Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

1446447449451452478

Comments

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342

    @fintail said:
    They aren't perfect for sure, but they offer many advantages, and in the long run, are probably even cheaper than maintaining signals (for those who actually do). Maybe the biggest issue is that they consume space, so in areas with growing density (as where I live), there might not be too many of them.

    I think some people are just afraid of situations like this

    That European Vacation clip reminded me of the time I did the same thing as a brand new driver on that one in Long Beach CA that I mentioned earlier. I wasn't THAT bad but I'll bet I went around six times before I finally was able to take my exit.

    That could explain my disdain for them now!

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited June 2014

    It's Armageddon on every road here when there's a decent snow - best option is to stay in. Luckily, in snow, there should be little traffic, so roundabout lane markings can be ignored.

    The new driver thing is a fun tangent. I still don't grasp how people who come from places where driving is virtually a lawless free-for-all can freeze up and lose all logic when driving here - where driving is a plodding slow regimented dawdle. I don't know how they'd react to driving in say, Germany, where expectations are high - not to mention the survival of the typical vacuous local.

    Either way, where space permits, I think there should be more roundabouts. Population here continues to grow, while road surfaces do not, and transit barely keeps up. Something needs to be done to keep traffic moving.

    @isellhondas said:
    I worry about when we get a heavy snow. It'll be impossible to see where it starts and ends.

    Also, fintail, the "new drivers" that you sometimes mention can really struggle with roundabouts.

    I still don't like them and have to wonder how we ever lived without them.

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    Pedestrians Traveling through Roundabouts
    Since traffic is continually flowing in and out of the roundabout and is not controlled by a signal, there is no time when a pedestrian can be reasonably certain that a vehicle will not pass over the crosswalk. Roundabouts can also be difficult for visually impaired pedestrians to determine the moment when it is safe to cross as many utilize traffic sounds to determine when a roadway is clear. Additionally, the route pedestrians must take around a roundabout is longer than the route they would take to walk through many signalized intersections.
    Bicyclists Traveling through Roundabouts
    Bicyclists can travel through a roundabout either as a vehicle (within the roundabout) or as a pedestrian (walking their bicycle). Some multi-lane roundabouts utilize an adjacent one-way trail where bicyclists approach the roundabout on-street, merge with the side trail via a ramp, travel around the roundabout on the trail, and then re-merge with the street via another ramp. This option presents some challenges with motor vehicles yielding at crossing points (similar to pedestrian issues described above). Notably, the reduced speeds of motor vehicles within the roundabout more closely match a bicyclist’s typical speed range (approximately 10 - 20 mph).
    Emergency Vehicles
    Emergency vehicles cannot speed through a roundabout like they can a signal light; they need to slow down and pass through the circle like regular traffic. Additionally, traffic signals offer the option for signal preemption to provide the green light to emergency vehicles; roundabouts require travelers to yield to emergency vehicles. The proposed locations on SR 4 would not be appreciated by the drivers of E.V. Check with the State Patrol before planting any roundabouts on SR 4. Neither would the city fire vehicles negotiate the obstacles without considerable waste of time answering a fire or any emergency.

    Lighting
    Illumination costs may be greater for a roundabout than a standard intersection as more lighting is typically required. More lighting may also be a concern of adjacent property owners, especially near residential areas
    Snow Removal
    As with any new roadway configuration, highway maintenance staff will need to learn new snowplowing techniques
    Parking
    The construction of a roundabout to replace an existing traditional signalized intersection may result in the loss of some on-street parking if allowed near the former intersection.
    Right-of-Way Requirements
    The construction of a roundabout typically requires more right-of-way than a traditional intersection controlled by traffic signals or stops signs, which may increase the cost of a roundabout installation if right-of-way must be purchased.
    Roundabouts may work in Europe where the cars and streets are much smaller, but over here it is not uncommon to see a 45’ motor coach pulling a toad, or a ¾ Ton pickup hauling a 5th wheel, or a tandem axle trailer with boat.
    Roundabouts are not recommended, but wider intersections are because they are safer and handle the traffic with more efficiency.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited June 2014

    Copied and pasted from where? Regarding the pedestrian claim, bunk - all of them I have experienced have crosswalks. I'd like some verifiable data about the emergency vehicle claims, if they are to be presented as fact, too. That copied source doesn't even offer anecdotes, just theory.

