Things Other Drivers Do to Make You Mad

Here's something that happened to me the other day that makes me really mad: I was going a comfortable speed over the speed limit, but was tailgated. I put on my turn signal to change lanes, and realized that, despite my turn signal, the driver behind me attempted to change lanes (into the slow lane to pass me) at the same time. He rapidly changed back and drove past me while looking at me as if were the idiot. :blink:

 

Sitting in the back seat during my trip to Italy allowed me to observe Italian driving:
1. Motorbikes always have the right of way
2. no one "owned" the road
3. turn signals were used
4. slow traffic kept to the right (like 96% of time)
5. most "communication" is a passing thing and no one pulled a gun out

Here in the states drivers like to "teach a lesson" to folks who are driving differently than they think everyone should drive. If everyone just went on their way and used the turn signals we would cut driving stress by 85%.

And yes the 85% is purely arbitrary!

 

Things other drivers do to make me mad?

Drive.

Wildkow

 

I get very angry at the aforementioned merge freaks--either the premature mergers or the 'too late' mergers.

Can't stand the non-turn signal folks. I mean--why????????? Are people actually that lazy that they can't be bothered to turn them on?

Rubberneckers are also a source of my ire. The worst traffic I've experienced here is not because of an accident--it was caused by people going 5 miles an hour to gawk at the accident.

 

My favourite:

I can use the HOV lane thanks to my sticker. There are three lanes. Left :HOV, Middle and Right: non HOV They all have lights. All three lanes merge into one lane turning right which puts it parallel to the highway.

When you get to the HOV traffic light, it switches to green, regardless of who went last in the other two lanes. Iaw, HOV occupants get rewarded.

I drive up, get the green light and go... BUT, 17 year old punk kid in his lowered Civic is pissed because he didn't get his turn and he guns it trying to cut me off before the three lanes merge into one, almost looses control of his car and ends up drifting into highway traffic because he is going too fast. He forces traffic to swerve and slow, flips off some honkers and much to my delight, overlooks the motor cycle cop who pulls him over... yesssh!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Salsawonder @ Mar 30 2007, 01:52 PM) [snapback]415020[/snapback]</div>

By Italy, I assume you mean Italy, Texas. Because the Italy I'VE been to:

1. Every driver KNEW they had the right-of-way.
2. No one "owned" the road because everybody tried to.
3. Hand gestures were used.
4. Slow traffic was nonexistent.
5. Laws of traffic were ignored. Laws of physics were ignored, too.

Hell, they made South Florida drivers look sane!

 

I hate it when they ignore stop lights:



~buttster

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lywyllyn @ Mar 30 2007, 02:06 PM) [snapback]415065[/snapback]</div>

It's not just punk kids: it's all of us. Psychologists arranged a penny game where two players would play against the "house". If both players cooperated to beat the "house", both would win - except one player would win 5 cents while the other player would only win 1 cent. If either player or both players "defected", both would lose - although in this case "losing" only meant not winning anything, not actually forfeiting prior gains.

Thus, for both players, the optimum strategy would be cooperation: both would steadily increase their respective gains. Unfortunately, the human "envy" gene proved too strong for most people in the 1 cent positon to overcome: they would repeatedly "defect" just to prevent the 5 cent player from winning an "unfair" 5 cents to their 1 cent, despite the fact that doing so hurt their own accumulation of winnings.

We're quite a funny animal.

Mark Baird
Alameda CA

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Mar 30 2007, 12:45 PM) [snapback]414901[/snapback]</div>

I think he's coming to a stop because he's pausing to check all four corners (someone may pass a red light etc.) He's being careful.

Mary

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(htmlspinnr @ Mar 30 2007, 08:14 PM) [snapback]415193[/snapback]</div>

I merge early too, if there's an opening. I'm talking about the traffic stoppers, with an open lane stretching WAY ahead of them...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(htmlspinnr @ Mar 30 2007, 08:14 PM) [snapback]415193[/snapback]</div>

I always let anyone in that needs it, big rig, truck, whatever, as long as they weren't a "last minute" merger.

One other thing: in VA, it's a law to turn on your lights when it rains. I don't like it when charcoal grey cars don't turn on their lights in rainy situations. You just can't see them! I'll flash to try to let them know, but they think I'm signaling that there's a copy ahead. Aarrgghhh...

 

Mostly, it's the ones that tailgate that really get me.

Worst one that I've seen was a car that was weaving on the freeway. Got up close and it was a woman, talking on her cell phone with her visor mirror down putting on eye makeup. :blink:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Masnyd @ Mar 30 2007, 03:30 PM) [snapback]415080[/snapback]</div>

When there's traffic moving to the left of him? No, he's just being an idiot doing it to ANNOY ME ON PURPOSE I KNOW IT!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Mar 30 2007, 04:02 PM) [snapback]415060[/snapback]</div>

OK, this I forgot to add in my list of peeves.

I also forgot about the folks on the x-way that utilize an on ramp to cut out of traffic in an attempt to get 20 cars ahead in traffic.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Mar 30 2007, 10:23 PM) [snapback]415351[/snapback]</div>

Too right!

I used to advocate that ambulances and firetrucks carry a lightweight collapsible 12 foot high curtain and stanchions to put up around an accident scene expressly to pevent the irritation and hazard of rubbernecking (how many secondary accidents have been caused by rubbernecking? - more than one I'm sure). The only problem I encountered with this idea was simply EVERYONE I proposed it to; without exception, their response was unanimous disapproval. They gave reasons like impracticality, extra work for the emergency personnel, etc. but down in their heart of hearts what they REALLY didn't want was any barrier between them and a blood spattered spectacle.

Mark Baird
Alameda CA

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Mar 31 2007, 12:36 AM) [snapback]415360[/snapback]</div>

I actually like your idea but wonder if problems may be encountered if additional emergency vehicles and/or medical equipment have to tend the victims. Maybe that barrier would inhibit efficiency. If not, I don't get why they wouldn't use this. It's a feeling of violation to be stared at when you feel so vulnerable. I've had an experience with this. The most interesting part was that only one person came to my aid but when I was laying on the sidewalk bleeding waiting for an ambulance, a huge circle of spectators aggregated around me to stare. I don't quite understand this. It still leaves a bad taste.

Funny...You picked up my post before I amended it so as not to "put off" anyone. My best guess is that statistically, I'm on a board comprised of 90% rubberneckers if we're operating in parallel with reality.

Although maybe I should consider that I'm on PC where we're all so concerned with breaking up a nice glide.

 

Any action in which the driver commits a moving violation (ie. a crime) is what my "pet peeve" is.

Cell phones.. fine with me as long as it doesn't cause you to break any laws.

Stay in your lane, use your blinkers, come to complete stops, look both ways, and stay safe!

 

I once was going 85 - 90 mph in my wifes beetle (flow of traffic) in the washington DC area on I-95. And the jackass behind me was flashing his high beams at me to get out of his way, but in congestion where am I going to go.

 

I used to be a driver who got peeved at other people. :angry:

And then I found Taoism.
Life became much more simpler, and
now nothing on the road bothers me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism


Except for safety. I'll make you eat the tow-ring over safety! :blink: