Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

euphonium · February 2010

If the F250 was driving in the parking side of the road. Somebody should have pulled over and just "parked" in front of him!

When the pooch is behind the wheel and the air bag goes off = Dead dog!

Bet the mutt was a Chiwawa & not from Hawaii.

the_big_al · February 2010

It wasn't even a parking lane... There was BARELY enough room for his truck. One side had to be rubbing the curb and the other driver's side was about two tires (width wise) into the driving lane.

Edit: I found a bird's eye view of the intersection...

See more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

blu99blzr · February 2010

Which while well intended is completely stupid imho - No cellphone usage should be allowed by DRIVERS at any time

Then do you support a ban on drivers talking to someone in their car?

Outright ban on talking to the driver? No. (Big Brother?) But I do think drivers should speak up if someone is distracting them from the road. A passenger can see that a tricky intersection is coming up while someone on the other end of a cell phone cannot.

I do support the stopping, warning and possible ticketing of drivers who are clearly distracted from their primary task of driving the car, regardless of the cause of distraction.

I believe safe travel is the responsibility of everyone in a car, not just the driver. It is the navigator's job to keep the driver awake, is it not? If you're in the back seat and the two front seaters are being morons and not paying attention to the little kid in the crosswalk fast approaching the front of the car, whose job is it to get the driver to stop? Safety is everyone's job.

(Yes, I am one of the safety [non-permissible content removed] in my company...)

I'm not thinking regulation here folks. I'm thinking responsibility. (This is a subject I could probably go on for hours about - Public schools not teaching it to kids, government spending without it... make that days not mere hours.)

/Soap box

xwesx · February 2010

I'm not thinking regulation here folks. I'm thinking responsibility.

Well, that is a big part of the problem. Our "public servants" have been in the business of regulating responsibility (an oxymoron at its best!) for so long that many people feel they have no personal responsibility. So, if they are on their cell phones yapping away, not paying attention to the road around them, and get T-boned in a green-lighted intersection by another driver doing the same thing, they feel they are the victim and want to take the other driver to the cleaners even though they could likely have easily avoided the collision had they been remotely aware of the surroundings. The worst part is that had their light been red, the roles would have been reversed and yet they would still look for external excuses as to why it happened.

It is a downward spiral and, unfortunately, we are so far down it that there is little chance of recovery any time soon. :sick:

fintail · February 2010

Today I had a Camry driven by someone who I will not describe as not to appear bigoted (too late for that) make a left turn from a side street, right in front of me, as I was approaching at ~30mph. She was on the phone. If I hadn't been driving the fintail, I might have just shrugged my shoulders and T-boned her hard. Why do people do this? Oh well, I got to use that wonderful loud old horn that makes people jump a block away.

imidazol97 · February 2010

> I got to use that wonderful loud old horn that makes people jump a block away.

That horn business is the only deficiency on the Cobalt I bought. It has a single horn. I started looking into adding one (or more) to give it a more authoritarian sound. So far haven't followed through.

snakeweasel · February 2010

I do support the stopping, warning and possible ticketing of drivers who are clearly distracted from their primary task of driving the car, regardless of the cause of distraction.

So do I, not that being said I will also say that a distracted driver is a distractive driver no matter what. As well as an attentive driver is an attentive driver no matter what.

I have seen people driving while on their cell hone operate their cars in a very alert and courteous manner. And I have seen people driving like they are oblivious to everything and there is no apparent cause for any distraction.

Sometimes people get distracted for no reason of their own doing (try being stung by a bee while driving and keep your attention on driving).

I tend to be against banning something simply because a small segment of the population cannot seem to handle the activity. I have been in, or witnessed, more accidents cause by the driver being distracted by things other than a cell phone than by drivers who were distracted by a cell phone. Oh wait I have never been in an accident caused by a driver being distracted by a cell phone.

fintail · February 2010

That's one area where old cars reign supreme - horns. I will admit I am an avid horn user.

Fast forward to around 5:15 on this to see what an old MB sounds like

210delray · February 2010

I will admit I am an avid horn user.

Hopefully not like a New York cabby!