    Highway 539 (Guide Meridian), a main link between inland lower mainland of BC, and Whatcom County, has an immense amount of semi truck traffic, along with new roundabouts - and it works fine.

  • slorenzenslorenzen Member Posts: 694

    @fintail said:
    Copied and pasted from where? Regarding the pedestrian claim, bunk - all of them I have experienced have crosswalks. I'd like some verifiable data about the emergency vehicle claims, if they are to be presented as fact, too. That copied source doesn't even offer anecdotes, just theory.

    Highway 539 (Guide Meridian), a main link between inland lower mainland of BC, and Whatcom County, has an immense amount of semi truck traffic, along with new roundabouts - and it works fine.

    My first experience with roundabouts was in UK. I had just left Heathrow airport, headed NE to Maidenhead, and had to pass through several roundabouts, some on the main highway. They do take some space, but are incredibly efficient. Granted, if the driver is fearful, they're screwed. I learned to really like them, although dealing with a manual transmission, driving on the WRONG side of the road, and serious jet lag, it was a bit intimidating at first...

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited June 2014

    I thought sure someone was going to link to the magic roundabout.

  • slorenzenslorenzen Member Posts: 694

    If any of you are ever in Paris(France), go to the Arc de Triumphe(sp?) and go to the top to watch the traffic.

    The Arc is in the middle of a roundabout with 12 busy 4-lane streets intersecting into it. During commute time, it's really HILARIOUS, as they have to have the local gendarme run around and stop traffic on various streets to allow the confusion to un-tie itself. My wife and I laughed til our sides hurt!
    :D

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited June 2014

    Today I saw a young woman in a Verano, baby in the back, speeding down a turn only lane towards a red light. She was going to California stop her way into a free right turn, but was on red - there was oncoming traffic who had green, so she jammed on the brakes. Then she darted into traffic and cut across a lane with no signal. Skills.

    Then I saw a Ford 500 in the left lane of a 4 lane road with low concrete dividers. It randomly wandered left and scraped the divider - I don't think there was any body damage, but it scraped the tire and maybe curbed a wheel. No other cars in front of it, beside it, or behind it. Barely slowed, kept on going. Phone at work?

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826

    @stever said:
    I thought sure someone was going to link to the magic roundabout.

    I know of one in a NorCA suburban city and another leading to several freeways. (including an Interstate)

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097

    I'm pretty sure I saw a motorcycle go around a traffic back up by using a bike lane today. Love it. Also lots of phone use and the typical lack of turn signals.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097

    Drove down to Portland earlier today - traffic is insane here, worse than Seattle. What I notice is areas around merges are the worst, people here are just as timid as to the north. 1970s vintage speed limits are cool too. Tons of LLCs from Olympia south, and everyone just poking along. Fun times.

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342

    And, in Portland, if you accidently take the wrong exit, it'll take you an hour or more to get back to where you were. Horrible!

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    I also drove to Portland this morning & was pleased to see most of the vehicles had their lights on. The 18 wheelers were moving about 70 & only a few nuts were going much faster while changing lanes and cutting others off. Normal.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited June 2014

    Don't miss an exit where I was this afternoon (don't recall the name of the highway, but west of downtown) - virtual gridlock at 2pm. At least Seattle/Bellevue doesn't grind to a halt until around 330. I think this area is suffering some growing pains. Housing is still more affordable than at home though.

    I remember a Canadian plated Cruze driving pretty wildly this morning, and an older X5 that might have been hitting 90 in a 70. I only got up into the mid 80s, which was the traffic flow at that specific point and lane.

