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Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

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Comments

  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    They aren't speeding, so it's okay...

    Didn't you hear? Just staying below the maximum speed limit is all that one needs, regardless of lane.

    :P
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That's not what I said or even implied. :P yourself.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    I think my efforts to "teach people a lesson on the road" while risky, has paid off dividends over my having lived in San Diego the last 11 years. Based on Fintails posts, I'd go ballistic driving up there, but down here it's much better.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    if you have a radar/laser detector, you can time your acceleration (PUNCH IT!) to always be inbetween the "pings" from the rangefinding-laser or radar-based "cruise-control", causing the following luxo-vehicle's to constantly adjust between accelerating or decelerating, possibly resulting in the luxo-passengers spilling grey poupon.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Driving home tonight, insane traffic, which happens more often on Thursdays of late. Saw two big annoyances - pacers. Not the cars, but the idiots. First one - middle aged woman in a big burgundy F150 4x4 that she probably can't drive very well. She was going a little slower than me as I approached on the left (4 lane arterial, moderate traffic), then matched my speed for about a mile. What? Not long after, got behind a group of oldsters in a gold ES with gold emblems varying speed by ~10mph for no reason, and braking too much. I mercifully get around it, and a couple blocks later it matches my speed and even tries to pass, for reasons unknown. I live in zombieland.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    edited July 2013
    When you are in the far right (slow lane) on a 4-6 lane highway, and a car from an entrance or merging lane is accelerating towards the point at which you will be in roughly 1-3-4 seconds, what do you do? Slow down to let him merge? Speed up so he can merge? Or, maintain your speed so that the merging car can either slow down or speed up to merge? My problem is with drivers who expect you to make the adjustment, and just keep sliding over until you almost collide. I'll slow down and let you merge in if I can, I won't slam on my brakes or stomp on the gas. You make the adjustment!
    Can I get an Amen on that people?
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yield means yield, which is what I always do.

    I do NOT appreciate, however, the person in the right lane accelerating to make sure I cannot enter the highway.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Change lanes for a brief period?

    In WA anyway, the merger must yield.
  • slorenzenslorenzen Member Posts: 694
    In Oregon, the law states that the merger must yield to the car already in the right lane(not that it matters). I rarely see it happen correctly.
  • slorenzenslorenzen Member Posts: 694
    edited July 2013
    Coming back to Oregon from California on Thursday, saw a RAV4 in the left lane, blocking all comers.

    LOTSA pissed off drivers trying to get around, but this person was very adept at blocking all but the most powerful cars, for about 100 miles before I got to my exit.

    Fortunately for me, I was not interested in dueling with this person.

    Oh, to make it even better, the RAV4 had a "CO-EXIST" bumper sticker...

    :shades: :lemon:
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,852
    I always try to move left a lane so I don't have to slow down and the driver entering the highway can merge right in.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    To an overloaded logging truck merging I will grant him the right of way.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Depends. If I can move over safely, I do as I think that's the safest approach. If not, I'll usually ease up on the gas if I can do that safely, as I'd rather keep the other car in my sights in case he does something unexpected. Sometimes I'll accelerate to get clear if I surmise that to be safer than slowing, and changing lanes isn't an option.

    I don't think staying on the collision course is a good idea. Having the right of way only helps in terms of assessing blame AFTER an accident. I'd rather avoid an accident in the first place than get to use the "I had the right of way!" argument.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Good point. Not only polite to someone driving a difficult vehicle, but sometimes you have to pick your battles :shades:
  • ronsteveronsteve Member Posts: 1,190
    When you are in the far right (slow lane) on a 4-6 lane highway, and a car from an entrance or merging lane is accelerating towards the point at which you will be in roughly 1-3-4 seconds, what do you do? Slow down to let him merge? Speed up so he can merge? Or, maintain your speed so that the merging car can either slow down or speed up to merge?

    If I can do so safely, I will move left to give the merger some room.
    2015 Acura RDX AWD / 2013 VW Jetta 2.5SE
  • ronsteveronsteve Member Posts: 1,190
    Coming back to Oregon from California on Thursday, saw a RAV4 in the left lane, blocking all comers.

    LOTSA pissed off drivers trying to get around, but this person was very adept at blocking all but the most powerful cars, for about 100 miles before I got to my exit.


    Was this person in that Oregon/Wisconsin "queueing" mentality, trying to protect "his spot" in a sequence to pass a slower vehicle that may be half a mile up the road? Stupid, I tell you!

