Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

ghulet · February 2002

I for one am glad we don't have too many of these in the U.S. Chicago drivers are bad enough on straight roads with 'regular' intersections. We do have a few of these, but generally at one intersection or another, the street signs are missing, so it's not uncommon to see one or more cars going around the circle several times to figure out where they need to be (I've done this, too, admittedly). No thanks.

pat84 · March 2002

I'll defer to your 2nd avenue Deli.

ghulet · March 2002

I'm tooling down Diversey behind an old Mazda full of teenage girls. Someone in an SUV from a street on the left (rather than sitting at the stop sign like a good driver) is all the way in the oncoming lane, sitting almost parallel to us (so almost no peripheral vision) waiting to get pull out. The dingbat in the Mazda stops (there's nobody behind me, so SUV moron woulda had to wait like five seconds). The SUV is still sitting there, like, forever. So I start to go around the Mazda, at which point BOTH of them, of course, start driving again at the same time, almost causing a three-car collision. Grrrrr.

A classic case of someone (Mazda) trying to be considerate but just screwing everything up and pissing me off in the process.

lsbutler2000 · March 2002

I am from South NJ. I work in PA! The ride is an hour long, but could be so much shorter if people would just stop being stupid!

Here is my biggest gripe driving to work in the morning....driving in PA, where route 322 meets Route 1.

As you are turning off of 322, there are three lanes the Right lane (makes a right), the center lane, (makes a left into the right hand lane on Route 1), and the left lane (turns left into either the inner left or center lane on Route 1).

My gripe, people in the center lane on 322 ALWAYS cross the dotted line to turn into the center lane
on Route 1. It would be ok if they didnt do it as they are making the turn, like if they got further down on Route 1 and put on a blinker to move into the center lane! You cannot cross the dotted line going into a turn!

Whats wrong with people?

daysailer · March 2002

unless there are only two of you in the traffic situation, you can't be "courteous" to one driver without being discourteous to one or more others.

pjyoung · March 2002

I've seen this done before with cars, but yesterday was the first time I saw if done with pedestrians...a couple of kids were trying to cross a 4 lane divided highway. There are no stop lights or signs, nor was their a pedestrian crosswalk. The kids were waiting in the median for traffic to clear. A driver in the left lane STOPS and waves them accross, oblivious to the fact that cars in the RIGHT lane are still moving at the posted speed limit of 45 mph. Cars behind this guy in the left lane were making panic stops to avoid hitting each other. Fortunately the kids were alert enough to just stare at the idiot with a "yagottabekiddinme" look on their faces.

PF_Flyer · March 2002

Here's one I've seen at least 5 times since Christmas... left turn on red. Yes, they all MADE it, but I'm wondering where the idea has come from that it's OK to do this!

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haspelbein · March 2002

...I once saw a German traffic court sentence somebody because she stopped to wave a pedestrian over without checking that traffic in the other lanes has stopped also.
Her actions resulted in the death of the pedestrian, as he was hit by a passing car in the other lane.

I'm currently residing in CA, but I'm actually unsure how a court would see it over here.

diploid · March 2002

Come on, it's Jersey! I used to get road rage a lot, but after watching a show about road rage on TV, I stopped cold turkey.

I try not to let it get to me. I don't even flip the birdie anymore.

daysailer · March 2002

I once t-boned a VW whose driver was not as smart as the kids that you mentioned when a driver in the left lane invited him rush into oncomming right lane traffic.

crkeehn · March 2002

It depends on the state and circumstances. In Maryland, Left Turn on Red from a one way road to a one lane road is legal unless otherwise posted.

nyccarguy · March 2002

When I lived in Los Angeles (Where everything is a 2 way street), the only time you can make a left turn is when the light turns red. Traffic on the other side will let about 4 cars go through when their light turns green.

There's actually an intersection here in the city (In the East 50's & Sutton Place) when you get off the FDR drive, you are permitted to make a left turn on red because you are turning on to a one way street and it is the beginning of the street.

eharri3 · March 2002

I've had to drive quite a bit on I95 going between home and school lately, and the way American drivers are so casual and blase about driving driving in the rain frightens me and really ticks me off at the same time.

