Driver's Pet Peeve Poll

[xsedrinam]

Which of the following drivers annoy you most?
1. Drivers who drive slow in the fast lane
2. Drivers who speed up to make it through a yellow light
3. Drivers who leave their directional signal on
4. Drivers who tailgate
5. Drivers who abruptly and often change lanes
6. Drivers who talk on their cell phone
7. Drivers who speed and "blow your doors off"

[kretzy]

I think tailgaters are the absolute worst. It drives me mad if someone is doing it while I'm driving. It's just so dangerous and senseless.

[yellow]

Definitely #1.

And to it I'll add.. people who just drive in the left lane for no apparent reason and see no reason to move over to the empty right lane, forcing me to pass on the right. Dungmonkeys!

[mactastic]

1 and 7. Included in #1 are cell phone yackers who are oblivious to the fact that they have slowed to 55 in the fast lane and have accumulated a dozen cars behind them.

[iGary]

I hate people who drive at high rates of speed all the while weaving in and out of traffic within inches of me (and others).

Teenagers are supposed to ****ing drive like this, not "adults."

People that tailgate very agressively in the left lane when I am obviously making an attempt to get out of the way (hey, 80 isn't fast enough)?

Basically, aggressive drivers piss me the hell off.

[MultiM]

To me the worst are the ones who NEVER signal - lane changes, turns etc. RAMMING SPEED!!

[Koodauw]

#1.

Although people in a big rush, weaving in between lanes, cutting others off, etc, make me really mad. Are you really that important that you get to act like a jackass while everyone else drives responsibly?

edit: iGary beat me to it.

[puckhead193]

*all of the above. I get very pissed off when driving:D

[emw]

#1-#7. I'll also add people who eat or read in their car, people who cut me off, people who try to merge at the last minute in construction zones, people who brake at yellow lights, people who don't brake at red lights, people who don't turn right on red where allowed, people who don't turn left on red where allowed, people who in any way hinder my ability to get where I'm going as efficiently as possible, people who drive faster than I do, people who drive more slowly than I do, people who do their makeup in the car, people who sing in the car, people who...

Ah hell, anyone with the gall to be on the road when I'm trying to get somewhere.







:D

Edit: Since it's now an official poll, I selected #1 as my top peeve. Although I'm not sure what "take on their cell phones" means. I've had to take out my cell phone before, but I think that's different.

[floriflee]

It's a toss-up for me. I hate people who are on their cell phone and then decide to abruptly change into my lane while almost running me off the road in the process because they weren't paying attention. I dislike tailgaters because they scare the heck out of me when I think about having to make a fast stop. And I hate slow drivers in the fast lane who are too lazy or inattentive to move over, thus making everyone behind them change lanes.

You also forgot to include those drivers that stop to make a right turn into a lane that just started at that right turn....
EDIT: I guess it is referred to as the "zipper" idea. :D

[mpw]

I've voted number 1 from the list but I just get pissed-off with people who are generally inconsiderate in any way, including parking.

My absolute pet hate is people who spend a fortune on expensive top-of-the-line sportscars, especially soft-tops, and then drive, hood-up, on beautiful sunny days at a snails pace and treat theirs sportscars like delicate jewellery.

[jayb2000]

Road Rage is caused by all those OTHER stupid people on the road, not me! :p

I voted the left lane, because it means
1) they are not paying attention
2) people behind will pass on the right (which is not safe)
3) it blocks Emergency Services from getting through quickly
4) it just annoys the hell out of me :mad:

[iBlue]

1. Those who drive slow in the fast lane. (but mostly this just bugs me when they are matching speed with someone else beside them so NO ONE can get by their dumb asses.)

Brake-tappers bug me. Those people who are too dumb to just let off their accelerator pedal to slow down a bit; so they speed up real fast and hit their brakes real fast. I don't know how they stand it, that sort of un-smooth driving is so annoying.

I am a fairly tolerant driver, I learned to drive in Los Angeles traffic, so nothing surprises me. I am fine with being cut off, tailgated, no turn signals, etc etc... just do it and get it over with and don't interrupt the flow of traffic to do it.

I can't stand passive-aggressive driving (god, make a decision folks) and people with no concept of others; that is what usually ticks me off, first and foremost.

I'm probably considered fairly aggressive but I don't inconvenience others by it; I am decisive and consistent with my actions. I wish even half of the other drivers out there would take a page from that book. How do these people get licenses?

[phew, got that off my chest]

[emw]

Oh, I forgot another one - people who get over to pass a car, then proceed to take roughly 47 miles to get around them.

A corollary to that is people who drive slowly until you go to get around them, and then they suddenly remember where the gas pedal is.

[patrick0brien]

I'd have to say my #1: "Impatient person, with no vision of the road"

This is the guy that combines tailgating with lots of lane changes, but doesn't get ahead really well. This guy has the "oo! Open lane!" tunnel-vision, but since he's focused on the bumper ahead of him, and not the fact that the lane is slower, or the fast guy ahead is about to run into slowness, he's forced to do it again and again.

Getting madder...

...and madder...

...and MADDER...

...

Toss in a phone an we've got "accident waiting to happen"

Oh, then there's the "k-rail guy". This is the guy in the fast lane. But when that row of k-rails (those temporary concrete barriers) show up on the yellow line, a foot to his side, freaks out and either slows way down or crowds the outside lane screwing up traffic.

[yellow]

I love all you people who voted #1. You know.. platonic love.

[xsedrinam]

Oh, I forgot another one - people who get over to pass a car, then proceed to take roughly 47 miles to get around them.

A corollary to that is people who drive slowly until you go to get around them, and then they suddenly remember where the gas pedal is.
Ya, that's a biggie with me, too. Also truckers (18 wheelers who do that). But I don't know if I can get back to edit the poll?

