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Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    A diesel Jetta and a Prius side-by-side would be a nightmare.

    Saw a white 5er this morning that was apparently ordered without the turn signal option pack - turn and a lane change showed nothing.

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    I found out that even mundane cars like Sonatas have turn signals as optional equipment. Or at least some ad writer thinks they're worth mentioning. Saw an ad today for a 2014 Sonata GLS, and the highlighted equipment was:

    • 35 mpg hwy
    • Heated Seats
    • Back Up Camera
    • Blind Spot Monitor
    • Power Seat
    • Turn Signal Indicators

    (Yeah I know, they probably meant turn signal indicators in the side mirrors, but given the number of people who don't seem to know their cars have turn signals, I thought it was pretty funny.)

    I saw an Odyssey today that had operating turn signals, but the brain of the driver was out of commission. He's turning left at an uncontrolled intersection as I am coming from the opposite direction. I noticed he hadn't slowed to an appropriate speed if he had any intention of yielding to me, so I covered the brake. Sure enough, he turned directly in front of me, making me hit the brakes to avoid becoming a decoration in his passenger side sliding door. For his efforts, he got a long congratulatory blast of the horn.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Was that a print ad? Seeing as few drivers in many cars know what signals are for, maybe it is a reminder that they exist.

    Out on the road today, nothing like cruising along at 10 under for no real reason. Almost stopping before turning is fun too, the holiday must have fried some brains, and made too many want to drive. Worst was an early 90s Toyota pickup towing an 88-91 Civic, on 405 - going maybe 40-45, no hazards, no lights at all, as light was getting dim.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    On an off-ramp today, there was a prev-gen Accord (with window vent deflectors - you make the guess) a few cars ahead, going pretty slow, signaled for the curve in the ramp. Continued to go slow on the surface street , kept the right signal on to make a lane change into the left lane, then crossed a few lanes into a driveway - this was a turn-around maneuver. Driver lacked the skill to make a u-turn or turn in the driveway, so they were going to back out - onto a very busy road. Good luck to them.

    Soon after, saw a woman in a Jetta in a turn lane, red light - got green, but she kept messing around in the car, didn't notice, got honked at - made maybe 10 people miss the light. That should be a $500 ticket. No shortage of yappers out there today, too.

  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729

    had someone today make a left turn in front of me, it appeared they were going to dawdle in the middle lane for a bit to let me pass since they were going so slow, but proceeded to cut me off in my lane at the worst possible time. Luckily I saw the error of their ways way before collision was imminent and I veered to the right lane, honked, passed them, and discussed how my S4 must be a target since it was my first morning driving it after 38 days in the shop from a previous inconsiderate driver.

    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756

    Andres, after all the issues with speed traps, LE, etc., perhaps you are just forgetting to turn off your cloaking device!

    Glad to hear you have your car back; how did the work turn out? If I recall correctly, it took a pretty serious crunch.

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    @andres3 said:
    it was my first morning driving it after 38 days in the shop from a previous inconsiderate driver.

    Did you post pictures of the damage that was repaired from the first collision?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729

    @xwesx said:
    Andres, after all the issues with speed traps, LE, etc., perhaps you are just forgetting to turn off your cloaking device!

    Glad to hear you have your car back; how did the work turn out? If I recall correctly, it took a pretty serious crunch.

    I forgot to mention there was no middle turn lane when the car did that left turn on my left in front of me. Still, I figured they'd stay in the middle "area" until I passed. There was no reason for them to do what they did though; so I was onto them from the start.

    The work turned out to be rather crappy in typical American assembly and build quality fashion. I have a list of 15 to 20 items they need to rework and fix in order to make me happy and reach that impeccable build quality of the original S4 I purchased back in November. I'm not sure it'll ever get there.

    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited April 2014

    Numerous phone yappers today, including a guy in a big white van (always such good drivers) who almost pulled out in front of traffic, then abandoned at the last second - phone to ear. Saw a woman in a Neon holding a tablet on the steering wheel hub while "driving" slowly. A Scion got into a lane late, blocking the other lane, which had a free turn. Topped it off with a stereotypical Cayenne GTS driver zipping around with signals - must be another bootstrapper builder type going to an important meeting.