People are inconsiderate because they're not only endangering themselves but other drivers on the road when their antics cause them to have to make sudden steering or braking movements on wet, traction-sapping pavement. I see it all the time... people flying down the road at 85-100 mph in pouring rain, weaving in and out, tailgating, changing lanes with a few feet to spare as if the tarmac was totally dry. You'd think even the hard core aggressive drivers would have the common sense to take it easy in the rain, but people seem to think they're invincible and their right to make good time and get around slower cars outweighs everyone else's right to a nice, safe, tranquill drive.

And where are the cops in all this? IT seems like they're bundled up nice and comfy in the police stations, waiting for the weather to clear up so they can come ticket me for doing 15 over on a straight, clear road with minimal traffic. Because when these self-centered cretins are driving dangerously in poor conditions, I never see cops showing any interest in them. I guess that's what happens when you sit cops by the side of the road to point radar guns at passing traffic when they should actually be travelling with the flow in unmarked cars looking for aggressive driving. Thanks for listening to the rant everyone.

ed

davv62 · March 2002

I know what you're talking about, man. Did you see the pictures of that massive pileup down in Georgia that was "caused" by the fog?

I bet it was really caused by rows of people tailgating at high speed when they couldn't see very far in front of them. Kind of like what you're describing.

Like you, I'm a little heavy on the gas under the right circumstances, and I've had a few unwanted roadside encounters with the law as a result. But I've never understood how people could drive so dangerously as what you are describing, either the ones following so closely, or even the one being followed. I never stay in a lane when I have someone tailgating me, but I often see many cars in a row tailgating each other at high speed with no apparent worries about it.

The ironic thing about the involvement of the cops in all this is that safe speeders are the most likely to get busted. I have always gotten busted when there was hardly anybody on the road, and my speeding was reasonably safe. A person speeding in those circumstances is easy pickings for a cop waiting by the side of the road. I guess that must be why they focus so much on that type of enforcement. States also set heavy fines for that type of speeding in relation to other violations that may be more dangerous. But with heavy traffic, the ratio of cops to other drivers is lower, and it's much harder to pull people over. It also disrupts the flow of traffic, so they don't bother. But I think your suggestion of unmarked cars looking for truly aggressive drivers is a good one. And for that type of driving, the penalty should be stiff.

hammersley · March 2002

In Washington State, they're legal from a one way to a one way, or a two way to a one way... pedestrians beware!

Cheers!
Paul

ghulet · March 2002

How can it be legal to turn left on red from a two-way (across a lane of, albeit stopped, oncoming traffic)? There's no way I'd trust anyone to pull that one off safely, especially not here in Chicago.

hammersley · March 2002

One of those obscure things I learned years ago... I just searched the Dept. of Licensing's website & couldn't find the reference in either the driver's guide or the traffic laws provided on-line... the "albeit stopped" traffic is the key ingredient here.
I have lots of friends in the law enforcement business... I'll ask 'em!

Cheers!
Paul

pat84 · March 2002

Perhaps those who drive at their normal speed in the rain have excellent tires. I had a sports car once that I put Pirelli P7000 tires on. They drove and stopped in the rain as if it were dry pavement.
I -95 has more left lane campers on it per mile from VA north. Those driving in NC and SC actually have good lane discipline, even though there are only two lanes per side. It is a real pleasure driving in those states. It is amazingly less stress full
It is when 1-95 becomes 3 lanes or more in VA north that the left most lane becomes unusable for passing. That is what causes the tailgating and weaving in all weather conditions.

daysailer · March 2002

cannot be achieved once traffic density exceeds the capacity of one lane. At higher densities, traffic must occupy both lanes since there is nowhere else to go and ideally, each lane will move at a steady speed. The problems arise when drivers will not maintain the speed of other cars in their lane nor move to a slower lane. And still other drivers will attempt to sieze any small gap in a lane to the right to force their way around a car in the left that IS maintaining the speed of that lane and has a solid line of cars in front with nowhere else to go. Traffic density on I95 north of Richmond seems seldom within the capacity of one (or two) lane(s) while traffic further south often is (I85 in NC is not so pleasant).