I don't use my horn very much. Usually the transgression has already occurred, so there's no point except expressing anger or frustration. I only try to use it when I can alert someone before they pull out in front of me or otherwise try to infringe on my lawful space.

xwesx · February 2010

I find the same to be true. I imagine my horn gets used maybe six times a year; maybe.

fintail · February 2010

I think I have some inner NYer in me. Slow turners can bring it out in me, along with those who blindly pull out from side streets. I am also a head-shaker, which really seems to piss people off.

Sometimes I think I need a slower car to cool my blood a bit...but when I drive the old car, I do it too.

210delray · February 2010

When I was young, I was a real hothead about other drivers' perceived flaws. Tailgating and passing me in no-passing zones would rile me up more than any other issues. If I ever caught up to them again, I'd give some of them an earful!

I'm a lot mellower now, and I usually don't even make eye contact with someone who annoys me. Every once in a while, I do give someone a head-shake.

imidazol97 · February 2010

>I'm a lot mellower now, and I usually don't even make eye contact with someone who annoys me.

I consider that a very good technique. I find ignoring drivers who have done something offensive or are trying to be annoying irritates some but others just go away.

fintail · February 2010

It's funny...tailgaters don't really get to me. At most I will slow down a little for them...but as I live in an area with dense traffic and I am usually going around 5 over anyway, they aren't going to get far...so I can just smile and laugh at them.

I am pretty hyper-attentive when I drive...I think that can be a flaw...I see every mistake, perceived and actual. But it keeps me from crashing anyway.

the_big_al · February 2010

So I ran a car off the road tonight. Literally. Not really my fault (well sort of, but he could have helped it). I am driving through a small town which has a SL of 35. It's about 10 PM and the streets are deserted. There is NO ONE in front of me, nor behind. I am doing (according to my GPS since my speedometer is wonky) about 37. Up ahead is the small town local grocery mart. I see a Ford Exploder getting ready to pull out. I am at that distance where if he pulls out, it's fine as long as he accelerates properly. He waits though. I'm like, okay good for you. But then he pulls out, although still within that stage if he really gets on it, I won't have to brake. Guess what? He putts along. I don't think he even got to 20 MPH. I roar upon him fully prepared to brake which I know I am going to have to do. I intentionally run up to his rear bumper (always mindful of his brake lights and with my foot actually poised on the brake pedal) and boy did I get a reaction. Usually, they don't even notice. They just keep on putting along as if they own the road. This time however, this guy must have noticed me. Usually one would think to maybe hit the gas pedal and get moving. This guy however HITS his brakes, which I was prepared for anyway and violently swerves to the side of the road onto a parking lot area.

So maybe I was responsible for his actions... I am not excusing myself for them. It was actually a bit comical though as I shake my head now at it because he could have avoided all this if he had either waited for me to pass by or just used his gas pedal a bit more and moved his Exploder along the road. He had plenty of time initially, and still could have done so even at the short distance that he pulled out in front of me in.

(Of course, this all could have been avoided too if I had just braked and went 20 MPH the rest of the way through the town too....)

bolivar · February 2010

Drunk. Buying more beer.

blu99blzr · February 2010

The big one in my area is the 5 or 6 cars who run through a red light after it turns red. Doesn't matter where in the area either. About the only place I don't see this is where they have put up the cameras. The very same cars that run all the lights up to that camera intersection throw out the anchor - some even locking up - to avoid that flash.

I just assume there's always a cop somewhere watching my car. Much easier that way.

Cops running red lights - that's another one of my pet peeves. With the lights and siren ON, I can see as valid. He's obviously got somewhere to go that takes priority over what ever I'm doing. But 20 or 30 over the limit late at night with no siren, roof lights, head lights or even marker lights in an all black car - that's just deadly. Had I seen him sooner, I'd have pulled into the next parking lot, written down a car or plate number and called it in. Yes, it was a police car - it had that selectively reflective paint on it - can't see it till you're almost past it.

Had I called that in, any one know what would have come of it? Kinda thought I'd have an angry cop with an eye out for my car.

Another one that irks me: ambulance drivers using their roof lights just to get through a busy intersection then turning them off. Abuse of privilege or cancelled call?