  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729

    @imidazol97 said:

    Not until now:

    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Ouch. I like the tire.

    Saw a woman zooming down the road in a Jag XF, I am pretty sure she was texting at the same time. Needs to be at least a 4 figure fine. In the worse than usual afternoon grind yesterday, saw a typical suburbanite-looking couple in an Explorer trying to zoom around, passing people, tailgating - only to get stuck in a long queue to an on-ramp. Dopes. And yesterday morning at 0530 (light in the sky but streetlights still on), saw a Camry with no lights.

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    Hey, but the Explorer probably got ahead by a car or two in that long queue due to all their zooming and passing and tailgating! I'm sure the extra 3 seconds they gained were worth all the trouble, wasted gas, and extra risk to themselves and other drivers etc.

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

    Corner hits are always nasty---they wipe out multiple panels and devices.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Fighting back.

    "A Florida man is facing a $48,000 fine for using a "jammer" in his SUV to keep people around him off of the phone while he was driving."

    Driver caught using cell phone jamming device (myfoxny.com)

  • jjackson12jjackson12 Member Posts: 46

    Last night on a four lane road with a 50mph SL. Two cars go FLYING by me, easily 75mph, only to be stopped a half mile ahead at a stoplight. By the time I got there they were out of their cars swinging at each other. The chaser got knocked down a couple of times and his face was bloodied.

    I dialed the local sheriff post which was less than a mile away and gave them the location, vehicle descriptions and plate numbers. They showed up as the ragers were still yelling at each other. They had 4 cars there within 5 minutes, it must have been a slow night.

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384

    Jason - glad it was the proper digit. That's hard to come by in these parts.

    My question is when did they start making turn signals an option on cars? I ask this because there can't possibly enough people so dumb as to not "get" the use of turn signals. Must be the cars.

    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652

    Not inconsiderate, except possibly to my next of kin...

    But this morning, I did something pretty dumb. Hopped in the truck, pulled out onto the road, and at the stop sign about a half mile away, suddenly the truck chimed at me. My first thought was that one of the tires was low on pressure, but nope. Forgot to put my seatbelt on! D'oh!

    Considering that seatbelts have been required by law since before I was old enough to drive, you'd think something like that would be ingrained in me by now. Guess I had a brain-lapse...

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Out on foot this morning, saw a Bellevue Wife in a new Lexus GX holding a phone and yapping, in plain sight of a cop who of course didn't look - I suppose that demographic has immunity from most traffic violations. Also saw a distinct lack of turn signal use, and saw a Range Rover breeze through a fairly stale red light - another one with probably little risk of punishment.

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    Discretionary enforcement is a privilege of LEO's around Bellevue, Issaquah, & Hunts Point. I imagine driving an old & former luxury barge up there might leave you with an inferior image of yourself.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited May 2014

    By privilege, you mean dereliction of duty protected by insanely rabid unions and the untouchable blue wall, right? I imagine being completely detached from modern reality might lend one to credential-free pseudo psychobabble.

    I drive a 1 year old car and a half century old classic - both of which also are unlikely to draw LEO attention, but I don't drive like an irresponsible twit, so I am not concerned. Although it's funny to think that if I disguised myself as one of the protected set (either the upmarket SUV demographic or the investor visa devilspawn group), I could probably get away with some stuff.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    A reporter would like to speak to someone who recently got into a car accident and was spared injury after the car's knee, hip, curtain and/or front airbags were deployed. If you believe a car's many airbags saved you from injury in a car accident, and you want to share your story, please send your daytime contact information to pr@edmunds.com no later than Friday, May 9, 2014 at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET.

    @andres3?

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    This morning saw a GTI occupied by a couple guys who were probably "smoking up" - both were smoking something, going very slow at around 0540. I don't know how the local LEO community plans to deal with that issue.