A little common sense would aleviate a lot of problems, but that is not a prerequisite for a drivers license.

Hammertime · March 2002

One of the streets near my house has a narrow 2-lane bridge with curves on either side. Twice last weekend I was nearly hit by people edging over the center line who were travelling nowhere near the posted 20 MPH warning signs.

The lanes are 9 ft. wide at the most, which doesn't leave much room to move over without painting the guardrail to match my Jeep.

eharri3 · March 2002

A valid point, but one thing I think people always forget is they can have the best tires, sportiest suspension, and greatest skill in the world, but they can't control the movements of other drivers. When it's wet out slow down, take it easy, and don't make life hell for other drivers.

kgallant46 · March 2002

I can't stand these guys. There's no one in front of them. There's no debris on the road. They're not trying to merge or change lanes (as far as I can tell). If you're trying to slow down, take your foot off the accelerator!!!

caesarslegion · March 2002

never like to dim their high beams.you can flash these drivers 4 or 5 times before they get it.please remeber others also share the road with you,and its hard for others to see when you dont dim them.

ranald · March 2002

That gets me all the time, too. What are those people *thinking*? Even more amazing is someone who does it after moving a lane to the left, which I find totally mystifying.

pat84 · March 2002

I remember !-95 north of Richmond as being at least 3 lanes each side. As you point out, it still frequently has greater than traffic density. From VA north there is no lane discipline. It helps to have entrances and exits in / from the left lanes, too, to add to left lane congestion..
But, the left lane is the most heavily congested. The result is that many times the center and right lanes are passing the string of cars in the left lane. I frequently see totally ignorant people go straight from a right entrance, across 3 lanes of traffic, directly to the left lane. This is usually accompanied by a string of red brake lights in their wake in both the middle and left lanes as they cut in. They exit the same way, across 3 lanes of traffic.
I am convinced that those signs that say "slower traffic keep right " are only good if people can read and know their right from left. I truly believe quite a few can do neither.

pjyoung · March 2002

It's not just bothersome on the highway...how about this scenario:

The road has a speed limit 35 - approaching an intersection with a green light...driver in front applies his brakes and slows to about 20 to 25...the light turns yellow and he guns it and goes under it - had he maintained his speed, at least 4 vehicles could have made it under the green (as evidenced by the people in the other lane who were passing him). Instead, they stop for the red light.

ranald · March 2002

We get that all the time here. Lot of people
do that sort of thing on purpose. There's a
reason MA drivers are called Massh***s.

ghulet · March 2002

This is a group that will not go around an obstruction in the road, but will stop and stare for far longer than is necessary, blocking traffic behind.

Often, this is a driver who will wait for the person in their lane to complete their parallel park, for example, rather than go around in another lane, if possible. It's as if they're supervising the obstruction or parker, stopper, pedestrian, whatever.

tboner1965 · March 2002

Last night, for those familiar with the St. Louis area, I had just crossed the PSB eastbound and at the I55-70/I64 split. It's about 7:30PM so traffic is relatively light. I'm doing about 65 to make up for all the days I come through there at 25. Speed limit is 50.

So some yahoo in an Explorer decides at the last moment that he needs to be on I64 instead of I55-I70. Fine there's room, so he gets in the lane with me. But then he lays on the brakes!!!!!!!!

Good for me that there is light traffic and a lane to my right, because I take it and pass this clown.

Perhaps 3 seconds have elapsed for all of this to occur.

There had only been about a mile of signs from the PSB to the split explaining what lane to use for each road. Yes, during rush hour with 10x the traffic volume you may have to wait until the last minute to get over. But this was really light traffic.

Had this clown been paying attention and used his signals, he might not have created a hazzard for other drivers.