[Black&Tan]

Lots of driving pet peaves. Last year, it became state law that only hands free cell phone use was permitted in vehicles. For a month or two, everybody obeyed the new law. Now, 20% of the drivers I see on the road are busy chatting on their phones. And ignoring the road. I love it when I see a tractor trailer, maneuvering through crowded city streets, and attempting to navigate a tight turn, is busy talking on a cell phone with one hand. Aargh!!

How about those who are busy reading while driving? Or someone eating a bowl of cereal!

My biggest gripe iscurrently a left hand merge lane on the highway, before a highway overpass, in which people are constantly trying to cut others off before crashing into the bridge/barriers.

[emw]

I love all you people who voted #1. You know.. platonic love.
Sure it is.

It's interesting we all hate people who drive slowly in our lane, but also hate tailgaters (who are probably thinking "who's this ass driving so slow in my lane?").

But I don't know if I can get back to edit the poll?You should be able to edit your post and adjust the poll. I don't know if it will subsequently invalidate current results.

[2nyRiggz]

Hate that tailgating crap......hate when people clip me trying to get through a tight spot...stupids!


Bless

[nbs2]

You also forgot to include those drivers that stop to make a right turn into a lane that just started at that right turn....
Huh?

I had to vote for the abrupt lane changers. Most of the others are inconvenient and annoying, but this is the only one that leads to me thinking "well...that was close." That being said, when the person does it on accident, it is pretty obvious and can be written off. When they are being aggressive, it is bothersome. When it is accompanied by one of the other problems listed in the poll, that's when it becomes just too dangerous

As a side note, I thought that more accidents were caused by radio changing than cell phone use, even factoring radios being more prevelant than cell phones.

[Black&Tan]

How about the drivers who are stopped at a traffic light, in a left or right turn lane ONLY, who decide to use this lane to cut in front of everybody going straight?

[emw]

Huh?
Like this (poor drawing)

[Macmaniac]

Tail gating is the worst, especially on a one way road. I drive an '88 Volvo, I'm 19 and I don't want tickets. No I am not going to speed up for you, I like my license thank you very much. I have seen plenty of bad teenage drivers, but the worst are women in big SUV's who think they can push me and my Volvo around. More 1 finger salutes to you!

[wordmunger]

I picked cell phones, because those drivers are most likely to display ALL of the other behaviors.

I also hate a**holes who pass everyone on the right when the whole freeway is jammed up, then act all pissed when no one will let them back into the thru lanes. And I hate the "nice" people who let the a**holes in, rewarding their bad behavior.

[nbs2]

Like this (poor drawing)
So the bad driver goes around the cement lane blocker (indicated by the curved solid line) and then makes the right turn? If that is what Lori meant and you interpreted, then "Ah! Now I understand." If not, then "Huh?"

[emw]

So the bad driver goes around the cement lane blocker (indicated by the curved solid line) and then makes the right turn? If that is what Lori meant and you interpreted, then "Ah! Now I understand." If not, then "Huh?"I believe she meant that drivers stop when making that right turn into the previously non-existent third lane. Since there can't be any traffic in that lane, they don't need to stop.

[Black&Tan]

I also hate a**holes who pass everyone on the right when the whole freeway is jammed up, then act all pissed when no one will let them back into the thru lanes. And I hate the "nice" people who let the a**holes in, rewarding their bad behavior.

Thank you! I forgot that one. I've always wanted to throw nails in the breakdown lane when I see some a**hole trying this crap.

And wasn't it George Carlin that said "Anyone who drives faster than me is a maniac and anybody slower is an a**hole."

[nbs2]

I believe she meant that drivers stop when making that right turn into the previously non-existent third lane. Since there can't be any traffic in that lane, they don't need to stop.
Ah! Now I understand! It is like the right turn from Van Dusen to 198 where I almost guaranteed to lay on my horn because of some moron...Ha Ha! I hate them so much, I seem to have blocked it from memory...

[Electro Funk]

Definitely #1.

And to it I'll add.. people who just drive in the left lane for no apparent reason and see no reason to move over to the empty right lane, forcing me to pass on the right. Dungmonkeys!

This happens to me EVERY SINGLE DAY!

I travel the west coast of Florida for business... Naples to Crystal River...

Tons of drive time on I-75....

ALWAYS some 125 year old person in the left lane going 60 when the speed limit is 70... then they look at me like im crazy for blazing by them in the right hand lane....

By no means do i drive dangerously... but when im driving 1500- 2k miles a week, i want to go faster than 10MPH UNDER he speed limit!

ok... rant over... :o

[devilot]

Tailgaters.

I've slowly been working on my anger management so I try not to let it get to me if some basTurd™ is driving slowly in the fast lane... but I have yet to figure out how to ignore those jerks all up in my personal space. >(

Plus I had one really scary incident involving some total jerk tailgating me. :(

[xsedrinam]

Tailgaters.

I've slowly been working on my anger management so I try not to let it get to me if some basTurd™ is driving slowly in the fast lane... but I have yet to figure out how to ignore those jerks all up in my personal space. >(

Plus I had one really scary incident involving some total jerk tailgating me. :(
Do I ever hear that. It's an act of aggression. Had my "scary incident" driving late in the back roads of Alabama with a "pickuuuup" on my tail at 55-60 mps for over 15 minutes chase. Luckily, I came up on a state trooper who'd pulled someone over, and I pulled right in behind him and reported the pickuuuup.

[scem0]

Drivers that speed and drive recklessly. When someone is switching lanes 2 feet from cars, while going 60 miles an hour just so they can reach a red light before I do, I get annoyed.

However, I just get slightly annoyed, I have next to no road rage whatsoever. My Dad turns into a cursing maniac when someone is going slow in the left lane. I don't mind.

e

[yellow]

For the record, I don't tailgate.. there's always at least 2 car lengths between me and the car in front of me. I'm just not that nimble enough to get my giant foot from the gas to the brake in time.

This happens to me EVERY SINGLE DAY!

I travel the west coast of Florida for business... Naples to Crystal River...