    Speaking of lights, I remember early this morning around 0530, I saw a pickup with only parking lights and fog lights. It's actually a considerate thing - the truck is fully visible, but the headlights that would be aimed right at the windshield of normal cars aren't creating glare. Nice.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    Girl in putty color Corolla pulled from stationary thru lane into the right turn only lane in front of me. I was going about 25. No signal. Just zip. I laid on the horn until we were both around the turn onto Highway to get to interstate.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097

    Drove back to the rat race this morning - I5 was full of idiots. Not a shocking amount of LLCs, but many speed racers. Stand-outs were a BC plated first gen Pilot weaving in and out of traffic and not getting anywhere, a Colorado plated Dodge 4x4 tailgating and weaving at maybe 75 in a 60, and a recently plated Impala that floored it into the left lane from an on-ramp then a couple miles later randomly veered over randomly and exited. Lots of no signalers, and brake-tappers - can't decide which I loathe more.

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    Cars with "Adaptive Cruise Control" that automatically maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front may automatically brake your car to maintain that preset safe distance. That's when the brake lights work, but many uninformed think it is just "brake-tappers" .

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097

    I don't think 10 year old Camrys and rental Altimas have adaptive cruise, nor does 99%+ of the vehicle fleet :)

    These are people who brake for changes of direction on an interstate, people who brake when someone enters their lane 30 car lengths ahead, people who brake for tunnels, people who slow when passing, etc etc.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    Construction season is in full swing here. They just put up a new zone through what used to be an expressway, and they had it set up to neck down to one lane just after a stop light. There were about seven or eight cars headed through there (I was near the back of the group), with everyone in the right lane. Light turns green, we all go, with the front car up to about 30 (wohoo!). Alongside here comes a belly dump flying up on the left, reaches the merge, and just comes over to the right, forcing three cars in front of me to the shoulder to avoid it.

    Nice.

    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
    edited June 2014

    Aggressive ramp driver on Sunday afternoon. I was Cruising peacefully along at 60/65 with AC on and CD playing, I was in the right lane of 4 lanes, which is where some people here tell me I have to drive. A semi truck followed by 2 cars comes out of a rest area merge ramp--a long, clear vision ramp. I adjust speed slightly to make it easier for the car behind the semi to merge in front of me. Then I hear a horn from the second car who should have merged behind me. So I immediately hit my brakes to slow down since a horn must mean an emergency. It must mean the driver of the second car couldn't adjust their speed to safely merge into the right hand lane behind me.

    I see a Michigan SUV with Big Blue U of M front plates behind me seeming to be in a huge hurry. As traffic in the next lane cleared, the driver passed and the passsenger was mouthing words in my direction. Apparently U of M backers aren't very good drivers and can't preplan their merge into traffic. It seemed they were blaming me. I returned the favors, checked my concealed carry equipment, and continued on at 60 mph in the right lane listening to my AC and music. Did they really think I should make two lane changes to accomodate them? There were cars in the #2 lane.

    What's wrong with these people. If they're in that much of a hurry to get back to Michigan they should have flown. We gets lots of Michigan travelers on I75 certain days of the year. Usually they're headed south this weekend before the July 4th vacation week; this one was headed back to Michigan.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    Merging is unbelievable work! You're just lucky that SUV had you in the right lane and that it wasn't you that had to merge right there, imidazol. The most likely scenario is that you'd be stuck at the end of the ramp for 45-60 minutes because nobody on the highway stopped to let you in! LOL :'(

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    Hmmm.... I think that the humor in that post may not have come across the way I meant it to come across.

    My intent was to suggest that you can't fix stupid - some mergers will always be bad at it, and no level of kindness on your part can fix that. If we put ourselves in their shoes, we still wouldn't understand the mindset simply because we operate on a different playing field.

    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 June 2014

    Merging is fun. In WA, the merger has to yield to cars on the roadway - this creates freak-out issues among the timid set. Nothing like seeing an idiot come to a stop at the merge point because they couldn't time their entrance. Certain cars seem more prone to this - think beige Camry, RX, pristine 92 Buick, etc. I am pretty sure this is yet another skill not thoroughly taught in drivers ed, and not part of the (now privatized, scares me) licensing exams.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited June 2014

    @xwesx said:
    Merging is unbelievable work!

    I could have moved over one lane but I would have slowed down a faster car coming up from behind. So I stayed where I've been told I belong, :grin:, and adjusted my speed to let the truck and SUV behind him in. But this other Wolverine didn't like that I just didn't slam on the brakes and give him a break. Jeeeeeeez.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    edited June 2014

    @imidazol97 said:
    I could have moved over one lane but I would have slowed down a faster car coming up from behind. So I stayed where I've been told I belong, :grin:, and adjusted my speed to let the truck and SUV behind him in. But this other Wolverine didn't like that I just didn't slam on the brakes and give him a break. Jeeeeeeez.

    That's it, too. There was no reason for you to switch lanes. It isn't all that difficult for a merger to pick a spot and go with it. The worst thing that a traveler in the through lane can do is change speeds while others are merging; it's the consistency that creates options for the guys entering the flow of traffic.


    About a week ago, I was coming up the entrance ramp onto the short stretch of highway I traverse as part of my morning commute. The highway looked deserted save for a little Kia Forte hatch. I had my cruise set as I came up the ramp (going about 58). The Kia, in the right lane, started out behind me (in terms of absolute location), but pulled even and then a little ahead as the ramp began to merge with the highway. Since this other car was going faster than me, I dropped cruise and was going to drift in behind it, but then the dude actually slows down, forcing me to hit the brakes to drop in behind. ???? I'm not sure the mindset there, but hey, if you want to go like 62, then JUST DO IT AND KEEP A CONSTANT SPEED!!

    I could have simply not slowed down and easily ended up ahead (while still on the ramp) at that point, but I already made the decision to drop behind based on our speeds when I started this maneuver. As we were doing a little under 50 when I pulled in behind, I went to the left lane to pass. Of course, the driver speeds up at that point, but not enough.

    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

    The ramp for the merging out of the rest area was ideal. It's angled properly for quick checks of traffic in the lanes and then the angle is very small so you're almost parallel to the cars with which you are merging. The area is level so sight lines are good for those who actually use their mirrors or turn their heads.

    My wife often watches the folks merging into interstate traffic as we drive around Dayton. Many folks don't even glance into their mirror or look for cars in the lane they need to merge into until they are at 150 feet from crunch point for merging. They just expect the lane to be cleared out for them when they are ready, whether they are at the same speed of the traffic or not.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited July 2014

    On foot - I need to get a little head mounted camera. If you are going to violate a green signed crosswalk with a pedestrian (me) in it, it might not be wise to do it in a truck with your (or daddy's or grandpa's) business info plastered on the side. Also saw numerous phone holding yappers, a dope in a Prius reading from a yellow tablet while "driving" (maybe airbag deployment would make a mark on his forehead), and the Harley-and-no-gear crowd is out and loud on a warm day - age makes wisdom, sure.

    Yesterday I saw the most obvious obnoxious bottom of a hill speed trap - last day of the month, but there's no such thing as quotas. I feel protected and served. I guess the salaries and pensions and fun militaristic toys aren't going to fund themselves.

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    Oh Boy!

  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    edited July 2014

    now for the ENCOURAGING DATA from the last couple weeks, including roundtrip drives from boston to 9/11 Museum and Hedwick near Broadway...
    and to New Smyrna Beach's Unofficial Bike & Beer.....

    here is
    THE TEXTING TALLY
    from 4 0 0 0 interstate I-95,I-77,I-81,I-84 miles.

    • Zero female texters were observed out of thousands of drivers. 100% of observed youthful female drivers were talking on the phone! THEY WERE NOT TEXTING. (I'm hoping none of them were texting on another cellphone while also talking on a cellphone.) And yes, 100% of them were on the phone. Hundreds. A thousand. Including states where it is illegal. It might be that's how they became noticeable as I passed, because they had handset to ear or were talking into microphone end of phone.
    • In all those miles, there was ONE observed texting driver, a young male. And he wasn't insistent/nonstop about it like I see locally, he was looking up more often than not!