I'm just mad because he screwed up my attempt at a late apex 90 degree turn on what was, until he entered, my own private interstate 8^(

TB

tboner1965 · March 2002

earlier this week I stepped out for a Whopper. I really needed one! So I get to BK at about 1:30 in the afternoon and the lot is full except for the one spot partially occupied by the new car. The driver has his passenger tires on the line.

Well, I need to get in and out too, sooooo, I back in.

The cool part about this one was our mirrors now "overlap". I can pull out without drama, but the guy in the new car trying to protect his investment has to do a 37 point turn trying to get his new car out without scratching anything on it.

I can't help it that was the only spot left.

TB

eharri3 · March 2002

I'm in the right lane, doing a steady 70-75 moving past a big rig in the middle lane. Suddenly this bright red Kia merges o nand starts approaching fast from the rear. I'm in the right lane but I figure the left lane is blocked and he wants to get past the big rig and past this little knot of cars just like I do. So even though I technically don't have to do a single thing to make life easier for MR. Kia, I bump my speed up to about 80 anyway so we can both get past the big rig faster. After all, I'm the type of driver who will try to make life easier for others on the road whenever I can regardless of rather I'm required to or not.

Well Mr. Kia decides that 80 isn't fast enough and moves up so close behind me that I can only see half way down the hood of his car. Keep in mind this is the right lane. So I suddenly loose all interest in passing the truck and go back down to 65 or so. He finally gets the message that a Korean tin can will loose when rear rear ending an American pickup and backs off. Funny... right after we pass the truck he exits and the very next off ramp, not even 60 seconds after he got on.

verozahl · March 2002

... would describe all the drivers around Detroit at rush hour. They just wanna get home, forget about working at the GM or the Ford and leave their Aztek or Rendezvous in the garage.

Yes, Azteks and Rendezvous are sports cars... people drive fast in them... probably can't wait to get out of them.

Not that fast expressway is bad... I love it... and I'm passing them with my non-Detroit car as a member of the left lane club.

Either that, or all those Ford owners really think their Tauruses are Nascar material!

Expressway interchanges at rush hour are horrible, of course, with everyone wanting to jump the same ramp. But it's part of the Detroit lifestyle... and drivers here are nowhere nearas bad as Chicago or Boston.

pohsyb · April 2002

First on Round-Abouts: In Golden CO, the main town road was pretty congested for some time so the city planners gave the local collage students a project to improve the traffic flow. The students decided to use Round-Abouts and what was once a nice straight stretch of road is now exceedingly curvy. I do think the round-abouts are more effecient than stop-signs/lights, but the drivers here just have no idea how to use them (even though there are clear signs before each one). Here's a quick summation of all the stupid things I have seen drivers do (and relative frequency): Stop ON the roundabout for incoming traffic that does not have R-O-W (often), go the wrong direction despite the severe turn (rare), Take the first exit (right turn) from the inside lane (rare), Take the third or greater exit from the outside lane (often), Merge regardless of traffic in the circle (often), start on the outside lane - cut to the inside lane - then back to the outside lane to avoid having to use the sterring wheel (often), and go right over the raised center circle from the inside lane to avoid using the steering wheel (often with SUV's). I can't count the number of times I've almost gotten in accidents.

Regarding intentionally bad drivers: While I lived in CA, I was driving to visit a friend one weekend and the highway was sparsely populated. I was cruising at 75 or so in the left-lane when I came behind a LLC Mercedes going about 60. I waited behind him (not-tailgating) for a little while and realized he had no intenton of moving, so I slipped into the right lane and continued on my way. As I started to pass him, he sped up to stay along-side me. THe highway was fairly empty so I continued like this for a couple minutes until I started to approach slower moving traffic in my lane. Since the Mercedes was keeping a good speed, I slowed down and got behind him. He kept speed until we passed the traffic, then he suddenly slowed back down to 60. I moved over again and this time tried to pass him, but My humble 87 Voyager was no match for the Mercedes. After playing this little cat and mouse game for about half an hour, my blood was boiling and I finally conceded to my primal rage and executed the "swerve" manuever to get in front of him. I don't think I've ever met a ruder driver.