  • slorenzenslorenzen Member Posts: 694

    Wouldn't that qualify as a DUII?

  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,057

    @slorenzen said:
    Wouldn't that qualify as a DUII?

    Here in Colorado, the legislature has to deal with the same issue. What is the legal limit of THC in the system before you are considered 'driving while high'? I think they consulted with medical experts and agreed upon a number, though I don't remember what it is.

    Also need to find out if the penalties are the same or higher than those regarding alcohol.

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited May 2014

    Win friends and influence people.

    New Hampshire court allows 'COPSLIE' license plate (Yahoo)

    (If you read the story, the tagline is "Human wins".)

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited May 2014

    Yep that's the issue, no consensus on limits, and I don't think one on testing, no word on penalties, either. One would think adjustments would come around in time for legalization, but that's how the justice system works.

    Thes wheels of said system can turn slowly

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    Win friends and influence people.

    Well, as sad as it is that something like this would go all the way to a state supreme court, I am in full agreement with the verdict. If a state allows personalized plates, then it is also saying that the vector is no longer strictly for the identification of vehicles.

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited May 2014

    Lots of phone yappers today - most memorable was a ~ 20 year old woman in grandma's pearl white 90s Town Car - the grandparents would cringe about how she is treating their old baby. Also saw a yapping Range Rover driver, as is to be expected. Dumb drivers included a burgundy Prius that made an "OMG gotta turn left oh no! OMG gotta go straight" maneuver, and an older guy in an Outback wagon who made some wobbly slow unsignaled lane changes and had poor lane positioning in general. When I pulled alongside at a light, I suggested he use his signal - he didn't flinch from his two handed deathgrip on the wheel and straight ahead stare.

    For license plates, I see "PIZDETS" is available in WA, it might not offend the idiotic censors - but I might get stalked by Lada drivers.

    Going on a little road trip starting tomorrow - most of it will be off the interstate, so it should be pretty relaxing - less LLCs once you get off I5.

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384

    Off the Interstates is the way to go. Not only fewer idiots but there;s more of what used to be known as America there.

    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    No. 1 on the list of our next road trips is North to AK via BC's 37 after motoring up to Whistler first. "Go while you can".

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    edited May 2014

    @euphonium said:
    No. 1 on the list of our next road trips is North to AK via BC's 37 after motoring up to Whistler first. "Go while you can".

    The Cassiar Highway (37) is spectacular. Not quite the drive it used to be, though. Last year they were building a massive electric transmission line along the majority of its length. I'm not sure what the generation source is (or will be), but I'm sure it is monumental as well. Unfortunately, the line follows the highway, which means much of the immediate surrounding beauty and feeling of isolation is now gone.

    I'm not sure when you plan to take this trip, but I suspect this and next summer will still be a busy time along that road because of this construction.

    The good news is that there is no bad "car route" to Alaska. The Alaska, Cassiar, and Marine highways are all fantastic in their own rights.

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    Agree. We boarded the Malispina, AK Marine Hiway ship, @ Port Rupert and sailed into Skagway. From there to Dawson City, Top of World, Chicken, & Tok. Anchorage, Denali, & Ester were included after Fairbanks. 1996 was the year.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    edited May 2014

    Well, shoot! You have viewed at least as much of Alaska as I have! ;)

    My first road trip to Alaska, as an adult, was August 1995. The highway was super quiet that time, and the only thing inconsiderate at all on the whole trip was a cow moose that nearly decided to become our hood ornament (and I DO mean nearly)! I drove the 1969 Econoline that trip (and the two that followed it).

    If you go on this trip sometime soon, you will be absolutely amazed at how the "new" highway they were building between Kluane Lake and the Alaska Border has fallen apart since then... assuming you drove that part of the highway and did not take the ToW highway both directions.

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    A reporter would like to speak to someone who recently got into a car accident and was spared injury after the car's knee, hip, curtain and/or front airbags were deployed.

    andres3?