You know, this must be a Southern thing. I live in NC and everyday I see people doing this.. Just tootdling along in the left lane for no good reason. Not another car for 1000s of feet (besides me). Totally oblivious. Maybe that should be my #1.. Totally Oblivious Drivers. <die die die>

[zelmo]

I hate timid drivers. People who drive too defensively, leave waaaaay too much room between themselves and the car ahead, who hit their brakes far sooner than you could possibly need to. To me, these folk are as unpredictable and dangerous as the idiots who change lanes at high speed without looking or signalling.:mad:

That being said (and yes, I feel better), my personal pet peeve is people who, when merging onto a crowded highway (Baltimore Beltway) keep running beyond the end of the merge area and drive for a mile on the shoulder doing 40, passing 100's of cars moving 5 mph in a back-up, then abruptly slam on their brakes and cut off some poor sap. Because they are special.
When I see someone coming up the shoulder like this, I will swerve out to block their illegal progress. Because I'm a dick.:p

[mactastic]

Around here it's 'tailgate or be cut off' on the freeways. Unless you jamb yourself right up someone else's tailpipe, someone behind you will take that as an invitation to pass you on the right and cut you off.

[Electro Funk]

You know, this must be a Southern thing. I live in NC and everyday I see people doing this.. Just tootdling along in the left lane for no good reason. Not another car for 1000s of feet (besides me). Totally oblivious. Maybe that should be my #1.. Totally Oblivious Drivers. <die die die>

Its funny you say that ... i used to live up north and it didnt happen much up there... slower people stayed in the right hand lane (for the most part)....

What really drives me nuts down here is there are signs every few miles on most of the 75 stretch that say slower trafiic keep right, left lane for passing only...

They apparently dont ever read or see those signs.... (just putting along in the left hand lane)

i dont really tailgate either... but if there is a lot of traffic and you are putting along in the left hand land you bet im going to give the lights a flicker and a maybe a beep... (meaning hey old person that probably should not be behind the wheel in the first place... get out of my way!)

[xsedrinam]

......That being said (and yes, I feel better), my personal pet peeve is people who, when merging onto a crowded highway (Baltimore Beltway) keep running beyond the end of the merge area and drive for a mile on the shoulder doing 40, passing 100's of cars moving 5 mph in a back-up, then abruptly slam on their brakes and cut off some poor sap. Because they are special.
When I see someone coming up the shoulder like this, I will swerve out to block their illegal progress. Because I'm a dick.:p
Yeah, zelmo! :D

[iBlue]

Around here it's 'tailgate or be cut off' on the freeways. Unless you jamb yourself right up someone else's tailpipe, someone behind you will take that as an invitation to pass you on the right and cut you off.
you must be from los angeles. :p

<- (understands)

[vniow]

Around here it's 'tailgate or be cut off' on the freeways. Unless you jamb yourself right up someone else's tailpipe, someone behind you will take that as an invitation to pass you on the right and cut you off.

Its like that up here too, although probably less scary-sounding. I'm suprised at the lack of accidents due to this actually since it happens so frequently, maybe that's just the way people learn to drive around parts like these.

*shrug*

[devilot]

Around here it's 'tailgate or be cut off' on the freeways.That's why I don't drive freeways.

[atszyman]

It's not on the survey, but my biggest peeve is those who pay no attention to the Exit X miles signs and realize they have to get across 4 lanes of traffic to make their exit 100 yds before the ramp is walled off by concrete. They'll come to a dead stop in the lane they are currently in and wait for an opening so they can stop the next lane until they get to the exit and cross the double white lines which aren't supposed to be crossed, simply because they failed to realize their exit was coming despite 5 large signs that started showing up 8 miles before the exit. Worse yet when I see the same person do it again the next day...

Another of my favorites are those who drive grey cars in the rain and refuse to turn on their lights rendering themselves almost completely invisible.

Of course the over-agressive weaving morons usually get their fair share of obscenities shouted as well, I know they can't hear me but it feels good.

And last but not least people who use the exit ramp to bypass the traffic lights on the frontage roads and don't let the highway drivers get off at the exit, and as a corollary those who don't seem to understand the "zipper" idea when two lanes merge.

Can't fault the tailgaters here since it's either tailgate or get repeatedly cut off.

All in all I guess I'm not a very happy driver. But on the plus side I can usually get it all out of my system before I pick up my daughter so I don't have to swear with her in the car.

[Boggle]

I hate people who drive at high rates of speed all the while weaving in and out of traffic within inches of me (and others).

Teenagers are supposed to ****ing drive like this, not "adults."

People that tailgate very agressively in the left lane when I am obviously making an attempt to get out of the way (hey, 80 isn't fast enough)?

Basically, aggressive drivers piss me the hell off.

*hands iGary the unhappiest man in MD award.
. :mad:
. / | \
_ / \_

pathetically that guy took me a while to build.

[bartelby]

How about the c**ts who sit in your blind spot for mile after mile without even attempting to overtake.

[bousozoku]

In Floriduh, it would be a lot of things:


People trying to find something that's on the passenger side floor
People who never look forward dealing with the kids in the back seat
People turning left on a red light
People who don't stop for right on red


The people using phones are generally the ones who do everything else but there are plenty of people who just can't be bothered. Even when they're caught on camera, they deny that they did anything wrong. :D

[mactastic]

That's why I don't drive freeways.
How do you ever get anywhere? :p
you must be from los angeles.

<- (understands)
Nope, not from LA. Livin' the SLO life - except for on the freeway that is.

[devilot]

How do you ever get anywhere? :p Heh, most shopping areas can be reached locally. Same w/ school and restaurants. To get to Santa Cruz? That's what the boyfriend's for. :p To be fair, I let him drive my car as much as possible so that we can spare the mileage on his poor car.

[iBlue]

H...
Nope, not from LA. Livin' the SLO life - except for on the freeway that is.

San Luis Obispo? I'm sorry to hear that the traffic is spreading.

