4 inches. He then got back in his lane and continued forward. I think he forgot where he was...probably half the traffic goes straight and turns right at the *next* intersection. I love this place :lemon:

imidazol97 · January 2010

Sounds like your state needs to test for driver's license each year for folks after a certain age.

fintail · January 2010

I sometimes think everyone should be re-tested, both written and in-car. I'm not afraid.

stever · January 2010

FedEx has been buying out a lot of trucking companies and they only hire independent truckers. Probably a lot of pressure on the indies to make their tractor payment. "It is estimated that most FedEx Ground contractors work 10 to 12 hour days, without overtime pay." Braun Consulting News

That links says that UPS drivers are company employees, but the UPS site makes it sound like they use independent contractors too.

Around here it's the trash collector truck drivers that seem to be over-decaffeinated going to and from the landfill. They are contracted by the county through Allied Waste.

xwesx · January 2010

I completely agree; just because one drives on a daily basis does not mean they know the rules of the activity. I know from experience

that until put to the test, one can get by very well from day to day while wading through a glorious pool of ignorance.

fintail · January 2010

We all make a mistake now and then...but I would wager the people who post here are better drivers than the lowest common denominator out there. I think my area is some kind of magnet for oblivious drivers too. From my travels, people drive slower and more clueless here than anywhere else I have been.

Heck, I would probably do better on the parallel parking part of the test now than I did then...I think that was the only part of my original test I botched.

the_big_al · January 2010

hmmm... I doubt I could still parallel park as I have to do it so rarely. However, I think that testing every few years is a good idea. Especially when one moves from one state to another.

I remember when I moved from AZ to OR, I actually failed the written test. I figured I'd do alright and I actually did, but I failed a few key questions that were different from AZ law. (Like the no pulling into the center lane at all law in AZ to get in to traffic, while it's okay unless posted in OR to pull into the center lane and then STOP and wait for traffic to clear)

bolivar · January 2010

I don't know about the big tractor trailers, but in my area the to-the-door FedEx drivers are all local contractors. Some even drive unmarked rigs - 1 ton box trucks and panel trucks. They persist in driving into, thru, and turning in my circle drive - which leads to broken sprinkler heads along its edge because they can't seem to keep on the concrete drive.

jlflemmons · January 2010

A few points from central Texas:

As we supposedly have one of the better economies these days, we are getting a huge influx of out of state (and country) drivers. A fun distraction on the road is to observe some bonehead and try to guess where the plates on the car are from.

I drive a bright red S10 Blazer with automatic headlights. When the car starts, the lights come on, 70% in daylight, 100% darkness. Plus the driving lights, and running lights (park lights). Yet day or night, I will have at least one idiot per day go right through a stop sign and pull out in front of me close enough to warrant a hard braking or swerve manuever.

9 times out of 10, they are either texting or talking on their cell phone. Austin just passed an ordinance making it illegal to text while driving. Another case of attempting to legislate common sense. I can't even walk and text at the same time, and cannot imagine trying to drive and text.

Austin does have it's fair share of yuppies in their high powered hup-mobiles, and it is truly inspiring to be driving in on the toll road, night speed limit of 65, and have these bozos come blowing by at 90 or better. You see, only Texas state troopers can enforce speed limits on toll roads even within the Austin city limits, and these high rollers know it. Drive time is during shift change in the morning, but occasionally the do-right boys will make an exception and clean house. Funny how folks don't think the cop notices the front bumper of the car take a nose dive just as the drivers eyes go to silver dollar circumfrence.

With reference to a comment above about law enforcement looking the other way on some speeding, I have had several troopers tell me that what they watch for in moderate traffic conditions is the non-conformist. If all the traffic is flowing 10 over the SL, but smooth and spaced appropriately, they just observe. It's the driver making the fast lane changes, or moving obviously above the average traffic flow that catches their attention. Even if moving at the speed limit, if the average traffic speed is below the SL, and the rodeo king is swapping lanes to move through the traffic, the trooper may pull him over for a little chat to find out what the rush is all about.

#1 son got a speeding ticket yesterday, 44 in a 35 (school zone on a four lane highway). As he ranted about the cop, the stupid school zone, having to drive little sister to a doctors appointment and blaming her for the ticket, I just answered with one question, "Who's foot was on the gas pedal?".

That little ticket will cost him close to $250. You don't speed in school zones. Ever. His mistake was accelerating before he had cleared the school zone.

Anyway, just a few thoughts from the old guy.

Happy new year, everybody. May this one go better than last.

imidazol97 · January 2010

>I just answered with one question, "Who's foot was on the gas pedal?".