    Nope, no airbags, but apparently the seat belts one time use safety tensioner was used up. I suppose it was too offset for airbags.

    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • ClairesClaires Member Posts: 1,222

    Here in Chicago, our mayor's setting the tone for considerate driving: running red lights, speeding in school zones, and getting all tickets dismissed. When asked about it, he said, "“As soon as I saw that or heard about the story, I said, ‘Look. Follow the law. Nobody’s above the law. Slow down. Period. Non-stop."... whatever that means.
    http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=9528356

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    One way road trip - as expected, a few LLCs on I5, a dopey rental RAV4 LLC on 405, and maybe most annoying was an E39 that was speeding excessively and weaving around without signals of course. Got off the interstate and things calmed down, but the local truckers were probably overdoing it relative to the volume of rain.

  • jjackson12jjackson12 Member Posts: 46

    @fintail said:
    One way road trip - as expected, a few LLCs on I5, a dopey rental RAV4 LLC on 405, and maybe most annoying was an E39 that was speeding excessively and weaving around without signals of course.

    Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? -- George Carlin

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Yep, but in my case, I am always right :)

    The BMW going ~85 in a 65 traffic flow was probably a little maniacal, and the Toyota in the left lane pacing the truck in the right lane was probably being a little idiotic.

    @jjackson12 said:

  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707

    @jjackson12 said:

    Actually, no.

    Anyone driving slower than me better be in a lane to the right of me.

    Anyone driving faster than me better be in a lane to the left of me.

    And for myself, I'll be in whatever lane is going close to the speed I want to drive.

  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209

    go-go-godzilla-san,
    when i pass you legally on the right will you speed up to try to make it less safe for me to move left again? in many states one is required to drive in rightmost available lane, while also avoiding the left lane except when passing. (cops can take negative note of those who actually follow stay-right-whenever-safe-to-do-so law, however. so be prepared for a brief detention and roadside conversation if you decide to rigorously comply with the drive-in-rightmost-available-lane law in your state!)
    sincerely,
    ra-ra-rodan

  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707

    @elias said:
    go-go-godzilla-san,
    when i pass you legally on the right will you speed up to try to make it less safe for me to move left again? in many states one is required to drive in rightmost available lane, while also avoiding the left lane except when passing. (cops can take negative note of those who actually follow stay-right-whenever-safe-to-do-so law, however. so be prepared for a brief detention and roadside conversation if you decide to rigorously comply with the drive-in-rightmost-available-lane law in your state!)
    sincerely,
    ra-ra-rodan

    ???

    You would not need to pass me on the right, as I'd be on the right, if the road was empty. If the lane to the right had someone in it going slower than me, then I'd be on the left, passing. And I'd move over afterwards.

    Either way, you wouldn't be able to pass on the right. (either I'd be there... or a slower car than I would be)

  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    edited May 2014

    hi, go-go. seems i misintrepreted... in most areas I drive there are 3 lane highways - where most people ignore the stay-right law and drive in the middle, and only use the right lane just after they enter and just before they exit. i had wrongly interpreted that you too were a MLC (middle-lane-controller) and own the middle lane of any 3 lane highway! (by "controlling" a lane, I mean refusing to increase speed.)
    sorry about casting MLC aspersions at you.
    MLCs seem merely clueless compared to the actively obstinate LLCs.
    Can we agree that the moral/legal authority goes to the rare honorable RLCs - the right-lane-controllers who go whatever-speed in the right lane? I aspire to be among the RLCs and do my best to stay in the right lane whenever required and pavement allows. some of us right-lane people prefer tooling at 45 in right lane, which is often the minimum legal speed. me, 74.999 or 79.999 .
    best regards...

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited May 2014

    I'll camp in the middle lane a lot, especially if I'm in an unfamiliar urban area with traffic. Too often lanes will shift and you'll wind up in an exit lane and have to jockey to merge left. Or you'll wind up running up someone's tailpipe as they cut you off trying to merge themselves (on ramp campers?).