[mactastic]

San Luis Obispo? I'm sorry to hear that the traffic is spreading.
Yeah, we don't get the freeway-as-a-parking-lot thing (yet), but 101 is an 80mph war zone most hours of the day now.

The wine is sure good though!:D

[floriflee]

That being said (and yes, I feel better), my personal pet peeve is people who, when merging onto a crowded highway (Baltimore Beltway) keep running beyond the end of the merge area and drive for a mile on the shoulder doing 40, passing 100's of cars moving 5 mph in a back-up, then abruptly slam on their brakes and cut off some poor sap. Because they are special.
When I see someone coming up the shoulder like this, I will swerve out to block their illegal progress. Because I'm a dick.:p

I completely and utterly agree! Those drivers drive me absolutely batty! Kudos to you for stopping their progress! You ROCK!! :D

[CorvusCamenarum]

I'll cast my vote for 5'0 sorority girls driving an Expidition or some other insanely large vehicle who can barely see over the steering wheel and feel it's necessary to yak on their cell phones, yet not necessary to pick a lane and keep to it and don't think to look behind them before backing out of their two (or more) parking spaces.

[patrick0brien]

Tailgaters.

I've slowly been working on my anger management so I try not to let it get to me if some basTurd™ is driving slowly in the fast lane... but I have yet to figure out how to ignore those jerks all up in my personal space. >(

Plus I had one really scary incident involving some total jerk tailgating me. :(

-devilot

If a Silver BMW 330Ci (see Avatar) somewhere in San Jose ever do this to you, you'd tell me right?

Lic Plate Frame: Steven's Creek BMW.

[patrick0brien]

Thought of Another One!!

How about that driver that yells, screams, shakes fist, etc. at you because you happened to be in the way of his attempt at tailgating/passing/weaving/blowing doors off/going through a yellow light/turning.

[robbieduncan]

Everything apart from the last one! Around London I'd say leaving your indicator (turn signal) is not a problem so much, never using them is much more of an issue!

[XNine]

*all of the above. I get very pissed off when driving:D

Yeah, the drivers of Denver are lucky it's not legal to carrry a gun in the car. Otherwise there wouldn't be any more people to piss me off.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Old Farts & Cell Phone users dragging arssss in the fast lanes pisses me off to no end. Good thing I dont own a M1. Get the hell out of me & my MG's way.:cool:

[andiwm2003]

slow drivers that are not using their indicators and change lanes all of a sudden piss me off most.

people who stop before entering a highway are close to the top of the list as well.

[Thanatoast]

Yeah, Denver drivers are pretty bad.

I mean, in most places drivers are dumb or stupid, not both. I've seen drivers perform stupid actions not out of stupidity, but out of spite. It sucks.

I voted for #1 because I think this is the biggest problem on Denver highways. I've gotten on 1-25 in the slow lane going southbound and passed everyone in every lane to my left. It's dumb. People think because they are in the fast lane that makes them better than everyone else, and they can't stand that anyone might want to move faster than them. They're the center of the freaking universe, after all.

I think most traffic problems on 25/70/225/470/etc would be solved if the "left lane for passing only" rule were enforced. Unfortunately the one time the cops tried it there was such an uproar by the collective prats that they had to stop.

I've weaved before. In anger, even. But when you've got two lanes going the exact same speed (5 under) and a perfect "third lane" going between more than a dozen cars... I'm telling you, it was straight out of a movie car chase - they were lined up that perfectly. I don't regret it at all.

I also want to hear the definition for getting "cut off". I've jumped in front of people before with little room to spare, but I always make sure they don't have to hit their brakes in order not to hit me. They never have to actively avoid me you see, I've already compensated for their driving style.

You see, I always assume that everyone else on the road is a moron and drive as if they're Darwin's mistakes. I've heard that driving as if they're actively trying to kill you works too, but I think that's giving them too much credit.

[XNine]

Yeah, Denver drivers are pretty bad.

I mean, in most places drivers are dumb or stupid, not both. I've seen drivers perform stupid actions not out of stupidity, but out of spite. It sucks.

I voted for #1 because I think this is the biggest problem on Denver highways. I've gotten on 1-25 in the slow lane going southbound and passed everyone in every lane to my left. It's dumb. People think because they are in the fast lane that makes them better than everyone else, and they can't stand that anyone might want to move faster than them. They're the center of the freaking universe, after all.

I think most traffic problems on 25/70/225/470/etc would be solved if the "left lane for passing only" rule were enforced. Unfortunately the one time the cops tried it there was such an uproar by the collective prats that they had to stop.

I've weaved before. In anger, even. But when you've got two lanes going the exact same speed (5 under) and a perfect "third lane" going between more than a dozen cars... I'm telling you, it was straight out of a movie car chase - they were lined up that perfectly. I don't regret it at all.

I also want to hear the definition for getting "cut off". I've jumped in front of people before with little room to spare, but I always make sure they don't have to hit their brakes in order not to hit me. They never have to actively avoid me you see, I've already compensated for their driving style.

You see, I always assume that everyone else on the road is a moron and drive as if they're Darwin's mistakes. I've heard that driving as if they're actively trying to kill you works too, but I think that's giving them too much credit.

So you're saying that you're a third party to the Onizuka-Mr. Durden alter-ego phenomenon? Your the third?

Yeah, it pisses me off when people are doing 50 on i-25 in the left lane and everyone else is doing 70. One day, I swear to god I'm going to run some dumb bastard into the barrier. That's what they deserve. Or the ****ing socker mom chatting away on her cell phone in her SUV that's 9 times bigger than any vehicle a woman that size needs to drive, doing 34 in a 40.
HEY LADY! YOU CAN DO 9 MILES ABOVE THE SPEED LIMIT IN DENVER! MOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In fact, I hate SUV's period. People that drive these should be forced to park in the very back of every parking lot and mall. If they want the urban-commando vehicles, then they can hike to get their godamn Prada sandles! And they should also be FORCED by the federal government to conserve gas: i.e: one tank per two weeks. :mad:

[mactastic]

Why do people get so vitriolic about women driving SUVs? Why is a solo man of slim stature driving an SUV not as big a peeve as a slight woman? Seems a tad sexist...

[XNine]

Why do people get so vitriolic about women driving SUVs? Why is a solo man of slim stature driving an SUV not as big a peeve as a slight woman? Seems a tad sexist...

Because men in Denver drive Miatas....

[patrick0brien]

Why do people get so vitriolic about women driving SUVs? Why is a solo man of slim stature driving an SUV not as big a peeve as a slight woman? Seems a tad sexist...

-mactastic

I think it's a pattern thing.

There seem to be more issues observed with the slight woman versus the solo man of slim stature.

So the pattern becomes the stereotype, Q.E.D.

[mactastic]

-mactastic

I think it's a pattern thing.

There seem to be more issues observed with the slight woman versus the solo man of slim stature.

So the pattern becomes the stereotype, Q.E.D.
Sure, but isn't that the basis of all stereotypes?

In my experience men and women across car types and body sizes can be equally bad drivers.

[gooberone]

Drivers that tailgate me when I'm in the slow RIGHT lane.
Distracted drivers not paying attention to the road and attempt to change lanes while I'm right there. (yes, I've had that happen not just once but several times).

[patrick0brien]

Sure, but isn't that the basis of all stereotypes?

-mactastic

Yep! But this one I'd call 'still alive' as the pattern that created the stereotype is still in full force.

-Another one!

Not checking blind spots!

[count chocula]

mine wasnt on there, i would have to say not being able to drive legally :rolleyes:

[yg17]

I picked #1:

1. Drivers who drive slow in the fast lane
HATE THEM

2. Drivers who speed up to make it through a yellow light
I'm guilty of that, I won't be a hypocrite :D

3. Drivers who leave their directional signal on
Annoying as hell, but they're not #1

4. Drivers who tailgate
Same as 3. If I can, I'll speed up to get them off my tail

5. Drivers who abruptly and often change lanes
Guilty as charged (I do it safely and with turn signals though. I just like being in front)

6. Drivers who talk on their cell phone
#2 pet peeve. Hell, maybe tied for #1. If the call is that important, pull off into a parking lot and do us all a favor

7. Drivers who speed and "blow your doors off"
I'm usually that driver ;)

[Boggle]

The cell phone yakkers make my blood boil, but it turns out its the damn rubberneckers causing most of the fracking problems.

In 2004, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, over 40,000 Americans died because of traffic crashes....With the high number of Americans that try to use their commutes as a time to multi-task, the car accident statistics involving such things as cell phones has increased. The use of cell phones causing car accidents have been under a lot of scrutiny, but the largest study on crashes involving distracted drivers has found that rubbernecking causes more accidents than cell phones related accidents.

Car accident statistics indicate 98 percent of reported accidents involve a single distracted driver. Rubbernecking was the highest percentage of single distractions, followed by driver fatigue, looking at scenery or landmarks, passenger or child distractions, adjusting the radio or other music form, and cell phone use.

I'm bad w/ links but here goes Car Accident Statistics (http://www.onlinelawyersource.com/personal_injury/car/statistics.html)

I still hate the cell phone people with the heat of a nova. :mad: - Never let the facts interfere w/ your convictions -

[mpw]

...I still hate the cell phone people with the heat of a nova. :mad: - Never let the facts interfere w/ your convictions -
A while ago I saw a girl riding a step-thru moped in shorts going round a round about while riding one handed so she could text someone on her cellphone!:eek:

OT: This morning I saw a guy walking down the street with a white cane texting on his cellphone:confused: Have we got to the point where sighted people are using cane to feel there way around so they can text?

[CompUser]

What about people that pull out onto a main road when they shouldn't, as in if the driver of the car that I am in has to slam on the brakes not to hit it.

Or people that try to make U-Turns in the middle of a busy road.


Here is a good story:

My mom and I were driving to one of my soccer games. We were on the highway, passing the colt gun factory in hartford, durring rush hour. This gang of motorcyclists on crotch rockets and driving inbetween cars that are packed together driving 70mph. It scared the crap out of my mom cause she didn't even see him coming and cut right in front of the car. There were about 5-6 people that did this.

[xsedrinam]

It's interesting we all hate people who drive slowly in our lane, but also hate tailgaters (who are probably thinking "who's this ass driving so slow in my lane?").
Interesting, indeed. Almost a tie between (them and us).

[EricNau]

The drivers that annoy me the most...

hmmmmm...

The HP drivers that came with my Printer. They are absolutely terrible. :mad:

[yg17]

Today I got behind some old fart doing 20 in a 40, and it was 1 lane each direction and a double yellow line so I couldn't pass :mad: I looked up in my mirror and saw a line of about 10 or 15 cars behind me just slowly crawling along thanks to this man.

[runninmac]

*all of the above. I get very pissed off when driving:D

Yep driving has changed me for the worst, now whenever someone does something remotely bad a swear and curse at the top of my lungs like there is no tomorrow. Before I use to be a nice inocent teen :cool: :rolleyes:

[xsedrinam]

You can order your own Road Rage Cards (http://www.roadrage.com/samples.htm) and let them know how you feel. :)

[janey]

If I could, i'd vote for all of them. Alas, sometimes things just can't be helped. Except for the a-holes who always have to give you the finger cause you're driving 10mph faster than the speed limit but not fast enough for them.

One of my biggest annoyances is actually parking. The hummers that take up two spaces, and the *******s who take the handicapped parking places are realllly really annoying.

Number 1 on my list are the people who cross the street in a particular way. There's one intersection I'm at where people do this a lot (it's olympic & western, in the middle of ktown in los angeles), and I'm not sure if it's because the signals were recently changed or they just have no common sense or what..but... Essentially what's bugging me is that said intersection is always busy, they just recently changed the signals to put in dedicated left/right turn signals because it's impossible for more than one or two cars at most, if at all, to make left turns there otherwise, and there's always a long line of like 7 or 8 cars that want to (before the change, I remember waiting like 5-10 minutes to make a left turn). So while the left turn arrow is green, people aren't supposed to cross the street, and other drivers are supposed to wait, and you're supposed to make a left turn. Then the arrow turns yellow, and then you're supposed to yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians who are THEN supposed to cross the street until you have another opportunity to make a left turn before the light turns red.

HOWEVER, some idiot pedestrians decide to cross the street and not wait for the "walk" signal, ever, from both sides. It's not even all of them, the mass majority of them wait, because they know what's going on. But what ends up happening is that you're trying to make a left turn but can't because a couple of people are in your way. So you can't make a left turn and the light turns green for everyone else and you're stuck blocking the intersection because now some more people are in your way. So all the drivers that you're blocking get mad (and of course it's never just you, it's also the car(s) behind you trying to make the left turn as well), and the random pedestrian gives you a dirty look cause you're screaming obscenities at them.

Of course, when you wait expecting people to cross the street, even though you're supposed to be making a left turn, nobody ever does cross the street and people give you the finger.

I know I suck at describing this, so here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=W+Olympic+Blvd+%26+S+Western+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90006&ll=34.052804,-118.309144&spn=0.000987,0.00302&t=h&om=1

The little pointer thing is the intersection, the street going east/west is Olympic, the street going north/south is Western. i'm usually trying to make a left on Western to get onto Olympic to get to that building in your bottom right-hand corner. The line of 6-7 cars up at top is all the people trying to make left turns, and people usually cross the street behind where the red car is. PEOPLE ALWAYS FLIPPING CROSS THE STREET!

[iGav]

Poor lane discipline.

Then failure to signal.

[MattG]

Tailgaters for sure. Drives me nuts. That and the people who have to swerve in and out of lanes like maniacs, without using their turn signals. Get over yourselves, seriously.

[Aeolius]

A few to add to the list...

Drivers who think that the entire universe wants to hear the music blaring from their stereo. If I stop at a red light, and the "music" from the car behind me makes my windows rattle, I'd like to shoot them. I keep a selection of songs on my iPod, for those occasions when I can pull up next to them (Tiny Tim seems to work wonders).

Adding to the note about parking in handicap-designated spots (just park behind them and call the cops...you'll do a good deed AND piss them off...win-win); Motorcycles and mopeds that park in the striped loading zone beside those parking spaces. That zone is part of the handicap-designated zone, idiots! If you see such an offending vehicle with a big puddle of spit on the seat - I did that.

And then there are those nighttime drivers who think that there is a specific distance they have to reach (seems to be 10', these days), before turning their high beams down. If I can see your headlights and you can see mine, I expect you to turn your lights down. And trust me, those purple-hued metal halides do NOT impress me.

Let's not forget those folks who can't stay in their own lane, when making a turn. If you're inner land, STAY in the inner lane when you turn. Same goes for the outer lane. Those people who swerve across 3 lanes of traffic when they turn need to have their ankles broken.

How about people who speed through school zones or pass a stopped school bus. Let's forget the points on their license - let's just drown them.

[yellow]

Such anger..

[emw]

Such anger..
Shut up and drive.

[sushi]

Ah hell, anyone with the gall to be on the road when I'm trying to get somewhere.
emw I think you might be on to something here! ;)

[Black&Tan]

Shut up and drive.

Actually, I think he's on to something HERE.

And I agree with Yellow, so much anger...therein lies the Dark Side

[patrick0brien]

...some idiot pedestrians decide to cross the street and not wait for the "walk" signal, ever, from both sides...

-janey

I've had a particular temptation since I started driving, and every now and then it crops up and I start thinking about it again. It is the temptation of installing a set of truck air horns in addition to the OEM horn in my car.

So I'd have a "Honk" and "Seriously Honk, get the frack out of my way moron! Honk".

Where I used to live in Chicago, in Greektown, idiots would be walking around out in the middle of Halstead. Oh, boy, gimme that horn, I'd clear the street.

PS- My Brother in law has a train horn installed in his van - twice as loud (300db) but I'm sorry, not as scary as a truck horn.

[janey]

I've had a particular temptation since I started driving, and every now and then it crops up and I start thinking about it again. It is the temptation of installing a set of truck air horns in addition to the OEM horn in my car.
Oh my god, I want that so bad :D it would look sooo funny lol

[patrick0brien]

Oh my god, I want that so bad :D it would look sooo funny lol

-janey

:D :D I've always wanted to see the look on the faces on those blasted with it.

...
Dullard walking
Honk
Honk-honk
BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!
Dullard picks himself off of the pavement.

[IJ Reilly]

You need to have a little patience with people out on the road who might make a mistake, get distracted or are just having a bad day -- if not for their benefit, then for your own peace of mind. Remember, tomorrow it could be you. The people that really bug me are the ones who just don't care. That's why I chose speeding as my driving pet peeve. People who speed just don't care, which makes them among the most dangerous drivers on the road.

[Southerner]

Though in the UK - traffic lights when turning green they show red&yellow together beforehand which is quite useful for getting into gear before moving off.

But a lot of people I've seen take avantage of this, some move off way too early before the green light appears and on high speed roads from a distance they see the lights showing red&yellow knowing they'll turn green without bothering to slow down. This I feel is dangerous you shouldn't really go through traffic light junctions at 80-100mph in case there are pedestrians crossing the road without waiting for the green man signal...

I feel that British traffic lights should go straight from red to green like those in Ireland and Jersey. This should stop drivers from moving off too early and forcing speeders to slow down as the lights instead would be showing red alone that they won't have an idea exactly when the green light will appear.