Yet another: Police cars driven by cell phone yackers. See that all over the place here too.

fintail: I want that horn! Little dark Subaru seems to be invisible most of the time.

oregonboy · February 2010

Here ya go: BIG horn

fintail · February 2010

Around here a nice trend is state patrol who will zip around at ~20 over the limit...destination? The popular little diner near their main office. Must be nice.

Sadly, calling them in would do nothing...they don't answer to anyone. Nobody polices the police. Although getting them on video and posting it at youtube etc can't hurt.

I am sure people wouldn't sneak through on red if well-compensated public sector traffic planners could actually try to match light sequencing to traffic volumes.

fintail · February 2010

I'd love to sneak up behind a latte-swilling phone-yapping Lexus RX driver and lay on that....

tjc78 · February 2010

Today getting on the highway on the way to work, I approach the ramp (slight right turn to long downhill acceleration lane) and what do I find? About half way down a Lexus speeding in reverse back up the ramp to avoid the traffic jam. I had to brake hard and pull all the way to the right for her to pass me. Unreal :confuse:

snakeweasel · February 2010

Had I called that in, any one know what would have come of it?

If you just called the police nothing. Most police departments have some professional standards board that may look into such a situation, but usually they have bigger fish to fry (especially in larger cities). If you know a police supervisor or a local politician you may get some action.

Now if you have pictures or video give them to your local paper.

snakeweasel · February 2010

So on my way to work I am going down this 4 lane road running along a forest preserve on one side and practically nothing on the other so there is no cross traffic and only one light for over two miles, SL is 45. So this morning we had about 2 inches of snow on the ground and it was somewhat mushy along this road. I was in the right lane doing about 35-40 with all the rest of the traffic in that lane, however the left lane was crawling at, i would guess, 24 or so. Seems that there was one small Honda who wouldn't go faster than that and was forcing all the other traffic around him (her?).

You would think all the traffic passing them on the right would give them a clue.

xwesx · February 2010

No, the driver is probably just thinking about the unbelievable rudeness of the other drivers. The thought of pulling over to allow others to pass will never cross the driver's mind.

210delray · February 2010

Another one that irks me: ambulance drivers using their roof lights just to get through a busy intersection then turning them off. Abuse of privilege or cancelled call?

This is a common practice for the NYC police to get through the looooong red lights in the city. There's also no right turn on red allowed anywhere city wide.

oregonboy · February 2010

There's also no right turn on red allowed anywhere city wide.

Because of pedestrian traffic perhaps? I know I have seen drivers totally focused on automobile traffic to their left and oblivious to pedestrians in the crosswalk to their right. :sick:

stever · February 2010

Nobody polices the police. Although getting them on video and posting it at youtube etc can't hurt.

"A Houston police officer says the city's mayor, Roger Purcell, borrowed his patrol vehicle and took it for a dangerous joyride, using its police lights to pass other cars -- all of which was recorded by its dashboard camera in a clip since posted on YouTube."

Houston mayor accused of impersonating police in borrowed vehicle (KTUU)

The mayor earlier this week tried to fire the same police officer for shooting animals at the local shelter.

Ok, not that Houston. Recall papers were filed today.

210delray · February 2010

Yes, it's because of heavy pedestrian traffic. But you'd think there would be exceptions for the outer boroughs (not Manhattan) late at night on narrow streets.

isellhondas · February 2010

This seems to be a greowing problem that just irritates the hell out of me.

Our local Costco sparking lot is the worst.

A driver sees someone loading thier trunk so instead of simply pulling into an open space 50 feet further up, they stop and wait for that person to pull out!

WHY?? They will usually turn on their turn signal and block a line of cars while someone slowly loads their trunk, buckles in their kids etc.

Are they just too lazy to walk another few feet??

Anyone here do this? If so? WHY??

It seems to be a growing thing...Grrrrrr

ghulet · February 2010

.....nobody wants to walk another 30-50 feet; strangely, they'd rather wait an extra five minutes to avoid doing so. I literally will not go to our closest Target on weekends because of the parking lot. It's a madhouse, unless you go just before closing, or perhaps during mid-day weekdays.