    My faith in the humanity of all possible genders of drivers is restored. (except in the Boston metro area, of course.)

    :|

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384

    If you want some really fun merges try the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut. Even though it's that rarity of rarity - a road that's on the National List fur Historic Preservation a lot of things like overpasses have had to be replaced. That said, they try to keep the theme going.

    Anyway, The Merritt was a WPA project and built for not that many cars. The on and off ramps are shorter than some folks' driveways. Fortunately almost everyone on that road is there because they like it and its idiosyncrasies. There are faster ways to get almost anywhere. As a result the ramps don't surprise anybody.

    A year ago we were on the Merritt and on the opposite lane was this car in a ball of fire with the appropriate emergency vehicles dealing with it. We figured whoever was in it had died as no one would survive such a thing. Looked up the next day and not only did no one die, no one got a scratch. They smelled something, pulled the car on the grass and got the hell out.

    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    Today's "winner": old black Durango ducks in behind me while I'm driving in the rightmost lane of a freeway this morning. This is an "exit only" lane that serves 3 exits close together; I'm taking the last one and going the limit. Apparently, the limit isn't fast enough for the guy in the Durango because he's tailgating me, then about 200 feet before that last exit, he swerves into the next lane, roars around me, only to duck back into the right lane while nearly clipping my left front fender, and forcing me to brake hard because he's now right in front of my car and has to slow down because we're almost at the exit. Seems like a lot of effort to make an unsafe maneuver that burns more gas and gains him an extra second, maybe two.

    I keep asking myself, why are people in such an all-fired hurry these days?

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    edited July 2014

    @backy said:
    I keep asking myself, why are people in such an all-fired hurry these days?

    But, at least now he can say he did it! :p

    I am starting to notice that most of the people I pass tend to speed up after I pass them. Has anyone else observed this? As an example, this morning I was on a 50SL two-lane bi-directional road driving at 55. A small Lexus (RAV4 equivalent) pulls out ahead of me (not "in front" of me, but with plenty of distance). After a quarter mile or so, I catch up to this driver and slow down to a little under 50 to pace. As we exited a curve, I shot by and resumed speed at 55. A couple miles down the road, not only has this car not fallen behind, but it has also closed the gap between us such that one might think I was holding it up!

    I mean, I'm glad that my passing serves to wake others up, but I guess I just don't understand the mentality of it.

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited July 2014

    To take your observation, that's one reason why I like to "progress" on the (that scofflaws) right (less likely to raise hackles) . Perhaps on the face of it, you DON'T understand, but your actions indicate that indeed you DO !! I say more power to you !

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    @ruking1 said:
    your actions indicate that indeed you DO !!

    Well, I understand the results. I don't understand why these other drivers aren't driving the speed they prefer to go before I ever need to pass. Heck; I would rarely ever bother passing if that were the case!

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited July 2014

    I think that many to most folks are narcotized to the basic speed law "keep right EXCEPT to pass". Almost EVERYONE at one time or another sees themselves as THE exception. Some are more consistent about it, i.e. LLCers !!

    Defacto, most folks either do not see, know, understand or even CARE the law actually SPEEDS things along in most conditions, but so called commute traffic, a notable exception. It is also FAR safer. Most SEEM to have the attitude "UP yours I am ahead of you" till .... you pass and are ahead of them.?? !! Far safer is to keep right EXCEPT to pass, but even I know I have an outlier attitude on this subject.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097

    I guess those who speed up while or after being passed aren't just a local thing.

    I remember one Sunday morning - SX4 LLCing with a stream of traffic passing on the right. Suddenly it speeds up and passes several cars (never having exited the left lane), goes about 10 over for awhile, then slows down again, then exits the road. Schizo.

    I remember in GA, it was amusing to use cruise control, and see how many times you'd pass and then be passed by the same car.

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,953

    Happened at work today...merging onto the freeway and the car behinds us deliberately speeds up to prevent us from merging safely but we get into the lane safely. Why do folks feel the need to speed up and try to cause a accident because someone in front of them is trying to merge onto the roadway? Seems pretty stupid really...and then folks wonder why there is road rage out there on the highways of America! Folks seem to get crazy stupid once they get behind the wheel for some reason, like they're on a power trip or something. Very disturbing and dangerous!!!

    The Sandman :)B)

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • jjackson12jjackson12 Member Posts: 46

    @elias said:

                                                            THE TEXTING TALLY         
    

    from 4 0 0 0 interstate I-95,I-77,I-81,I-84 miles.

    • Zero female texters were observed out of thousands of drivers. 100% of observed youthful female drivers were talking on the phone! THEY WERE NOT TEXTING. (I'm hoping none of them were texting on another cellphone while also talking on a cellphone.) And yes, 100% of them were on the phone. Hundreds. A thousand. Including states where it is illegal. It might be that's how they became noticeable as I passed, because they had handset to ear or were talking into microphone end of phone.
    • In all those miles, there was ONE observed texting driver, a young male. And he wasn't insistent/nonstop about it like I see locally, he was looking up more often than not!

    I was at a Verizon store getting a new phone for my dad and while I was waiting I couldn't help overhear a young woman talking with one of the clerks. It seems she kept going over the monthly limits and wasn't paying for the overage, so Verizon shut her phone off until she caught up. I don't remember the exact amount but it was in the $500 range and the amount of minutes per month she talked was staggering. I remember figuring that she talked on the phone more in a day than I did for the month, around 5 hours. The clerk told her she needed to use the phone less or up her minutes which she said couldn't afford. She wasn't willing to back off on the time she spent on the phone. If she was using it for business and it was making money for her I could understand. But for just chatting with friends or family?

    I had an "opportunity" a couple of months ago to watch traffic at a busy intersection for about 45 minutes. (I was waiting for a ride home after dropping a car off at the body shop.) The amount of texting and phone usage was a lot worse than I had expected. Young, old, woman, man, nice car, old car, high end, low end, professional, house mom, student - it didn't matter. The last 20 minutes or so of my wait I started counting and it was close to 75% on the phone.

    Now I'm too scared to drive.

  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209

    yes, xwesx, when people tend to match your speed as you pass or get near them, i call that being a "speed magnet". there's not much mentality involved with such driving - those folks are basically 'followers' either incapable or too lazy for independent thought and decisions. they are hazards and it's best to keep far away from them if possible. rather than focusing on everything in front of them, they just focus/magnetize onto one car. if you have to emergency-brake, they will probably crash into you due to tailgating or other cluelessness. in 1990s i had one following me at about 65, from a seemingly safe distance. then I encountered blind underpass after which I immediately encountered stopped traffic and emergency-stopped. she ended up rearending my stopped car at 60 mph. Ouch. she told the cop she never hit her brakes.
    ever since then, i don't tolerate tailgators or speed magnets and have a variety of techniques to handle them.

    and yeah, jjackson... knowing the huge percentage of cellphone-talker or texter drivers makes me want to start driving a Volvo again. or an International CXT. one of those texting drivers in a huge SUV recently came close to t-boning me & GF & GTO while running a stop sign, after using the classic/common local Boston-driving move of 'tailgating' the car in front through the stopsign without stopping.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    About the only real "solution" would be for the courts to uphold suits against the cell carriers for permitting cell usage in a moving vehicle (the train commuters would love that!).

    Of course, if you couldn't talk and drive, it'd put all the US car companies and service stations in bankruptcy.

    Autonomous cars can't get here fast enough eh?

  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209

    with current technology, It's definitely possible for any new car's computer/software to phone the traitor Edward Snowden any time the driver is texting or holding & talking-on a cellphone or CB mike or walkie-talkie. Every new car from certain/most manufacturers has a cellphone built-in...

    A driver using smartphone or texting can be detected from inside the vehicle via image-processing as well as other sensor/computational methods, similar to existing technologies such as those which detect sleepy-head driver and tracking eye movements. It can also be detected from outside the vehicle in many cases, entirely by computer. Careful what you wish for...

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited July 2014

    We'll see autonomous cars before we see technology that differentiates between driver and passenger use of a mobile device. It has to be based on who is using, not just usage, as passenger use cannot be prohibited - passengers have a right to view blabber by sneering chickenhawk war criminal profiteer Cheney, for instance, or make emergency calls etc. And it can't be simply motion based, as those on trains or buses would be unfairly impacted. Suing a carrier for permitting usage in a moving vehicle is also insane, even for the broken American court system full of grossly oversalaried overpensioned judges and ambulance chasers. Not gonna happen.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Oh the suits could happen (probably already have). Getting a "consumer" judgment would be another question.

    (What's with all the political jibes around here lately? Did I miss a primary or something?

    On second thought, don't answer that. :) )

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097

    Oh yeah, I meant the tech that monitors who is using a device isn't going to happen, nor will anything that blocks mobile devices en masse. Indeed, anything can be brought up via a lawyer here in protect-the-stupid Litigiousland - Porsche dealers need to stay in business somehow. Political babble was just fair play :)

  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707

    @fintail said:
    Merging is fun. In WA, the merger has to yield to cars on the roadway - this creates freak-out issues among the timid set. Nothing like seeing an idiot come to a stop at the merge point because they couldn't time their entrance. Certain cars seem more prone to this - think beige Camry, RX, pristine 92 Buick, etc. I am pretty sure this is yet another skill not thoroughly taught in drivers ed, and not part of the (now privatized, scares me) licensing exams.

    Most of the drivers that I see having this sort of problem are not young. They tend to be 30-40 year old women. The overly cautious type.

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    In the middle lane approaching a rest stop or other on ramp, keep an eye out for the trucker in the outside lane. If you move left, the trucker will too and those two moves will enable a safer entrance to the freeway.

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    When stop lights mean nothing: I was approaching a controlled intersection today, 30 mph limit, I had the green (and it had been green for quite awhile) and I noticed an Element with two youngish women in it stopped part-way into the intersection. There was no one behind them so it would have been easy for them to back up to get out of the intersection. But they stayed there, until I went through the intersection. Then they proceeded through the intersection, on the red light. This was about 9:30 in the morning, and there was traffic on the road albeit not real busy. Obviously it was too inconvenient for the driver to wait a few more seconds for the light to change, ala "Well, I've already started through the intersection, might as well go all the way through."

    This is one of those times I almost wish there were traffic cameras at every intersection. Almost.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    edited July 2014

    Friday evening, I was walking, stopped at an intersection. Nearby, an Escalade was trying to parallel park, backup and swinging out to get in. A Corolla is going the same direction, and veers around it. Unfortunately, Corolla driver didn't notice the Insight in the adjacent lane. Crunch. Minor damage - some scrapes, and it somehow knocked the corner light loose. Minor and probably a couple grand to fix.

    Went to the mall this morning to meet some friends for lunch. After we were outside my car chatting, and hear a crunch - new unplated F150 backed into a parked Camry with BC plates. Occupants were in the Camry, eating (elegant place in a mall full of restaurants). They get out and look like they are exchanging info, but when I drive by I notice they are arguing. Truck driver says he sees no damage to his rig, so the Camry people have no proof. Dbag then gets in, and speeds off, nearly hitting another vehicle. I called the police and gave the Camry people my info, as they had a language barrier and were confused. Lucky for them, damage was minimal, broken tail light and minor bumper scrape. I suppose I was considerate, might make their insurance claim easier with witness of the hit and run. If anyone knows someone who was at Bellevue Square in a brand new F150, black, Ford of Kirkland plates (temp registration obscured by tinted glass), tell them they are cowards.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    Well that should be easy for the police to check at Kirkland Ford: who has bought a black F150 recently and needed temporary plates.

    Oh wait. Police? Extra work? They'll just say let your insurance company check on it.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

Sign In or Register to comment.