[sushi]

Though in the UK - traffic lights when turning green they show red&yellow together beforehand which is quite useful for getting into gear before moving off.
In Japan, Green means go. Yellow means go faster. Red means floor it! ;)

On a serious note I've gone through a red light (one changing from green to yellow to red) many times. In fact I had been filming some driving around Japan to show my folks back home. When they saw the film, they all chastised me for doing it. However, they were a bit perplexed when I stated that if I had stopped I would have been rear ended by the 2-3 cars/trucks behind me that followed me through the red light.

The scariest ones are the little kids who put up their hand and then walk out in front of traffic. By Japanese rules they have the right of way. However, metal beats flesh every day of the week so while they may be right they are dead and since you are considered a professional driver you have a high chance of going to jail for a long time.

For me the pet pieve is old men/women on a bicycle. Scary!

[xsedrinam]

In Japan....The scariest ones are the little kids who put up their hand and then walk out in front of traffic. By Japanese rules they have the right of way. However, metal beats flesh every day of the week so while they may be right they are dead and since you are considered a professional driver you have a high chance of going to jail for a long time.


In South America, pedestrians take their life in to their own hands when stepping off the curb in to a street of traffic. What's even worse, they will almost always step first and look second (to their right, the opposite direction of any on-coming car).

[TMA]

I'm guilty of tailgating. I do it fairly often. I realise the dangers but I don't care.

I'd rather die tailgating to annoy the hell out of someone that's stuck in the fast line for no good reason than let him get away with it. I absolutely have to, in any way, shape or form, point out other peoples mistakes wherever possible.

I can see tailgating and fast lane hoggers are both popular choices in this poll. My theory is tailgating is a result of bad drivers hogging the fast lane. So... Let's tackle this by getting to the root of the problem: STOP DRIVING SLOW IN THE WRONG LANE!

[devilot]

I realise the dangers but I don't care.Nice. I wonder if you'll feel the same way after you rear-end someone and your insurance has to pay for their car being fixed (possibly yours as well) and whatever injuries that driver and those passengers might have incurred. STOP DRIVING SLOW IN THE WRONG LANE!What if I'm already in the slow lane? I drive in the slow lane unless I need to turn left or to pass another car. But I still get tailgated. :rolleyes:

[xsedrinam]

If not already done elsewhere, it would be interesting to see how the MR Community tested on Type A Type B Personality (http://www.winona.edu/stress/stressprone.htm).

[TMA]

Nice. I wonder if you'll feel the same way after you rear-end someone and your insurance has to pay for their car being fixed (possibly yours as well) and whatever injuries that driver and those passengers might have incurred.

That's nothing compared to the suffering I would go through if I let them get away with hogging the fast lane and carry on being bad drivers.


What if I'm already in the slow lane? I drive in the slow lane unless I need to turn left or to pass another car. But I still get tailgated. :rolleyes:

Slightly different in the UK I think, but the principle is the same. Fast lane is on the right. If you're in the 'fast' (fast isn't really a good word for it, but it's the easiest and most commonly understood) lane to turn right or to over take then that's fine. I wouldn't tailgate in that situation.

Yes i've been tailgated whilst I'm overtaking or about to turn right and it is very annoying, but I bet this kind of tailgating doesn't happen nearly as much as when someone is sat in the fast lane when they shouldn't be.

[janey]

However, they were a bit perplexed when I stated that if I had stopped I would have been rear ended by the 2-3 cars/trucks behind me that followed me through the red light.
Yeah, I know. I went through one yellow->red light once and got yelled at (this was during one of my 6 hour dmv-mandated driver training periods in which I basically drove around anywhere I wanted to cause i already knew how to drive..), until I pointed out that we'd ahve been in a car accident if i had slowed down and stopped cause there were plenty of cars behind me.

Of course, I could have slowed down before I saw the yellow light, but this was in Santa Monica, and for some REALLY bizarre reason all the signals in this area seem to be on crack...part of how i decide whether to keep going or slow down is the flashing of the pedestrian signals while it's still a green light. over here, lights go from green to red in like 3 seconds, and sometimes the moment you slow down expecting the light to turn yellow it keeps staying green and the pedestrian sign thing goes from the solid red hand to the walk signal even though nobody's crossing the street..
It's a real pain in the ass, and sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who thinks that the lights are crazy. But the one upside to santa monica streets is that at pedestrian crosswalks, they have lights that flash along the path so you can stop. Otherwise, I'd be totally screwed driving around at night...outside of santa monica, i almost ran into a couple of people going like 40mph and I didn't see them at ALL because the residential streets were all dark and trees/cars were blocking my sight.

[Apple Hobo]

• Idiots gridlocking a busy intersection, which causes perpendicular traffic to miss their green lights. If you can make it to the other side of the intersection, stop at your line!

• Those "tuff-guys" who swerve half way onto the shoulder in order to see what's holding-up traffic. It's called rush hour gridlock. It happens every day at the same time. Duh!

• Those who do not understand the concept of that little lever marked "turn signal."

• Rubberneckers. Those selfish fools causing massive traffic delays... Sometimes a single police car parked with flashing lights (the cop can be doing something mundane, like clearing a minor fender-bender or helping a broken down motorist) is enough to cause a jam.

• People who must make a lane change right where they are at a given moment. These people slow to a crawl or stop in order to cut into the next lane...usually holding up their own lane until a gap opens up in the next lane.

• While sitting in slow freeway traffic, there's always a bunch of people who try to jam their cars into spaces that don't exist. Usual scenario: I'm sitting about three feet from the car behind me, moving at a slow crawl. Goober driver must get into that space. No turn signal, no polite hey-d00d-can-ya-please-let-me-in-wave. It's either t-bone the loser or slam on the brakes and let them into the space.

• Two-lane highway on-ramps that quickly merge into one lane... rather than merge and pull in behind another car, some arrogant cretins race along the right-side lane, while the road is quickly narrowing down to one lane. Of course, when said-cretin nearly runs off the road trying to cut me off, they get mad at me.

• Those who don't use their headlights in blinding rainstorms. Lane changes and left turns across oncoming traffic are so much fun when you can't see the other cars.