Note: the swerve manuever is something my CA experienced friends tought me (though I've only used it that one time). To execute, get the car you want to be in front of in your blind spot. Quickly turn the steering wheel right and left (like you were about to change lanes and suddenly caught yourself). The driver in you blind spot will usually panic and hit the brakes, giving you plenty of space to merge in ahead of them. I think this is seriously dangerous, but my jaded CA driver friends do it all the time.

One more bad traffic practice: My dad travels alot and frequently tells me about crazy driving on other countries. One interesting practice he calls the "Malaysian Maneuver." On the streets of Malaysia he was stuck in countless bumper to bumper raffic jams. He noticed the cars wanting to get on the main-way from a side road would consistently creep forward at about .5mph. eventually the next car in the main way would HAVE to stop and let the intruder in or run into them.

verozahl · April 2002

Roundabouts are jokes. We have few in Michigan. Thankfully.

The Swerve Maneuver worx in Middle America too. Ohio and Indiana and Illinois drivers are major LLCs. You won't find as many LLCs in Michigan... Michigan drivers tend to ROCK. Especially in Detroit area.

ranald · April 2002

That "Malaysian Maneuver" is commonpace in the US - happens after every toll plaza. It could just as easily be called the "Holland Tunnel Maneuver" or the "Tappan Zee Maneuver".

pohsyb · April 2002

Well, traffic isn't so bad in CO (in regards to gridlocks), so it was the first time I'd heard of it.

pjyoung · April 2002

stopping to make a right turn on a GREEN LIGHT? It seems to be growing in the heartland. People slow down...turn on their blinker...so far so good. Then they either stop completely or slow to less than 5 mph to make a right turn on a green light?

alfox · April 2002

First is the total absence of patience in most drivers today. Say, a car is driving on a local 35mph 2-lane road, and signals to turn right and begins to slow down. The driver behind certainly doesn't want to slow down at all, and waste 3-4 seconds, so he simply goes around the turning car, across the double yellow, and forces oncoming traffic to move over to make room. Going around a turning car is not a problem, unless you have to cross into oncoming traffic to do it - then it's plain stupid!

The other thing is, what's with the current rampant practice of leaving the car running and unattended in the parking lot? At every coffee shop, gas station, etc., the parking lot is full of empty cars with the motor running. It's in the mid-50's outside, and the line at Starbucks is 10 people long, but there were 4 or 5 cars running in the lot this morning. Honestly, what's it take to start a car? A twist of the wrist, and maybe 3 seconds of inconvenience.

pat84 · April 2002

They must be originally from Delaware. DE and those on the Eastern shore of MD and VA all drive like that. I think it has to do with their thinking they are still in their boats, polluting the water.

nyccarguy · April 2002

More stuff (technical term) spews out of your car at start up then if you let it idle for an hour. But I agree that most people are just being lazy. Like the guy at the bagel shop at 6:00AM on Saturday morning who has to park in the fire lane and leave his car running, when the entire parking lot is empty (including the first space closest to the bagel store which isn't 15-20 feet from the store. I love when I hear stories over the winter about people who's cars get stolen while they "just run into the store for 5 minutes."

Speaking of incinsiderate Drivers, I was at the NY Auto HSow this weekend and picked up a pamphlet on "Aggressive Driving" (Read Road Rage). I'll have to post some of my findings as I find them quite comical.

barbny · April 2002

Driving to the parents for the holidays on the NY State Thruway bewteen Rochester & Buffalo. We're in the left hand lane doing about 80, car in the right lane at about 75. Up ahead is a trooper with a 4-wheeler pulled over. Turns out however he was just finishing with the customer and as we approach, the person who had just gotten a ticket decides to "ease" into 70-75mph traffic without first getting up to speed!

So the car to our right and just behind us speeds up and cuts us off just as the ticketed car tries to occupy his lane while he's still in it. The best part is the guy who cut us off was talking on his cell phone (no illegal in NY) while he was doing this. It wouldn't have been a problem had he maintained speed while doing this but he slowed down!