    I'll stay in the right lane when the three lanes aren't busy, but there's really not too many stretches of freeway that I drive like that. It's good always having a shoulder escape route though.

    Plenty of differing viewpoints about MLCs, even from driving schools and state officials:

    driversed.com

    jmpdrivingschool.com

    oregonlive.com (“The left lane is for passing,” said Andrew Crites, program coordinator at Salem’s Oregon Driver Education Center. “The right lane is for exiting and slower traffic. And the middle lane is for traveling the speed limit. “There’s an unwritten agreement that we work together on the highway,” said Troy Costales, ODOT’s safety division administrator. “Yes, there’s a speed limit. But if you’re all of suddenly causing turbulence in the traffic flow or other people at risk, moving over to the right is a courtesy maneuver.”)

    Looks like the level of indignation about MLCs is higher in England than here. So far.

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    I prefer to stay in the middle lane too, in urban areas with many entrance/exit ramps. Then I don't have to constantly change lanes to avoid merging traffic. When in the middle lane I go at least the speed limit if traffic/weather permit it.

    On interstates or other main highways with only 2 lanes each direction, I like to stay in the right lane and when traffic/weather allow set the cruise (when I have it, one of my cars doesn't have it!) to the speed limit or just over, depending on how traffic is flowing in the right lane.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    In another 20 years, our autonomous cars will solve these problems and we'll just get into "trains" to get across town or across the state.

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

    Maybe they'll make defective autonomous cars for bad drivers, so that they feel at home? :)

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited May 2014

    If there are 3 or more lanes, I drive in whichever lane suits me best. I read both links in Steve's post as to opinions from people in driving training companies, but I'm not impressed.

    What I see if the same as the group that thinks everyone should be out of their way so they can travel in whichever lane however fast they choose to travel, usually over the speed limit. The group is wanting to tell everyone else how to drive and where to drive without taking on responsibility and accountability for their own actions.

    I drove to Columbus and back for lunch with our son. 3 lanes. I was in the middle or right lane and below the speed limit of 70/70 which is too fast. Heavy rain showers in places and some people wouldn't slow down especially in the left of 3 lanes. It could have been a glacier oozing over the interstate due to global cooling and they wouldn't have slowed down. Others did.

    Where did I nearly get wiped out by an inconsiderate driver? A strip of urban freeway next to The OSU campus when a lady in a black sentra decided to change into my middle lane from the right lane. Luckily I have a sharp, loud horn.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Drove home today - as expected, state highways were a breeze, no annoyances other than the lack of signal use which is becoming somewhat of an Americanism. But when I got to 405 - LLC haven. Went around 3 of them in 10 miles, worst being a woman in a white Prius with California plates who would sometimes crawl along in the left lane - then sometimes hit the limit (but still obstruct flow, with nobody beside her). Other LLCs were an old couple in a Windstall and a yuppiecouple in a LR4 who were busily conversing and not paying attention to the world around them. Also saw a C-class make an abrupt multi lane cut across to get to an exit.

  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    edited May 2014

    Today was a bright, sunny, pleasant day. Perfect road conditions, even.

    And yet, today... probably 1 in 5 drivers were driving FAR below the speed limit.

    Posted 50mph speed limit? Best speed... 35mph.
    Posted 65mph speed limit? Best speed... 45mph, in the passing lane.

    And I saw the effects this had on those with short tempers. A Camaro and a Mercedes, both, darting in an out of lanes, desperately trying to get around them. Darting forward, braking, rapid lane shifts...

    All to pass the morass generated by ONE driver.

    Should they have calmed down? YES!!!

    Should the slowpoke going 45mph in the passing lane of I-95 moved right? YES!!!


    (I'd hazard that, from my experience in life, one 'bad turn' generated by someone tends to be returned by others affected by it.)

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    On a 3 lane freeway: Outside lane for trucks & semis. Middle lane for mature, relaxed upscale vehicles. Left, inside lane is for blocking maniacs in a hurry. This is what I conclude after driving I-5 in WA & 680 in CA.

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