• People who turn out from a side street onto a main road...right in front of me. It's even more enraging when there's not a single car behind me, and they could've waited literally a single second or two while I passed. I instead have the pleasure of slamming on my brakes in order to avoid smashing into them.

• People who park in front of busy storefronts (usually directly under the "do not park" signs). This usually causes a huge mess in a small, tight parking lot, since everyone has to maneuver around these lazy fools.

This list deserves a big -> :rolleyes:

[Gymnut]

How about people who do not quite grasp the concept that you can make a right turn on red after a stop. They are completely oblivious and will sit there until the light turns green to make the right turn. Yes, if there is traffic running perpindicular and you can't make the turn then it's acceptable, but I'm referring to the numbskulls who will sit there with absolutely no perpindicular traffic hindering them from making the right turn.

[D34th]

I hate, HATE, when I'm driving on at a nice cruising speed, with NO ONE behind me. Then someone from a side street, who couldn't wait the five seconds for me to pass, cuts out in front of me making me slam on my brakes. And to make it worse, they take a turn onto the next side street that is probably 50 feet where they came out of. This happens almost once a week, and every time I just feel like speeding up and ramming them, but I usually control myself, ;) ...

[floriflee]

A couple of the posts reminded me of a story from an old tech support co-worker friend of mine. He did support for some mechanical engineering modeling software. A consultant called him up once asking for help with a modeling issue. Turned out he was driving down the freeway talking on his cellphone while modeling a part on his laptop. Now that is a Darwin death waiting to happen.... :rolleyes:

[IJ Reilly]

Yes i've been tailgated whilst I'm overtaking or about to turn right and it is very annoying, but I bet this kind of tailgating doesn't happen nearly as much as when someone is sat in the fast lane when they shouldn't be.

Of course, to a tailgater, the definition of someone being in the fast lane when they shouldn't, is any time they are ahead of him.

[Poeben]

Around here we have a lot of 2-lane highways. There are many intersections that have TWO left turn lanes. So why is it that everyone in the left most turning lane heads straight towards the right lane? They have their own lane to turn into.
Also, if I have a green light it is expected that any oncoming traffic shall not be in my lane in any way. I hate how people get mad at me when they cut ME off.

[bousozoku]

Around here we have a lot of 2-lane highways. There are many intersections that have TWO left turn lanes. So why is it that everyone in the left most turning lane heads straight towards the right lane? They have their own lane to turn into.
Also, if I have a green light it is expected that any oncoming traffic shall not be in my lane in any way. I hate how people get mad at me when they cut ME off.

That's understandable. It works that way here.

One night, someone sped up to get in front of me, then slowed down. When she felt that I hadn't slowed down enough, she continually tapped her brakes. We ended up at the same store and then she started yelling obscenities at me.

Most of the intersections here have multiple left turn lanes and green arrows. When the green arrows start, people turn right...into your path.

Lines mean nothing, either. People can't be bothered to enter the turn lane at the back of the line. They drive to the closer-to-the-front spot in the straight lane and try to push their way into the turn lane.

[sushi]

In South America, pedestrians take their life in to their own hands when stepping off the curb in to a street of traffic. What's even worse, they will almost always step first and look second (to their right, the opposite direction of any on-coming car).
I think this is fairly common around the world in that many folks really don't think about how metal always beats flesh until it's too late.

[virividox]

number 1 for me

[xsedrinam]

• Two-lane highway on-ramps that quickly merge into one lane... rather than merge and pull in behind another car, some arrogant cretins race along the right-side lane, while the road is quickly narrowing down to one lane. Of course, when said-cretin nearly runs off the road trying to cut me off, they get mad at me.

Ya, those who use the "right-side lane" or "shoulder" to beat the traffic jam, while they are the ones who are causing it, are a real pain.

[Aeolius]

How about people who do not quite grasp the concept that you can make a right turn on red after a stop.
That is an optional law, you know. When else will I find the chance to shave, read a book, change songs on my iPod, and tie my shoes, if not at a red light? :D

People who park in front of busy storefronts (usually directly under the "do not park" signs).
If they also happen to be blocking the wheelchair ramp, feel free to use your car keys, to update their paintjob.

[MultiM]

I like the people who race me to the next red light. "Oh look! You beat me again." :rolleyes:

[bartelby]

This morning I was driving to work (I'm a learner so my wife was in the car with me and there are 'L' Plates on the front and back). I was over taking a queue of slower moving traffic until I came across a large gap. I signalled left checked I was well clear of the vehicle behind and move into the gap.
I watched the MPV behind move out to the right. He pulled along side and then kept sharply swerving towards me. Now I don't get phased by this kind of behaviour so I continued on m way ignoring him. He then pulled in front of me and braked hard, forutnately our car has big front brakes (the discs are about a foot across) so I could slow a lot quicker than him.
He then stopped and started to get out. I just looked around to check there was nothing coming and pulled out and around him. Laughing my head off at him.
My wife said that as he was along side me he was shouting and shaking his fist and everything.

These people need to be either shot or neutered!

[mpw]

...These people need to be either shot or neutered!
...or run-down!

[gekko513]

One of my biggest dislikes isn't people who leave their directional signal on, but people who don't use their directional signal at all.

[bartelby]

...or run-down!


I wouldn't want to damage the car though, nor get blood on it.

[xsedrinam]

This morning I was driving to work...<snip>...My wife said that as he was along side me he was shouting and shaking his fist and everything.

I still don't understand why the rage? Did you cross in front of him in to the faster lane and slow down on him? Did he come up on you, suddenly and thought you were blocking him? :confused:

[IJ Reilly]

One of my biggest dislikes isn't people who leave their directional signal on, but people who don't use their directional signal at all.

I amuse myself by thinking about these people advertising their used cars for sale: "Turn signals like new, never used."

[electronboy]

That has to be the worst and one of the most dangerous activities. Why risk everyone's life when you can goto the next exit and turn around? :confused: