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Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

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  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756

    Ancient?! It's only 45 years old, sir! Might I remind you that neither of us are far behind? :p

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030

    Semi drivers can be a huge PITA too. When traveling on 4 lane freeways, what I see all the time is these guys playing leap frog all the way down the highway, semis passing semis. These guys will be running along, as fast as their governors let them go, then one will come up on a slightly slower moving semi and he decides he needs to overtake the slower truck...one's going 60, the other's doing 60.5, both are in a 70 zone, and the pass will take several minutes to complete...meanwhile, there are 10 passenger vehicles being held up by the lunk heads taking up both lanes...law enforcement should be ticketing these guys for impeding traffic flow...if they can't pass without holding up multiple vehicles in the process, then they should just slow down .5 MPH and wait until they can pass without holding up anyone...

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756

    @bottgers said:
    Semi drivers can be a huge PITA too.

    It's not really that simple, unfortunately. There are TONS of rules and regs that go into trucking, and these guys are out there trying to deliver the goods needed to keep us moving day in and day out. On par, the PITA driver crowd occupies the smaller vehicles on the road far more frequently than the tractors.

    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

    @xwesx said:
    It's not really that simple, unfortunately. There are TONS of rules and regs that go into trucking, and these guys are out there trying to deliver the goods needed to keep us moving day in and day out.

    X2. The semi drivers are limited as to how many hours they can drive now in the typical one day travel. If they are held up by a jam or construction, that often leaves them short of time and they end up stranded and having to take their rest time rather than being able to deliver and get to their next location.

    http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-of-service

    I sometimes listen to 12-5 am truckers radio network (700 WLW am Cincinnati, a clear channel station). The pet peeve of truckers is certain companies that won't unload them when they get there and unload the trailer when they get ready for it. That throws them off their 11-hour or 14-hour day. I don't understand all the ins and outs of their records they have to show to the DOT if stopped. But I would hate having to work under the constraints that were put in during 2011.

    On the other hand, those hour limits, if followed, keep the truckers from driving sleepy and running into the stopped traffic ahead of them. An example is the Walmart truck that hit the comedian's car stopping in New Jersey. I believe he was running out of time for his day and was hurrying to get unloaded.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826

    It would sound like the compliance with the new constraints put in during 2011, was a PRIME reason for the accident !!!!!

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    The friend of ours who was permanently injured when a semi plowed into his broken down truck was a PRIME trucker who not only was over hours (and this was before the 2011 reforms), he had lied in his log book. Our friend was a day trucker in a small rig, was well off on the shoulder and had all the required safety flagging out and the semi just about killed him.

    The battle with the insurance companies of Prime and the driver was a long drawn out fight.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    @stever said:
    The friend of ours who was permanently injured when a semi plowed into his broken down truck was a PRIME trucker who not only was over hours (and this was before the 2011 reforms), he had lied in his log book. Our friend was a day trucker in a small rig, was well off on the shoulder and had all the required safety flagging out and the semi just about killed him.

    The battle with the insurance companies of Prime and the driver was a long drawn out fight.

    That's a sad story. My sympathy goes out to him. Even now it sounds like some of the drivers manipulate their logs if they are still on paper. But many of the large companies have electronic log books. I suspect when that's combined with GPS on the truck, it makes it hard for the drivers for the brand name carriers to cheat.

    Reminds me of a Canadian truck the moved from the right lane to the middle of a 3-lane outside Columbus because a state patrol car was off on the right side. However, I was in the middle lane and he kept coming over. Eventually he blew his horn at me. But all he needed to do in the right lane was slow down per Ohio law at that time. There was another state patrol car off on the left shoulder as well. When I talked to the truck company safety manager as soon as I got home, she indicated she would be able to tell that he changed lanes and that he slowed at the mile marker I gave her for the incident. When I told her that he blew his horn at me, that seemed to surprise her. There were no other cars in the immediate area. There was no mandate for him to change lanes.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    I would have moved over. :)

    When I had a flat on the Interstate a bit north of Flint a few years back the truckers must have got on the horn to each other. It wasn't a busy stretch but every truck for the next 10 minutes or so was in the left lane a good half mile before they got near us on the shoulder. Most of them are good drivers, and yeah, the GPS stuff makes it easier for them to keep track of their hours.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    My old car has well over a decade on me, I'm not ancient just yet :)

    @xwesx said:
    Ancient?! It's only 45 years old, sir! Might I remind you that neither of us are far behind? :p
    @xwesx said:

    @xwesx said:

    @xwesx said:

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited August 2014

    Being a trucker can be crappy for sure, but I don't think it excuses the "elefantenrennen" type of passing at 0.1 mph more than the vehicle on the right with vehicles lining up behind both.