Congratulations on doing a good job of parenting. Were that more parents took that approach to rearing their youngones.

stever · January 2010

I was in Austin right before Christmas cruising in a rental car (Texas plates

). The traffic was fine on the surface streets but I-35 didn't bring out the best in people. I don't think I'd want to drive there much when it wasn't a holiday season (UT was out, etc.). Didn't get over by the toll road.

I sure saw a lot of cops out of town pulling people over and no one was driving 10 over the speed limit.

Nice part of the world you live in.

xwesx · January 2010

I have never made it to Texas, despite the fact that my grandmother was born and raised there and so, too, was my mother - well, born there, not raised. Much of her family still lives there (in the New Braunfels area). My father, now that he is retired, tends to spend a good chunk of his winters between southern Texas and various locations in Mexico.

A friend and I were planning a 'round-the-country tour after we graduated high school that would have taken us through nearly every state in the contiguous union, but I ended up being accepted to USMA and spent that summer a little differently.

euphonium · January 2010

When hiring sub contractors, FedEX is not obligated to pay for the Liability or Physical Damage coverages on the sub contractors trucks. FedEX doesn't contribute to employees related taxes such as withholding, unemployment, & union dues. All FedEX asks is that the sub contractor carry high limits of Liability and add FedEX as an "ADDITIONAL NAMED INSURED". Certificates of Insurance are then issued to FedEX by each insurance carrier with the usual Cancellation Notice Agreement. What a way to save.

euphonium · January 2010

When my daughter was 17 and driving up to ski with her younger brother, she hit Black ice and caused a crash. The state patrolman gave her a ticket," driving too fast for conditions." She said it was the fault of the Black ice so I asked her why didn't the patrolman give the ticket to the Black ice? :lemon:

jlflemmons · January 2010

Never, never, never come to Dallas, Waco, Austin on the weekend of the Texas - OU football game. Unless you are making a video of America's Worst/Dumbest drivers. Locals won't go near I35 on that weekend, and many who must commute on a major highway in the area will leave work several hours early to get home before the madness starts.

Just remember that for decades the attitude of the Austin city council was that if they didn't build any roads, people wouldn't move here. Yeah. That turned out really well.

stever · January 2010

Yeah, we thought of moving there but there's just too many people. I don't even want to think about football weekends.

jlflemmons · January 2010

It is unfortunate that the opinion of Texas is what people have seen on television. Dallas / Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio are all rich in culture, and very different from each other. And while the people of rural Texas are so often portrayed as redneck hayseeds, quite the opposite is true. Like many rural areas of the U.S., the people take care of each other, often showing incredible compassion for a family in need just because "it's the right thing to do." Driving through the piney woods of east Texas, the plains of west Texas, the highland lakes region, each has it's own special scenery. It is one really big state, and one where a good sense of humor will carry you a long way. One of the classic examples of subtle humor is the highway sign on I10 coming through Orange Texas that simply states "El Paso 857 Miles".

Then again, I didn't see much humor in hitting a six foot tumble weed between Lubbock and Amarillo and having to stand in a 30MPH wind with sub freezing temps while I picked pieces of it out of the radiator, grill, underneath, out of the windshield wipers, etc. Not to mention the number that sucker did on the paint! :surprise:

stever · January 2010

Heh, I had one of those scare the crap out of me in the 70's. I was in a VW Bug and the tumbleweed seemed bigger than the car. Nothing like traveling in the Plains at 2 am in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden think you're about to get t-boned by a semi.

I have friends in Houston, Sweetwater and a cousin in Midland. Always enjoyed cruising the state (except for the fumes in the oil patch area). Big Bend is a really nice area too. Oh well, people think Idaho is full of skinheads too.

Almost saw a truck rear-end a truck today. Left turn situation and the second truck wasn't paying attention. Couldn't tell if a cell was involved. I was spacing out a bit too, but was plenty far enough back so that when I saw the truck swerve toward the shoulder, I had plenty of time to ease off the gas and tamp 20 mph off the Subie.

snakeweasel · January 2010

It is unfortunate that the opinion of Texas is what people have seen on television.

You mean its not like "King of the Hill"?

jlflemmons · January 2010

Well, I must say there are a few characters in that show that seem awfully familiar ...

tallman1 · January 2010

Heh, I had one of those scare the crap out of me in the 70's.

Same here in eastern Washington. Driving my 71 Dodge Charger on I-82 between Tri-Cities and Yakima. I saw two of those giant tumbleweeds traveling together crossing a field up ahead. (And yes, they were as big as a VW bug.) I figured what are the odds?... so I kept a steady speed... and kept watching them and estimating when they would cross. The road was raised a bit and even though it was looking like we would meet at the same time, they disappeared below the shoulder on the left..... and then came flying up to the road surface right in front of me. Talk about inconsiderate!

One hit my car dead on despite my swerve. It bent the radio antenna back when it rolled over the car. Had to stop and change my pants. :sick:

Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

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