    Lots of LLCing and queueing on I-65 in Indiana on Friday, actually a lot more than I remember from ~15 years ago when I last lived and regularly traveled that far north.
    2015 Acura RDX AWD / 2013 VW Jetta 2.5SE
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    I drove ~250 miles in the past day. Nothing too bad out there - only one LLC comes to mind, a Sportage going slow up a hill as everyone else passed on the right. A few middle lane campers. Lots of speedtraps on I5 last night, but I think they were just going for those 10+ over. Saw a couple of speed demons cruising along at maybe 90 - no LEOs around for that, of course. Also a couple of lane splitting motorcycles, which are almost never seen here.

    Worst offender was a "Patriot" brand motorhome towing a car, at the 167/405 interchange. He got down to about 20mph, by then at least 20-30 cars were stacked up. When I passed him, I saw why - phone to his ear. Should be a reckless driving charge in something like that. If the driver was a real "patriot", he'd have the responsibility enough not to engage in such behavior.
  • slorenzenslorenzen Member Posts: 694
    "Was this person in that Oregon/Wisconsin "queueing" mentality, trying to protect "his spot" in a sequence to pass a slower vehicle that may be half a mile up the road? Stupid, I tell you!"

    Other than creating some seriously dangerous moves by others trying to pass, I saw no reason for his "co-existing" behavior. Not defending other's dangerous moves, but this guy was risking being shot, in my opinion.

    He was one of those people that would gun it to stop a right-lane pass, and with the number of large trucks on the road, he was able to successfully block people for a long time. At times there was over a mile in front of him.

    Insane.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    There's a theory among speeders that if you speed in the 15-20 MPH over the speed limit range, your gonna get nabbed and pulled over and cited. However, if you go 25-35 MPH over, then you'll be fine cause everyone is too lazy to go after you or catch you, or chase you (which in and of itself is 100X more dangerous than the original speeder itself).
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    An All-Wheel drive 5 Series BMW ruined my test drive yesterday of a TL-SH-AWD. I was just about to do the best freeway interchange on the test drive when the BMW slows down so much so that I don't think they hit the yellow sign's 30 recommendation during the turn.

    I was way behind them before the ramp started, but I could not take the ramp at a reasonable speed due to their ineptitude and sleepiness at the wheel. I'm sure the TL could have navigated that turn at 60 with no squealing rubber.

    No excuse for the BMW driver, even the car salesman said something must be wrong with their car, but we both knew it was the driver.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    I think around here, some of the LEOs might welcome the chase - gets the adrenaline going, and they probably get a bonus for a huge ticket.

    I was out earlier today - saw a speed trap in kind of a small valley, the low point at the bottom of two steep hills. Motorcycle cop was somewhat hidden, but I saw him before it was too late. End of the month, nope, no such thing as quotas.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    I think around here, some of the LEOs might welcome the chase - gets the adrenaline going, and they probably get a bonus for a huge ticket.

    Not really a special ticket unless your going 100 MPH, which they can deem reckless. So stay in the 90 to 99 MPH range and the ticket will be rather ordinary.

    Of course, if you go 95 MPH when it's raining, at night, then perhaps the ticket could be more severe, although both the perpetrator and the chaser better have good new tires.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • ronsteveronsteve Member Posts: 1,190
    He was one of those people that would gun it to stop a right-lane pass, and with the number of large trucks on the road, he was able to successfully block people for a long time. At times there was over a mile in front of him.

    Years ago I encountered one A-hole just like that. Wouldn't move over, wouldn't allow himself to be passed on the right. First encountered him just north of Carmel, IN on US 31, and he proceeded to block me all the way to Kokomo, which is a good 30-35 miles.
    2015 Acura RDX AWD / 2013 VW Jetta 2.5SE
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    if safe and timing-works, i accelerate definitively or brake definitely so i'm obviously ahead or behind the person entering. then the person merges either ahead or behind me, whichever i decided was better.

    when i'm exiting the highway and people are entering, i will merge into the entrance/exit lane asap, always *behind* whoever is entering, generally ignoring any white lines, and sometimes surprising other drivers by getting into the exit-lane way early while it's still mostly an entrance-lane. (i won't cross yellow but i will often ignore the white lines since they are merely advisory in my state.)
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    Sometimes on a highway there are merge points a mile ahead. The smart thing would be if everyone just stayed in their lane and then merged at the merge point instead of switching lanes a mile back. All this does is make the stretch of stopped/slowed cars even longer. Then you end up with an empty lane with the occasional guy flying down it to the merge point.

    The same with two left turn lanes. Plenty of times there will be two left turn lanes at a traffic light to merge onto a highway, with the far left lane full of cars but the left turn lane on the right empty, such that some of those in the far back of the left, left turn lane won't even make the light.

    It's like people would rather wait in a huge line of traffic or miss a traffic light rather then have to merge like they're supposed to.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,761
    So very, very true. I am typically one of those people that will use the under-used lane, but I always do so in a way that keeps my speed similar to those in the lanes around me so that speed differentials aren't an issue when drivers need (or otherwise decide) to change lanes.