Here in Chicago, we have a different variety of 'park waiters': I can't tell you how many times I've been behind a car, who initially was waiting for the vehicle in front of them, to parallel park. Problem is, once the 'front' car has entered their spot at least somewhat, leaving enough space for car #2 to proceed, if only they remembered how to use their steering wheel to maneuver, number two sits and waits til the first one is all the way in the parking space. Is this your child in car #1? I call these people 'parking supervisors'. They must make sure the first car is aallllll the way in, put in park, driver gathering their things, etc. Dammit, those are annoying, especially on a busy two-lane or wider one-way street, where just going around is no big deal. And invariably, there's someone behind me, thinking I'm the moron holding things up.

imidazol97 · February 2010

><Are they just too lazy to walk another few feet??

I see that here. I suspect they're trying to store up extra body fat for the coming famine, and don't want to burn any extra calories.

imidazol97 · February 2010

My pet peeve is the independent snow plow operators, part time snow plows that were lawn service in the summer, who drive around on the snow dangerously fast. They think they're at Indianapolis 500. They apparently feel with a big blade on the front and a salt spreader clamped to their rear tailgate on their light pickup, they can't go wrong by speeding since they have perfect traction.

When they're plowing driveways, they have no hesitation about backing out into the road and blocking it while they line up for another push on snow. In our city they used to push some of the snow from the business lots into the road for the city to push away. That got stopped with citations under an existing statute.

Even funnier is a rural county nearby has ordered independent snow guys OFF the roads. When they issued a level 3 emergency, that means no one is to be on the road. For our first snow of 8-10 inches they got more like up to 15. The snow dudes were getting stuck as well as being a problem for the county plows who wanted to speed through the mileage they have to cover.

So the sheriff said that the independents plows were to be off the road too.

fintail · February 2010

Would this be in Kirkland, which has what must be one of the worst parking lots on the planet?

I always park out in the boonies and walk - a little extra walking never hurt anyone, and it's less risky for the car too.. I will see what I call the "trollers" stalking around looking for someone who is leaving...it takes me far less time to walk to the door than it takes them to find a spot.

People are indeed that lazy.

fintail · February 2010

Driving to work today around 0530, I get behind an early 90s Celica, going about 25 in a 2 lane 35. Where the road widens, a bicyclist just happens to be in that spot - typical local clueless greenie wearing little reflective gear, in the dark, almost in the middle of the (now right) lane. This scares the Celica driver, who then goes about 15mph, even though their (left) lane was clear. Once I get past the biker, I pass the Celica on the right and proceed. The Celica is then going so slow that I am able to get to a light about 4 blocks ahead, wait for it to change, proceed - and the Celica has to stop as the light cycles again. Why is it scary to go a lowest common denominator speed?

imidazol97 · February 2010

> I get behind an early 90s Celica, going about 25 in a 2 lane 35

No wonder you get frustrated with drivers in your area. I used to get behind someone going 25 in a 40-45 speed limit on any day there was 1/2 to 2 inches of snow. The road was perfect for straightaway driving. No salt had been put down to make that slush which is slick as snot when it's above 25 deg. ground/air temperature.

You need a car with those big vertical bars on it like city police cars have. Just give that slow driver a nudge! :P

I actually saw this happen long ago when there were lots of people commuting into Dayton area. An exit off the interstate branched into a divided 4-lane. An elderly Plymouth from the early 50s stayed in the left lane fairly slowly. A car pushed the Plymouth. They got over quickly.

fintail · February 2010

I dream of driving a big old Dodge Power Wagon or something...that I could remove vehicles from the road with, and have no evidence left on my vehicle. :shades:

Oh yeah, road conditions here were perfectly dry. No excuse to crawl, other than ignorance and/or incompetence. Or what I suspect was clutching a cup of coffee or a breakfast burrito :sick:

When it snows here, I usually don't drive at all - way too risky. These people can't handle dry roads, icy roads are armaggedon.

hammerhead · February 2010

Another opportunity for a very loud horn :P

I park next to or near the cart racks. Makes it easier after loading up the car. Parking in the boonies is safer for the car and me.

Cheers!
Paul

euphonium · February 2010

Having visited Costco, Issaquah, & observed the "wait parkers", perhaps management could change the lanes to one way with diag parking. This would create a space where you could pass the wait parker while blowing the horn.

Presently with two way in the lot, you can't pass a stalled car without running into an oncoming SUV.

Sometimes the Mom about to leave will notice a wait parker and intentionally slow their process of leaving by making sure all seven kiddles are buckled in, smoking a new cigarette, scratch, and after entering the vehicle, tune the radio, or talk on their 'phone.

Perhaps park waiting is a local custom. :confuse:

xwesx · February 2010

I am entirely unsurprised, and I seriously doubt this is the first time this has happened (though not necessarily the same person at fault). I found my way to YouTube and saw a comment that said something like, "That's not Alaska! There is no snow on the road!" Haha; ignorance at its best. The way that driver was drifting from lane to lane reminded me of rural Oregon/Washington drivers. I bet there is at least one out there watching that video thinking, "so what is so wrong with that?" :P

isellhondas · February 2010

No, Issaquah.

5 minutes from our house. I park way out by the tire shop.

isellhondas · February 2010

Except then your car get's hit by the carts people are too lazy to walk back to the cart area!

Some are so lazy the leave them between parked cars!

ghulet · February 2010

.....When it snows here, I usually don't drive at all - way too risky. These people can't handle dry roads, icy roads are armaggedon

I'm with you, inasmuch as it's possible. We just got about a foot of snow, but you'd be surprised how many people can't drive in snow, even in Chicago. Plus, right now I'm only working weekends, I have an old RWD car with no TCS safely tucked away in the garage, and there's a market, a liquor store, plenty of restaurants and two bus lines within three blocks of my house. Kinda refreshing to not drive for a bit.

fintail · February 2010

It takes no more than 3" to create havoc here. I tried to be a devoted employee during our big snow here the December before last...and got stuck on a hill about 100 feet before the parking garage at work. Never again. It was terrible driving, the roads were cleared poorly and most drivers were either insanely fast or frustratingly slow.

I too can walk to a number of shops/restaurants within 10 minutes or so of where I live...it is nice to leave the car in the garage at least one day a week.

fintail · February 2010

Costco seems to be adept at building bad parking lots...or maybe the shoppers are the problem. I remember the one in Bellingham being interesting too, as it has a gas station at one end.

The Target side of the Factoria lot is also a mess.

jensad · February 2010

I know the feeling. We had the same issue on I 5 with the very slow driver in left lane for about 70 miles. Real pain in the back side.

Also you are right on with the police boards of review and if a person makes a complaint to the Sgt Lt, etc. re: an officer's driving or other discourteous behavior, t least in CA they will more than not, follow up. This will at least do two things: One is the miscreant may be held accountable, (30% probablity) and/or the citizen who did the reporting, will (two) maybe feel better. (50 % prob. Dont' know)

Good luck to all and (especially) stay safe in the snowy, and cold weather.

jensad

isellhondas · February 2010

Funny that we actually work next door to each other.

We have probably sat across from each other in the same restaurant.

I slid down that same hill last year!

tallman1 · February 2010

I remember when I was a kid, there were no places for shopping carts in parking lots. You were expected to bring them back to the store. I don't remember who started it but we all thought it was a great idea when those "cart corrals" started showing up so that you didn't have to go back into the stores.

It didn't take long for even lazier people to start leaving the carts anywhere because they didn't feel like taking them to the corrals.

Of course, there are also the folks who are too lazy to push the empty carts together or push them all the way to the end of the corrals thus leaving a jumbled mess that juts out into the lot.

stever · February 2010

You were expected to bring them back to the store.

Oh c'mon, think again. Back in those days the bag sackers would push your cart out to your car for you and load the groceries in your trunk.

Or maybe you're still just a kid and don't remember those days at all?

tallman1 · February 2010

lol. Good point. I forgot about the baggers.

But there was a time when the warehouse stores forced the grocery stores to cheapen the checkout process by eliminating the baggers... and in some cases, making customers bag their own groceries at the checkout stand.

stever · February 2010

Ya, my favorite store here is a self bagging joint. I'm friendly with the cart guy there; he spends most of his time chasing carts that aren't returned to the corrals. It's a big lot and for some reason traffic skips the first aisle at the entrance I use - too far from the door I guess.

I swing in there, always find a spot, avoid the speed humps in the lot, and I get out faster since I'm further away from shoppers pushing carts out the front door and backing up traffic.

Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

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