    @xwesx said:

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    @stever said:
    I would have moved over. :)

    I was moving over. But I didn't know if there was someone in the 3rd lane. I had been cruising in the
    middle lane at 63-65 mph and a few trucks had been moving in the right lane at 63-70 (speed limit was 65). I hadn't been watching the 3rd lane so I was trying to check mirrors and watch a trailer move toward my right side.

    As the truck started to come over I saw dual tractor wheels coming at my right front fender. I moved to the left of the lane and kept drifting over as I applied my brakes as the trucker kept coming. I blew my horn and then he blew his horn.

    As I said to the safety manager, all he had to do was apply his brakes and lose 5 mph and he would have satisfied the ORC suggestion to move over OR slow down when safety vehicle on side of road. The horn beep was the last straw for me.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    On the other hand, many truckers move over to allow folks here to ramp onto the interstate when the new folks just need to speed up/slow down to match speeds and merge into an empty slot. This is especially true with a ramp that comes uphill while the interstate goes downhill and then the ramp changes pitch at the top and starts the merge. Many folks don't look back until they have started the merge. I usually have all 205 hp accelerating my Buick if I need to get to 65 and into a slot. But often the truckers don't expect a leSabre to actually be driven and speed up: they move over unnecessarily.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Mirror check, no one in third lane, I move over.

    If I'm stuck on the shoulder, I'm happier if the cars and semis move over, less happy if they stay in the right lane going 60 instead of 65.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Oops, someone was inconsiderate - this is right down the street from me, and I didn't hear a thing. If the story ends up vanishing into thin air, I'll wager who was at fault (it's hard to tell right now, as BMW drivers and the local brave warrior class both have kind of an iffy rep around here).

    Endless amounts of non-signalers and phone players on the road today, as usual.

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    Our weekend included Des Moines, Bothell, Cougar Mt., Redmond, & Bellevue. We survived without any inconsiderate drivers & appreciated the commuters who let us change lanes during their commute so we could get on 405 from 90.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    405 is best traveled on weekends, and north of Renton. Weekdays, a parking lot.

    Today spotted numerous phone yappers/holders, including a dope on a bicycle texting or gaming as he slowly and somewhat shakily rode along.

    @euphonium said:
    Our weekend included Des Moines, Bothell, Cougar Mt., Redmond, & Bellevue. We survived without any inconsiderate drivers & appreciated the commuters who let us change lanes during their commute so we could get on 405 from 90.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Drove through the heart of Denver around 3pm today and it wasn't bad at all (I was riding shotgun). Going on the small roads with lots of grades, no one was overly anxious to get around me, although the van was moving up the hills okay.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited August 2014

    MythBusters:

    Here's food for thought for both points of view, weaving and not weaving.
    http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/08/28/is-it-faster-to-weave-through-traffic-or-stay-in-one-lane-we-finally-have-an-answer/

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited August 2014

    "Weaving" has ben vilified unjustly. Keep in mind a "road boulder" that does not "keep right except to pass" sets up an obstacle course for road boulders that follow. It also violates one basic , but almost totally ignored law. Failing to keep right except to pass also is a SAFETY issue. So for example, for each road boulder that one passes, one is ahead by the distance and time it took to pass the road boulder under those specific conditions. So to me, it also makes a certain amount of sense.

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    Weaving & lane splitting is equal to LLC. Both violate traffic laws, but having a LLC in front of you is not an excuse to weave and speed. LLC at the speed limit enables others to be reminded what the speed limit is & if towing, your limit is less. In WA, towers are forbidden to be in the 3rd (inside) lane, but tell that to the drivers of 500,000 dollar motor coaches!

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Lane splitting only works in crazy areas like CA or the less developed world, or first world areas where drivers are properly trained, like Germany.

    LLCers are not in a position to remind others of the speed limit, and should not do so, or someone might take exception and end their idiotic cruise, permanently. What a loss that would be. Only in Murka and Canuckistan is it defended.

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    Some weaving makes absolutely no sense to me. Case in point: the other day I was keeping up with the flow of traffic in the right lane of a freeway. An SUV was tailgating me. Then it swerved into the next lane and dashed past me, only to immediately swerve back into the right lane just ahead of me and... exit. Thus all his swerving and surging gained him all of one second. How much do you want to bet this same driver complains about not getting the EPA fuel economy numbers?

  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707

    @backy said:
    Some weaving makes absolutely no sense to me. Case in point: the other day I was keeping up with the flow of traffic in the right lane of a freeway. An SUV was tailgating me. Then it swerved into the next lane and dashed past me, only to immediately swerve back into the right lane just ahead of me and... exit. Thus all his swerving and surging gained him all of one second. How much do you want to bet this same driver complains about not getting the EPA fuel economy numbers?

    What that example illustrates is that people, if it's possible, will drive at the speed they want to drive. In your example, that driver wanted to drive faster than you... and did.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited August 2014

    I almost never weave around at all, due to laziness and worry. Changing lanes in traffic around here is a risk and can be work, as you never know when the dope beside you will want to change at the same time, with no signal. It often doesn't gain time, either - as it isn't like this is an evolved driving environment where lanes mean anything.

    On the road this evening - X3 had random signal usage, random speeds above and below limit, Princeton plate frame that is so impressive. BMW E61 Touring dawdled at a light, another BMW veered around, then the wagon floored it to ensure not being passed. BMW drivers...keep the stereotypes alive. Then I got to cringe for just a second as an old man in a CRV, pulling into a parking lot I was exiting, decided mid-turn to stop turning and move directly towards me. He then stopped, I pulled out. Maybe he was an old semi driver who forgot what he was driving. Didn't see as many phone users as usual, and traffic was light, that's nice.

  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209

    what's the definition of 'weaving'?

    is "weaving" the same as changing lanes more than once in a certain time T or distance X?

    what are T and X?

    I may have weaved for 2600 miles back and forth to new-smyrna-beach in May. i prefer passing on the right whenever the right lane is open/clear, and it's not new jersey.
    (NJ is one of the few states which outlaw passing on the right except when traffic is in 'long columns' in every lane.)

    btw, "road boulders" is a funny term. heh.

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    edited August 2014

    @gogogodzilla said:
    What that example illustrates is that people, if it's possible, will drive at the speed they want to drive. In your example, that driver wanted to drive faster than you... and did.

    That's right. He got to drive at a faster speed than me for all of 2-3 seconds, and he gained an extra second in his day... unless he hit the stop light at the top of the exit ramp, in which case he gained no time at all. He also burned more gas than if he'd maintained a steady speed before exiting. I hope all that made his day.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited September 2014

    I had an F30 3er behind me for most of my evening commute today - I swear it never signaled. Must have not been part of their option packages. Also saw a good amount of other non-signalers, and a new Range Rover actually using signals. Traffic volumes seemed light today, and less noticeable phone yappers than usual An E55 going maybe 50+ in a 30 rounded out the fun.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756

    @fintail said:
    a new Range Rover actually using signals.

    Must be a custom after-market install?

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342

    I have no idea why this is happening but in the past month or so I have seen more people drive
    through red lights than I've seen in my entire life! Two in the past two days!

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

    I never even presume that anyone is going to stop for a stop sign or a red light. I enter my car dressed for combat. I assume they are all out to kill me and might even enjoy doing so.

    I think this comes from 20 years of riding motorcycles and now bicycles :)

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited September 2014

    @Mr_Shiftright said:
    I never even presume that anyone is going to stop for a stop sign or a red light. I enter my car dressed for combat. I assume they are all out to kill me and might even enjoy doing so.

    I think this comes from 20 years of riding motorcycles and now bicycles :)

    Your post makes PERFECT sense to me, even as some would see this as EXTREME !

    In CA, going through a red light or stop sign is known as a "CA stop".

    Yes, I do not consider being unscathed after 48 years of driving to be purely luck !! To those that do, might I suggest that if folks are ADVERTISING, it is BEST to pay attention and ACT accordingly. One's life might literally depend on that.

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

    I know it sounds like paranoia, but that's not my frame of mind--I call it "awareness". It's like what you feel when you're playing a video game and objects or people are jumping out at you---it's both fun and yes, a bit scary at times.

    My attitude is, if you emerge unscathed after 40 years or so of driving 2 and 4 wheelers all around the country and parts of the world, you cannot merely chalk that up to LUCK!

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342

    This is why I got rid of my motorcycle years ago.

    I got so scared and paranoid that riding was no longer fun.

    I HATE it when people race up to a stop sign and stop at the last second. I always think they are going to run the stop sign and I react accordingly. Not so bad in a car but on a motorcycle it's downright scary.

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    What is the most common ethinicity of drivers running lights & signs? Who do you especially look out for?

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    I see people run lights every day that I am on foot. Some of them breeze through stale reds. No risk of a ticket (nor one for phone yapping, not signaling, going through an occupied green signaled crosswalk, etc), why not?

    I don't see any ethnic trends for light running - it seems to be a cultural universal. Some driving behaviors seem to fit stereotypes, however.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Maybe malfunctioning hazard lights.

    @xwesx said:

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342

    Another red light runner just yesterday! Where are the cops when this happens?

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342

    Hey Fintail,

    The red light that I see run on a regular basis is the one by the Holiday Inn in Issaquah near where we live. I NEVER move on a green light until I hesitate and look to see what's coming!

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

    My purely subjective and probably wrong opinion is that young women are the worst offenders.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited September 2014

    The lights I see run on a regular basis are most of them in downtown Bellevue - people going through really late on turn arrows can be a problem, too.