    There's nothing more dangerous than a driver passing a stopped (or nearly stopped) line of cars at a 20+ mph speed difference. It only takes one car changing lanes for all hell to break loose. :sick:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited August 2013
    Saw a Corolla make a right turn from a left turn lane, I kid you not - had to cut across 3 lanes to do it. But at least he signaled!
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Just sometimes, the geniuses get what's coming to them.

    I was sitting at a traffic light, second in line (I'm in the red circle) in the leftmost lane at the intersection pictured below, waiting to make the left. Cars in all three lanes. The light goes green, and the traffic starts to move. The driver in front of me, driver's window open, has a cell phone propped against his left ear with his shoulder, steering with his left hand, trying to light a cigarette with his right. Naturally, the air movement from the open window makes lighting up difficult, so he lets go of the steering wheel to shield the lighter flame,and the car stops turning and bangs off the car next to him in the other turning lane. As Bugs would say, "What a maroon!"
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    I hope you stopped and at least told the guy who got hit what you saw, or-better yet-waited until the police arrived.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,761
    Wow! So, what was it, again, that the other driver did to deserve that? Hahahahaha.

    At least it turned out to be minor. Hopefully the dufus that caused it learned a solid lesson.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    hmm reply isn't working. Anyway, for the phone holding smoking lane changer, I'd have no problem sticking around and reporting what I saw, either. Dash cams are made to catch stuff like that.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    edited August 2013
    It's an area I've given eyewitness testimony about accidents before, and it never takes too long for the police to arrive!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    I wonder what they do with such testimony.

    I saw the result of a fender bender this afternoon, a Cruze and Corolla got tangled. Couldn't tell who was at fault - Corolla took the brunt of the crash.

    And lots of phone yappers/holders as usual - that combined with famously negligent traffic controls always makes for a fun drive.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited August 2013
    This morning an F250 4x4 was parked in the driveway of my building, helping someone move in or out. For some reason, when leaving, the "driver" decided to back out to get back onto the street. Upon backing out, the "driver" bumped into a sign in the median, knocked it crooked, and quickly took off.

    I love the dopey suburbanite truck drivers here, so skilled. This place has to be second only to Texas in the amount of truck commuters.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    I wound up as a witness in court one time when someone decided to fight a ticket they got after they ran through a red light and hit a car trying to make a left coming the other way. I was the only witness who could even describe the intersection and where the cars were accurately. But the moment of the trial came when the defense atty thought he had me. I had described how the light changed to yellow, the car in front of me stopped, I stopped behind them, and the defendant (in a Pinto) came from behind me, moved out into the left lane accelerating at about 40 MPH and hit the car that was out in the intersection when the light changed trying to make a left. The atty puffed up and asked me, "You say the Pinto was going at least 40 MPH. What makes you n expert on vehicle speeds?" To which I replied, "I've been over 40 MPH several thousand times in my life, I know what ot looks like." The atty dropped his chin to his chest and the judge had to stiffle a laugh.

    Never ask a question you don't know the answer to
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,761
    edited August 2013
    I witnessed a collision back in March of 2007 (recounted here). One driver was clearly at fault, and I provided a report to the police as to the events that transpired. About three months later, I received a call from an insurance claims adjuster for the company insuring the at-fault vehicle. Apparently, that person had challenged the citation.

    The person asked me what happened, and (pointedly) asked how I knew that the other driver had run a red light if I was driving in the opposite direction. Similar to PF's story, I told him that I had driven through that intersection countless times in both directions, and I knew definitively that the opposing direction does not have a green light unless the direction in which I was going that morning also has a green light. My light was red; ergo, the at-fault driver's light was also red. Not only was it red, but it had been red for several seconds before that driver ever arrived at the intersection.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I was driving to the airport early today and on a long entrance road between two freeways. At one point, an entrance road from another freeway merges with the road I was on. I was in the rightmost of these access roads. A 300 comes up on my left, on the other access road. As the two roads merge into one entrance road, still two lanes, his nose is about at my B pillar. Then the "Merge Right" sign comes. Since there was no one behind either of us, I expected (OK, I hoped) he'd either let up a bit on the gas and slip in behind me, or gun it (these 300s have big engines, right?) and cut in ahead of me. He did neither. He sped up just enough to draw even with my car, stayed there, then started moving right as his lane evaporated. I moved a little to the right to avoid being sideswiped. He kept sliding right. In order to avoid hitting the curb, I braked hard (still no one behind us) so he would pass me. As he did so, he got a long salute from my horn.