We almost had a 3 (& possibly more) car pile up! And the best part was the Trooper missed the whole thing! And I don't think the woman who had just gotten the ticket realized what was happening either. Just gotta love it!

target3 · April 2002

When I am on the Interstate outside of the metro area, I will adhere to etiquette with respect to the left lane as a passing lane. However, in a metro area (Minneapolis-St. Paul) where many of the major highways are two lanes in each direction, the left lane is a traffic lane.

I drive 15mph over the speed limit, so I am not out to stop speeders. I want to drive as fast as I can, without getting a ticket. However, I will drive in the left lane and not move over to the right lane, for 3 reasons:

1. There are many on-ramps, with many slow drivers (who cannot properly merge) trying to get on the freeway. The minute I move over for someone who wants to go 5mph faster than me, I will get stuck going 55mph. Usually, this will last a while, as those currently in the left lane will speed up, to prevent people from moving over into it.

2. As I stated, I am going 15mph over the limit. If you want to go faster, fine - go around me. It seems that many people want to pass at their own pace (i.e. 5mph faster than the next car). So they get irritated when cars in the right lane prevent them from passing. Too bad! If you are already going 80mph and need to pass someone, get it up to 90mph and do it! If you are in such a hurry, maybe you should have crawled out of bed 10 minutes earlier.

3. Too many drivers think it is their "right" to get 3 feet behind a car so that it will move over. The 10 feet behind my car is my space, unless I am parallel-parked. Get within my space and you will see my brake lights. Stay within my space and I will actually hit the brakes. Just remember that I will never move over for you.

That's my venting for now.

dave330i · April 2002

Doesn't matter if the HWY is in urban or rural area. Left lane is for passing, so you'd be in the wrong as well.

I'd be surprised if you can find a page in your local driver's handbook which states left lane in urban area is a traffic lane.

target3 · April 2002

It really doesn't matter, does it. Both LLC and speeding are illegal. I do not know anyone who has ever been pulled over for driving in the left hand lane. I also do not know many people who have been ticketed for going 0-10mph over the speed limit.

I will admit, by driving in the left lane, I am in the wrong (exceptions being those cases where exits are actually on the left side - there are a few here). However, so is the guy coming up behind me at 80-85mph. All I am saying is that I am already going 15mph over the limit. I am not moving over for someone who needs to go faster (if I only drove 5-10mph over the limit, I would move over). That person can go through the hassle of passing me on the right.

dave330i · April 2002

Well, it makes you the inconsiderate driver. No matter how fast I'm driving, if I see another driver wanting to go faster, I move to the right. It's just common curtesy. Plus, I try to limit my time in the left lane as much as possible.

nyccarguy · April 2002

From the NYCDOT's AGGRESSIVE DRIVING--HOW TO STAY CALM AND PREVENT ROAD RAGE

Road Rage can involve:

"yelling and making obscene gestures at other drivers"

"crashing into vehicles or buildings on purpose"

"waving or shooting a gun at other drivers (or using other weapons)"

ghulet · April 2002

nycarguy, I like those. I guess the last two are fairly 'textbook' displays of rage, no?

As for the LLC stuff, I actually kind of agree with target3 on this one, as long as the slow traffic mentioned in part 1 of post #244 actually exists. If there's a bunch of merging and/or slow traffic in the right lane and I'm doing 75-80 in the left lane, I'm not moving over for some punk trying to run me off the road at 90 behind me. If there's no traffic in the right lane though, sitting in the left lane at any speed is pretty much a dick move.

But I digress. God forbid we get in yet another endless/pointless discussion about LLC issues.

verozahl · April 2002

Does ANYONE understand LLC mentality?!

nyccarguy · April 2002

Whenever someone cuts me off, I steer my car right into the nearest building.

ghulet · April 2002

I think for most LLCs, there IS no mentality. That is, they're so bloody clueless, you'll flash your lights, tailgate them, then finally drive by them in disgust and stare at them, and you can SEE the blank stupidity in their eyes. They really don't understand that they're doing something wrong, they don't get it. There's just nothing there.

Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

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