    For gender based stuff, what I see in my anecdotal observations is common sense - males are more often fast and reckless, females slow and idiotic. A CLK-driving woman I saw today making a poorly situated U--turn drove that home for me today. Both seem equally likely to be phone yappers, but women maybe more likely to be texting or similar while "driving". Phone abuse also seems to center around appliance boxes or prestige cars, especially the flamboyant ones, and maybe SUVs/fake SUVs/trucks, too. I rarely seem to see it in a 3 year old Accord or Malibu, but bring up a clapped out Accent/lifted brotruck/Range Rover or similar and the odds seem to increase.

    On the road today, another day where enforcement of phone and signal laws could probably cure the national debt. But according to those with piles of responsibility and accountability, speed kills, so that's where the effort should go. Right.

    @isellhondas said:
    Hey Fintail,

    The red light that I see run on a regular basis is the one by the Holiday Inn in Issaquah near where we live. I NEVER move on a green light until I hesitate and look to see what's coming!

  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907

    Exit 15? Yep.

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    Today's winner: I'm entering a freeway, see an orange Challenger (is there any other color?) well back in the right lane, so I adjust my speed to merge in safely ahead of him. He then punches the pedal so he's blocking the right lane, or at least making it too close for a safe merge. I accelerate a bit more, he does the same. The on ramp is ending, so I hit the brakes to let him pass and duck in behind him, saluting his driving skill with my horn. He then proceeds at about 5 under the limit in the right lane. I move two lanes over to get as far away from him as I can.

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342

    So, I needed to make a Costco run and figured today would be much better than on the weekend.

    Now, I have no idea just how bad it's going to be but today was HORRIBLE!

    Making matters even worse is the fact about a third of their main parking lot is blocked off for construction vehicles, materials and equipment as they are going through yet another remodel!

    The parking lot was gridlocked with stupid park waiters and "new drivers" as fintail calls them.

    I watched a "new driver" who was too lazy (as many others) to walk 50 feet and put her shopping cart in the area reserved for them. Nope, she hooked the front wheels into the landscaped area next to her car!

    Then, as she backed out, she hooked the front bumper of her Lexus on the cart which (I hope) must have scratched her car. the cart took off across the parking lot and only the efforts of a
    Good Samaritan who was quick on his feet prevented the cart from hitting another parked car.

    Microsoft....thank you for all of your hires.

    Costco is in the process of building a ten story HUGE office building and parking structure as they expand. Their Main Headquarters is five minutes from our home.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092

    Now now, those hires bought a lot of cars from you :)

    Multiculturalism: great for foodies, not so great for drivers.

    I am surprised the Costco parker wasn't in an Odyssey or Sienna.

    Driving home today, got behind a woman in a large Ram Hemi 4x4 extended cab, canopy, commercial plates for the writeoff, she had a phone to her ear and was speeding and making random unsignaled lane changes. Should be a 10x normal ticket, but the po-po use discretion and don't seem to care. They could fund their nice salaries and subsidized pensions with phone tickets alone, should they choose to enforce these laws. Also had the same 3er I have seen before, behind me, no signals. Another apparently non-existent law.

    While on foot, saw numerous other yappers, including a guy in a brand new rental Yukon. Had a guy in an X-type crowd into a green signaled occupied-by-many crosswalk - his sunroof was open, so I threw some names his way. No real big speeders, lots of dawdlers, some horn honks, including me, when behind an Aveo that was going about 31 in a 40 and randomly slowing and hitting brakes. When it stopped some car lengths behind the car in front of it, blocking access to where I wanted to turn, I laid on the horn. Driver was drinking something, and probably eating too.

    Highlight was while jogging by the MSFT building on 112th and 8th - at the exit, they have a cop directing traffic, as the flow out of the garage is like a busy street, and there are no controls. I approach at a walking pace, slow to look, an Odyssey is coming out. Cop motions driver to stop, driver doesn't pay attention and keeps moving, cop says "look right" (where I am), driver keeps going without looking, cop screams "I said look right", driver slams on brakes. Cop yelled at the guy, I shook my head and laughed. Maybe the husband of isell's Costco parker.

    @isellhondas said:
    So, I needed to make a Costco run and figured today would be much better than on the weekend.

    Now, I have no idea just how bad it's going to be but today was HORRIBLE!

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    How bad are the mosquitos after the middle of September in Alaska? Have they, by then, gone South for the winter?

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

    Alaska rule for mosquito identification: If it has numbers on the side, it's a plane. :)

  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425

    I'm packing a fly swatter, but still............

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    My friend in Seward reports that the mosquitos are gone. Hopefully it's too early to be swatting snow flakes.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756

    Mosquitoes are pretty rare after the first heavy frost (about a week and a half ago). I saw a few yesterday, but they didn't have a whole lot of spunk in them.

    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

    Thanks for the good news. We land @ Haines Monday morning & drive from there.

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