    My thought then was, lucky for this guy I wasn't packing and of a mind to use it... in self defense, of course.
  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    Why didn't you just goose the gas pedal? He'd have slotted in right behind you.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You are assuming he would act rationally, when it's clear he was in no mood to act rationally. I was already going above the limit. I had the right of way... i.e. "Merge Right" and I am in the right lane, he's in the left. For all I know, if I had punched it with my car's tiny engine, relative to the 300, he'd have kept up with me vs. leaving me alone.

    With irrational people like that, I prefer to keep them in front of me vs. behind me.
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    Drivers of BMWs frequently come in for anecdotal criticism for habits on the road that are perceived as aggressive.

    Now, a couple of studies, one in the U.S. and another from the U.K., appear to provide statistical evidence that BMW drivers are, to be polite about it, complete jerks.

    In the older study, by researchers at the University of California, BMW drivers were far less likely to stop for a pedestrian who had just entered a crosswalk, the New York Times notes.

    “In our crosswalk study, none of the cars in the beater-car category drove through the crosswalk. They always stopped for pedestrians," researcher Paul K. Piff told the paper. He added that not only were "fancy cars were less likely to stop," but also that "BMW drivers were the worst."

    Drivers of BMWs and other high-status cars (including Prius hybrids) were also more likely to cheat at four-way-stop intersections, according to the research.

    In the second study, in the U.K., motorists were asked to identify the make and color of the car from which they have most frequently suffered road-rage incidents, the Daily Mail reports.

    The study of 2,837 motorists found men between the ages of 35 and 50 driving blue BMWs were most likely to be reported as having engaged in road-rage behaviors such as aggressive driving and swearing. ...
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    You should be thankful he didn't then just stand on his brakes - jerks do things like that. You'd be so frazzled, your aim would be off anyway :)

    Some 300s could be equipped with the paltry 2.7 possibly, not a great engine.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Living in an area known to have a high BMW population, I can say their drivers don't like to use turn signals. And someone in a late model M car is almost guaranteed to be an insufferable [non-permissible content removed].
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited August 2013
    I've driven maybe 600 miles since yesterday morning. Some LLCs, some going insanely slow on 60-70mph roads, no real speed demons, nothing exciting. I did almost get rear ended by an old man in an Impala on Snoqualmie Pass, when traffic ground to a halt for no reason at all. I could see his wife cover her face with her hands as he just missed me.

    And I got a rock chip on my bumper thanks to the supposed engineers at WSDOT who decided to make a ~5 mile stretch of a state highway loose gravel - no warning signs or online posts, I would have taken another route if I would have known. Absolutely ridiculous. Oncoming traffic in trucks, typical inbreds, was going ~40 and sending rocks flying across, I was driving on the shoulder to avoid it, no LEOs patrolling any of it. I am seriously thinking of sending the repair bill to the bastards. Disgusting negligence.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    With irrational people like that, I prefer to keep them in front of me vs. behind me.

    That's where you and I differ for sure buddy! I prefer to keep them idiots behind me. That's why I prefer cars with over 200 HP.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yeah, if I had my car with warp drive that morning, I would have punched it.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,761
    Yeah, I agree. With you being in the continuing lane, it was best that you held constant and let the other driver adjust. The fact that the other vehicle was not ahead of you at the merge point means ROW remains in your court, so odd action by the other driver to not either pull ahead or fall behind.

    That happened a long time ago to my wife when we were headed toward the Kenai Peninsula. We were in the left lane, the right lane ends, and she was driving a little faster than a car on the right. She had passed it by about a half car by the time the merge started. At that point, this other car speeds up even with us, then starts honking and swerving. I told her to ignore him and let him deal, but she freaked out, pulled to the far left shoulder and slowed down.

    "Happy" for us, he then settles in to exactly 55 on the windy, 2-lane road ahead. Since she's not much of a passer, we were stuck behind that yahoo for about 30 miles. I'm not sure if I was more annoyed with that driver or my wife....
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,761
    Bwaahahahahahaha!
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited August 2013
    ~120 miles on state and interstate highways earlier today - only one real LLC, a big Ford pickup that eventually moved over. Also saw a MLC Prius happily doping along as cars whizzed by on both sides.

    Also saw a minivan weaving through traffic, passenger (female, of course) reclined with foot hanging out the window - wouldn't be pretty in an accident.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Heh, that could be me, but we had the AC on most of the day in the van so the windows were up.

    The odd thing out in the southwest are some of the speed limits. We camped ~10 miles from Canyon TX at Palo Duro Canyon last night. The access road was a typical two lane with one or two stop signs and lots of driveway entrances. The speed limit was 70 for part of the road and 75 the rest of the way. 60 seemed plenty adequate.
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